Rumor: Avs Proposals/Rumors/Free Agents 17-18 Part VIII

[dahrougem2]

While I think Comeau should be traded, it can't be now. It has to be at the deadline. Look at the age of our forwards if he's traded:

MacKinnon: 22
Landeskog: 24
Rantanen: 21

Andrighetto: 24
Kerfoot: 23
Yakupov: 24

Jost: 19
Compher: 22
Wilson: 28

Nieto: 25
Soderberg: 32
Greer: 20

Grimaldi: 24
Bourque: 27

This team would have only four players over the age of 25, one of whom is Gabriel Bourque. I know the youth movement needs to take place, but you also need to provide some insulation for kids. Soderberg is currently doing that and Comeau does that too. As much as I rag on Comeau, I understand that he's a useful NHL player; he has been his entire NHL career. Keep him until the deadline unless some idiotic team is willing to give you a 1st round pick right now for his services.

 

[Mighty Makar]

I hope Comeau is traded at the deadline. I could see the Pens being interested.

 

[CobraAcesS]

Well if it makes you feel any better I'm questioning my own position on Bednar. And despite some of my staunch defense of him I'm definitely not crazy about the guy.

I just think when criticism of a player/coach/GM starts it ventures into hyperbole territory, and I just can't abide. Of course I'm guilty of it too. I said earlier this season that Carl Soderberg was never a good player. That was a dumb thing for me to say even though I still think he was inexcusably bad last year.

Yeah there is some hyperbole in it, but the BSN guys made my point pretty well also in saying that you have to lean towards the players you are invested in, and in a year focused on developing the younger players, some of them are going to need a longer leash. I think Zadorov's situation is similar to Soderberg, in that hes going to have a hard time finding consistency through the firm hand treatment. Same thing to an extent with Bigras. Both of those guys have had confidence issues lately.

I think for myself it's even worse, because giving guys like Zadorov a longer leash is the only positive I thought Bednar was going to bring this season, and hes isn't even doing that consistently.

For the most part I was satisfied with how he handled both Zadorov and Grigorenko last season. Colborne got stuffed in the dog house never to be seen again, but Grigorenko got chance after chance in the top six. Zadorov was eased into top minutes, but never benched for any stretch. Even when Zadorov was playing well in his role Bednar didn't put him up against top competition right away despite how bad FB was playing, and as painful as it was. I think that was the right call. Bednar literally talked about building Zadorov's confidence at one point last year. Compher and Jost both got chances last year, and are getting them this year. Girard was put on the power play immediately as well. You can't pretend to be Herb Brooks with one or two players, and not the others. It just does not work.

 

[Patagonia]

While I think Comeau should be traded, it can't be now. It has to be at the deadline. Look at the age of our forwards if he's traded:

MacKinnon: 22
Landeskog: 24
Rantanen: 21

Andrighetto: 24
Kerfoot: 23
Yakupov: 24

Jost: 19
Compher: 22
Wilson: 28

Nieto: 25
Soderberg: 32
Greer: 20

Grimaldi: 24
Bourque: 27

This team would have only four players over the age of 25, one of whom is Gabriel Bourque. I know the youth movement needs to take place, but you also need to provide some insulation for kids. Soderberg is currently doing that and Comeau does that too. As much as I rag on Comeau, I understand that he's a useful NHL player; he has been his entire NHL career. Keep him until the deadline unless some idiotic team is willing to give you a 1st round pick right now for his services.

Additional forwards nearly ready can include:

Kamenev: 21
Lewis: 19

I understand your rationale, but Comeau needs to go either at the TDL or sooner. They already have Soda and Wilson from winning teams. Comeau is using a spot that should be made available for their youth, scratching him will only lower his value. Improved play just increased his marketability.

 

[Avs_19]

Joe should trade Como tonight if someone comes calling. Hes got to go.

Agreed.

This team would have only four players over the age of 25, one of whom is Gabriel Bourque. I know the youth movement needs to take place, but you also need to provide some insulation for kids. Soderberg is currently doing that and Comeau does that too. As much as I rag on Comeau, I understand that he's a useful NHL player; he has been his entire NHL career. Keep him until the deadline unless some idiotic team is willing to give you a 1st round pick right now for his services.

Only four forwards over 25 but I think Landeskog, MacKinnon, and Ghetto can be considered vets at this point.

 

[McMetal]

Comeau does need to be moved at the deadline, even if we're in the playoff hunt. And definitely not extended. He's a mercenary, pure and simple. Good at what he does in a limited role, but not a guy you invest in after this year with the team in this position. He needs to go, if only to make room for guys like Kamanev and Greer to get his minutes.

I have a feeling that after watching guys like Tyutin, Mitchell, and Bourque fail to even find NHL jobs after last year's catastrophe, he's trying again to make sure that he doesn't end up out of the league like them. Glad he's doing well so we can try to get a pick out of him, but we don't need to invest another contract in him.

