Avalanche 2020-2021 Potential Lineups

[Northern Avs Fan]

Figured we could use a thread to discuss potential lineups as the offseason progresses.

Here’s one I like:

Saad - MacKinnon - Rantanen
Landeskog - Kadri - Burakovsky
Nichushkin - Compher - Donskoi
Calvert - Bellemare - LOC

Toews - Makar
Girard - Johnson
Graves - Timmins

Grubauer
Frank

Click to read more...

 

[the_fan]

What's the plan with Byram i wonder. Is he going back to WHL?

 

[Northern Avs Fan]

What's the plan with Byram i wonder. Is he going back to WHL?

It’s going to come down to how he plays in camp. Personally I think Timmins has an edge over him, simply because the left side of the defence is looking pretty solidified at this point.

 

[the_fan]

It’s going to come down to how he plays in camp. Personally I think Timmins has an edge over him, simply because the left side of the defence is looking pretty solidified at this point.

Yeah but at what point is he gonna make the Avs? His development has sort of gone slow, specially if he doesn't make the team again next season

 

[Avs9296]

I don't like Landy and Kadri together. I also like Landy and Mack together because Landy, despite a lot of his faults, he one of the best on the team at feeding Nate little neutral zone, transition passes in stride. He does it better than anyone and when Nate's not getting those he gets frustrated.

Rantanen is a guy who I think this year got by too often just riding Nate's coat tails when he can and should be taking over games himself. Hopefully with a proper offseason training camp and fully healthy he can do that. He could definitely play on either the 1st or 2nd line fit wise though.

Saad I think will be stapled to Naz mostly. And the 2 RW Bura and Rants can switch around the top 2 lines.

Landeskog-Mack-Bura
Saad-Kadri-Rantanen
Nuke-Compher-Donskoi
Calvert-Bellemare-LOC
Kaut/Jost

Toews-Makar
Girard-EJ
Graves-Cole
Timmins

Grubauer
Francouz

 

[the_fan]

Toews will probably sign a 4 year deal or something with the Avs. Girard is signed long term and Graves signed for 3 years. That's the left side being occupied for at least the Graves 3 years and something gotta give because I don't think the plan is not to have Byram on the roster for 3 more years. Graves will most likely be left unprotected for Seattle and they should take him, if not then probably trade Graves.

 

[humbury]

Landeskog - Mackinnon - Rantanen
Saad - Kadri - Burakovsky
Nichuskhin - Compher - Donskoi
Calvert - Bellemare - Kaut

Scratched: Jost ..... O'Connor as a first choice in case of some injury

Toews - Makar
Girard - EJ
Byram - Cole
Graves

I think Bednar will rotate Graves and Cole on the position of the 7th D-man. It's all depends on how Byram will look during the training camp of course but I think he will be ready and he cannot play in AHL and there is no sense in pushing him back to WHL.

 

[JH21]

Landeskog - Mackinnon - Rantanen
Saad - Kadri - Burakovsky
Nichuskhin - Compher - Donskoi
Calvert - Bellemare - Kaut

Scratched: Jost ..... O'Connor as a first choice in case of some injury

Toews - Makar
Girard - EJ
Byram - Cole
Graves

I think Bednar will rotate Graves and Cole on the position of the 7th D-man. It's all depends on how Byram will look during the training camp of course but I think he will be ready and he cannot play in AHL and there is no sense in pushing him back to WHL.

Graves didn't just sign for 3 million a year to be the 7th Dman.

 

[JH21]

Landeskog - Mackinnon - Rantanen
*Don't mess with a good thing. Landy can go on being Mack's body guard.

Saad - Kadri - Burakovsky
*Burakovsky and Kadri can clean up all the scoring chances Saad creates

Nichuskhin - Compher - Donskoi
*I think this line can create tonnes of pressure on the forecheck and be a nice two way line.

Calvert - Bellemare - O'Connor
*One of the better 4th lines in hockey. O'Connor was fantastic generating opportunities with his speed. One of Tynan, Dries or Kaut will be the 1st to be called up when Calvert goes on his yearly IR stint. Jost will be traded.

Graves - Makar
*Why mess with a good thing?

Toews - Girard
*Girard moves to the right side to form a great duo.

