Rumor: 2019-2020 Trade Rumours and Free Agent Discussion Version 7 | Post-Deadline Ed.

[henchman21]

Donskoi isn’t a stupid hockey player?

I'd call him average.

 

[The Abusement Park]

Donskoi isn’t a stupid hockey player?

Compared to Pool party he's a smart hockey player.

 

[Pokecheque]

I'd call him average.

Agreed. He certainly doesn't have elite hockey sense but he is by no means a hockey dummy.

 

[UncleRisto]

Donskoi is the "traditional" Finnish winger.

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

CE has just had this unfounded dislike for Donskoi for a long time now.


He's a versatile(Yes Versatile) player. He can play anywhere in your Top 9, he can kill penalties, and he can be a secondary PP guy.

That is about as versatile as it gets really. For 3.9M theres not a lot of forwards on our team I'd take over him right now.

 

[Cousin Eddie]

CE has just had this unfounded dislike for Donskoi for a long time now.


He's a versatile(Yes Versatile) player. He can play anywhere in your Top 9, he can kill penalties, and he can be a secondary PP guy.

That is about as versatile as it gets really. For 3.9M theres not a lot of forwards on our team I'd take over him right now.

Yeah I’ve hated him for some time. I always hate players with zero positional awareness. Donskoi, Kerfoot, Mitchell etc. guys that try to play every position at once and constantly get into their teammates way. Donskoi got a crap load of points piggy backing off Nate early on which was great but my mind instead goes to thinking how many plays died as a result of Donskoi getting in the way or doing something stupid.

Also Donskoi is a very East-West player which frustrates me since the entire team identity is North South. His side to side dipsy doodling causes a lot of people to have to stop at the blue line to prevent going offside even though the system they play is for everyone to enter at full speed.

 

[henchman21]

Also Donskoi is a very East-West player which frustrates me since the entire team identity is North South. His side to side dipsy doodling causes a lot of people to have to stop at the blue line to prevent going offside even though the system they play is for everyone to enter at full speed.

I 100% agree with this. I don't think he is a great fit here long-term, and I certainly wouldn't mind an upgrade or a swap to a different sort of player. I personally just don't think Poolparty is the guy you'd want to target to be better next year. He's a buy low guy for a team with low expectations where he can be handed a big role to see if he flourishes. If this was the Avs of two years ago, certainly take a shot... just not today.

 

[Barklez]

CE has just had this unfounded dislike for Donskoi for a long time now.


He's a versatile(Yes Versatile) player. He can play anywhere in your Top 9, he can kill penalties, and he can be a secondary PP guy.

That is about as versatile as it gets really. For 3.9M theres not a lot of forwards on our team I'd take over him right now.

He’s not alone.

Just because Donskoi can fill those roles in a pinch doesn’t mean he’s particularly good at any of them. I’d drop Donskoi to keep Nuke and/or Names in a heartbeat. Pool party is more of a stretch but I wouldn’t be losing sleep over it.

The phrase “versatile as it gets” in regards to Donskoi is outrageously rose-tinted. He kept his head above water when the top line had injuries but he wasn’t noticeably better than other 3rd liners have been when given an extended run with MacK.

He serves his purpose but let’s not act like he’s the glue holding the team together in troubled times.

 

[The Abusement Park]

He’s not alone.

Just because Donskoi can fill those roles in a pinch doesn’t mean he’s particularly good at any of them. I’d drop Donskoi to keep Nuke and/or Names in a heartbeat. Pool party is more of a stretch but I wouldn’t be losing sleep over it.

The phrase “versatile as it gets” in regards to Donskoi is outrageously rose-tinted. He kept his head above water when the top line had injuries but he wasn’t noticeably better than other 3rd liners have been when given an extended run with MacK.

He serves his purpose but let’s not act like he’s the glue holding the team together in troubled times.

No ones arguing that he’s an integral piece for the Avs. But swapping him for Pulju is mind numbingly stupid.

 

[dahrougem2]

CE has just had this unfounded dislike for Donskoi for a long time now.


He's a versatile(Yes Versatile) player. He can play anywhere in your Top 9, he can kill penalties, and he can be a secondary PP guy.

That is about as versatile as it gets really. For 3.9M theres not a lot of forwards on our team I'd take over him right now.

I don't think he's wrong in saying that Donskoi is a top-6-or-bust sort of player.

He doesn't play well in a bottom-6 role. He's invisible most nights when not playing with great offensive players. Not that he sucks, but not worth the money he's getting.

I'm not clamouring to trade him now because I see his value for the time being, but outside of Tyson Jost I think he's a forward I'd easily move to upgrade our team up front, whether it's acquiring a player or just dumping him so we could acquire a player via FA/different trade.

 

[dahrougem2]

Also, re: Puljujarvi. I don't know if he's as dumb as he's got this reputation for. I mean he's tearing up Liiga which, I get might not be the most difficult thing in the world for him, but he clearly is showing the ability to dominate there.

He also looked too good for the AHL during his stints in Bakersfield.

