GDT: 2014-15 Training Camp and Preseason Thread

[AllAboutAvs]

Can you guys confirm that Everberg is indeed a RW even though he shoots left? I'm really glad he is doing really good as I like his game and his size.

As for the #6, 7 and 8 spot on D, I see it this way.

3 spots and five players: Wilson, Guenin, Redmond, Noreau and Elliott.

I think #6 is Redmond's to lose as he is the best two-way dman of the bunch.

Going by all you guys' reports it is clear that Noreau as outplayed Elliott in camp so far. Considering how important a Barrie-type player is to the Avs' game, I think they should not gamble losing Noreau to waivers. I think he would pass but why take the chance. I say they keep him up and risk losing Elliott to waivers which at this point wouldn't be a big lost. Besides Noreau is one of Roy's guys not Elliott.

As for the other spot, assuming they keep Noreau, they wouldn't keep Elliott as they both are the same type of players and they are both RHD. So it would be between Wilson and Guenin. I don't care too much who gets it. Wilson has an edge considering he is a LHD. However Guenin has an edge due to cap space which could become important comes trade deadline time. Also I think Wilson has a better chance to pass waivers due to his salary so I think the Avs might go with Guenin. Furthermore Guenin is also one of Roy's boys while Wilson is not.

So fif I am Roy I keep Guenin and Noreau. Just my .02 cents.

 

[tigervixxxen]

At least three, probably four, pre-season matches will be broadcast. Last year no game was shown. It's better playing Canadian teams than Dallas and Phoenix.

Thursday 25th September in Montreal: RDS
Friday 26th September in Quebec: RDS, Altitude
Tuesday 30th September in Calgary: they normally stream games on their site
Saturday 4th October in Las Vegas: NHL Network

Only at Calgary, right?

Last year Dallas streamed that disaster of a game in their building.

Will be nice to see a few games.

 

[tigervixxxen]

Go where? Send him home? I agree with Elliott.

Lake Erie. Where everyone else who is cut goes?

I don't remember if it was mentioned here but Roy singled out Noreau today as his standout. I agree that he's earned his spot thus far and should stay if he keeps it up. I also see Guenin winning out over Wilson if it's between the two. And yes I believe Everberg plays RW.

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

My buddy sent me this iPhone 6 slow mode vid of Nate's shot during the shootout today.

So slick.

Woowww. Goal scorers goal. Great goal by Nate.

 

[The Mars Volchenkov]

OK, so for the game itself.

First goal by Everberg was created by Carey's speed and Varly's inability to play the puck. He came out, Carey beat him to the puck and went around the net, Varly overcommited, and Everberg got the pass out front for an easy goal.

Second goal was just Duchene being just plain better than Wilson. Not only did he beat Wilson to the outside, he also outmuscled him to get to the middle of the ice. He tried to feed Iginla out front, but it hit Barrie and went in.

Burgandy's first goal was after a dominant shift by White. EJ and Stuart overcommited in the offensive zone on a broken play, Barrie saw it and took off, and Sgarbossa hit him with a breakaway pass from his own blueline all the way into the other end, where he beat Aitto glove high.

Second goal was a thing of beauty. White cleared it out, Redmond raced back, and while skating backwards at his own hashmarks, launched a pass right onto MacKinnon's stick at center ice, in stride. MacKinnon entered the zone, criss-crossed with Landy and dropped it to him, and Landy hit him all alone in front, where he just deked and beat Aitto 5-hole.

Third white goal was on a flurry of activity in front of Will, who made at least 3 saves but kept letting rebounds out. Vincour popped it out to Agozzino who had an empty net.

Third Burgandy goal was Schumacher in the corner, just whipped it at the net and it banked off Trembley's skate and in.

Last goal was great, hopefully a sign of things to come. ROR dumped it in the corner, Iginla got there first, took a hit from Siemens but came out with the puck, hit ROR at one side of the net, who passed it across the slot to Duchene at the other side of the net, who, with a rolling puck, launched it over Trembley's glove for the winner.

MacKinnon's line has serious chemistry already, and looks ready to go to start the year. I think Duchene's line only had one real shift of consistent pressure, and will need some time to really gel with Iginla. Briere's line was basically non-existent. Winchester and McLeod had some real nice shifts with cycling offensively, which we may see a lot of this year. That's Winchester's specialty. Cliche didn't do much, and was on the wing as Winchester took every faceoff.

Everberg is my pick to make the team, if any of the young guys can. He's got the size Roy is looking for, and he uses it well. He's great in the corners, and is always in front of the net. We were really lacking that net front presence all year last year, and I could see Roy just loving Everberg's game. He's a massive man out there, looks bigger than 95% of the players. I really hope he plays tomorrow so I can see him again. He's making an impression on the coaches, I think.