 

[dahrougem2]

Additional forwards nearly ready can include:

Kamenev: 21
Lewis: 19

I understand your rationale, but Comeau needs to go either at the TDL or sooner. They already have Soda and Wilson from winning teams. Comeau is using a spot that should be made available for their youth, scratching him will only lower his value. Improved play just increased his marketability.

What youth is Comeau blocking? He's been playing on a line with Soderberg and either Nieto, Bourque, or Wilson all season. He's getting even strength and PK time; the youth are getting the PP time. Comeau taking tough defensive match ups is good for this team's youth. We can't throw the kids to the wolves all at one time this season. We've seen what happens when a coach does that in Edmonton.

Agreed.



Only four forwards over 25 but I think Landeskog, MacKinnon, and Ghetto can be considered vets at this point.

I don't disagree, but that's still an insanely young team. You move Comeau, and now you're not only asking MacKinnon/Landeskog to be the top scorers on this team; you're asking them to be your go-to defensive forwards in order to insulate the youth so they're not thrown to the wolves. That's asking so much of two players.

 

[TruePowerSlave]

Comeau needs to be traded, keeping him would be stupid. I would try to trade all of our expiring UFA's for any return, whatever that may be, and at the very least see what I could get for all of our RFA's. If Nemeth keeps it up he is a keeper and Spencer Martin shouldn't be traded anywhere but otherwise everyone is available.

 

[McMetal]

Comeau needs to be traded, keeping him would be stupid. I would try to trade all of our expiring UFA's for any return, whatever that may be, and at the very least see what I could get for all of our RFA's. If Nemeth keeps it up he is a keeper and Spencer Martin shouldn't be traded anywhere but otherwise everyone is available.

I would keep Nieto, he's a good PKer and is one of the few guys we have who fit nicely in a bottom six role for the future.

 

[Patagonia]

What youth is Comeau blocking? He's been playing on a line with Soderberg and either Nieto, Bourque, or Wilson all season. He's getting even strength and PK time; the youth are getting the PP time. Comeau taking tough defensive match ups is good for this team's youth. We can't throw the kids to the wolves all at one time this season. We've seen what happens when a coach does that in Edmonton.


I don't disagree, but that's still an insanely young team. You move Comeau, and now you're not only asking MacKinnon/Landeskog to be the top scorers on this team; you're asking them to be your go-to defensive forwards in order to insulate the youth so they're not thrown to the wolves. That's asking so much of two players.

Comeau contract is expiring. Nieto, Greer or Kamenev are scrappy players that need playing time. They can be eased into the roles and partner nicely with vets Soda and Wilson.

 

[CB Joe]

I don't agree with this scorched earth policy. You can't have a team full of forward in the early 20's and expect consistency and positive results. Comeau's a good bottom 6 forward with a few good years still left. He's off to a great start so far and you really couldn't ask for much more out of a bottom six player. If the term on an extension is short I'd like to see him back.

 

[Pokecheque]

I don't think they need to play hot potato with Comeau, if they keep him and let him walk at season's end, big whoop. But I don't want him extended at all.

 

[dahrougem2]

Comeau contract is expiring. Nieto, Greer or Kamenev are scrappy players that need playing time. They can be eased into the roles and partner nicely with vets Soda and Wilson.

Kamenev is a centre, Greer needs AHL time, and Nieto dreams of being as valuable a player as Comeau has been throughout his NHL career.

I get that people want to trade expiring UFA contracts but have some patience here. You can't ice a team of sub-25 year olds and expect to win. Comeau is a valuable player and from reports we've gotten whether it be media or posters on here with knowledge, he's well liked in the locker room, too.

I don't get why people want to make trades for the sake of making trades. If there's a market for Comeau at the deadline and you can get a decent pick or prospect for him, make the trade. But what on earth is the benefit of trading him now? So that A.J. Greer can continue to struggle in the NHL with added minutes? So that Kamenev can be shifted out of his comfort zone to the wing? So that we can play Grimaldi or Bourque, both of whom likely don't have futures here?

 

[Pokecheque]

I don't agree with this scorched earth policy. You can't have a team full of forward in the early 20's and expect consistency and positive results. Comeau's a good bottom 6 forward with a few good years still left. He's off to a great start so far and you really couldn't ask for much more out of a bottom six player. If the term on an extension is short I'd like to see him back.

Well I wouldn't call it "scorched earth," that's a bit extreme. Carl Soderberg will still be on the team, and it's not like MacKinnon, Landeskog, Barrie, and Johnson are baby-faced kids any longer. The team also has Colin Wilson for one more year.