I think the biggest issue with Puljujarvi - and it's something that probably hasn't improved being in Finland - is the English language barrier. Dude straight up can't speak the language, and probably has no idea what coaches/teammates are saying.

I think a guy like Mikko would be fantastic for him. But it's also on Puljujarvi to learn. Because if he's hell bent on not learning English and just doing things his way, he's going to be Liiga/KHL bound his entire career.

 

[Cousin Eddie]

No ones arguing that he’s an integral piece for the Avs. But swapping him for Pulju is mind numbingly stupid.

You don’t have to agree but I think calling me mind numbingly is a little Harsh.

At the same age, on the same team in the same league Joonas Donskoi couldn’t hold the jockstrap of what Jesse Puljujärvi did this season. He also costs like 4 times more and is 6 years older. I’m not mind mumblingly stupid for thinking Puljujärvi can eventually be a better hockey player than Joonas Donskoi.

 

[The Abusement Park]

You don’t have to agree but I think calling me mind numbingly is a little Harsh.

At the same age, on the same team in the same league Joonas Donskoi couldn’t hold the jockstrap of what Jesse Puljujärvi did this season. He also costs like 4 times more and is 6 years older. I’m not mind mumblingly stupid for thinking Puljujärvi can eventually be a better hockey player than Joonas Donskoi.

Mind numbingly stupid was a bit much, but that wasn’t meant as a personal barb at all. I just think the idea of trading any useful player for Pulju is really dumb. As for his development sure he’s better than Dong was at 21 and there is some potential but I think that wouldn't be a smart move for where the Avs are currently.

 

[UncleRisto]

Also, re: Puljujarvi. I don't know if he's as dumb as he's got this reputation for. I mean he's tearing up Liiga which, I get might not be the most difficult thing in the world for him, but he clearly is showing the ability to dominate there.

I do. But that's beside the point.

For funsies, off the top of my head let me rattle off a list of very successful Liiga players in the last ~15 years: Ryan Vesce, Ryan Keller, Ben Eaves, Steve Moses, Steve Kariya, Shayne Toporowski, Daniel Corso, Eric Perrin, Stephen Dixon, Ryan Lasch, Tomas Zaborsky, Justin Danforth...

Sound good? I know, I know, but sound like a good bunch?

He also looked too good for the AHL during his stints in Bakersfield.

I think the biggest issue with Puljujarvi - and it's something that probably hasn't improved being in Finland - is the English language barrier. Dude straight up can't speak the language, and probably has no idea what coaches/teammates are saying.

I think a guy like Mikko would be fantastic for him. But it's also on Puljujarvi to learn. Because if he's hell bent on not learning English and just doing things his way, he's going to be Liiga/KHL bound his entire career.

Gotta keep in mind that while Finns start learning English when they're seven now, previously (like Puljujärvi) eight or nine years old, it's a very verrry divergent language to Finnish. The guy is, I would throw out an educated guess, somewhat likely to have some level of learning or language deficiency and that doesn't bode well to learning a language completely different in its phonetics to your mother tongue. Not to mention the northern region, I'm afraid to say, appears to be doing somewhat poorly in regards to reading and L2.

Add to that that the guy is probably very hesitant (as Finns tend to be, even with no reason) to speak even the little English he does know. I didn't mean to go on a rant, but it's an interest.

 

[McMetal]

Donskoi is kind of average at everything, but that doesn't mean he can't be a very useful player on a good team. Not everyone needs to be a star. I wish he wouldn't go on those long cold streaks but unlike Kerfoot he actually does bring something to the table when he isn't flashing skill. For a third line winger you could do an awful lot worse.

And I still maintain that Pulju has hit his NHL ceiling and has no more "potential" left. The man's just clueless, and I don't think it's a language thing, at least not entirely.

 

[dahrougem2]

I do. But that's beside the point.

For funsies, off the top of my head let me rattle off a list of very successful Liiga players in the last ~15 years: Ryan Vesce, Ryan Keller, Ben Eaves, Steve Moses, Steve Kariya, Shayne Toporowski, Daniel Corso, Eric Perrin, Stephen Dixon, Ryan Lasch, Tomas Zaborsky, Justin Danforth...

Sound good? I know, I know, but sound like a good bunch?

Like I said, it might not be the most difficult thing in the world for him. But 53 points in 56 games while Donskoi, at the same age on the same team, put up 14 points in 31 games, might be a sign that there's something to be found with Puljujarvi. Like always, not all progression is linear and something might have clicked for Donskoi afterwards that just won't for Pulujarvi. But I don't think he's going to end up as some non-NHL playing bust. I think there's absolutely an NHLer there, just from the raw talent alone.

Gotta keep in mind that while Finns start learning English when they're seven now, previously (like Puljujärvi) eight or nine years old, it's a very verrry divergent language to Finnish. The guy is, I would throw out an educated guess, somewhat likely to have some level of learning or language deficiency and that doesn't bode well to learning a language completely different in its phonetics to your mother tongue. Not to mention the northern region, I'm afraid to say, appears to be doing somewhat poorly in regards to reading and L2.

