Avs easily have the worst mental game in the NHL

[SladeWilson23]

How do we measure a team's mental game?

 

[ichabod13]

1)The team looks like a dumpster fire at times. Is this Roy's fault?
2)Is it's Roy's fault that his players can't seem to make a simple pass at times?
3)Roy seems to be TOO calm with the guys. Too "buddy buddy". I'd be surprised if he's ever bag skated them for punishment when they've deserved that tough love many times.

4)Your team is bad because it doesn't play with structure. That comes from you.

5)one of your core players making a brutal pass when not needing it. Please help me understand that is Roy's fault

1) yes. HE is the one in charge.
2) yes. as the head coach, it is not just his job to come up with a game plan, its to make sure the players follow that game plan. part of his job is also to break players of bad habits. part of his job is also to TEACH players.
3) well if the "buddy buddy approach isnt working, then maybe he should bag skate them.
4) very well said. a teams structure comes from the coach.
5)because its roys job to teach that player NOT to try that pass when he doesnt need too.

 

[Duke749]

Blew another 2-1 lead against the 29th club in the league.

Let's be a little honest here, the Jets have owned the Avs all year while finding a way to lose the games and NOT score goals. Varly simply wasn't a wall and Pav sucked in EVERYTHING. Most nights(based on games this year) Avs find a way to win(or Jets find a way to lose).

Avs gotta do something serious about their defense. Idk if Roy is a good coach or not, but the way they play they find ways to win games with a sub par defense(VARLY!!!lol). Imagine what they could do with a top 15 defense.

 

[nostalrius]

They're like the Calgary Flames from last year.

 

[nostalrius]

How do we measure a team's mental game?

Hockey IQ... so things like turnovers, defensive positioning, late game poise, etc.

 

[Dbrownss]

Make the playoffs and face the Blues, problem solved lol

 

[BlackGoldGreen]

How do we measure a team's mental game?

Look at how often they lose games where they have a lead in the third period, the ability to adjust and keep your foot on the pedal speaks for a strong mental game

 

[x Tame Impala]

Good call. Your new username is really sweet btw.

Thanks man! Saw them live last summer and seeing them again this June

 

[rumrokh]

If the key quality in "mental game" is actually the ability to play smart hockey, then I agree. I see so many Avalanche fans saying the team is a lot better on paper, but I just don't see it. It takes a lot more than physical tools to be a good hockey player. Their defense is awful and their depth forwards aren't good enough. Even if they had better coaching, it's pretty much their top couple lines and Varlamov against a division of teams that have much more complete games. Frankly, I'm surprised they're even tangling with Minnesota for that wildcard spot right now.

 

[S E P H]

Let's be a little honest here, the Jets have owned the Avs all year while finding a way to lose the games and NOT score goals. Varly simply wasn't a wall and Pav sucked in EVERYTHING. Most nights(based on games this year) Avs find a way to win(or Jets find a way to lose).

Avs gotta do something serious about their defense. Idk if Roy is a good coach or not, but the way they play they find ways to win games with a sub par defense(VARLY!!!lol). Imagine what they could do with a top 15 defense.

Not really. Anyone saying Jets own the Avs is a downright fallacy. All the games have all been very tough hard fought close games. Avs played down to the Jets level tonight. Also Varlamov sucks when he doesn't get peppered with shots, it's one of those weird things. When Avs outplay an opponent, it comes down to horrible goaltending in losing the game, but when they get destroyed and let 47 shots, they normally win. The consistency between goaltending and the rest of the team just hasn't been able to match up at all.

If the key quality in "mental game" is actually the ability to play smart hockey, then I agree. I see so many Avalanche fans saying the team is a lot better on paper, but I just don't see it. It takes a lot more than physical tools to be a good hockey player. Their defense is awful and their depth forwards aren't good enough. Even if they had better coaching, it's pretty much their top couple lines and Varlamov against a division of teams that have much more complete games. Frankly, I'm surprised they're even tangling with Minnesota for that wildcard spot right now.

It's because their team which is on paper is actually good and talented? Yes there are holes and yes this team is far from perfect, but mental wise, they just don't have the "it" factor the Avs teams of the 90s had. They're like the Charlie Brown of the NHL.

Make the playoffs and face the Blues, problem solved lol

That's the thing though, Avs would comfortably be in a playoff position if they didn't blow all these leads. Yes Blues have issues, but at least they're going to make the postseason. Can't say the same thing about Avs or a lot of other teams.

 

[rumrokh]

It's because their team which is on paper is actually good and talented? Yes there are holes and yes this team is far from perfect, but mental wise, they just don't have the "it" factor the Avs teams of the 90s had. They're like the Charlie Brown of the NHL.

At what point does lack of performance on the ice change your perceptions about the team on paper? Maybe the players, for all of their physical skills, just aren't smart enough - a necessary quality to actually be good.

 

[frivolousz21]

Their 4 OTL points will do them.

