GDT: Game 7: Avs @ Preds | Tuesday, October 17th, 6pm MT | Auditions

[Ararana]

Appears he is sitting tonight for Josi. Bummed because I want to see them paired together.

Well damn...

 

[dahrougem2]

Nashville playing hard to get lmao your move, Joe.

 

[Avs_19]

If Jost shows the knee is fine early on, they need to swap him and Wilson.

 

[The Abusement Park]

I swear this team could win the Cup and half the board would be pissed because we wouldn't be getting a high draft pick...

Stop worrying about the future and enjoy the present.

Well to get to the point where we can win a cup we need to actually build a decent team, and the best way to do that is through the draft.

And clearly this team still needs some pieces to get to a playoff team, and the fact that this upcoming draft is so strong it'd be nice to actually get a decent pick.

But at the same time I am loving what I'm seeing out there, it's night and day difference between last year.

 

[Freudian]

Hot start or not, there is no reason to change the prediction at this point. This probably is a 70-80 point team. If Varlamov is healthy and hot perhaps a bit more.

Also:

 

[StayAtHomeAv]

I swear this team could win the Cup and half the board would be pissed because we wouldn't be getting a high draft pick...

Stop worrying about the future and enjoy the present.

What a ridiculous comment. People want a high pick because it's our best chance at a cup.

If you are happy with mediocrity that's fine. Don't criticize those who want to see major success at some point and see the connection between numerous high picks leading to sustained playoff success and cup runs though. LA, Chicago, Pitt, soon to be Oilers and leafs. Teams need superstars, and scouting today is just too good.

 

[EdAVSfan]

I'm liking that Bednar is sticking with the forward groups rather than they typical blender mentality that NHL coaches have.

It's nice to give guys a chance to develop.

 

[The Mars Volchenkov]

If Jost shows the knee is fine early on, they need to swap him and Wilson.

I don't think Jost has been better than Wilson, really. Jost doesn't look like an NHL player yet.

 

[tucker3434]

I'm liking that Bednar is sticking with the forward groups rather than they typical blender mentality that NHL coaches have.

It's nice to give guys a chance to develop.

Yeah, they seem to really be developing chemistry for the first time since... uh... 2013-14?

But if we have a rocky start at any point, I expect the blender to activate.

 

[Freudian]

It's a bit surprising that Wilson plays 3 mins of PP per game but pretty much no PK.

He didn't play on the PK for Nashville either, so perhaps he's just bad at it.

 

[Balthazar]

I swear this team could win the Cup and half the board would be pissed because we wouldn't be getting a high draft pick...

Stop worrying about the future and enjoy the present.

This is what got us in trouble in the first place. Marshmallow experiment.

 

[Balthazar]

Ellis out, Josi has missed the last 3 games and unsure if he will return, Subban didn’t practice today so that’s not looking good either and Y. Weber is out.

So in other words, you're not about to trade us a defenseman.

 

[McMetal]

What a ridiculous comment. People want a high pick because it's our best chance at a cup.

If you are happy with mediocrity that's fine. Don't criticize those who want to see major success at some point and see the connection between numerous high picks leading to sustained playoff success and cup runs though. LA, Chicago, Pitt, soon to be Oilers and leafs. Teams need superstars, and scouting today is just too good.

I agree with that in principle, but practically speaking this team cannot go through another season like we just witnessed. They won't be able to handle it mentally, and they definitely won't be able to play together anymore. It would necessitate a full flush of the core from MacKinnon on down just because that locker room would be finished. So I'm not going to cheer for losing, and there is plenty of room for us to win games this year and improve without sacrificing a top 5 pick.

 

[Pokecheque]

Well in Jost's defense the kid has been thrown into a very tough situation. Started the year as a 4th liner and when he got bumped up it was to play alongside fellow rookie J.T. Compher in a shutdown role.

Not sure what Nieto did to warrant a bump and effing Comeau continues to get a spot in the lineup, but whatever.

 

[dahrougem2]

Wilson looked really bad on the PK in the preseason games I watched.

 

[Foppberg]

 

[CharlesPuck]

Need Nemeth back ASAP to have our best possible D lineup.

 

[GeniusSuperior]

The amount of whining on this board when we claimed Nameth was astounding. What a turnaround.

 

[LieutenantDangle]

Must Win

 

[McMetal]

We really need a 17/18 injury tracker thread so we can have all of this in one place.

 

[Bender]

Right but winning too many games against weakened opponents might give the wrong impression that the team is better than it actually is. This in turn could bring the FO into making bad decisions. At least winning will be good for the team's culture.

I think that time has come and gone, for obvious reasons. All of the moves the Avs have made since hiring Bednar is consistent with building this thing from the ground up which is what Sakic has publicly stated.

If we continue the season the way we started we ARE a playoff team.

And i'm pretty tired of that "we need to draft high" BS. The 2018 draft shouldn't concern us atm. Let's cross that bridge when we are there.

I think the players are tired of it as well. If we drop out of the race with a few months left, then that's one thing but to be out of it by christmas is another and it shouldn't get to that level. I was very critical of Bednar's decisions to start the year the first 2 games (sitting Zadorov and then going to Bernier for Game #2) but ever since then, he's made the right call with the roster.

We'll see where we're at in February but until then as someone else said, let's enjoy the play of our young team. If anything, the 2017 draft showed that you can be a playoff bubble team and still end up with an impact player if you're lucky. Maybe it will be our turn this time but even if it's not, we should still come away with some really, really solid players. (hopefully, we'll be able to acquire another 1st rounder)

 

[the_fan]

If this current team could make the playoffs this year I'd say the hell with a top pick, or if they make it soon like next couple of years. But improvement is one thing, making the playoffs is another, and I really don't think this current team is good enough to make the playoffs, so I'll have to agree with people who say that the Avs need another top pick. They can really use a pick like Dahlin.

 

[tigervixxxen]

Just making the playoffs doesn't mean much

They have to keep stocking more high end talent and yeah getting an additional first would be huge. But I'm not obsessed with drafting first overall either. They can have a much better season and still get a really good player.

 

[Raucherhusten]

The amount of whining on this board when we claimed Nameth was astounding. What a turnaround.

Do you remember when they sign Cowen to a freakin PTO and half of the board was ready to lose their sh!t completely? Good times man, good times

 

[StayAtHomeAv]

I agree with that in principle, but practically speaking this team cannot go through another season like we just witnessed. They won't be able to handle it mentally, and they definitely won't be able to play together anymore. It would necessitate a full flush of the core from MacKinnon on down just because that locker room would be finished. So I'm not going to cheer for losing, and there is plenty of room for us to win games this year and improve without sacrificing a top 5 pick.

Where did I say we need the same type of year as last year, anything about cheering for losing or not improving?

The point was that there is a very good reason why people want a high draft pick, and they shouldn't be mocked for it.