That said, I agree with you insofar that we shouldn't let any perceived biases against Comeau's occasionally frustrating play cloud our judgment. I won't scream bloody murder if they re-up Blake Comeau, even though he's just a wildly inconsistent player (always has been), but I'd rather they move on and if they feel the need to sign a good depth forward they should. IMO if he ends up being available I'd like for them to sign Leo Komarov. I don't believe he's as good offensively as Comeau but he's better defensively. He's also the same age and has a similar salary at present.

 

[dahrougem2]

Komarov isn't going to leave Toronto

 

[Patagonia]

How is Comeau more of a leader than Landy, Mack, EJ or Soda? I would even consider Varly.

Why keep him as a Veteran when they already have players that are more involved?

 

[Cypher]

While I think Comeau should be traded, it can't be now. It has to be at the deadline. Look at the age of our forwards if he's traded:

MacKinnon: 22
Landeskog: 24
Rantanen: 21

Andrighetto: 24
Kerfoot: 23
Yakupov: 24

Jost: 19
Compher: 22
Wilson: 28

Nieto: 25
Soderberg: 32
Greer: 20

Grimaldi: 24
Bourque: 27

This team would have only four players over the age of 25, one of whom is Gabriel Bourque. I know the youth movement needs to take place, but you also need to provide some insulation for kids. Soderberg is currently doing that and Comeau does that too. As much as I rag on Comeau, I understand that he's a useful NHL player; he has been his entire NHL career. Keep him until the deadline unless some idiotic team is willing to give you a 1st round pick right now for his services.

Trade Comeau and Hammond to Pitts and Soda to Mtl, and boom, oldest player in the Avs organization would be EJ, and he doesn't turn 30 till end of March. Joe wanted the team to get younger and faster.

 

[Pokecheque]

Komarov isn't going to leave Toronto

Probably not. IF he becomes available Avs should pounce.

 

[Eltuna]

My solution for fixing the defence

Trouba for Barrie + Ott 1st

OEL for makar + top 5 protected Colorado 1st

Why Colorado does it: Sakic has done a good job accumulating strong defensive value in the past year with Timmons, Makar, and now Girard however it’s clear that the pieces don’t really fit together. Makar, Barrie, and EJ on the right side could get crowded and it would be difficult trying to give Barrie, Makar, and Girard enough pp time each to maximize their potential. Furthermore it’s difficult finding a pairing that makes sense for Girard as he and Barrie form a very small pairing and he can’t really go with EJ either as he needs to be starting in the offensive zone as much as possible. These trades give Colorado a top four of

OEL EJ
Girard Trouba

This is an extremely competitive top four and let’s Zadorov develop on the bottom pairing with little pressure. I also like these trades as I think the age fits our team better. The ideal cup contender should have a goalie around 30, a defence in their late 20’s and a forward core in their mid 20’s in my opinion as this should be the general primes for the positions. Colorado has the cap space and finally has the assets other teams want when trading too defencemen. It may seem like mortgaging the future but that’s still a very young top four that could be together for a long time. It’s a definite cup caliber defence that will help our transition game immensely. After these trades, Colorado would have a 1D in OEL, a 2D in Trouba, a 3D in EJ, and a 4D pp expert in Girard. This will also help shelter Girard by having Trouba handle most of the defensive assignments on the pairing.

Why Winnipeg does it: In all honesty they don’t. This only works if Trouba wants out. If the rumours are to be believed and he wants to play in America however, I see Barrie as a great add for them. Most other teams would try to structure a deal around futures as these trades often seem to go, however Winnipeg needs to win now and can’t afford to wait on a package of entirely futures, the market is getting restless and they finally look to have taken the next step. The 1st is added because Trouba has legitimate number 1D potential while Barrie is what he is at this point (very good at what he does but more suited as a 3D on a cup contender in my opinion). If they need to trade Trouba, I doubt they do better in the short term than this.

Why Arizona does it: Because Chayka absolutely loves Makar. I was talking to a Vancouver scout last year (call it speculation since I know this board isn’t big on unsubstantiated rumours) that told me he thought Arizona was the team that had Makar at number one in the draft. Even if they didn’t however I still think he was very high on their board, if OEL is on the table I don’t think a better D prospect will be offered. Makar being a Offensive RHD also fits their team needs and another first in this draft would be great for them. I wouldn’t be worried about the pick being super high as the new defence would be the best the avs have had since the golden years and these trades don’t touch the forward core that’s already scoring plenty.

My final play would be firing Bednar and hiring Tippet. Tippet seems to have a bad reputaion on these boards but I’m not sure why, guy is a very smart coach and has never had a roster as talented as this one would be. Our forwards need to learn to play defence and this guy might be the very best to accomplish this. I really like his style and think OEL would love to play for him again. Would also increase our chances of signing him. As far as I know he and Tippet really got along in Arizona.

