Are the Avalanche a bit overrated ?

[Kuznetsnow]

I don't get the hype behind Devon Toews. Sure he's a competent defender but he was a fringe 2nd pairing guy on the Isles. Avs paid a ransom for him given what similar players like Murray were going for last summer

 

[The Macho King]

I don't get the hype behind Devon Toews. Sure he's a competent defender but he was a fringe 2nd pairing guy on the Isles. Avs paid a ransom for him given what similar players like Murray were going for last summer

Analytics darling, apparently. My only experience was the CF and he was... fine? Steady enough but not a difference maker. And I think he's basically replacing Zadorov, who was also kind of... steady and not a difference maker? It's a marginal improvement.

I felt the same way about Saad. Like a lot of the additions teams make during the offseason to the middle of their lineup are not really going to move the needle as much as we expect some times, because that's often not where a team's strength or weakness is. I think JBB had the right thought with Tampa - identify the *players* you want and get them because they fit your identity rather than just grab marginal upgrades irrespective of identity.

I still think the Avs are missing some in-zone defenders. Zone entry is great. Zone denial is great. Transition is great. But even the best teams are going to spend a good chunk of time straight defending in the zone, so you need guys who will interrupt the cycle, tie up sticks in front of the net, and get in the shot lanes. Maybe they're missing some of that in EJ (but with his health that's just part of the deal by now), but that was the thing I thought they should have went for but instead they kind of doubled down on what was already an organizational strength.

 

[aufheben]

The PDO Fairy is on vacation.

They’re at worst the 4th best team.

 

[JoelWarlord]

I don't see it. If we're just looking at preseason betting odds they were considered to be in the top tier alongside Tampa and Vegas, and ahead of the next tier of Boston/Toronto/St. Louis/Philadelphia/Carolina. Seems pretty reasonable to me, at this point in the season I'd still call Tampa/Vegas/Colorado the top tier and the only change I'd make is putting Toronto in that tier as well.

I think the only way they could be overrated is if you considered them unquestionably the best team in the league by a large margin and/or considered them a heavy cup favourite. I don't think considering them the cup favourite over TBL/VGK would even be overrating them considering Kucherov's injuries and Vegas' relative issues with finishing talent in the past. IMO it only would have been overrating them to think Colorado was far and away better than those two.

 

[El Travo]

Every year the Avalanche have a stretch of "meh" hockey followed by a thread similar to this before they turn it around.

 

[LetsGoBLUES91]

They're only overrated if you thought they were winning the cup this year.

Underperforming due to a ridiculous amount of injuries isn't being overrated

I thought they had injuries then the Covid fairy came and they were able to get healthy? At least Mackinnon was. Are they even that banged up right now?

 

[Northern Avs Fan]

Analytics darling, apparently. My only experience was the CF and he was... fine? Steady enough but not a difference maker. And I think he's basically replacing Zadorov, who was also kind of... steady and not a difference maker? It's a marginal improvement.

I felt the same way about Saad. Like a lot of the additions teams make during the offseason to the middle of their lineup are not really going to move the needle as much as we expect some times, because that's often not where a team's strength or weakness is. I think JBB had the right thought with Tampa - identify the *players* you want and get them because they fit your identity rather than just grab marginal upgrades irrespective of identity.

I still think the Avs are missing some in-zone defenders. Zone entry is great. Zone denial is great. Transition is great. But even the best teams are going to spend a good chunk of time straight defending in the zone, so you need guys who will interrupt the cycle, tie up sticks in front of the net, and get in the shot lanes. Maybe they're missing some of that in EJ (but with his health that's just part of the deal by now), but that was the thing I thought they should have went for but instead they kind of doubled down on what was already an organizational strength.

Toews has been quite good. I’m not sure why you think he’s only a marginal upgrade on Zadorov.

He’s an all situations defender playing 23:24 a night and getting good results. His game is much deeper than Zadorov’s. He’s at worst a #3 defenceman.

 

[El Travo]

I thought they had injuries then the Covid fairy came and they were able to get healthy? At least Mackinnon was. Are they even that banged up right now?

You breathe on them and they're out week to week with an undisclosed upper-body injury. Of course they're banged up.

 

[The Abusement Park]

Analytics darling, apparently. My only experience was the CF and he was... fine? Steady enough but not a difference maker. And I think he's basically replacing Zadorov, who was also kind of... steady and not a difference maker? It's a marginal improvement.

I felt the same way about Saad. Like a lot of the additions teams make during the offseason to the middle of their lineup are not really going to move the needle as much as we expect some times, because that's often not where a team's strength or weakness is. I think JBB had the right thought with Tampa - identify the *players* you want and get them because they fit your identity rather than just grab marginal upgrades irrespective of identity.