Rendulic, on the other hand, is mainly a perimiter guy, although he had one great shift where he showed off his hands and did lay one guy out. I wish he would crash the net more.

Noreau plays like an offensive defenseman. He's not afraid to join the rush, or start the rush, like Barrie. That's Elliott's issue. He's afraid to make mistakes or be who he is. Noreau had a few great rushes, including one where it was a 3 on 2, he drew a defender too him, dished it to the forward in the middle and it created a mini 2 on 1. He can really move and didn't notice any glaring defensive issues, although he isn't a big man.

Hishon didn't do much today, which was disappointing. Carey was all over the place, including the big hit on Wilson.

I'll also say that Will and Pickard have clearly outplayed Aitto and it's not close.

I'll be there tomorrow, hope the Avs dress a lot of the young guys.

 

[landy92mack29]

so if mcginn cant go game one everberg has played well enough to be the 3rd line lw then?

 

[Balthazar]

Lake Erie. Where everyone else who is cut goes?

Doubt he'll spend the season in LE @ 2.4M for the year.

Hishon didn't do much today, which was disappointing.

He better not turn into the offensive version of Elliott.

 

[R S]

Doubt he'll spend the season in LE @ 2.4M for the year.

They have 9 D on one-way deals. Regardless of who's in the AHL, they'll still be making NHL money. Could be Wilson. Could be Noreau. Could be Guenin.

 

[R S]

Still don't understand the "cut Elliott" sentiments from an entire organizational perspective. He's on a two-way deal and tied for the AHL team lead in goals last year. Nothing wrong with having him play lots at the AHL level.

The guy was always a gamble to make the NHL due to his size and lack of defensive ability, but that doesn't mean he's not valuable to the organization as a whole.

Along those same lines about Noreau being "what we need Elliott to be", Noreau is a guy who's 4-5 years older and has that much more pro experience. I think at-worst, Noreau is what Elliott will be when he's 27.

 

[The Mars Volchenkov]

He better not turn into the offensive version of Elliott.

It was just one game. He's not waiver eligible. I think the plan all along has been to have him play the full year in the AHL, and hope he's not injured. That's a good plan, too. He looked really good the first two days of camp, and I expect he'll see quite a few pre-season games too.

 

[landy92mack29]

Still don't understand the "cut Elliott" sentiments from an entire organizational perspective. He's on a two-way deal and tied for the AHL team lead in goals last year. Nothing wrong with having him play lots at the NHL level.

The guy was always a gamble to make the NHL due to his size and lack of defensive ability, but that doesn't mean he's not valuable to the organization as a whole.

with barrie progressing Elliot has become less of a need to the avs though. I still would like him to get a chance in the nhl, maybe watch the first 10 games and learn from foote then plug him in the lineup if someone is struggling or hurt. he has to put the work in as well though

 

[Avs_19]

Still don't understand the "cut Elliott" sentiments from an entire organizational perspective. He's on a two-way deal and tied for the AHL team lead in goals last year. Nothing wrong with having him play lots at the AHL level.

The guy was always a gamble to make the NHL due to his size and lack of defensive ability, but that doesn't mean he's not valuable to the organization as a whole.

Along those same lines about Noreau being "what we need Elliott to be", Noreau is a guy who's 4-5 years older and has that much more pro experience. I think at-worst, Noreau is what Elliott will be when he's 27.

I think most would agree there's nothing wrong with him playing a lot in the AHL. Would he pass through waivers though?

 

[Balthazar]

Still don't understand the "cut Elliott" sentiments from an entire organizational perspective. He's on a two-way deal and tied for the AHL team lead in goals last year. Nothing wrong with having him play lots at the AHL level.

The guy was always a gamble to make the NHL due to his size and lack of defensive ability, but that doesn't mean he's not valuable to the organization as a whole.

Along those same lines about Noreau being "what we need Elliott to be", Noreau is a guy who's 4-5 years older and has that much more pro experience. I think at-worst, Noreau is what Elliott will be when he's 27.

He has to clear waivers if we send him down to the AHL again.

 

[landy92mack29]

I think most would agree there's nothing wrong with him playing a lot in the AHL. Would he pass through waivers though?

no way he would imo. teams like Calgary and Carolina can take a chance on him because they have no chance at the playoffs anyway.

 

[Avsboy]

I'm on the fence about Elliott. I was high on him coming into camp but his lack of muscle, apparent lack of intensity, and poor decision making have remained issues. No reviews about him have been good this camp. IMO, down to the AHL he will go, and hopefully to Lake Erie (and not another farm team as a part of another NHL organization) for another year. He needs to be motivated to get better.

