Rumor: Avs Proposals/Rumors/Free Agents 18-19 part X | Offseason Blues

[Balthazar]

I don't particularly like Maroon but he'd help the Blues.

I don't like our chances next year.

 

[Freudian]

Preds, Jets and Blues look very strong. Sakic can't get into to a short sighted arms race just to keep up. It sucks that Central is a strong division but these things change. Just keep your eyes on the prize and that's contending for a cup in 3-4 years time.

 

[chet1926]

I don't particularly like Maroon but he'd help the Blues.

I don't like our chances next year.

Yeah that would be a good landing spot for him, and would really round out their top 9 nicely. They are going to be a highly competitive team next year if Allen has any kind of decent performance.

 

[chet1926]

Preds, Jets and Blues look very strong. Sakic can't get into to a short sighted arms race just to keep up. It sucks that Central is a strong division but these things change. Just keep your eyes on the prize and that's contending for a cup in 3-4 years time.

Not unless we find some secondary scoring along the way. Can't win with 1 line and bunch of 3-4th liners. Secondary scoring is a major problem and there is no clear solution as of now. It will most likely have to be addressed via trade or UFA.

 

[Piestany88]

I don't particularly like Maroon but he'd help the Blues.

I don't like our chances next year.

Meh ...they've added O'Reilly and Maroon but lost Staz.

 

[shadow1]

The Blues have added a lot of pieces, but this is a team that went 19-17-4 from Jan-April last year.

They're retooling to keep up with everyone else; Avs shouldn't make a panic move to "keep up" with them.

 

[Piestany88]

Not unless we find some secondary scoring along the way. Can't win with 1 line and bunch of 3-4th liners. Secondary scoring is a major problem and there is no clear solution as of now. It will most likely have to be addressed via trade or UFA.

I understand the second line thing but as a team last year we didn't have a problem scoring goals .

 

[Foppberg]

I understand the second line thing but as a team last year we didn't have a problem scoring goals .

Because the top line carried our asses, no way that's sustainable.

 

[Piestany88]

I understand the second line thing but as a team last year we didn't have a problem scoring goals .

Special teams were good last year though l need to replicate that again . A scoring winger would be sweet . Still time to dress things yet

 

[CobraAcesS]

The Blues have added a lot of pieces, but this is a team that went 19-17-4 from Jan-April last year.

They're retooling to keep up with everyone else; Avs shouldn't make a panic move to "keep up" with them.

I don't think adding a top six forward is a panic move though. They simply need to move the needle forward. They've done that for the defense IMO.

Not getting a center is one thing, but not getting anyone is playing with fire IMO. I still think they need to be in on Skinner.

 

[Piestany88]

I I think

Because the top line carried our asses, no way that's sustainable.

they're going to be even better but a second line would certainly help. A vs are going to get points from the d more than a lot teams .

 

[Balthazar]

Meh ...they've added O'Reilly and Maroon but lost Staz.

Stastny was traded last year so they didn't lose him this off season.


Blues:
+ ROR + Bozak + Perron + Maroon (possibly)

Flames:
+ Neal + Hanifin + Lindholm
- Hamilton - Ferland

Stars (who were already a playoff caliber team last year):
+ New coach (usually a big boost) + Nichuskin + Polak + Comeau + Heiskanen (likely)

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

Because the top line carried our asses, no way that's sustainable.

Call me an optimist but I think the top line repeats next year. Mack attack is legit and I think Rantanen can be even better next season.

 

[Piestany88]

Stastny was traded last year so they didn't lose him this off season.


Blues:
+ ROR + Bozak + Maroon (possibly)

Flames:
+ Neal + Hanifin + Lindholm
- Hamilton - Ferland

Stars (who were already a playoff caliber team last year):
+ New coach (usually a big boost) + Nichuskin + Polak + Comeau + Heiskanen (likely)

I know he was traded last year , but he was there most of the year until they knew they weren't going to make the playoffs . They still lost him cause they don't have him this year I'm trying to say.

 

[CobraAcesS]

Call me an optimist but I think the top line repeats next year. Mack attack is legit and I think Rantanen can be even better next season.

Mikko should be more consistent IMO, but I'm not sure the highs will be quite as high. Like 20+ points in one month.

 

[Piestany88]

Mikko should be more consistent IMO, but I'm not sure the highs will be quite as high. Like 20+ points in one month.

Maybe they will pace themselves better over 82 games but they're still young , Mack will just be turning 23 , Mikko 22 .

 

[Murzu]

Because the top line carried our asses, no way that's sustainable.

I think they won't repeat, but I think MacK will be over ppg and Mikko will be close to ppg. Then, if there is even a little bit growth from out youth it could balance out. But central division got stronger while we got only marginally better IMO.

 

[Stealth JD]

The Blues have added a lot of pieces, but this is a team that went 19-17-4 from Jan-April last year.

They're retooling to keep up with everyone else; Avs shouldn't make a panic move to "keep up" with them.

