Pre-Game Talk: 24 Team Playoffs discussion

[Pierce Hawthorne]

It all comes down to goaltending. We've seen both of our goalies getting cold at the same time on a few occasions...if that happens we're f***ed...otherwise round 1 shouldn't be an issue regardless of the opponent.

I pretty much only fear the Stars and Blues in the west.

Even with shaky goaltending... A healthy Avs team was putting like 4.5 goals a game this year(Small sample size obviously).

It would be much harder to do, but we have the offense to overcome a bad goaltending performance in that first round against most teams we would potentially face.


I'd say IMO only Vegas, Dallas, and the Blues would we be truly f***ed in a series if we got sub .900 goaltending.

 

[Balthazar]

I'd say IMO only Vegas, Dallas, and the Blues would we be truly f***ed in a series if we got sub .900 goaltending.

The key to beat the Avs is to not let them skate (which is why I want Vancouver). I don't think Vegas is capable of doing that for a whole series with their poor defense and I wouldn't trust Fleury. I'm confident we'd beat them.

With the Blues it's 50-50 and there's still a smallish chance for a Binnington choke job.

Stars are the worst. They have showed that they are very capable of turning our whole transition game into a very sad joke. Also they have reliable goaltending. Do not want.

 

[UncleRisto]

Ugh, our team, Columbus, put an X in their Twitter name. I get that it's technically correct, but boy I don't like the "x-" on Twitter anyway, and now teams in the play-ins are doing it. And by the way, if you're just some guy on Twitter and you have that "x-" in your name, shove it.

Also, it can't be good for the sport that their biggest followers include people who would complain about something like this.

 

[Foppa2118]

You can get away with sub par goaltending for one round in the playoffs. Maybe two if you're lucky and you're really scoring a lot of goals. Three plus rounds is not realistic though.

The Avs are a power house team this year. So much so that their lack of experience may not be a big concern. The big concerns that could take down this powerhouse early in the playoffs, are injuries and poor goaltending.

If they don't get good goaltending, and for some reason their best offensive guys in Nate, Mikko and Makar get shut down fairly well, they'll have their work cut out for them. Otherwise I like their chances against anybody.

 

[ArWKo]

Ugh, our team, Columbus, put an X in their Twitter name. I get that it's technically correct, but boy I don't like the "x-" on Twitter anyway, and now teams in the play-ins are doing it. And by the way, if you're just some guy on Twitter and you have that "x-" in your name, shove it.

Also, it can't be good for the sport that their biggest followers include people who would complain about something like this.

It's already everywhere.

 

[UncleRisto]

And another thing. Some 14-year-olds seem to be tweeting at Avs Twitter like "look who won rookie scoring". It can't be Quinn Hughes tweeting on two different accounts can it? But who else can it logically be? I can't wrap my head around it. Someone who read the Calder discussions here, come tell me why there's fan confrontation about individual awards.

It's already everywhere.

Haha, I see you tweeted this.

 

[Foppa2118]

And another thing. Some 14-year-olds seem to be tweeting at Avs Twitter like "look who won rookie scoring". It can't be Quinn Hughes tweeting on two different accounts can it? But who else can it logically be? I can't wrap my head around it. Someone who read the Calder discussions here, come tell me why there's fan confrontation about individual awards.

I've seen the number of contrarians among Avalanche fans increase by a noticeable amount the last five or so years. Makar's been a lightning rod for some of them since he was drafted.

 

[5280]

The fact that we kicked ass at the beginning of the season is giving me confidence.

...and last season. We’re a damn good team imo. Straight outta the box I don’t see many better teams out there. Maybe we don’t have the hardened playoff mentality which comes with all of it’s wisdom, but I think our leaders have seen mostly what it’s all about and what type of roll you need to get on and mentality you need to have to win it all. What we lack in playoff wisdom we pick up in exuberance and tenacity. Also, we overcame a shit ton of adversity this year just to be in the place we are in.