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

Still don't understand the "cut Elliott" sentiments from an entire organizational perspective. He's on a two-way deal and tied for the AHL team lead in goals last year. Nothing wrong with having him play lots at the AHL level.

The guy was always a gamble to make the NHL due to his size and lack of defensive ability, but that doesn't mean he's not valuable to the organization as a whole.

Along those same lines about Noreau being "what we need Elliott to be", Noreau is a guy who's 4-5 years older and has that much more pro experience. I think at-worst, Noreau is what Elliott will be when he's 27.

Him not succeeding in the NHL yet isn't because of his size... even the defensive liability could be forgiven if he was producing offence. He's an offence defenseman who provides little offence in the NHL. It's time to call a spade a spade.

 

[landy92mack29]

I'm on the fence about Elliott. I was high on him coming into camp but his lack of muscle, apparent lack of intensity, and poor decision making have remained issues. No reviews about him have been good this camp. IMO, down to the AHL he will go, and hopefully to Lake Erie (and not another farm team as a part of another NHL organization) for another year. He needs to be motivated to get better.

fairly sure whatever team claims him has to keep him in the nhl or he would be exposed to waivers again

 

[The Mars Volchenkov]

Still don't understand the "cut Elliott" sentiments from an entire organizational perspective. He's on a two-way deal and tied for the AHL team lead in goals last year. Nothing wrong with having him play lots at the AHL level.

The guy was always a gamble to make the NHL due to his size and lack of defensive ability, but that doesn't mean he's not valuable to the organization as a whole.

Along those same lines about Noreau being "what we need Elliott to be", Noreau is a guy who's 4-5 years older and has that much more pro experience. I think at-worst, Noreau is what Elliott will be when he's 27.

Even with his lack of size and defensive ability, he can carve out a niche in the NHL as an offensive defenseman given his skating and wrist shot (although I question his vision and slapper). The problem is, he doesn't seem to have the makeup to do it, at least right now. You look at a guy like Barrie. He'll jump up, join the rush, and he'll make mistakes, but he'll come back and do it again because it's what makes him dangerous. Elliott seems to play afraid to make mistakes, and doesn't use his skills. He hasn't jumped up into the play at all this weekend. Is that something you can change? Possibly, but I'd lean towards no.

I also wonder just how the organization views him if they dressed 12 players for an intra-squad scrimmage, presumably the 12 guys they like the most coming off the weekend camp, and he somehow doesn't make the cut. It really caught me off guard, as I figured there's no way that could happen.

The Avs liked Noreau enough to give him a 2 year, one way deal. They've also got Redmond, whose a great skater and is making a nice impression this weekend on a 2 year deal. I'm not sure Elliott will be around much longer, but what do I know. I don't think anyone would pick him up on waivers, personally.

 

[Avsboy]

fairly sure whatever team claims him has to keep him in the nhl or he would be exposed to waivers again

I knew this. But which team gets first crack at him? Because Elliott is not sticking with an NHL team the way he seems to be playing. So he will end in the AHL squad of the team that gets him off waivers the first or second time, or he will end up in some kind of waiver purgatory. I don't know the rules.

 

[Balthazar]

fairly sure whatever team claims him has to keep him in the nhl or he would be exposed to waivers again

Actually I'm no longer sure that he'll get claimed. Who needs Elliott?

 

[Lonewolfe2015]

I knew this. But which team gets first crack at him? Because Elliott is not sticking with an NHL team the way he seems to be playing. So he will end in the AHL squad of the team that gets him off waivers the first or second time, or he will end up in some kind of waiver purgatory. I don't know the rules.

We get to put him into the AHL this entire year. If he's claimed he has to play in the NHL. Order is based on the 2014 season finishes.

 

[Avsboy]

We get to put him into the AHL this entire year. If he's claimed he has to play in the NHL. Order is based on the 2014 season finishes.

So if he's claimed, he can't be sent down to a team's AHL affiliate?

 

[landy92mack29]

I knew this. But which team gets first crack at him? Because Elliott is not sticking with an NHL team the way he seems to be playing. So he will end in the AHL squad of the team that gets him off waivers the first or second time, or he will end up in some kind of waiver purgatory. I don't know the rules.

if he gets claimed and that team waives him then another team can claim him for their nhl roster. if no one does then he goes to the claiming teams ahl team. but if Colorado reclaims him then they can send him to LE(I think this is how it goes)

 

[landy92mack29]

So if he's claimed, he can't be sent down to a team's AHL affiliate?

he'd be exposed to waivers again if they tried to send him down

 

[landy92mack29]

Actually I'm no longer sure that he'll get claimed. Who needs Elliott?

teams with nothing to lose by taking a chance on him(lottery teams)