Confirmed with Link: Avs sign Liam O'Brien, 1-year $700K

[Nihiliste]

He stung Bortuzzo with a couple of those punches. Bortuzzo is a garbage human going for that last swing to the back of the head when they’re both down on the ice. Did his job tonight, Bortuzzo was trying to find someone to go with all night until that fight, and the game wasn’t particularly choppy afterwards

 

[Moosehead1]

I've given a good reason a few times. Fighting can dial down the temperature in games that are starting to get out of control, after a team is being dominated.

Everyone who knows hockey knows this, and the Avs are starting to dominate every team they play now, and those teams are responding by taking the Stars gameplan of playing dirty and targeting the Avs players with hits to slow them down, then getting frustrated after the Avs keep scoring.

You can argue that fighting isn't a deterrent (I don't think it's a strong deterrent but I think it can be one) but you can't argue that it doesn't dial down the temperature, because this was proven time and time again when fighting was more prevalent.

I don't know why everyone thinks you need to be a good fighter to be a deterrent or to dial down the temperature. That's not how it works and it sounds like some of you either haven't been in a fight, or it's been too long to remember.

Even if you don't think the guy on the other side is a good fighter, it's still not fun to get punched in the face. And the unknown of whether he'll get a lucky shot and KO you in front of the entire stadium and all the fans watching at home can be a successful deterrent to a player/team letting their frustrations get the better of them by stepping over the line with a questionable hit.

Just by having someone the opposition knows won't hesitate to drop the gloves, even if they're not great at it, can give someone enough pause to keep their emotions in check and not do something stupid. Without Calvert, the only guys the Avs have like that are Landy and Kadri, and you don't want them risking a broken hand, or taking them off the ice for five minutes.

I feel like O’Brien’s fight v Bortuzzo is a perfect example of this and the argument why this presence is much needed in the avs roster.

 

[Moosehead1]

Or maybe he's just a marginal AHL bottom sixer on a hot streak in a small sample size. Dries and Tynan are at least good AHL players. If you were to insist on having a big physical tough guy in the lineup, I would literally rather drag Andreas Martinsen back from Europe, because he's still a better hockey player.

I don’t think Martinsen would have the same impact. Better hockey player? Debatable. Adequately fills the roll needed? Not even close. More about roles at this point, it’s why the team philosophy is so important.

 

[Balthazar]

Yep, sorry I don’t mind his presence in the lineup, and remember this is me, the supreme anti-meathead talking. I think the Avs knew they’d need a guy like this against St. Louis. He delivered.

Glad that you see it. Some people don't understand how having a guy like that in the lineup is a "deterrent".

Bertuzzo is out of control here and would likely go after a guy like Landy or Kadri if LOB isn't there. Here he fought LOB and we didn't notice him for the rest of the game.

 

[forsbergavs32]

Yeah LOB is a good physical presence out there that is very helpful but he has also shown a bit of skill in his 2 games. He had a beauty pass to also set someone up Friday and he had a nice shot that surprised Husso, plus some really good zone time on the 4th line that created chances. Once LOC is back he should be a solid #13 for us I think (albeit small sample size)

 

[Balthazar]

Yeah LOB is a good physical presence out there that is very helpful but he has also shown a bit of skill in his 2 games. He had a beauty pass to also set someone up Friday and he had a nice shot that surprised Husso, plus some really good zone time on the 4th line that created chances. Once LOC is back he should be a solid #13 for us I think (albeit small sample size)

He's not going to be a 13th forward. Bednar is just going to handpick the games he wants LOB in the lineup.

 

[BoxOfChocolates]

Bednar had some good praise for LOB in his presser last night. Don't think he's coming out anytime soon.

 

[Northern Avs Fan]

He wasn’t as effective with his hitting last night, so hopefully what we saw in game one wasn’t just him being full of emotion in his first Avs game.

It was nice seeing him land a couple bombs on Bortuzzo though.

 

[Tralfamadore]

Surprisingly good on the cycle. Clearly very strong and hard to knock off the puck. I like what he brings but I'd only be putting him into the lineup when he's needed, like against Vegas or STL. Much prefer LOC for the Avs style.

 

[Peter Peckerwood]

He stung Bortuzzo with a couple of those punches. Bortuzzo is a garbage human going for that last swing to the back of the head when they’re both down on the ice. Did his job tonight, Bortuzzo was trying to find someone to go with all night until that fight, and the game wasn’t particularly choppy afterwards

Yeah, Bortuzzo didn't seem to like getting stung at all. I think LOB got him in the neck/ear area with 1.
I like the way LOB pointed to another SLB player before going off the ice, too. Send the message.

 

[dahrougem2]

I was hoping he'd knock Bortuzzo the **** out and we wouldn't have to deal with that piece of trash human for a very long time.

 

[Balthazar]

I just watched the presser and yeah, he's not going anywhere.

Here's what Bednar had to say:

"(...) and then there's another scrum and O'Brien gets involed and him and Bertuzzo square off and have a good fight and that's part of it. I mean we want to have that push back...I've discussed it before that I think we are difficult to play against in a lot of other ways and part of that is tenacity and relentlessness on the puck and our puck pressure in all 3 zones but if he can play like that and add that to our lineup it's a big plus"

 

[Thepoolmaster]

He stung Bortuzzo with a couple of those punches. Bortuzzo is a garbage human going for that last swing to the back of the head when they’re both down on the ice. Did his job tonight, Bortuzzo was trying to find someone to go with all night until that fight, and the game wasn’t particularly choppy afterwards

Yeah last punch to the back of the head was garbage.