Blowing a 2-0 lead versus the jets and losing in regulation inexcusable for them if they have playoffs aspirations.

The Preds have 2 games in hand on them.

But the AVS have 1 more win but are 7pts behind because Nashville has 13 OTLs while the Avs have 4.

They have 3-4 more wins than Minnesot. But are tied in points.


Sadly NHL quality defense is at a premium.

But you would think the Avs could find a couple serviceable sound NHL dman.

Even if they can't help offensively.

 

[S E P H]

At what point does lack of performance on the ice change your perceptions about the team on paper? Maybe the players, for all of their physical skills, just aren't smart enough - a necessary quality to actually be good.

Oh I agree, but there are two sides between the two which you consider the same thing. Lets take Anthony De Luca for instances as a consideration of talent ability does not equal success. He has the talent to have been a top 60 player during his draft year. Didn't get drafted. Next year, he puts up more than PPG, still didn't get drafted. During his overage year, he destroys the LHJMQ and doesn't even get invited to any NHL camp. Reason why? Because his character was the issue. Avs in a way is similar to this, just because they have the talent to be at least competing in a playoff spot isn't this revolutionary displacement of dumbfound knowledge. For me personally, I am not surprised they're challenging for a postseason position. But what this team has lacked is the mental fortitude and "killer instinct" to finish off clubs. You can say that this team is too humble, too gentle, and this is not because this team lacks talent. It's just hasn't worked and I can't criticize about something this team has never had. There is a reason why there are rumblings that if Avs don't make the playoffs, there will something to potentially happen with the core. But it's also beyond frustrating (which is why I made this thread), to see a team have so much capability just to falter on a psychological basis. Again this goes back to my Charlie Brown analogy, they are this semi-talented main character who always and somehow happens to screw up in the end.

 

[Kranix]

They have Iggy though.

 

[Cashville]

Avs had two big wins prior to tonight and WPG is not a bad team, they just had the poor fortune of being in the Central. I am the last person to defend a division rival, but they've done some work lately.

 

[x Tame Impala]

The Avs are just a bad, incomplete team that wins games in spite of having a coach with a bad system and a lackluster roster.

The Blues are usually a great team that falls to pieces when games really matter. That's the difference. STL should be more successful, nobody is really expecting Colorado to be much more than they are now.

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

It really just comes down to the age of the core players. Simple as that.


Mackinnon, Landeskog, Duchene, Barrie, etc.


A young core that hasn't actually learned what it takes to be a playoff team yet, and hasn't learned how to consistently win those close games late.

 

[x Tame Impala]

What about when it was the young core of Stastny, Duchene, ROR, and EJ?

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

What about when it was the young core of Stastny, Duchene, ROR, and EJ?

I fail to understand your point at all....


What about them relates in any way to the Avs current core, in which 2/4 of those guys are still members of the core, and are still very young players in the league(Especially Duchene).

 

[NOTENOUGHJTCGOALS]

Forget the supposed talent and draft pedigree. Their top 3 picks struggle to be 60 point players. Their best defender is a soft offensive specialist. Their second best defender has all the tools but a hockey IQ that makes Phaneuf look like Gretzky in comparison.

Roy is a bad coach. But the players deserve lots of blame. Is MacKinnon that much better than Yakupov? Honestly not much separates them.

 

[Balthazar]

Is MacKinnon that much better than Yakupov? Honestly not much separates them.

Define "not much"?

MacKinnon: 21g 29a 50pts

Yakupov: 6g 10a 16pts

Yakupov's best season is 33 pts in 81 games. "Not much" eh?

 

[tony d]

The Avs have an awful defense. Got to improve that, I'm surprised they're anywhere close to a playoff spot given that poor defense.

 

[1Gold Standard]

Forget the supposed talent and draft pedigree. Their top 3 picks struggle to be 60 point players. Their best defender is a soft offensive specialist. Their second best defender has all the tools but a hockey IQ that makes Phaneuf look like Gretzky in comparison.

Roy is a bad coach. But the players deserve lots of blame. Is MacKinnon that much better than Yakupov? Honestly not much separates them.

There is a lot which separates them actually, the numbers are there if you care to even take a look. However if you want to replace Mackinnon in that sentence with one Mikhail Grigorenko, then ya, Yakupov and Grigorenko, not much separates them at the moment.

 

[x Tame Impala]

I fail to understand your point at all....


What about them relates in any way to the Avs current core, in which 2/4 of those guys are still members of the core, and are still very young players in the league(Especially Duchene).

Just like back then, they have a young, talented core that isn't doing much of anything.

 

[Makar Goes Fast]

Forget the supposed talent and draft pedigree. Their top 3 picks struggle to be 60 point players. Their best defender is a soft offensive specialist. Their second best defender has all the tools but a hockey IQ that makes Phaneuf look like Gretzky in comparison.

Roy is a bad coach. But the players deserve lots of blame. Is MacKinnon that much better than Yakupov? Honestly not much separates them.

lmaoooo

you obviously dont know what the word honestly means.