Ex Leaf Goes After Juraj Slafkovsky Calling Him A Bust
Former NHLer Jordan Schmaltz Criticizes Juraj Slafkovsky's Play
The hockey world is buzzing after a former player with ties to the Toronto Maple Leafs shared his candid thoughts on Juraj Slafkovsky's performance, sparking widespread discussion on the young player's future.
Jordan Schmaltz Offers Harsh Take on Slafkovsky
Debate is swirling about whether Juraj Slafkovsky, the Montreal Canadiens' first pick in the 2022 draft, should remain in the NHL or be sent down to the AHL.
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Jordan Schmaltz, a former NHL defenseman, took to X (formerly Twitter) to give a blunt assessment of Slafkovsky's abilities.
"I watched Juraj Slafkovsky play last night at Mullet Arena. And even dating back to the 2021-22 season in the Finnish Pro League where I played against this kid. Not much has changed with his game.
At the time I remember thinking.. He's built like a Ford F250 for his age, he doesn't really understand time & space (he would get lit up like he does in the National), and he has absolute blinders for vision.
While only 17-18 at the time, there was a disconnect from his computer aka his brain and what his frame was. I'm not saying I'm Scotty William Bowman by any means but it seems like MTL at the time got so h***y over a decent showing in an Olympics that featured no NHL players.
Hindsight is always 20/20 but even a few years ago #1 overall seemed rather steep for this type of player. Be interesting to see how it pans out. Last night confirmed to my eyes what he needs, and the best thing for this young player is a jungle stint with no set timeline on it."
At the time I remember thinking.. He's built like a Ford F250 for his age, he doesn't really understand time & space (he would get lit up like he does in the National), and he has absolute blinders for vision.
While only 17-18 at the time, there was a disconnect from his computer aka his brain and what his frame was. I'm not saying I'm Scotty William Bowman by any means but it seems like MTL at the time got so h***y over a decent showing in an Olympics that featured no NHL players.
Hindsight is always 20/20 but even a few years ago #1 overall seemed rather steep for this type of player. Be interesting to see how it pans out. Last night confirmed to my eyes what he needs, and the best thing for this young player is a jungle stint with no set timeline on it."
Schmaltz concludes by suggesting that Slafkovsky would benefit from time in the AHL, drawing from his own experience playing against the young athlete.
A Look at Schmaltz's Hockey Journey
The 25th overall pick by the St. Louis Blues in the 2012 NHL draft, Jordan Schmaltz was projected to be a top-four defenseman but ended up spending most of his North American career in the AHL. Over three partial NHL seasons, Schmaltz participated in 42 games, with no goals and five assists.
He played his final NHL-affiliated games with the Toronto Maple Leafs before a trade to the Islanders, eventually leaving for the Finnish Liiga in 2021-22, where he observed Slafkovsky's play firsthand.
After a season in the Swiss NL, at 30, Schmaltz's NHL prospects appear to be behind him.
The hockey community is now watching to see if Slafkovsky will outpace the predictions of a former peer or follow a path similar to that of Schmaltz.
As Read on HockeyPatrol - Former Leaf Humiliates Juraj Slafkovsky and Calls Him a Bust
| POLL | ||
4 NOVEMBRE | 102 ANSWERS Ex Leaf Goes After Juraj Slafkovsky Calling Him A Bust Do you agree with Schmaltz's opinions on Slafkovsky? | ||
| Yes | 64 | 62.7 % |
| No | 38 | 37.3 % |
| LIST OF POLLS | ||
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