[Grant McCagg] I have been impressed with Slafkovsky’s preseason so far. Forechecking and backchecking hard, skating well, winning some puck battles, and as you will see here, creating offensive chances:
A couple other highlights: https://x.com/grantmccagg/status/1709235290945056778?s=61&t=PNkvhpGekG49rOZ8mKMpJw — https://x.com/grantmccagg/status/1709235429277392932?s=61&t=PNkvhpGekG49rOZ8mKMpJw
McCagg is obviously a biased Slaf fan, and haters will say this isn’t impressive for a 1OA, but if you just take his preseason at face value, I think it’s clear that Slaf is looking way more comfortable out there than last year. Hoping we get to see a full year of him with Dach.
jadenspan
Next year is the year of slaf. he still doesn’t have his balance right
dawnofthedunk_
I disagree. I don’t think he has played well, and strenuously believe that he should start in the AHL. I’d like to see him dominate in the AHL before being called up.
Also, Grant’s rookie rankings are generally pretty good imo. But once a player is drafted to the Habs, his homerism takes over.
cinosa
>I have been impressed with Slafkovsky’s preseason so far.
Me too Grant, me too.
hab27
This is totally unrelated to Slaf.
I don’t value a word that comes out of McCaggs mouth. I’m embarrassed he’s a habs fan.
Jozkoooooo2
TonyComputer1
Mccagg can be a goober and Slaf can be good. They are mutually exclusive things.
Jimbo_Imperador
A broken clock is right twice a day, Slaf has looked much better on his overall game, I’d like to see him drive the net a lil more but otherwise he’s been much better
Grossepotatoe
Still needs to work on some decision making, TSN crew showed a great example yesterday when he left matthews all alone. That being said he’s been using his size better, driving the net and keeping his head up. I have no doubt he will be a good player and I still think he can be a great player. Players with his size and style typically take a couple more years than the skilled guys (not saying he isn’t skilled) to show their true potential.
thet1m
I’m one of Slaf’s biggest fans since his d-2 season. I thought he showed flashes of his talent for a while last year. Then he started getting caught with his head down and he seemed to not be doing the same things anymore.
I’ve only seen most of the last two Leafs/Habs games (leafs fan so here it comes) but I feel like he still isn’t showing off his talent. The clip in the tweet shows the sens/Habs game but from what I’ve seen he seems like he’s not confident in his game at all and just trying to play the safe team game.
I want to see him dominating board play again and getting off better shots. I think he’s going to be a real stud for you guys and it’s going to take some time, but I do wonder if he needs some luck to get his mojo back.
The___Colonel
I think he’s going to be a monster in his prime. Once he understands how big he is and adjusts his coordination / balance he will be such an effective play driver. The plays he’s making right now are subtle but are effective. That pass to Dach in front last night should’ve been a goal. Imagine if he passed like that to Cole?
I can’t wait for the day he goes through 3 defenders and crashes the net for a goal – once he understands his size. He has such soft hands for a guy his size. I find large players to take longer to get a quick release. They have so much weight and size to put behind the puck. This kid has all the tools – iq, size, puck protection, hands – the skating and shot will come with time.
He doesn’t need a super hard shot, just needs to position himself to take them and put some deception and speed on his release. I would hate to line up against him in 2-4 years in the playoffs every other night.
WeathervaneJesus1
I saw nothing in these clips that was even remotely impressive. He did something that every single NHL player does in every game. Weird flex.
gotricolore
It’s clear the NHL game is currently too fast for Slafkovsky to display his talent. It’s fine, he’s only 19, it doesn’t mean he’s a bust at all.
But he should start the year in the AHL. There’s literally no risk associated with this, whereas there is risk of harming his development if he stays in the NHL and isn’t ready.
gotricolore
McCagg has a financial interest in selling Habs fan hope, even if it’s false. Always take any of his analyses and articles with huge grains of salt.
mdlt97
> I have been impressed with Slafkovsky’s preseason so far.
only shows clips from 1 period lol, which happened to be the only really good period of hockey he has played in the entire preseason
slaf was really good in that 2nd vs the sens, but he didnt continue that play into the next games he played in
habulous74
1/3 of the sub – *BuT COoLEy dOES sPInORAmAs!*
Ok-Sprinkles1644
Let him grow in the minors , not ready yet .
MessageBoard
I would say the opposite. He has improved from last year but he has been making tons of mistakes and reacting to the play at all times rather than being proactive. Impressive is not the word I would use. This just reads like his takes on how much better Kotkaniemi was every year despite the eye test and analytics not agreeing.
Slaf’s positioning is improved from last year but still terrible. He’s clearly thinking about where he needs to be on the ice but he’s not doing it instinctively yet. Marty even said he needs to learn to play with four other guys on the ice and that is the truth. He is lost in both the offensive and defensive zones trying to figure where he needs to be, but he does have occasional shifts where he does things properly.
