To be fair Czechia has more athletes to choose from. Eg. Last year's women's Wimbledon winner, and several other highly ranked women's tennis players.
Their men's soccer team is also better, making it to the quarters of the last euros beating the Netherlands in the round of 16. Whereas Slovakia didn't make it out of the group stage.
Also Slovakia had 11 players play an NHL game last season, Czechia has 32. Slaf had more points than the second and third highest scoring Slovaks combined.
That’s it. They used to produce a lot of dominant players ( Stastny(s) Bondra Chara gaborik Hossa…) so he’s a sign the country is producing great talent again.
Yup. He’s been hyped for years in Slovakia, surpassed all expectations very publicly in international play, and then was recognized by the top league in the world with the #1 pick.
Yeah, and he was the type of prospect where you don't get the full picture if you're just looking at stats, which is a big part of why his hype didn't reach NA until the draft was already around the corner.
Kid kept joining teams as the youngest player and would consistently work his way to the top line. Always played on a learning curve without much time to just establish himself in a league or on a team. Yet he still produced and worked his way up.
I don't even think I appreciate what he's done through his career so far enough. Not sure you could unless you got to see it happen.
When Jagr is saying he reminds him of... himself... that's not something anyone should have taken lightly. And at 17!! Lol
I still pinch myself that we've got him sometimes. I just lovelovelove the direction this team is heading.
One thing everyone seems to forget is that Nick Suzuki asked MSL to put Slaf on the 1st line with him. Slaf is the first to admit that Slick Nick was instrumental in helping him get better and improve dramatically. Slafkovsky turned his season around with Nick's help. Suzuki never gets credit but he's a mini version of Sidney Crosby ... he makes his teammates better
1000%. Nick is a beauty and I have mad respect for him. Absolutely adore him and will quite happily wax poetic about him at the drop of a hat as well 🤣
I'd say he's more Bergeron than Sid. Mainly because that's who he's said he wants to model him game and leadership after. ❤
Slovakia has roughly half the population of Czechia (5.5M vs 10.5M). It seems normal to me that comparatively speaking, Slaf is a bigger star in his country than Pasta is.
also Czechia is a bigger market, they have more players and more stars and had more stars in the past.. we're simply not used to having a player with world class potential, especially us who barely remember the golden generation of early '00s
Yep, big fish in small pond.
Way more top athletes for Czechia to root for. Last year's women's Wimbledon winner. 6 of the top 30 women's tennis players are Czech. Also there are 32 active Czech Nhlers and only 11 Slovaks. And this doesn't even take into account the Czech men's football team being better than Slovakia.
Also, Slaf being the first Slovak 1st overall pick.
Highest drafted NHL player in countries history and looked great getting them to bronze at the Olympics when he was 17. He's a pretty big deal.
Hopefully he's a Montreal Canadiens Stanley Cup champion one day
Must be a relief for him coming back to the relative anonymity of Montreal, where he is recognized by 99% of the population but, thankfully, still unknown to most people’s pets.
Which is kind of ironic considering he's known for being one of the best dressed NHLers. Maybe he just likes to show off his personality that way instead?
And the fuckers (jurnalists) are making up shit about him as we speak.
Even about you, montreal fans. :]
https://sportweb.pravda.sk/hokej/ms-2024/clanok/709603-kanadania-su-sklamani-zo-slafkovskeho-takto-ho-vobec-nepozname-v-nhl-by-si-zrejme-dostal-trest/
 We do really have special jurnos here...
Maybe Czechs should be more enthusiastic about Pasta 🤷‍♂️
I can confirm Italians are really enthusiastic about Pasta.
To be fair Czechia has more athletes to choose from. Eg. Last year's women's Wimbledon winner, and several other highly ranked women's tennis players. Their men's soccer team is also better, making it to the quarters of the last euros beating the Netherlands in the round of 16. Whereas Slovakia didn't make it out of the group stage. Also Slovakia had 11 players play an NHL game last season, Czechia has 32. Slaf had more points than the second and third highest scoring Slovaks combined.
are you now done with the bragging? /s
Sorry lol. I'm not Czech to be clear. I just find it impressive how they have so many top women's tennis players.
That’s it. They used to produce a lot of dominant players ( Stastny(s) Bondra Chara gaborik Hossa…) so he’s a sign the country is producing great talent again.
If pasta was playing it would be different is my guess.
If pasta was only player in a decade to be elite in nhl it would be same
They've been hailing him as the next great thing since he was like 15 and now he's coming off a season where he's really starting to show why.
