Pre-Game Talk: Week 5: New Jersey, Seattle, and Saint Louis. In this home we stand. So PANIC!

[henchman21]

You know Halloween has passed? This is about as fun to read as The Exorcist is to watch on shrooms.





I thought the same thing, but we keep finding turds in the bed.

Also watch Ivan take over the net if George keeps this trajectory. That scares me the most.

I mean... that trip sounds amazing!

I think the Avs have a near perfect schedule to ride out the ups and downs of the new lineup. There is basically zero reason the Avs shouldn't be in the high 40s around the start of the new year. If there is a major injury to a star, sure. But barring that... this team should be able to limp to a .650+ P%. If they play well .700+ is there for the taking. By that point the kinks should be worked out to prep for the stretch run that gets a lot tougher.

I've been a believer in Prosvetov for years... I don't think it would be a bad thing for him to take over the next over the next 18 months. Might actually help a ton.

 

[Balthazar]

I've been a believer in Prosvetov for years... I don't think it would be a bad thing for him to take over the next over the next 18 months. Might actually help a ton.

I can only imagine how Georgiev would react if Prosvetov stole his #1 spot

 

[CobraAcesS]

I mean... that trip sounds amazing!

I think the Avs have a near perfect schedule to ride out the ups and downs of the new lineup. There is basically zero reason the Avs shouldn't be in the high 40s around the start of the new year. If there is a major injury to a star, sure. But barring that... this team should be able to limp to a .650+ P%. If they play well .700+ is there for the taking. By that point the kinks should be worked out to prep for the stretch run that gets a lot tougher.

I've been a believer in Prosvetov for years... I don't think it would be a bad thing for him to take over the next over the next 18 months. Might actually help a ton.

Yeah it looked like we finally got a more reasonable schedule to start the year.

At the very least Ivan is getting more games after that start if George doesn't rebound quickly.

I guess we'll find out what Ivan's really got though with a legit goalie coach. I think all of that time he got before starting was a good thing. Y'all talk enough about how things go sideways once a goalie plays enough that he can be properly scouted though.

 

[The Mars Volchenkov]

For what it’s worth, there hasn’t been a lot of practice time, and Makar and Byram’s injuries last week meant they went an entire week without practicing 5v5 work because they didn’t have enough bodies.

 

[henchman21]

I can only imagine how Georgiev would react if Prosvetov stole his #1 spot

Just have to ask him if he wants to go to Edmonton.

 

[Grackle Party]

Avs with 40 shots on goal on each of the NJ goalies and lose 10-0

 

[Bill Peckerskull]

 

[dahrougem2]

Sure. But you also need a save. He was woefully out of position on the 1st Stone goal, basically allowing an open net.

Both team and he can improve.

 

[henchman21]

Show me a coach that is willing to publicly throw the goalie under the bus.


Oh wait, you'll just show me DeBoer. Move along.

 

[expatriatedtexan]

On the flip, it allows them to play George more and get more practice time in to get things installed while not getting beat up. I'd personally argue the soft schedule is more of the reason the Avs are 7-3 vs their actual play. Let me explain:

They start their opening night with a chance for a statement game after a long week of practice and no preseason games. They didn't play amazing as a team, but George and the stars were clearly ready to start. The second game had a couple days in between to come off the high and not have a Vegas/Anaheim situation happen... and it came against possibly the worst team in the last 20 years. They had to scrape for a win, but pulled it off. Then the third game was after a nice couple game break to prepare and have a nice revenge game to amp up the motivation. Then a normal break against a bad team that is clearly tanking. Allowing the Avs a soft win before another team they can get motivated for and send a message.

This goes on... but essentially the Avs have been getting soft teams if there is a shorter turnaround and having prime motivation games right after. It hasn't always panned out (Pitt and Vegas namely). But this combination of softer teams and days off should be allowing the Avs to practice, prepare, and have proper motivation to play well.

We even kinda luck out here with New Jersey coming in as a Cup favorite with their two best players hurt and after a beatdown... so proper motivation. Followed by another revenge game. Pure Binnington hatred to follow where the Blues are a bad team, then yet another revenge game.

Things are setup very well for the Avs schedule wise to have a nice mix of soft opponents and games to keep the players invested.

The stretch that I worry about a little bit is the mid to end of Nov stretch... that Ducks-Stars-Preds-Canucks-Wild-Flames-Bolts-Coyotes stretch. You have the teams not expected to be good but starting okay to strong compared to expectations in Ducks, Canucks and Coyotes. The wounded pissed off types in Wild, Bolts, and Flames... and Stars. The schedule gets in the normal groove, but if there is some sideways that happens at the start, there isn't time to correct.

Do the Avs really practice all that much? Seems like the stars tend to take practice days off for "maintenance". Combine that with the fact that we didn't really play our regulars during the pre-season, and I think we've still got a team full of guys who are trying to knock the rust off of a long summer.

 

[henchman21]

Do the Avs really practice all that much? Seems like the stars tend to take practice days off for "maintenance". Combine that with the fact that we didn't really play our regulars during the pre-season, and I think we've still got a team full of guys who are trying to knock the rust off of a long summer.

Not heavily… in the meat of the season you might get once a week of a legit practice. IIRC there was a stretch last year where the Avs didn’t really practice. Here they are at least getting some. The maintenance days of some guys gets in the way. But even the off ice work is allowed to happen more with the gaps the Avs have had.

Personally I agree there is some summer rust, but I don’t think that is a good thing.

 

[Bill Peckerskull]

"So, next time you do that, right? You gotta be more subtle with your stick. You can't just pop him in the mouth like that. Maybe a hard one to the ribs, or in the 5-hole, ok?"

 

[Bill Peckerskull]

Back to Loveland.

 

[Bill Peckerskull]

 

[UncleRisto]

Don't kink shame.


I already feel bad about this post.

 

[dahrougem2]

Back to Loveland.

So one of Drouin/Tatar coming out next game I assume if Olofsson can go. At least it should be.

 

[sethro109]

So one of Drouin/Tatar coming out next game I assume if Olofsson can go. At least it should be.

I assume it would be Tatar since he got almost no ice time. I just hope they call up Tufte and not just dress Dermy.

 

[Balthazar]

That 2nd line

 

[Bill Peckerskull]

That 2nd line

As Coach Hartley used to say, it's their "Turd line"

 

[henchman21]

That 2nd line

At least they’ll be fresh.

 

[SirLoinOfCloth]

I feel like if you're going to sneak a 4th player onto a line, it's probably better being a G-sized player, than a MacDermid. But fair play to Bednar for trying.

 

[expatriatedtexan]

That 2nd line

Can't even call the 2nd line 2-ply because that shit is single ply at best.

 

[Avs9296]

Can't even call the 2nd line 2-ply because that shit is single ply at best.

You're 10 ply bud.

You're bum fluff.

 

[Bill Peckerskull]

 

[expatriatedtexan]

Good stuff.

While I'm somewhat disappointed that it appears the Jonathan Drouin experiment has failed, I'm happy that Tufte's perseverance and good attitude are paying off for him. Not sure how the lines will eventually shake out, but I imagine we'll see Tufte with Johansen and Nichushkin (although I would prefer to see Rantanen here.)