I still think the Avs are missing some in-zone defenders. Zone entry is great. Zone denial is great. Transition is great. But even the best teams are going to spend a good chunk of time straight defending in the zone, so you need guys who will interrupt the cycle, tie up sticks in front of the net, and get in the shot lanes. Maybe they're missing some of that in EJ (but with his health that's just part of the deal by now), but that was the thing I thought they should have went for but instead they kind of doubled down on what was already an organizational strength.

Toews has been brilliant this year. Outside of Girard and Makar has probably been the best player on the team this year. As for Zadorov he was anything but steady he was a total rollercoaster not only from a game to game POV but a shift to shift one.

Also Saad made a lot sense as an addition because without him Donskoi would be playing on the 2nd line and he’s not a night in night our 2nd liner. The big issue Sakic neglected was 3C as he bet on Compher being able to fill that role but has been getting his shit kicked in every night.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

They always were. How they became the Cup favorites makes no sense. Tampa has been the best team in the league for years and will return nearly their whole team from those seasons once the playoffs start. I think Colorado is too 5, potentially too 3, but favorites was too high.

 

[CoachBadkitten]

I don't get the hype behind Devon Toews. Sure he's a competent defender but he was a fringe 2nd pairing guy on the Isles. Avs paid a ransom for him given what similar players like Murray were going for last summer

Lots of players have been awful for us so far, Toews has been f***ing amazing. 2 2nd was an absolute steal.

 

[81Leafs50]

YES. But an elite goalie like Price or MAF could change that.

 

[jimmysheva]

We're still on pace to finish 2nd in the West.

 

[PAZ]

They always were. How they became the Cup favorites makes no sense. Tampa has been the best team in the league for years and will return nearly their whole team from those seasons once the playoffs start. I think Colorado is too 5, potentially too 3, but favorites was too high.

Yup, this is a fair take. I don't think any Avs fan came into the season expecting cup or bust. The Avs are a cup contender, but we aren't the favorite - oddsmakers just decided the Avs were the shiny new toy.

 

[bsu]

They need to trade for Gibson

 

[Weast]

They need to trade for Gibson

They absolutely do not. Grubaur has been very good and Gibson nor Price are going to push this team over the edge with this Blackhole they have at the 3C spot.

 

[Hasbro]

Yup, this is a fair take. I don't think any Avs fan came into the season expecting cup or bust. The Avs are a cup contender, but we aren't the favorite - oddsmakers just decided the Avs were the shiny new toy.

Odds are less about who Vegas thinks will win and more about taking people's money.

 

[NuxFan09]

Nah, they're the real deal. Exceptionally well built team, and skilled and entertaining to boot. Look how long it took Tampa to finally seal the deal. The Avs will get there.

 

[westc2]

People underrate the West division. Arizona, LA, and Minnesota are a lot better than people thought.

 

[Nihiliste]

it's not, but lots of avs fans push only that cause it's easy. it wasn't the only reason for their loss to dallas in the playoffs last year and sakic backed that up by trying to improve the defense in the offseason, but that's the only explanation you'll ever get it seems

Both of their goalies were hurt, series looks different if the team could buy a save

 

[tucker3434]

Last night was what people were expecting to see on a more regular basis. When the team is clicking, it can basically beat you everywhere. The Avs don’t see Vegas or St. Louis until the end of the month. Assuming Mack is okay, there’s a big opportunity to pick up a lot of points. They should be closer to a top 5 team in the standings by then. We’ll see.

 

[Goulet17]

I thought they had injuries then the Covid fairy came and they were able to get healthy? At least Mackinnon was. Are they even that banged up right now?

Since that game, Calvert tried to return and was re-injured, Erik Johnson remains out, Cale Makar is out and injured again, and Bowen Byram is out with an injury as well. The Avs have played twelve different defensemen this season due mostly to injuries, which tops the NHL, and the Avs have only played around twenty games. I have not even mentioned that the Avs have essentially played the entire season without an NHL caliber backup netminder with Francouz's injury.

 

[bert]

They absolutely do not. Grubaur has been very good and Gibson nor Price are going to push this team over the edge with this Blackhole they have at the 3C spot.

Should have traded for Pageau when they had the chance he was the perfect fit.

 

[PromisedLand]

Avs are a solid team. Bednar needs to split Mack and Rantanen to spread out offense a little and get their big boys going by giving them responsibilities.

Once things start clicking and then you as a coach have confidence to change a few things. Bednar remaining staus-quo with basically the same team he had last season that was making noise and team not clicking isn't on the team but on coaching staff

 

[LOFIN]

Avs are a solid team. Bednar needs to split Mack and Rantanen to spread out offense a little and get their big boys going by giving them responsibilities.

Once things start clicking and then you as a coach have confidence to change a few things. Bednar remaining staus-quo with basically the same team he had last season that was making noise and team not clicking isn't on the team but on coaching staff

The thing is, Bednar has tried to split up 9296 so many times, and in the end it always comes back to 9296. It just works.