Pre-Game Talk: Week to Start Fresh (@NYR, @NJ, @BOS)

[madman]

The Avs own twitter account doesn't know what time the game starts.

"Work With Us!"

 

[Bubba Thudd]

"Work With Us!"

I got an alert that someone was using my title...

 

[CobraAcesS]

I'd give it some games I guess...but if 3-5 games from now Mironov is still playing badly, and is refusing to go to the AHL...then let him go back to the KHL. The team is developing, but that doesn't mean they should play someone who doesn't belong in the NHL because they are trying to hold the team hostage.

I wonder if he would agree to a conditioning stint. He'd still be paid the same at least, and it has a limited number of games he could be down.

 

[RoyIsALegend]

I wouldn't mind a Russian pairing for now. Pretty rough pairing to play against - could hurt a lot

It could also be pretty rough for our goals against average. Two headless chickens, yikes.

I hope Lindholm is in, though. Like his smarts.

 

[Skip2myBordyloo]

Uh, I hope Zadorov is in, that is all.

And he is!

 

[Balthazar]

 

[twostroke27]

Yeah I saw that. He kind of seems like he’s sulking a bit to me based on what I’ve seen and read. This is a classic example of a good player who was brought in for one play style and lost the coach who used him best. I kind of hope they move him for everyone involved.

 

[Balthazar]

I hope we move him for his own sake. Soda's wasting what's left of his career right now regardless of how much money he makes.

 

[twostroke27]

I hope we move him for his own sake. Soda's wasting what's left of his career right now regardless of how much money he makes.

I agree. We often miss that part. I’m sure he enjoys the money he’s making, but work happiness is important too.

 

[Chileiceman]

I hope Soda plays today. I'd have him in above Nieto or Comeau. He can't bounce back if he's not given a chance.

 

[Pokecheque]

Yeah I saw that. He kind of seems like he’s sulking a bit to me based on what I’ve seen and read. This is a classic example of a good player who was brought in for one play style and lost the coach who used him best. I kind of hope they move him for everyone involved.

I agree with most of that except for the "good player" part.

That said, I've maintained for a while they just need to stick him on a wing and have him shoot, hopefully raise his trade value and dump his remaining salary on some other squad.

 

[Joe Sakic]

Guys Soderberg isn't being moved unless he is moved with an asset. Pickard just went unclaimed and Soderberg has a much, much larger cap hit.

It's unfortunate, but we have to deal with it. Nobody would realistically trade for or claim Soderberg.

 

[tigervixxxen]

They gotta figure something out. It's 3 years and 15 million dollars. They can't pretend he's not there like they just did with Colborne.

 

[rmthomson21]

I agree with most of that except for the "good player" part.

That said, I've maintained for a while they just need to stick him on a wing and have him shoot, hopefully raise his trade value and dump his remaining salary on some other squad.

What constitutes a 'good player' to you, then? I'd have a hard time arguing that the Soderberg we received and that we saw in his first season as an Av was not a 'good player.'

 

[dahrougem2]

I agree with most of that except for the "good player" part.

That said, I've maintained for a while they just need to stick him on a wing and have him shoot, hopefully raise his trade value and dump his remaining salary on some other squad.

I know you have a great disdain for Soderberg, and it probably wasn't helped by him packing it in last season from roughly November onwards, but he is a good player. There's a reason he scored 48, 44, and 51 points in his first three NHL seasons.

Is he an ideal 2C? Probably not. He's really awkward stylistically. But I have no doubt he can be a useful top-9 forward in the NHL on any team, especially if he's given PP time which, for his warts, he actually is a pretty decent PP player.

This season we actually have the excuse of having too much of a logjam at forward, because even with a Duchene trade it's very likely that Jost takes his spot. But what Bednar did to Soderberg last season was simply inexcusable. I don't blame Soderberg for probably wanting out of Colorado.

 

[Pokecheque]

What constitutes a 'good player' to you, then? I'd have a hard time arguing that the Soderberg we received and that we saw in his first season as an Av was not a 'good player.'

I dunno...is a less-productive P.A. Parenteau a "good player" in your books? And don't tell me Soderberg is less productive because he's a good two-way player, because that myth has been thoroughly debunked.

Yes, I know, he scored 51 points. 12 goals. That's not nothing obviously. But I also believe his numbers are inflated for a variety of reasons--one of which was the fact that Duchene's struggles necessitated his move to the wing and Soderberg got bumped up to the 2nd line. He has yet to be the defensive-minded guy they invested so much $$$ and term in. Lastly, I believe he pouted and quit on the team when asked to take one a 3rd line defensive role last season. He can't get the boot fast enough IMO.

Again, I think you need to do SOMETHING with him. You can't just play him on the 4th line for the next three years. However, not sure who gets bumped down to the 4th in favor of him. No easy solutions here--it was a horrible acquisition and an even worse contract. I'm guessing this ends in YET ANOTHER buyout, which is somewhat palatable after this season.