 

[StayAtHomeAv]

Sakic won't trade Comeau unless he plans of getting rid of Bednar. Bednar likes Comeau and that would be a pretty ****ty thing to do to the coach since Comeau won't return anything remotely interesting.

Sakic traded Holden for a freakin 4th. All because we needed room for Gelinas and Wiercioch.

Though maybe that was Sakic's way of telling Roy to f*** off.

 

[CobraAcesS]

My solution for fixing the defence

Trouba for Barrie + Ott 1st

OEL for makar + top 5 protected Colorado 1st

Why Colorado does it: Sakic has done a good job accumulating strong defensive value in the past year with Timmons, Makar, and now Girard however it’s clear that the pieces don’t really fit together. Makar, Barrie, and EJ on the right side could get crowded and it would be difficult trying to give Barrie, Makar, and Girard enough pp time each to maximize their potential. Furthermore it’s difficult finding a pairing that makes sense for Girard as he and Barrie form a very small pairing and he can’t really go with EJ either as he needs to be starting in the offensive zone as much as possible. These trades give Colorado a top four of

OEL EJ
Girard Trouba

This is an extremely competitive top four and let’s Zadorov develop on the bottom pairing with little pressure. I also like these trades as I think the age fits our team better. The ideal cup contender should have a goalie around 30, a defence in their late 20’s and a forward core in their mid 20’s in my opinion as this should be the general primes for the positions. Colorado has the cap space and finally has the assets other teams want when trading too defencemen. It may seem like mortgaging the future but that’s still a very young top four that could be together for a long time. It’s a definite cup caliber defence that will help our transition game immensely. After these trades, Colorado would have a 1D in OEL, a 2D in Trouba, a 3D in EJ, and a 4D pp expert in Girard. This will also help shelter Girard by having Trouba handle most of the defensive assignments on the pairing.

Why Winnipeg does it: In all honesty they don’t. This only works if Trouba wants out. If the rumours are to be believed and he wants to play in America however, I see Barrie as a great add for them. Most other teams would try to structure a deal around futures as these trades often seem to go, however Winnipeg needs to win now and can’t afford to wait on a package of entirely futures, the market is getting restless and they finally look to have taken the next step. The 1st is added because Trouba has legitimate number 1D potential while Barrie is what he is at this point (very good at what he does but more suited as a 3D on a cup contender in my opinion). If they need to trade Trouba, I doubt they do better in the short term than this.

Why Arizona does it: Because Chayka absolutely loves Makar. I was talking to a Vancouver scout last year (call it speculation since I know this board isn’t big on unsubstantiated rumours) that told me he thought Arizona was the team that had Makar at number one in the draft. Even if they didn’t however I still think he was very high on their board, if OEL is on the table I don’t think a better D prospect will be offered. Makar being a Offensive RHD also fits their team needs and another first in this draft would be great for them. I wouldn’t be worried about the pick being super high as the new defence would be the best the avs have had since the golden years and these trades don’t touch the forward core that’s already scoring plenty.

My final play would be firing Bednar and hiring Tippet. Tippet seems to have a bad reputaion on these boards but I’m not sure why, guy is a very smart coach and has never had a roster as talented as this one would be. Our forwards need to learn to play defence and this guy might be the very best to accomplish this. I really like his style and think OEL would love to play for him again. Would also increase our chances of signing him. As far as I know he and Tippet really got along in Arizona.

I didn't read anything beyond the bolded, and you can f*** right off on that one. That is one hell of a start to an HF career right there.

 

[Eltuna]

I didn't read anything beyond the bolded, and you can **** right off on that one.

OEL has the smarts to be a very effective defenseman till his late thirties, Makar will not be on his level for the next 5 years at a minimum. Chances are he never will reach the level OEL already is and will continue to be (My opinion). Makar might be better in 6 years, at which point Mack will have asked for a trade since the team has been awful for his entire career. Eventually you have to go for it and stop the cycle. Not even sure if I’d call this going for it, more like fixing a problem that this team has had for over a decade for the short, medium, and long term. A core of Mack, Rantanen, Landy, Jost and some great depth pieces up front with OEL EJ Trouba and Girard as the D and Varly as the tender is a contender. Let them grow together and I think they win a cup or at least come close one year. OEL was overrated so now people are starting to underate him, guy is an absolute stud.
Makar has too much hype for what he is in my opinion, would be happy to be wrong on that one though.

 

[Pokecheque]

I don't think trading Comeau or not trading him hinges on Bednar's future. And I certainly don't think Bednar loves him to some unreasonable extent. He's getting a bigger role because he's playing well right now. But even then it's still a bottom six/PK role.

 

[RoyIsALegend]

Makar is untouchable.

 

[Freudian]

If Comeau keeps his play up and a team makes a good offer for him, I think it's fine to move him but that's two big ifs.

Trading him for the sake of trading him if the best offer is a 4th, why bother?