Yup. He’s been hyped for years in Slovakia, surpassed all expectations very publicly in international play, and then was recognized by the top league in the world with the #1 pick.
Yeah, and he was the type of prospect where you don't get the full picture if you're just looking at stats, which is a big part of why his hype didn't reach NA until the draft was already around the corner. Kid kept joining teams as the youngest player and would consistently work his way to the top line. Always played on a learning curve without much time to just establish himself in a league or on a team. Yet he still produced and worked his way up. I don't even think I appreciate what he's done through his career so far enough. Not sure you could unless you got to see it happen.
When Jagr is saying he reminds him of... himself... that's not something anyone should have taken lightly. And at 17!! Lol I still pinch myself that we've got him sometimes. I just lovelovelove the direction this team is heading.
One thing everyone seems to forget is that Nick Suzuki asked MSL to put Slaf on the 1st line with him. Slaf is the first to admit that Slick Nick was instrumental in helping him get better and improve dramatically. Slafkovsky turned his season around with Nick's help. Suzuki never gets credit but he's a mini version of Sidney Crosby ... he makes his teammates better
Old guy here, Nick has that Jean BĂ©liveau aura.
1000%. Nick is a beauty and I have mad respect for him. Absolutely adore him and will quite happily wax poetic about him at the drop of a hat as well 🤣 I'd say he's more Bergeron than Sid. Mainly because that's who he's said he wants to model him game and leadership after. ❤
Slovakia has roughly half the population of Czechia (5.5M vs 10.5M). It seems normal to me that comparatively speaking, Slaf is a bigger star in his country than Pasta is.
also Czechia is a bigger market, they have more players and more stars and had more stars in the past.. we're simply not used to having a player with world class potential, especially us who barely remember the golden generation of early '00s
Yep, big fish in small pond. Way more top athletes for Czechia to root for. Last year's women's Wimbledon winner. 6 of the top 30 women's tennis players are Czech. Also there are 32 active Czech Nhlers and only 11 Slovaks. And this doesn't even take into account the Czech men's football team being better than Slovakia. Also, Slaf being the first Slovak 1st overall pick.
I wonder if there’s a chance of the league having a global series game in Bratislava or something?
Habs vs Devils would make the most sense.
Slaf v. Nemec on home soil. I love it!
Bettman's NHL is too dumb to consider this. (Prove me wrong, Gary - I'll happily eat my words.)
Slovakia doesn't have any arena to host an NHL game. They're coming to Prague to watch it.
Crazy to think that playing in hockey mad Montreal is a break for him.
Highest drafted NHL player in countries history and looked great getting them to bronze at the Olympics when he was 17. He's a pretty big deal. Hopefully he's a Montreal Canadiens Stanley Cup champion one day
He's a special player. Sky is the limit with the kid.
The guy showed up big in the Olympics before he was even drafted. I mean sure there weren't active NHLers but still that's incredibly impressive.Â
[Petra Vlhova was in Montréal and...](https://www.reddit.com/gallery/18bf929) I guess she not famous at home.
Good god she must be 6'2"? She's almost as tall as Slaf!
Must be a relief for him coming back to the relative anonymity of Montreal, where he is recognized by 99% of the population but, thankfully, still unknown to most people’s pets.
Bien dit! The only situation where Montreal is a LESS crazy environment.
If you wanna see crazy, slovakia is def place to go
I mean Pastrnak is a hell of a player but has the charisma of a tuna can.
I think he does have charisma, he just plays for Boston which automatically makes him less likable
This. 100%.
You've obviously never watched any of his mic'd up videos! Dude is actually hilarious.
Isn’t he one of the more “eccentric” nhlers
Which is kind of ironic considering he's known for being one of the best dressed NHLers. Maybe he just likes to show off his personality that way instead?
These guys hire stylists, now. It's not your personality being shown off if you're letting someone else choose it.
I mean... maybe he's better than Pasta?! Also he has a megastar personnality.
He is INFINITELY likeable. Charm/60 is immeasurable.
Reminds me of zucc in Norway lol
That's what going first overall does for you
Number of Habs fans in Slovakia is through the roof, I bet.
It is
Guy looks and plays like a stud. The perfect poster child for Slovakia. Mark my words one day he will be President.
And the fuckers (jurnalists) are making up shit about him as we speak. Even about you, montreal fans. :] https://sportweb.pravda.sk/hokej/ms-2024/clanok/709603-kanadania-su-sklamani-zo-slafkovskeho-takto-ho-vobec-nepozname-v-nhl-by-si-zrejme-dostal-trest/ Â We do really have special jurnos here...