All you guys are pissing on Graves, but I think that people forget that if he played one less game last year, he would still be considered a rookie this year. For a kid that's one game off from a rookie year like he's having, you guys should all be a lot more stoked on his level of play
The way I view Graves is thus:
1. The fact the Avs got a viable NHL defenseman in exchange for a complete bust is a BIG win for Joe Sakic.
2. I think Graves is a good bottom pairing defender who's currently being overplayed, and is doing just fine when all of that is considered.
3. His defensive technique is simply not good, nor are his defensive instincts. Again, it's fine for a bottom-pairing guy, just not a top-pairing guy.
4. Hell of a shot. And I like how he's learned to pick his spots and get it through traffic. You know he lives for moments like the other night against the Sharks when he just gets to unload a big one-timer.
5. I think he's good and have no issue whatsoever with him staying...apart from the fact that I wonder if this is the guy you sell high on. That said, it really has to be one of those situations IMO where someone is overpaying to justify dealing him.
The only thing I want to avoid is another Nick Holden situation, but personally I think he's a little better than Holden was.
Overall I just think they gotta find another top-four guy for the defense. Long term, they already have a couple in the system. But this year if they so choose they have to find that player via trade. I'm interested to see what they can get on the market, but I guess it just comes down to what they have to offer another team and what's out there. As it stands, there's no defender who might be available that excites me, so maybe they just stay the course, or maybe they get a forward.
I don't think you're wrong for liking the guy. I like him. But I also think some of you would like him less if he wasn't playing alongside an absolute phenom in Cale Makar. Any given situation where he's asked to be the better of the two defensemen out on the ice, the results are usually pretty disastrous.