Add to that that the guy is probably very hesitant (as Finns tend to be, even with no reason) to speak even the little English he does know. I didn't mean to go on a rant, but it's an interest.

I'm not denying this part here, because he does seem reluctant to learn and listen, and his ex-Oilers teammates have anonymously said as much. But if he somehow had a magical change of heart where he was willing to listen and learn, there could be something there.

 

[UncleRisto]

Like I said, it might not be the most difficult thing in the world for him. But 53 points in 56 games while Donskoi, at the same age on the same team, put up 14 points in 31 games, might be a sign that there's something to be found with Puljujarvi. Like always, not all progression is linear and something might have clicked for Donskoi afterwards that just won't for Pulujarvi. But I don't think he's going to end up as some non-NHL playing bust. I think there's absolutely an NHLer there, just from the raw talent alone.

Well, of course there's perceived potential with Puljujärvi, but Donskoi never played a flashy game or really a scoring role even. (He does have two FEL championships to show for it though.) He's a grinder who was able to develop his overall game to a high enough level over time. Donskoi had NHL potential when he was drafted. And there are plenty of players who can't put it together at all. Look at f***ing Yakupov.

I'm not denying this part here, because he does seem reluctant to learn and listen, and his ex-Oilers teammates have anonymously said as much. But if he somehow had a magical change of heart where he was willing to listen and learn, there could be something there.

It would honestly depend on what his capabilities actually are of learning English. Without certain phonological processing skills it's just not really up to putting your mind to it.

 

[Freaky Styley]

I think people forget why we targeted Donskoi: the playoffs. Like most guys on our team (which is a wonderful thing) he ups his game there and has scored some big-time goals. If it doesn't happen this year the biggest travesty will not be seeing how some of our depth guys (Nuke, Jost, Names, Bura) performed for us in the playoffs, which would likely have determined their future here otherwise. I can't wait to see Nuke in the playoffs, what a beast he will be.

 

[S E P H]

CE has just had this unfounded dislike for Donskoi for a long time now.


He's a versatile(Yes Versatile) player. He can play anywhere in your Top 9, he can kill penalties, and he can be a secondary PP guy.

That is about as versatile as it gets really. For 3.9M theres not a lot of forwards on our team I'd take over him right now.

Agreed, Donskoi is a good player and if he's the only player people can find faults with then that means we have a good team. Sadly though this isn't exactly the case considering who we got on defence, which is why all this talk about him is misplaced.

 

[McMetal]

Like I said, it might not be the most difficult thing in the world for him. But 53 points in 56 games while Donskoi, at the same age on the same team, put up 14 points in 31 games, might be a sign that there's something to be found with Puljujarvi. Like always, not all progression is linear and something might have clicked for Donskoi afterwards that just won't for Pulujarvi. But I don't think he's going to end up as some non-NHL playing bust. I think there's absolutely an NHLer there, just from the raw talent alone.


I'm not denying this part here, because he does seem reluctant to learn and listen, and his ex-Oilers teammates have anonymously said as much. But if he somehow had a magical change of heart where he was willing to listen and learn, there could be something there.

Raw talent alone doesn't guarantee an NHL career though. Nail Yakupov is exhibit A, too. Great skater with an absolutely elite shot, by all rights he should be a perennial Rocket Richard contender right now in the prime of his career based on those tools. But the brains are a problem.

Lots of raw talent type thrive in Euro leagues, too, and then don't adapt well to NA hockey. Remember when Eeli Tolvanen looked like the steal of 2017 when he was tearing up the KHL? 36 points in 63 AHL games this year, couldn't get a single callup to Nashville. So Pulju's PPG season in Finland doesn't sway me much. He has to prove he can play in the NHL, and so far he has a dismal track record there.

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

I wonder, if the NHL gave every team an opportunity to use 1 compliance buyout in any contract this summer after we lose the 2020 season and see a 2-3M cap decrease.... Would Sakic have the balls to use it on EJ?

 

[dahrougem2]

I wonder, if the NHL gave every team an opportunity to use 1 compliance buyout in any contract this summer after we lose the 2020 season and see a 2-3M cap decrease.... Would Sakic have the balls to use it on EJ?

Doubt it. Sakic wouldn't trade Jan Hejda at the deadline, and EJ has done so much more for this team.

 

[Pokecheque]

Yep, I don't see it happening. They had opportunities to do a compliance buyout previously, never used the option (at least I don't think they did). Even when they bought out Avs legend Greg Zanon, it was a regular buyout, not compliance.

Also, are we certain it's dropping that drastically?

 

[Cousin Eddie]

If they did that I’d rather take somebody like Zaitsev from a cheap ass team like the Sens for one of their 63 draft picks and buy him out.

EJ ain’t going anywhere whether we like it or not.

 

[Postanin CB Ting]

Please no Tony montana... I mean Hall. Not good for the room sadly, Bednar and the fuzz wouldnt like at all. Him bouncing around makes sense.
Big RHD shop instead Joe