2015/2016 - One Surprise, One Disappointment

[The Mars Volchenkov]

We're officially in the dead zone of the year, where we've all gone over potential line combos for September in our heads so many times, that there isn't a whole lot else to talk about. I figured I'd start a thread where we all predict one player in the organization to surprise this year and one to disappoint. Now, it doesn't have to be an NHL player. It could be someone in the AHL or a prospect, so you can pick pretty much anyone in the organization whose rights belong to the Avs.

My picks:

Surprise: Borna Rendulic - I came away from last years training camp thinking this guy shouldn't sniff the NHL for a season, at least. He looked talented, but was very raw, trying to do too much with the puck, and wasn't using his size. He went down to the AHL and didn't even produce all that well, but sounds like he wasn't one of Dean's favorites. Rendulic getting a callup in the middle of December was a big surprise, because Roy had said all along it would be based on play in the AHL. To my surprise, I was actually very impressed with how good he looked. He was using his size a lot more, he was hustling defensively, and showed some good things offensively as well. I'm still impressed with his lone NHL goal because he showed some great hockey sense just finding a dead zone in the defense and making himself available for a shot. I predict he starts in the AHL and looks great, but gets called up and plays 20-30 games for the Avs this year. The Avs are so impressed by his play that they decide to move on from some of their UFA's next summer (Winchester, Cliche, Bordeleau, and even Tanguay) in order to get some young talent in the lineup full time.

Disappointment: Alex Tanguay - Tangs was great last year, arguably the Avs most consistent forward from start to finish. That being said, he also played his first full season (or close to it) since 2010-11. Will he be able to stay healthy another season? I wouldn't bet on it. Father time also waits for no one, and Tangs turns 36 in November. I'll predict that he cannot be counted on as a top 6 forward all year long, ends up on the 3rd line with disappointing production and injuries, and ends up retiring after the season.

Who is everyone else's selections? The title says one each, but I guess I'll be nice enough to open it up to more than one for each.

Click to read more...

 

[Freudian]

Surprise: Dennis Everberg. He got a taste of NHL last year and comes into camp with some added muscle. He becomes a mainstay on the PK and gets 25 points.

Disappointment: Erik Johnson. After last season where he was excellent he'll take a small step back and since he signed a big contract, people will be disappointed.

 

[InjuredChoker]

surprise: grigs

disappointment: varly

 

[agentblack]

oooh Yeah ill play

Surprise: Blake Comeau - At some point he will play with Duchene and will start producing at a 20-30 pace,

Disappointment: Mikhail Grigorenko- I hate to say this because I feel like the only one pushing for the Avs to trade for him but I think he will just be a frustrating player for us to watch this year. Will flash some serious skill for brief stretches then nothing. Ends up being a scratch and relegated to 4th line wing duty

 

[Former Ladder]

Surprise: Soderberg. I think he will gain quick chemistry with MacK and Landy and he will look like a better player than he is individually (and I think he is a decent player). I think this line will work out better than many anticipate.

Dissapointment: Iggy. I think he takes another step back in his skating. He was non-existent on the defensive side much of last year and that continues. He will still have a 1st line shot and little else. Roy won't demote him to the third line until much later than he should, if at all.

 

[landy92mack29]

Surprise:NHL-Zadorov Prospect-Wood

Disappointment:NHL-Johnson Prospect-Greer

 

[Ararana]

Surprise:
A) Rantanen not only makes the team out of camp, but finishes the year on Duchene's wing. (Wishful thinking never killed anyone )
B) Zadorov - Barrie pairing

Disappointment:
A) Berra will win the backup spot in camp and he will have a repeat of last season's misery.
B) As much as I want Grigerenko to succeed, I'm thinking he gets stuck on the third line with the likes of Mitchell and Everberg and won't be able to find that spark. (not a shot a Everberg... Mitchell on the other hand)

 

[henchman21]

Surprise: Mikhail Grigorenko - Maybe this is just a product of low expectations, but I think he will be surprisingly solid. His defense isn't nearly as bad as people paint it, and people know of his offensive talents. If Roy can get him to be constantly engaged he will be a solid player for us in the top 9, possibly top 6.

Dissapointment: Matt Duchene - I don't think he will have a bad year, but I don't think he will be a 70 point #1C either. I figure he will have a 60ish point season and MacK will take over as the top offensive player on the team. Duchene will settle into the #2C instead of being the #1 people want him to be.

Prospect-Wood

A prospect one of these would be fun to do as well.

 

[Avs_19]

Surprise: Winchester. No expectations right now because I have no idea what's going on with him but if he's healthy, he'll be a very pleasant surprise. He'll help our 4th line and PK in a big way.

Disappointment: Beauchemin. He'll be good and a major upgrade over Hejda but he won't be the guy Roy has been selling. I think he takes a bit of a step back.

 

[The Mars Volchenkov]

A prospect one of these would be fun to do as well.

The OP says it doesn't have to be NHL guys, it could be anyone in the organization.