Another thing- this break will benefit players like EJ and Cole and who are getting older and recovering from surgeries and nursing injuries. They will be fresher.

I know Cole gets a lot of shit around here, but I think players like him are crucial to success in the playoffs.

I’m only concerned about St Louis, tbh, because they seem to play a game which is an antithesis to ours in a lot of ways.

 

[The Abusement Park]

I’m only concerned about St Louis, tbh, because they seem to play a game which is an antithesis to ours in a lot of ways.

I'm way more worried about Dallas than St Louis. The Stars play the worst hockey ever and are f***ing good at it.

 

[McMetal]

I'm way more worried about Dallas than St Louis. The Stars play the worst hockey ever and are f***ing good at it.

Yeah, if you were to build and design a team from scratch that was intended for no other purpose than to counter the 19-20 Avs, you would end up with the 19-20 Stars. I really hope they get knocked out somewhere before we run into them.

 

[forsbergavs32]

As much as i'd like to avoid teams like the Blues and Stars, we're gonna have to learn how to beat difficult and smothering teams at some point.

 

[McMetal]

As much as i'd like to avoid teams like the Blues and Stars, we're gonna have to learn how to beat difficult and smothering teams at some point.

The Avs proved this year that they were capable of opening up games against the Blues. It would be a battle between the two teams to impose their style on each of the games, but at least the Avs proved they could win those battles around 50% of the time. Not easy, but possible.

The Stars were a different story though. They were absolutely dominant against us this year, home and away. Given a choice, I'd take the Blues any day.

 

[95snipes]

Give me Edmonton, St Louis, and then Vancouver. I suppose that's possible if we end up the 4 seed.

Edmonton and Vancouver for entertainment purposes. St Louis because I'd love to beat those f***ers.

 

[Balthazar]

The Avs proved this year that they were capable of opening up games against the Blues. It would be a battle between the two teams to impose their style on each of the games, but at least the Avs proved they could win those battles around 50% of the time. Not easy, but possible.

The Stars were a different story though. They were absolutely dominant against us this year, home and away. Given a choice, I'd take the Blues any day.

Agree with this. Against the Blues I feel like it's a coin flip or close to it. Also, Binnington.

If we get the Stars though..shit. Bednar will have to work on reinventing how we approach things otherwise we are f***ed. They know how to completely kill our transition game and can excute it perfectly. Only times I've seen the Avs looking helpless this year were against the Stars. All the games against them.

 

[Northern Avs Fan]

The Stars had the Avs number in the regular season, but I’m confident Colorado would rise to the occasion against them in the playoffs.

The Blues definitely worry me more. They’re a far more complete team. They can win games in different ways much like the Avs. Overall they’ve just been a much stronger club than Dallas this year.

With the way Colorado started shutting teams down later in the season, I don’t think the Stars would be able to consistently score goals against the Avs.

 

[forsbergavs32]

The Stars had the Avs number in the regular season, but I’m confident Colorado would rise to the occasion against them in the playoffs.

The Blues definitely worry me more. They’re a far more complete team. They can win games in different ways much like the Avs. Overall they’ve just been a much stronger club than Dallas this year.

With the way Colorado started shutting teams down later in the season, I don’t think the Stars would be able to consistently score goals against the Avs.

Yeah playoffs are a different story too. IIRC, we didn’t win against Calgary once last season then completely manhandled them in the playoffs.

 

[McMetal]

The Stars had the Avs number in the regular season, but I’m confident Colorado would rise to the occasion against them in the playoffs.

The Blues definitely worry me more. They’re a far more complete team. They can win games in different ways much like the Avs. Overall they’ve just been a much stronger club than Dallas this year.

With the way Colorado started shutting teams down later in the season, I don’t think the Stars would be able to consistently score goals against the Avs.

They wouldn't need to score lots of goals. They would be perfectly happy to win every game 2-1 in OT.