There’s no point in sending him down, however; we don’t even have someone else to fill his spot. Guys we expected to push like Farrell had bad camps and need AHL seasoning. Slaf will learn these things faster playing with good players. We’re rebuilding, just let him keep making mistakes and correcting them. Who knows if Houle is even capable of that in the AHL. Keep Slaf up and play him in the top six. Talk with him before games, in between periods, and after games until he figures it out. His mistakes haven’t been leading to goals against, just killing our possession or leading to non-dangerous turnovers.
xc2215x
Good to see from Grant.
KantanaBrigantei
He’s still figuring out how to play HIS game in THE game.
20 Comments
McCagg is obviously a biased Slaf fan, and haters will say this isn’t impressive for a 1OA, but if you just take his preseason at face value, I think it’s clear that Slaf is looking way more comfortable out there than last year. Hoping we get to see a full year of him with Dach.
Next year is the year of slaf. he still doesn’t have his balance right
I disagree. I don’t think he has played well, and strenuously believe that he should start in the AHL. I’d like to see him dominate in the AHL before being called up.
Also, Grant’s rookie rankings are generally pretty good imo. But once a player is drafted to the Habs, his homerism takes over.
>I have been impressed with Slafkovsky’s preseason so far.
Me too Grant, me too.
This is totally unrelated to Slaf.
I don’t value a word that comes out of McCaggs mouth. I’m embarrassed he’s a habs fan.
Mccagg can be a goober and Slaf can be good. They are mutually exclusive things.
A broken clock is right twice a day, Slaf has looked much better on his overall game, I’d like to see him drive the net a lil more but otherwise he’s been much better
Still needs to work on some decision making, TSN crew showed a great example yesterday when he left matthews all alone. That being said he’s been using his size better, driving the net and keeping his head up. I have no doubt he will be a good player and I still think he can be a great player. Players with his size and style typically take a couple more years than the skilled guys (not saying he isn’t skilled) to show their true potential.
I’m one of Slaf’s biggest fans since his d-2 season. I thought he showed flashes of his talent for a while last year. Then he started getting caught with his head down and he seemed to not be doing the same things anymore.
I’ve only seen most of the last two Leafs/Habs games (leafs fan so here it comes) but I feel like he still isn’t showing off his talent. The clip in the tweet shows the sens/Habs game but from what I’ve seen he seems like he’s not confident in his game at all and just trying to play the safe team game.
I want to see him dominating board play again and getting off better shots. I think he’s going to be a real stud for you guys and it’s going to take some time, but I do wonder if he needs some luck to get his mojo back.
I think he’s going to be a monster in his prime. Once he understands how big he is and adjusts his coordination / balance he will be such an effective play driver. The plays he’s making right now are subtle but are effective. That pass to Dach in front last night should’ve been a goal. Imagine if he passed like that to Cole?
I can’t wait for the day he goes through 3 defenders and crashes the net for a goal – once he understands his size. He has such soft hands for a guy his size. I find large players to take longer to get a quick release. They have so much weight and size to put behind the puck. This kid has all the tools – iq, size, puck protection, hands – the skating and shot will come with time.
He doesn’t need a super hard shot, just needs to position himself to take them and put some deception and speed on his release. I would hate to line up against him in 2-4 years in the playoffs every other night.
I saw nothing in these clips that was even remotely impressive. He did something that every single NHL player does in every game. Weird flex.
It’s clear the NHL game is currently too fast for Slafkovsky to display his talent.
It’s fine, he’s only 19, it doesn’t mean he’s a bust at all.
But he should start the year in the AHL. There’s literally no risk associated with this, whereas there is risk of harming his development if he stays in the NHL and isn’t ready.
McCagg has a financial interest in selling Habs fan hope, even if it’s false. Always take any of his analyses and articles with huge grains of salt.
> I have been impressed with Slafkovsky’s preseason so far.
only shows clips from 1 period lol, which happened to be the only really good period of hockey he has played in the entire preseason
slaf was really good in that 2nd vs the sens, but he didnt continue that play into the next games he played in
1/3 of the sub – *BuT COoLEy dOES sPInORAmAs!*
Let him grow in the minors , not ready yet .
I would say the opposite. He has improved from last year but he has been making tons of mistakes and reacting to the play at all times rather than being proactive. Impressive is not the word I would use. This just reads like his takes on how much better Kotkaniemi was every year despite the eye test and analytics not agreeing.
Slaf’s positioning is improved from last year but still terrible. He’s clearly thinking about where he needs to be on the ice but he’s not doing it instinctively yet. Marty even said he needs to learn to play with four other guys on the ice and that is the truth. He is lost in both the offensive and defensive zones trying to figure where he needs to be, but he does have occasional shifts where he does things properly.
There’s no point in sending him down, however; we don’t even have someone else to fill his spot. Guys we expected to push like Farrell had bad camps and need AHL seasoning. Slaf will learn these things faster playing with good players. We’re rebuilding, just let him keep making mistakes and correcting them. Who knows if Houle is even capable of that in the AHL. Keep Slaf up and play him in the top six. Talk with him before games, in between periods, and after games until he figures it out. His mistakes haven’t been leading to goals against, just killing our possession or leading to non-dangerous turnovers.
Good to see from Grant.
He’s still figuring out how to play HIS game in THE game.