 

[Avs71]

Surprise: Erik Johnson. He was oozing with confidence last year, on one bad leg nonetheless, and will be carrying that with him to start the year. He is going to be 100% healthy and will have had an extended summer of training. He will also be playing with the best defensive partner he has ever had. This is the year where people no longer mention the word potential with him. People will view him in a similar manner to Mark Giordano.

Disappointment: Rantanen in training camp, and the Zadorov during the season. Zadorov will be a little too up and down for people to fully be happy with him. I expect some nice goals, some bad giveaways, some hard hits, and some poor positioning.

 

[henchman21]

The OP says it doesn't have to be NHL guys, it could be anyone in the organization.

Too long. Didn't read.

So for prospects:

Surprise (I'll do 2 here): Kyle Wood - I won't be surprised, but people will take notice and he will end up being one of the best defensemen in the OHL next year. I wouldn't be shocked to see a 20+g 45+a season out of him and a dominant playoffs.

JC Beaudin - The viability will just be cranked up on him a bit. He should move back to his natural position and be put in a more offensive role. I could see him above PPG and being the go to guy on the PK.

Disappointment: Mason Geertsen - I'm expecting some significant growing pains moving into the AHL, and with the other options out there... I don't think he gets consistent power play time.

Calvin Pickard - I think he has another inconsistent season. He will show flashes in San Antonio where he looks great, but he will still have his slumps of pretty bad play. On top of that I think Deaner will be a bit impatient with the slumps, only making it worse.

 

[tucker3434]

I was just thinking about the disappointment the other day. As fans we always tend to think, "Our players that played poorly will likely improve and those that played well will continue to do so." But it never works that way.

My disappointment is Tanguay. I think, for one reason or another, he's closer to 35 points this year.

My surprise is the Beauchemin-EJ pairing. It's easily going to be the best defensive pairing we've had in years.

 

[tigervixxxen]

The OP says it doesn't have to be NHL guys, it could be anyone in the organization.

This is a good discussion idea, I'll have to ponder mine. I think I'll do one each for NHL, AHL, prospects.

 

[Tru]

I've got two each (one forward and one d-man)....

Surprise:

Everberg - He should be a mainstay in the lineup and his point production will improve. He'll be a strong candidate for top-6 should injuries arise.

Holden - He showed offensive prowess in his 1st season, improved his defensive play throughout last year. He'll come in as a more complete package and solidify himself as a 4-5 defender. Should he end up as Barrie's 2nd pair partner or Stuart's 3rd pair partner, I think he'll impress this year.

Disappointment:

Soderberg - I have a feeling that Yeti might be a minor disappointment. Simply because he won't live up to the big contract he got. I don't think he's quite a top-6 forward and he may struggle against the better match-ups, especially now that he's in the Western Conference. He may end up a 3rd liner, albeit a good one, by years end.

Zadorov - I'm not convinced he's ready for a top-4 role. He may very well grow into that type of defender, but I suspect he still needs time to keep developing. I feel he may have to drop to the 3rd pairing with Stuart this year.

 

[S E P H]

Don't like really doing these because haven't seen every player, but I will give my two cents. A reason why is like Rendulic would be my biggest surprise due to what Mars listed, but he will be held back if he didn't improve his strength. Wood won't take the next step if he hasn't improved his skating over the summer. Elliott will be a career AHLer if he hasn't put on any pounds. Pepin would probably have a breakout year if he loses 15 pounds over the summer. So many what ifs and majority of these will end up probably being wrong. I will have a much clearer opinion during training camp to see where players are at each particular stage.

Surprise
Pros: Duncan Siemens (HM: Andreas Martinsen). Why? People keep saying this training camp is huge for him. I don't disagree with that statement, but he has preformed admirably in the last three training camps I've witnessed. I do think others have surpassed him on the depth chart and I lowered his potential personally to around average middle pairing...But I do think if he's able to stay healthy, he will have a good year of development.

Prospects: Wilhelm Westlund (HM: Sergei Boikov). Why? You know, I do like Westlund. He needs to pack more meat and potatoes on him, but he reminds me a lot of Matt Dumba. He has the same strengths and weaknesses, and are normally on the far side of the spectrum. His turnovers are brutal, but his puck rushing and risky passing ability is great. Doesn't have Dumba's talent by any means, but someone who could breakout next season and maybe move closer to a potential ELC.

Disappointment
Pros: Nathan MacKinnon (HM: Jerome Iginla). Why? People voted him as the 2nd most important player for next season after Varlamov. Some even see him taking the 1st line centre duty over Duchene next season. I do think that MacKinnon will ultimately end up as the best forward on this team, but I doubt he will make a humongous impact to surpass Duchene next year. He will be a top 6 player and will probably post good numbers, but I believe this will still be a learning year adjusting on NHL timing, stickhandling without losing the puck, and how to beat defenders besides his speed.