 

[The Merchant]

LOB eats ass for sure, guys a champ.

Yeah, but nobody eats ass like MacKinnon does

 

[Pokecheque]

Glad that you see it. Some people don't understand how having a guy like that in the lineup is a "deterrent".

Bertuzzo is out of control here and would likely go after a guy like Landy or Kadri if LOB isn't there. Here he fought LOB and we didn't notice him for the rest of the game.

Ohhhhhh, no. No no no no no. You and I ain't on the same page here, bro. The "deterrent" argument is still bullshit as far as I'm concerned. A guy who played six minutes the entire game in no way, shape, or form going to discourage Bortuzzo, that dipshit Schenn, or any of the other Blues from liberally using their vaunted cross-checks at will.

I like physical play in hockey because hitting allows a team to disrupt the other team's rhythm and create space. A guy like O'Brien can get in there and be a factor because he makes a team like the Blues have to work harder and fight through the same stuff they're trying against the Avs. I think there needs to be a pushback factor of sorts against a grind-it-up team like that, but I don't believe for a second that O'Brien's presence "kept them honest," because it didn't. In fact, Walman did exactly what he wanted against Landeskog--played him dirty and got Landy to take a stupid penalty, which the Blues indirectly capitalized on. No one "deterred" Walman at all.

The only reason I liked O'Brien's fight with Bortuzzo was the sheer enjoyment of watching a dumbass like Bortuzzo get his face punched. That's all. There's no value in it beyond that except maybe the energy a team might get watching it happen. It's always kind of a very indirect intangible but I think that's about the only true on-ice benefit of fighting. Beyond that, it's for our entertainment.

 

[Belgican]

I think Bednar would disagree, when he specifically said that LV fourth line gave them a boost, meaning that’s what I expect from a fourth line and that not not what I get. And look at his latest comments about LOB, very important player in the game management here

 

[Pokecheque]

I think Bednar would disagree, when he specifically said that LV fourth line gave them a boost, meaning that’s what I expect from a fourth line and that not not what I get. And look at his latest comments about LOB, very important player in the game management here

Absolutely it gave them a boost--just like we get a rise watching them knock Blues players around I bet their teammates do too. The energy that sort of pushback can provide (while also encouraging others to really up their respective physical games), that's a huge plus no matter how you cut it. The fact that O'Brien can provide that push within the framework of Bednar's system is fantastic. Big Tuna is a nice fit, I just don't agree that he's a "deterrent," that's all.

 

[SoundwaveIsCharisma]

Absolutely it gave them a boost--just like we get a rise watching them knock Blues players around I bet their teammates do too. The energy that sort of pushback can provide (while also encouraging others to really up their respective physical games), that's a huge plus no matter how you cut it. The fact that O'Brien can provide that push within the framework of Bednar's system is fantastic. Big Tuna is a nice fit, I just don't agree that he's a "deterrent," that's all.

A deterrent would be Steve Downie, just a maniac you don’t want to get riled up as he may lose his mind and run over your goalie, best player, coach or granny

 

[AvsFan29]

Yeah, but nobody eats ass like MacKinnon does

....when fandom goes too far....

 

[Hasbro]

Hope this shuts the Size Queens up.

 

[dahrougem2]

I think Bednar would disagree, when he specifically said that LV fourth line gave them a boost, meaning that’s what I expect from a fourth line and that not not what I get. And look at his latest comments about LOB, very important player in the game management here

Sure it gave them a boost. It's also been one of their weaker lines against the Avs the previous games that we've played against Vegas.

Is Vegas' 4th line going to have the odd game where they're hitting everything, cycling and potentially chipping in the odd goal? Absolutely. Do I still believe it's in our best interests for Vegas to continue icing that line for 10+ minutes/game because they suck at hockey? Absolutely.

 

[Pokecheque]

A deterrent would be Steve Downie, just a maniac you don’t want to get riled up as he may lose his mind and run over your goalie, best player, coach or granny

Actually that's PRECISELY the guy you go after. Get him in a lather and let him do something stupid (albeit entertaining) like kick another guy's helmet away from him, rack up the penalty minutes. Rinse and repeat.

 

[Pokecheque]

Hope this shuts the Size Queens up.

It won't.

 

[Belgican]

Sure it gave them a boost. It's also been one of their weaker lines against the Avs the previous games that we've played against Vegas.

Is Vegas' 4th line going to have the odd game where they're hitting everything, cycling and potentially chipping in the odd goal? Absolutely. Do I still believe it's in our best interests for Vegas to continue icing that line for 10+ minutes/game because they suck at hockey? Absolutely.

Sure, but in a 7 games series, that 4th line will hurt half of our players

 

[SoundwaveIsCharisma]

Actually that's PRECISELY the guy you go after. Get him in a lather and let him do something stupid (albeit entertaining) like kick another guy's helmet away from him, rack up the penalty minutes. Rinse and repeat.

It’s an iffy proposition if you ask me. Sure, they may take a bunch of penalties and help out your team, they may also Matt Cooke one of your best players before they get kicked out.