Gilbert - Cole
*Gilbert replaces some of the toughness and hitting that Z provided. Byram will sign a 1 year deal with the SHL. Sweden's top league and spend a year developing. Timmins will be the 1st callup. Erik Johnson starts the year on LTR.

 

[Murzu]

Graves - Makar
*Why mess with a good thing?

Toews - Girard
*Girard moves to the right side to form a great duo.

Graves - Markar is not a good thing.

Also if Toews and Girard form a pairing, Toews will be RD.

 

[AvsCOL]

They seem to be adamant about keeping 29 and 96 together, so I could see something like this:

Landeskog - MacKinnon - Rantanen
Saad - Kadri - Burakovsky
Nichushkin - Compher/Jost - Donskoi
Calvert - Bellamare - Jost/Compher
Kaut

Toews - Makar
Girard - Johnson
Cole - Timmins
Graves


Byram goes to Europe maybe?

 

[Richard88]

It’s going to come down to how he plays in camp. Personally I think Timmins has an edge over him, simply because the left side of the defence is looking pretty solidified at this point.

The fact that Timmins doesn't have any signing bonuses will also help his case. If Byram made the team we'd need to accout for his $2.5m bonus ontop of his ELC.

 

[Richard88]

We could possibly upgrade on Compher, Cole, or Jost, but I don't think that it's very likely. I do however envisage that we'll add an extra depth forward and a 7D though on top of resigning Jost, thereby taking advantage of some cheap UFA or trade deals in the flat cap marketplace to strengthen our depth.

Landeskog ----- Mackinnon ---- Rantanen
Burakovsky ------- Kadri --------- Saad
Nichuskin ------- Compher ----- Donskoi
Calvert ---------- Bellemare ----- Jost
13F / Kaut / O'Connor

Toews --- Makar
Girard --- Johnson
Graves --- Cole
7D

Grubauer
Francouz

The 12th forward spot will likely be up for grabs in camp and Kaut/O'Connor/New 13F could very well beat Jost for that role, so I see that group as fairly close. Jost will be on a 1-way contract and not be exempt from waiver exempt which gives him the edge though.

Based on how our D is constructed right now, as well as on what Sakic said about letting Timmins and Byram develop at their own pace, I don't envisage that either will be counted on for top 6 roles. Neither of them should be eating nachos either, so I would think that we'll add another 7D to push Gilbert down to the AHL.

 

[Ararana]

Someone on the left is going to need to play on the right. And Islanders fans keep saying Toews on the top pairing will get eaten alive so:

Graves - Makar
Girard - Toews
Byram - EJ
Cole

With the idea that Byram rotates with Cole until he gets comfortable and ideally takes Graves spot next to Makar at some point this season or next. Timmins in Loveland until the first injury happens.

The forwards are pretty set and forget IMO:

Landeskog - MacKinnon - Rantanen
Saad - Kadri - Burakovsky
Nuke - Compher - Donskoi
Calvert - PEB - Kaut
LOC/Jost

 

[BKarchitect]

I worry that Byram will be bored and not pushed in another season in juniors. College was different for Makar because NCAA teams are full of physically grow. 23, 24 and even 25 year old men. If Byram is in juniors it’s not only a talent issue, he’s also now one of the older more physically developed players compared to the “kids” he will be playing. If a Euro loan is out of the equation, I think he stays as the #7 defenseman. Normally I wouldn’t push for a top prospect starting as a reserve but we all know our blueline is not going to stay fully healthy.

If Byram makes the team in some capacity then Timmins is probably with the Eagles even if he should be starting on the right over Cole because there’s no way we are going to bed a new guy in Toews and carry two green rookies all at once. Timmins could be called up mid-season once Toews hits his stride and Byram finds his feet and Bednar realizes what a liability Cole is becoming.

 

[The Pwnerer]

I will say I love the look of our lineup so far.

My only concerns are our PK and general lack of toughness in the lineup. We saw with Dallas that teams can physically impose their will on us to try to get us off our game. Also they were fantastic in the shot blocking department, which I attribute to many of their big bodied dmen.

I'm not sure what the next move is but it looks like Johnson, Cole and Graves will be trusted on the PK, I would hate to sign a 7th defensemen man and block the kids. I just hope those three stay healthy because they are going to be very important.

