Major statement regarding Juraj Slafkovsky and Tage Thompson
Tage Thompson is off to a crazy start this season with the Buffalo Sabres. A few days ago, the center recorded 5 goals and 1 assist in one game and it wasn't even his first 6 point game of the season. Indeed, last October 31st, he also scored 3 goals and added 3 assists in a game against the Detroit Red Wings.
Physically speaking, the comparison between Thompson and the young Slafkovsky is obvious. They are both giant forwards. At only 18 years of age, the Canadiens' number 20 is 6-foot-3 and weighs 238 pounds. Thompson is 6-foot-6 and 220 pounds. They are both big players, skilled with the puck and have a lightning-fast shot.
Comparing careers, one could argue that Slafkovsky should eventually be better than Thompson. Both players have had success on the international stage and have subsequently been drafted in the first round by an NHL team. Why should Slafkovsky eventually be better? Because he was drafted 1st overall and Thompson 26th. However, a draft number can be misleading. Just think of a player like Kucherov, drafted in the 2nd round, 58th overall.
A few days before the 2022 draft, the Habs said they wanted to pick the player who is going to be the best in four or five years, not just the best right now. Thompson is a good example of that kind of progression. In his first season, Thompson only played 3 games with the Blues before moving to the Sabres. In his first season in Buffalo, he recorded 7 goals and 5 assists in 65 games. Two years later, he scored 14 points in 38 games, but it was the following year that he really took off. In that season, Thompson recorded 38 goals and 30 assists for a total of 68 points in 78 games played.
Slafkovsky plays under young coaches, but they too have great potential, especially in the development of young players. Just look at Martin St. Louis' influence on Cole Caufield. Of course, Juraj is not currently a number one pick like Connor McDavid was, but he certainly has the potential to become a very important player for the Habs organization. He still has a lot of work to do and a lot of experience to gain to adjust to the pace of the NHL, but the progression of a player like Thompson gives hope that Slafkosvky will become the threat he was on the international stage with Slovakia.
Juraj Slafkovsky eventually better than Tage Thompson? A major statement.
Source: InsideSlams.com
| POLL | ||
Do you think Slafkovsky can become the kind of player that Tage Thompson is now? | ||
| Yes | 196 | 65.3 % |
| No | 104 | 34.7 % |
| List of polls | ||
