Pre-Game Talk: Week for Prayer (BUF, @TB, @FLA)

[tigervixxxen]

There's actually practice today apparently. One more game before the road trip. Note the question specifically pertains to the road trip that's split over the next two weeks.

Click to read more...

 

[S E P H]

I would like to put this here as well,

I've noticed lately that I keep coming across posts about how we cannot trade a goaltender. Sorry, maybe I am blind, but I have no no clue why that is the case? Specifically I keep seeing how we cannot trade Bernier because we have no backup. Ehhhhhhhhhh, what? I am not judging this team solely on last night, but this team is not a playoff team. Actually, this team was never a playoff team. I totally get it that we want to see as many wins as possible due to last season. I do too, but it just isn't the case for this year, the Central is too strong and Avs hovering around .500 which they have been the whole season isn't playoff numbers. So if this club isn't a playoff team, who cares if we trade Bernier for a good draft pick and grab Hammond as our backup. We are in a unique spot where teams are desperate for a quality back up and Bernier is just that. He was extremely poor yesterday and deserved the yank, but I argue that he's played much better than his save percentage of 0.891 indicates. The worst that can happen for us is Avs roll a team of Cannata and Hammond and one more loss is a loss closer to Dahlin (or a higher percentage at the lottery spots).

 

[McMetal]

I agree with that Seph, but I don't think Sakic sees it that way. We saw how deflating bad goaltending can be to a team, I'm not sure he wants to mess with those good vibes we're seeing.

 

[dahrougem2]

I don't think Sakic is going to trade Bernier after signing him this past summer. Hammond? I can definitely see him being dealt, but not Bernier.

 

[henchman21]

I think the Avs can trade a goalie, but they just need to make sure to insulate Martin. Sadly Bernier isn't going to be an option for many teams without huge retention (and his level of play hasn't been great). Hammond for some reason has a weird stigma around him. I'm not saying he is great or anything, but he is a solid goalie and a capable backup... NHL teams don't really want him though.

On the concern with Varly... yeah, I think the Avs should be concerned. He's not nearly the goalie he once was, and I stand firmly on the side that Roy's system inflated goalie numbers. He was never as good as the numbers showed (though 13-14 he was flat out amazing). Having a different workload, and the injuries over the years... I just don't think he is better than an average NHL goalie anymore. The Avs have hitched themselves to him through the end of his contract, but after that, they may need to move on.

 

[Freudian]

It's not that Bernier has been all bad. He's had a few excellent games. It's just that you can't trust him at this point. Allowing a super soft goal in the first because he can't push up against the post or close his five hole just deflates the team.

It's just a one year contract so I guess Avs just have to sweat it out and hope he becomes a bit more consistent.

 

[Foppa Frossa]

Please please please beat BUF.

Wilson in regular sweater at practice.

 

[UncleRisto]

It feels like the time of year where the wheels come off the bus and we lock in that lottery pick.

These seasons we've seen a few times and they're not enough to hang around the wild card race until the end in the Central.

 

[WarriorOfGandhi]

It's not that Bernier has been all bad.

I wholeheartedly disagree

 

[dahrougem2]

Well Varly only has next season remaining on his contract, but I don't want to become one of those teams that can't find an above average starting goaltender like the Flyers, Flames (prior to Smith), Hurricanes, Stars (prior to Bishop), or Jets (prior to Hellebucyk).

Spencer Martin isn't lighting the world on fire right now in the AHL, I don't believe he'll be ready for full-time NHL starting duty by the 2019-2020 season.

 

[Avalanche]

Toninato sent back to San Antonio

 

[henchman21]

Well Varly only has next season remaining on his contract, but I don't want to become one of those teams that can't find an above average starting goaltender like the Flyers, Flames (prior to Smith), Hurricanes, Stars (prior to Bishop), or Jets (prior to Hellebucyk).

Spencer Martin isn't lighting the world on fire right now in the AHL, I don't believe he'll be ready for full-time NHL starting duty by the 2019-2020 season.

I hate to say it, but I think the Avs are one of those teams now... Varly has had 1 great season, 1 good season, and 4 that were average or below during his time here. If Varly isn't going to be better than a .915 guy... the Avs should move on. Plenty of other goalies are out there (and cheaper) that can provide that.

 

[dahrougem2]

That's true. Where I'm torn with Varly is that he's shown he can be so much better than what he is currently. Unfortunately, those days seem to be behind him.

I would LOVE to find a way to pluck Tristan Jarry away from Pittsburgh somehow, some way but I don't see it happening.

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

We probably are going to become one of those teams though sadly. Varly is gonna be 31 after this contract is up. With all the groin issues he's had over the years I dont think he has that many more years as a starter left and we're already seeing it this year that he cant play the 60+ games that he once was capable of. 45-50 would be about expected from him going forward IMO.


Starting goaltenders, especially good ones are hard to find in the league. Teams most of the time dont have 2 or more to which they're willing to trade one. You've generally gotta draft them yourself or find a good backup that's still young and give him a chance as a starter and hope it works out.

Like what Carolina and Arizona did this year with Darling and Raanta, and what Edmonton did with Talbot.


We need to either hope Martin can really take some steps forward between this year and next year, or we need to start scouting some goalies around the league to target in free agency or in trade over then next 2 years.

 

[UncleRisto]

Don't worry guys, we have some awesome Euro Div. 1 late round stretches coming up. Just give it another four years and we'll have ourselves a middling backup.

Or at least an AHL starter.

 

[henchman21]

I would LOVE to find a way to pluck Tristan Jarry away from Pittsburgh somehow, some way but I don't see it happening.

I could see him being a trade chip at the deadline for another run, and I think the Avs would be smart to target him. Most of the other young goalies around the league won't be able to to touched.

 

[dahrougem2]

Jarry is the guy I think is most expendable due to Murray. However, if that organization isn't sold on Murray's health then maybe it's Murray they look to deal (not this season) and Jarry they peg as the future #1. More of a long shot scenario.

I'd be all over Jarry if he's somehow made available for another run by Pittsburgh. I think he's going to be very good.

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

Jakob Markstrom is the one I want the Avs to target.


He's not young like Jarry or anything, but he's very similar to Raanta/Talbot/Darling in that until this year he hasn't had any chance to be a starter. But he has shown to be a very solid goalie(~.915%) over 30 games or so for the last 2 years now.


He's getting his chance to be a starter for the Nucks this year and putting up decent numbers so far as well. I watched him against the Leafs on Saturday and he was exceptional. Stole the game for them.


I think getting a guy like that would take some work load off Varly and also give us a bit of a 1A/1B option going forward.

 

[dahrougem2]

I thought Markstrom was going to be a lot better than he's shown thus far in his NHL career after I first watched him in 2008.

 

[henchman21]

If you are taking a chance on a player a bit older... Grubauer is who I'd target.

 

[Foppberg]

I'd love to get our hands on Saros out of Nashville, long shot though.

 

[Ceremony]

I'd rather they tied me to the posts like Milhouse than acquire Markstrom, behave

 

[ASmileyFace]

We need to beat Buffalo. Can't come out of this homestand at 1-4. That would be unacceptable and a bad look for Landy.

 

[Raucherhusten]

Over or under 3 games for Wilson and Nemeth before they are back on IR?

 

[dahrougem2]

Nemeth will be back on IR prior to his return game being finished