Pre-Game Talk: Week 8: Southwest Swing (TB, @ARI, @ANA, @LA

[henchman21]

They looked good tonight

Sure they’ll have nights… doesn’t mean they are a great team. Zoom out.

 

[forsbergavs32]

I think they're still a good team even if their stars are aging. But their depth isn't what it was. I think they're still a playoff team for a couple more years, but their time as a contender is over.

 

[Alienblood]

Sure they’ll have nights… doesn’t mean they are a great team. Zoom out.

I think they'll be there as 1 of the better teams in the east to beat

 

[henchman21]

I think they'll be there as 1 of the better teams in the east to beat

I simply don't see how you think that, but to each their own.

 

[Alienblood]

I simply don't see how you think that, but to each their own.

Stars at several positions and coaching.
Don't think they are done yet just pacing themselves for the real season

 

[henchman21]

Stars at several positions and coaching.
Don't think they are done yet just pacing themselves for the real season

We've seen with Pittsburgh and Chicago that just isn't enough though. Sure they might make the playoffs as a wild card, and Vasi may win a round on his own. But they are just in a different world compared to the top of the East. They are an average to below average team where Kuch and Point can win them games by themselves sometimes.

 

[expatriatedtexan]

We've seen with Pittsburgh and Chicago that just isn't enough though. Sure they might make the playoffs as a wild card, and Vasi may win a round on his own. But they are just in a different world compared to the top of the East. They are an average to below average team where Kuch and Point can win them games by themselves sometimes.

We all watched the Avs go through this after our last real attempt at a Cup with our original core...the Teemu/Paul show. Although, to be sure Granato was the biggest issue that season, with Selanne's knees being in that condition I'm not sure how different his season would have been even under a good coach. I'm sure it would have been better and I'm sure his memories of Colorado would be a hell of a lot better, but I'm not sold that Abby would've gotten us past the WCF.

Anyways, we still had Sakic and Blake post lockout and we brought in Stastny in 06 and then in 09 added Duchene and ROR. We were in just slightly worse situation than Pittsburg. The Pens can make the playoffs get a couple games or maybe a round or two of playoff revenue but ultimately be left with a mushy middle pick. The Avs were just bad enough to miss the playoffs completely in many of these years but still not bad enough to get a good pick and had a lot of mushy middle stuff until the wheels completely fell off and they got Duchene. Remember Stastny was 2nd rounder and taken after we blew a pick on Ryan Stoa. Wolski was our first rounder the previous year. Our drafting has been mis-identifying kids for a long damn time. But that's a complaint for another day and thread.