 

[BKarchitect]

Someone on the left is going to need to play on the right. And Islanders fans keep saying Toews on the top pairing will get eaten alive so:

Graves - Makar
Girard - Toews
Byram - EJ
Cole

With the idea that Byram rotates with Cole until he gets comfortable and ideally takes Graves spot next to Makar at some point this season or next. Timmins in Loveland until the first injury happens.

The forwards are pretty set and forget IMO:

Landeskog - MacKinnon - Rantanen
Saad - Kadri - Burakovsky
Nuke - Compher - Donskoi
Calvert - PEB - Kaut
LOC/Jost

I like the D assuming one of the lefties can play on the right effectively. Still think a healthy Cole is going to figure prominently in the plans though, at least to start.

I like the presumptive LOC versus Kaut battle for 4th line RW...I think both those guys can bring a lot of energy to the lower 6. Ideally by next season Kaut replaces Dong as a cheap 3RW option. I hope he gets a good chunk of games at the NHL level this year.

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

I'm thinking....

Saad - Mack - Rantanen
Landy - Naz - Burakovsky
Nuke - JTC - Donskoi
Calvert - PEB - LOC/Jost


Girard - Makar
Toews - Johnson
Graves - Timmins
Cole


Grubauer
Francouz



That's what I would do. Saad can score 30 on that line and be a real good puck retrieval player for that group down low.

 

[Ararana]

I like the D assuming one of the lefties can play on the right effectively. Still think a healthy Cole is going to figure prominently in the plans though, at least to start.

I like the presumptive LOC versus Kaut battle for 4th line RW...I think both those guys can bring a lot of energy to the lower 6. Ideally by next season Kaut replaces Dong as a cheap 3RW option. I hope he gets a good chunk of games at the NHL level this year.

Islanders fans are saying Toews can play on the right and is pretty good there. So wouldn't be surprised to see him with Girard instead of Makar, unless Bendar is comfortable moving Graves to the right.

 

[BKarchitect]

I'm thinking....

Saad - Mack - Rantanen
Landy - Naz - Burakovsky
Nuke - JTC - Donskoi
Calvert - PEB - LOC/Jost


Girard - Makar
Toews - Johnson
Graves - Timmins
Cole


Grubauer
Francouz



That's what I would do. Saad can score 30 on that line and be a real good puck retrieval player for that group down low.

Do you think juniors is the right place for Byram this year?

 

[John Mandalorian]

Islanders fans are saying Toews can play on the right and is pretty good there. So wouldn't be surprised to see him with Girard instead of Makar, unless Bendar is comfortable moving Graves to the right.

I was just going to mention this. We seem a little lopsided on the left. We need to lighten the load on EJ and we were also interested in Barrie and Hjalmarsson (NH plays either). Coles role needs to be minimized.

 

[ETTHAKING67]

Landeskog - MacKinnon - Rantanen
Saad - Kadri - Burakovsky
Nichushkin - Compher - Donskoi
Calvert - Bellemare - Kaut
LOC - Jost

Toews - Makar
Girard - Johnson
Graves - Timmins
Cole

Grubauer
Frank

Depending on how they do at camp, Byram could be in there for Timmins.

 

[Northern Avs Fan]

I will say I love the look of our lineup so far.

My only concerns are our PK and general lack of toughness in the lineup. We saw with Dallas that teams can physically impose their will on us to try to get us off our game. Also they were fantastic in the shot blocking department, which I attribute to many of their big bodied dmen.

I'm not sure what the next move is but it looks like Johnson, Cole and Graves will be trusted on the PK, I would hate to sign a 7th defensemen man and block the kids. I just hope those three stay healthy because they are going to be very important.

Is that what we saw, though?

 

[John Mandalorian]

I’m not sure they’re done. I’m pretty sure the top line will still be 9296. But by adding a player like Saad with a 2 way way game and who can play both sides, I think Bednar will play around with several combinations.

I think the possibility of line combinations is greater by adding Saad instead of Hall.

 

[UncleRisto]

Go with all rhyming defensive pairs

Turn - Burn
Graves - Toews
BJ - EJ

BJ is Cole, because Cole blows dicks.