Blues literally had everything go wrong for them last season. Fabbri blew out his knee (again) in pre-season. Schwartz-Schenn-Tarasenko were as good as any line in the league, then Schwartz got hurt. Then Edmundson (#1LD). Then Jake Allen hit another month-long meltdown which coincided with those absences, and the Blues went from safely in the playoff picture to a bubble team. GM Doug Armstrong then realistically realized that his roster lacked the depth it needed to compete for the Cup, and traded Stastny for futures. By the end of the year they had one line that could produce offense, and that was it. They proceeded to miss the playoffs by 1-point in the final game of the season, as I'm sure you're aware, and ended the season with Kyle Brodziak (EDM's new 4th line center) as their #2c.

Since then, they've dumped three ~ 30-point players (Brodziak, Berglund & Sobotka), and are adding to last year's roster Robert Thomas (organization's #1 prospect - center), ROR (2C), Tyler Bozak (3C), David Perron (66 points last year) and Pat Maroon (presumably for even more depth). Their forward depth now rivals that of any team in the league:

Schwartz-Schenn-Fabbri
Perron-ROR-Tarasenko
Steen-Bozak-Thomas
Maroon-Barbashev-Soshnikov/Jaskin

I like the Avs, but I think the Blues just clearly leap-frogged the team that beat them by 1-point for the final playoff spot last year. If Colorado adds Karlsson or Stone, it would be awesome for the rivalry.

 

[Piestany88]

Call me an optimist but I think the top line repeats next year. Mack attack is legit and I think Rantanen can be even better next season.

I agree and not just going by their points , consistently playing well and I'm optimistic too

 

[Balthazar]

ROR (2C), Tyler Bozak (3C), David Perron (66 points last year) and Pat Maroon (presumably for even more depth).

Damn I forgot about Perron.

I'm trying to think of scenarios where we'd make the playoffs and assuming that the 1st line and the Soda line can't do better than last year, the only thing that could push us in the playoffs is a 2nd line on par with the rest of the league. We are currently two top 6 forwards away from that.

 

[Goulet17]

The Blues may improve, but they sure seem to be adding several players who have average to below average speed. I guess Armstrong missed the memo on the league stressing speed and quickness.

 

[CB Joe]

I really don't understand your point with these players. AVs are unlikely to have a bigger haul if they target players whereby their values are inflated, likely based on draft position. Sakic targeted the best available players and adds possible hidden gems/picks.

The players you mentioned were excellent choices:

Kamenev - excellent AHL career, difficulties in making the NSH lineup due to their depth;
Bowers - College Freshman season that exceeded Tkachuk 2018 - top 5 pick;
Compher - hard working defensive player with some offensive in a depth 3rd line role.
Sens 2019 1st RD - Projected high selection, surprise after nearly reaching the finals in 2017.

Too soon in judging they will be role players especially (except Compher) have not played in the NHL.

My point was that the Avs had to trade away star players in O'Reilly and Duchene to get some depth players. That is not sustainable in the long term. Only 4/12 of the Avs current forwards were drafted by the team and they were all early 1st round picks. I wouldn't call that good scouting and development.

 

[Raucherhusten]

On paper we aren't a playoff team next season. But we thought the same way last season. And we made it, barely, but we did. There is still some hope left in me that we can do it again. No clue how tho.

 

[Stealth JD]

The Blues may improve, but they sure seem to be adding several players who have average to below average speed. I guess Armstrong missed the memo on the league stressing speed and quickness.

Yeah...Blues fans are a bit puzzled, especially by the Maroon signing which is imminent supposedly, but even Maroon was able to keep up with McDavid in Edmonton. Not every player on a line has to be fast for havoc to be wreaked on a defense. MacKinnon proves that repeatedly.

Even in the finals, Vegas was "faster" than Washington. Washington just had too much firepower for the Knights to match. I don't think you necessarily need to be a certain style (fast, heavy, etc.) but you have to be able to play the game in multiple ways, and depth allows you to do that.

 

[shadow1]

Blues literally had everything go wrong for them last season. Fabbri blew out his knee (again) in pre-season. Schwartz-Schenn-Tarasenko were as good as any line in the league, then Schwartz got hurt. Then Edmundson (#1LD). Then Jake Allen hit another month-long meltdown which coincided with those absences, and the Blues went from safely in the playoff picture to a bubble team. GM Doug Armstrong then realistically realized that his roster lacked the depth it needed to compete for the Cup, and traded Stastny for futures. By the end of the year they had one line that could produce offense, and that was it. They proceeded to miss the playoffs by 1-point in the final game of the season, as I'm sure you're aware, and ended the season with Kyle Brodziak (EDM's new 4th line center) as their #2c.

Since then, they've dumped three ~ 30-point players (Brodziak, Berglund & Sobotka), and are adding to last year's roster Robert Thomas (organization's #1 prospect - center), ROR (2C), Tyler Bozak (3C), David Perron (66 points last year) and Pat Maroon (presumably for even more depth). Their forward depth now rivals that of any team in the league:

Schwartz-Schenn-Fabbri
Perron-ROR-Tarasenko
Steen-Bozak-Thomas
Maroon-Barbashev-Soshnikov/Jaskin

I like the Avs, but I think the Blues just clearly leap-frogged the team that beat them by 1-point for the final playoff spot last year. If Colorado adds Karlsson or Stone, it would be awesome for the rivalry.

Injuries and inconsistent play happen to every team.

Schwartz missing 20 games and Edmunson missing 13 didn't cost the Blues a playoff spot when pretty much everyone else on St. Louis stayed healthy - though you may be on to something with Jake Allen having another meltdown.