 

[henchman21]

Both the Stars and Blues are teams I wouldn't want the Avs to face... and definitely not in a row. Arizona is another one of those teams I'd hate to face. Teams that will trap and slow the play are about the worst matchup for this Avs team. Any team that is willing to have open ice and willing to play a 4-3 sort of game, I feel confident the Avs can win a best of 7 that way.

 

[Northern Avs Fan]

They wouldn't need to score lots of goals. They would be perfectly happy to win every game 2-1 in OT.

I just have a hard time believing MacKinnon, Rantanen, and Makar don’t find a way to get some offence going.

St. Louis is actually as good, or in some people’s mind better than the Avs.

 

[shadow1]

I definitely do not want to play Minnesota in the 1st round.

I get that the Avs are a far superior team, and the matchup would be exciting, but I feel like there's a lot of upset potential there. The Wild have generally had Colorado's number; even this year it's been a 2/2 split.

 

[Avsavsavsavsavs]

I definitely do not want to play Minnesota in the 1st round.

I get that the Avs are a far superior team, and the matchup would be exciting, but I feel like there's a lot of upset potential there. The Wild have generally had Colorado's number; even this year it's been a 2/2 split.

Agree strongly.

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

I definitely do not want to play Minnesota in the 1st round.

I get that the Avs are a far superior team, and the matchup would be exciting, but I feel like there's a lot of upset potential there. The Wild have generally had Colorado's number; even this year it's been a 2/2 split.

Yeah and the terrible memories might pop up.

 

[McMetal]

I just have a hard time believing MacKinnon, Rantanen, and Makar don’t find a way to get some offence going.

St. Louis is actually as good, or in some people’s mind better than the Avs.

I'm not saying St. Louis isn't a good team, they definitely are. It's about the stylistic matchup. Boston won the President's Trophy this year, and we beat them twice because we match up well against them in a battle of skill and depth.

Dallas is all about slow, heavy, boring hockey. They clog up the neutral zone and force shots to come from outside the dots where Bishop simply has to cover his angles to make a routine save. It's structured, disciplined, and relentlessly boring hockey.

The Avs are all about speed through the neutral zone, attacking on the rush, and forcing teams to play on their heels. But if a team successfully manages to do what Dallas does and pour molasses on everything, they're very vulnerable (See exhibit A: the Stadium Series game). And nobody has had more success forcing that style of play onto the Avs this season than Dallas.

We scored more goals against the Blues on 1/2 than we did against Dallas in the entire season series. They're very good at what they do, I would not like to see them in a seven game series at all.

 

[Balthazar]

Even last year in the playoffs the Stars gave the Blues everything they could handle in round 2 and then some (lost in 2nd OT in game 7)...and Dallas looked much more dangerous this year.

Any team that is willing to have open ice and willing to play a 4-3 sort of game, I feel confident the Avs can win a best of 7 that way.

I'll have one Canucks please.

 

[Northern Avs Fan]

I'm not saying St. Louis isn't a good team, they definitely are. It's about the stylistic matchup. Boston won the President's Trophy this year, and we beat them twice because we match up well against them in a battle of skill and depth.

Dallas is all about slow, heavy, boring hockey. They clog up the neutral zone and force shots to come from outside the dots where Bishop simply has to cover his angles to make a routine save. It's structured, disciplined, and relentlessly boring hockey.

The Avs are all about speed through the neutral zone, attacking on the rush, and forcing teams to play on their heels. But if a team successfully manages to do what Dallas does and pour molasses on everything, they're very vulnerable (See exhibit A: the Stadium Series game). And nobody has had more success forcing that style of play onto the Avs this season than Dallas.

We scored more goals against the Blues on 1/2 than we did against Dallas in the entire season series. They're very good at what they do, I would not like to see them in a seven game series at all.

Style is one thing, but they just don’t have the same level of talent that the Blues and Avs do.

The Stars only had one player with more than 40 points this year.

Give the Avs a seven game series to attack the Stars and they will find a way to score enough goals to win.