Prospects: Conner Bleackley (HM: Julian Nantel). Why? First off, let me tell you that this was extremely hard to choose. I have no hype for prospects like Storm, Pepin, or Olhaver (I think they will produce numbers they did in the previous season). While the other prospects like Geertsen, Meloche, Butcher, and Compher will probably improve, but not to the point where Wood dramatically improved from his previous season. Bleackley is one of the few who has some sort of hype here, which I can see stagnate to a certain degree. He is on a snake-bitten offencive team which doesn't have a very talented group. Red Deer has some really nice depth, but that whole team is filled with 3rd line grinders than a top line of Ho-Sangs'. I believe he will increase his goal numbers and progress to the point where people will be moderately satisfied. But I do not think there will be a lot of improvement.

Surprise:NHL-Zadorov Prospect-Wood

Disappointment:NHL-Johnson Prospect-Greer

Man your presupposition is already set, eh? Just give the dude a little faith buddy.

 

[AslanRH]

Surprise:
Zadorov - Think he will find quick chemistry and balance with Barrie and that will be the 2nd pair all season
Hishon - Think he will join the club due to injury by mid November and will secure a roster spot for the rest of the season as a rotational bottom 6 player.

Disappointment:
Iginla - Think he'll be the next winger who will join the poor 2nd year beside Duchene club and have noticeably lower numbers and will end the season with <25 Goals.
Pickard - He will have a mediocre year in the AHL and will struggle in his 5 or 6 starts in the NHL this year.

 

[Nzap]

Surprise:
Nick Holden

Guy comes into camp with a good mindset and provides us with solid #4-#5 play game after game.

Disappointment:
Iggy

Loses more pace and the shot begins to suffer.
Scores barely over 20 goals and is even more of a liability in the D-zone.

 

[The Mars Volchenkov]

I thought about Pickard too. Last year, seemingly everything went right for the guy. We'll see what happens this year with him.

Early returns from this thread are that none of us have any idea what's going to happen with Grigorenko. That's probably why he's the biggest wildcard on the team this season.

 

[avsfan09]

Surprises: Compher and Beauchemin

Disappointments:Grigorenko and Tanguay

 

[tigervixxxen]

Ok, I'm ready to weigh in

NHL Surprise: Zadorov. Everyone knows he's a massive talent upgrade but seemingly has low expectations for his performance. I think he will show his age at times but also offer a lot more on the left side than we have seen in a long time and solidify himself as a top 4 NHL D by the end of the season.

NHL Disappointment: Barrie. His success with Zadorov should go hand in hand but the expectations bar has gone a bit high for Barrie. He will be a good player no doubt but he's still young, prone to inconsistent moments and overthinking, its very possible he has a dip before he really establishes the baseline for what kind of player he is.

AHL Surprise: Corbett. Part product of a very low bar and some perceptions out there that he is terrible, should be traded, etc. Rookies in the AHL have a tough time and with more consistent usage (will probably take an injury but it will happen) he will show on the scoresheet a lot closer to his ability and performance, which I did not think was bad last year.

AHL Disappointment: Agozzino. The bar isn't high for many on this team but the one that is Agozzino. He's been remarkably consistent in his AHL career so I'm not foreseeing some big fall off but considering how ridiculously hot he had to be to reach 30 goals and the expectation to carry the team offensively will weigh on him a bit.

CHL Surprise: Magyar. Not the most talented prospect or even high on my list but his post draft season was just so disappointing there is so much room for improvement and I do think he's the type of guy who will be determined and can even surpass his draft year. I saw a little bit of that fire in day 3 of development camp so I'm going to bet he is the prospect that we see the most improvement.

CHL Disappointment: Pepin. Many are already not expecting much from him but there's always that hint, those few tantalizing moments that get you rather than the prospects that have the bar extremely low to begin with. He'll do enough good and have those games and moments where something might be there but just won't be consistent enough.

 

[ASmileyFace]

Surprise: Grigorenko - With some time on the top 2 lines I expect him to have a serious breakout season. Roy's going to bring the best out of this guy and people will be wondering "how did Buffalo ever give up on him?"

Disappointment: Iginla - Injuries and age will really factor into Iggy's play. At best he goes 20/20 but I expect less.

 

[cgf]

Duchene is the only one I'm certain will not disappoint next year. I could see just about everyone else being at least a little disappointing (Varly getting banged up again, EJ going back to rimming shots off of shines, MacK only getting back to his rookie totals, etc.) So many question marks on this team, both big and small.

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

I could put Grigorenko on both. He's a wildcard.

 

[Kschey]

Surprise: Holden - personally I don't think he's as bad as some people say. The issue with him was that Roy relied too much on him (and not only on him..). With the additions on D, he should be a 3rd pairing dman and I think he'll excel in this role.

Disappointment: Barrie - I'm so high on him and his offensive production that I'm almost bound to being disappointed by him. I kind of expect him to put up 50+ pts again but I could actually see him in a hole for about 20 games at some point which would make it difficult to reach that mark.