 

[Pokecheque]

I know you have a great disdain for Soderberg, and it probably wasn't helped by him packing it in last season from roughly November onwards, but he is a good player. There's a reason he scored 48, 44, and 51 points in his first three NHL seasons.

Is he an ideal 2C? Probably not. He's really awkward stylistically. But I have no doubt he can be a useful top-9 forward in the NHL on any team, especially if he's given PP time which, for his warts, he actually is a pretty decent PP player.

This season we actually have the excuse of having too much of a logjam at forward, because even with a Duchene trade it's very likely that Jost takes his spot. But what Bednar did to Soderberg last season was simply inexcusable. I don't blame Soderberg for probably wanting out of Colorado.

See though, you're saying he's not an ideal 2nd line center. So what is he? He refuses to be a 3rd line guy, so what does that leave you?

He's a lousy skater, not especially tough on the puck, not very dynamic offensively, and his so-called defensive prowess is nonexistent. I don't see what purpose he really serves outside of his shot, which again, is actually quite good.

If I'm Bednar, I slap him on the wing in the top-9 (not center, I don't care what he says, he can play wing) and tell him to go full Mikael Samuelsson. Just put the damned puck on net. His shot is not only deceptively powerful, it's extremely accurate. And it's about the only thing he does consistently well at the NHL level.

I agree he should probably get power play time, but the Avs have a ton of options for the power play.

Is he a terrible player? No. But I don't think he's good either. Certainly not worthy of the albatross of a contract he's currently signed to.

 

[The Kingslayer]

You gotta do something with Soda that doesnt involve sitting him. If Nieto has another stinker of a game I think I think thats the easy choice.

 

[Hesher]

If Nieto continues to suffer from Comeauitis I'd sit him and play Soda.

 

[JoemAvs]

Well Soda could always go to Europe(where he spent most of his career) if he is miserable enough to leave the 7M or so on the table he would lose by making that move....

Of course that is probably not gonna happen but I wonder if that is the plan. Otherwise sitting him over Comeau or Nieto does not make sense because it completely ruins his value and the slim chance that someone will trade for him probably...

I mean all the other teams get out of their ugly contracts all the time...

Why not us?

 

[tigervixxxen]

If anyone could possibly ever mutually terminate its him. It's not like he wouldn't get a job in Sweden. So factor that money in plus a boatload more happiness and I'm not saying it's impossible. Counting on it, of course not. But here's a guy who has only been in NA, what 5 years or so, now he's not even playing. I doubt getting the rest of that contract is his priority. He played in the 2nd division Swedish league for years because he was comfortable.

 

[dahrougem2]

See though, you're saying he's not an ideal 2nd line center. So what is he? He refuses to be a 3rd line guy, so what does that leave you?

He's a lousy skater, not especially tough on the puck, not very dynamic offensively, and his so-called defensive prowess is nonexistent. I don't see what purpose he really serves outside of his shot, which again, is actually quite good.

If I'm Bednar, I slap him on the wing in the top-9 (not center, I don't care what he says, he can play wing) and tell him to go full Mikael Samuelsson. Just put the damned puck on net. His shot is not only deceptively powerful, it's extremely accurate. And it's about the only thing he does consistently well at the NHL level.

I agree he should probably get power play time, but the Avs have a ton of options for the power play.

Is he a terrible player? No. But I don't think he's good either. Certainly not worthy of the albatross of a contract he's currently signed to.

When I say "ideal" 2C, I'm thinking specifically of a guy like ROR. Or players like him. Soderberg obviously isn't that, but so many other 2C's around the league aren't, either.

Soderberg is a guy who can give you 45+ points in the 2C slot, I don't see anything wrong with that. On this team, there are simply players better than him. Not his fault. But he absolutely is a good player in this league.

 

[McMetal]

51 points as the 2C on a team that was mid-pack offensively is perfectly fine production. Especially since he had to carry Comeau for most of that time on his wing. Why Montreal doesn't take a stab at him is beyond me, he could be had for cheap and immediately helps their center depth a ton.

 

[Cousin Eddie]

51 points as the 2C on a team that was mid-pack offensively is perfectly fine production. Especially since he had to carry Comeau for most of that time on his wing. Why Montreal doesn't take a stab at him is beyond me, he could be had for cheap and immediately helps their center depth a ton.

He costs 4.5million dollars and sucked last year. He was even a healthy scratch in the first game this year.

 

[McMetal]

He costs 4.5million dollars and sucked last year. He was even a healthy scratch in the first game this year.

I'll never understand why HFBoards is always so concerned with your last 20 games, as if that's all that matters when evaluating a hockey player. It's as if his 51 point season is ancient history.

He was relegated to the 4th line last year by an idiot coach who thought Comeau and Bourque were better top 9 options. He didn't take a career threatening injury, he didn't forget how to play hockey, he just has been misused. I guaran-damn-tee he would go back to similar production levels if given a chance, and since that isn't happening here thanks to our depth, some team out there could have him do that for them instead. And 4.5 million is not a gross overpayment for a 50 point 2C.