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

[Pokecheque]

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.

Matt Cooke is an entirely different entity. Rats like him and Marchand do their work rather sneakily and then dart away before anyone can come after them. I'm pretty sure Cooke hardly ever got kicked out of a game. He never lost his cool, just took guys out and then slunk away to the next target.

Tom Wilson is a wholly unique sort of monster as well. He's a lethal combination of rat, goon, and top line power forward. Dude's a freak.

 

[Nihiliste]

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

Well we saw this with Wilson, Frederic got on his nerves so he tried to kill Carlo. But they lost to Boston and then he got suspended for 7 games.

I think back to the glory days, the constant escalation of dirty plays and fights set off by that 96 RW series was not to our benefit. If anything the Lemieux stuff gave their team something to rally around and build a dynasty.

 

[SoundwaveIsCharisma]

Matt Cooke is an entirely different entity. Rats like him and Marchand do their work rather sneakily and then dart away before anyone can come after them. I'm pretty sure Cooke hardly ever got kicked out of a game. He never lost his cool, just took guys out and then slunk away to the next target.

Tom Wilson is a wholly unique sort of monster as well. He's a lethal combination of rat, goon, and top line power forward. Dude's a freak.

Tom Wilson is if Zadorov wanted to hurt people. Wish he was less into purposely injuring other players as he is a fantastic hockey player.

I just don’t believe there are real deterrents anymore. The game is quick enough where the guys you would use as deterrents are just going to be anchors that put you in bad situations. The push back needs to be from players that are willing to be physical, but can also play the game.

Vegas’ 4th line is weird, it seems like the league and the refs have accepted that they are a bunch of moronic goons, but since they are with Vegas they get a “get out of jail free” yearly pass. The amount of shit they get away with, and when you hear PBP people talking about them it’s not about how they take runs, and head hunt, instead “big and tough”.

 

[SoundwaveIsCharisma]

Well we saw this with Wilson, Frederic got on his nerves so he tried to kill Carlo. But they lost to Boston and then he got suspended for 7 games.

I think back to the glory days, the constant escalation of dirty plays and fights set off by that 96 RW series was not to our benefit. If anything the Lemieux stuff gave their team something to rally around and build a dynasty.

If Lemieux doesn’t take that run, I’m not sure the Red Wings go out and grab Shanahan. It wasn’t just that it happened, it was the response to the Red Wings response (turtling).

 

[Hasbro]

It won't.

Confirmation bias that Salic needs to trade 2 1sts for Crouse.

 

[Nihiliste]

Confirmation bias that Salic needs to trade 2 1sts for Crouse.

Idk about that but I’d be fine with getting him for a late pick or if we could dump Compher. He’s not really a fighter anyways right? Just lay some hits a few mins per game

 

[Peter Peckerwood]

Hope this shuts the Size Queens up.

Man, this is the new age. Diversity and inclusion for all.

 

[dahrougem2]

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

I don't know if you've seen the last 11 games vs Vegas, but we're 7-2-2. That 4th line can try to run around all they want, it won't matter if we're constantly beating them. Eventually, DeBoer will adjust and staple them to the bench.

 

[Peter Peckerwood]

I just like that LOB is available. That's all we need, as long as he isn't a liability.
We've got guys who are a pain to play against that will start making other teams react when the playoffs are underway.
If we pick another player up who happens to get under the opposing team's skin while playing the system, that's great.

 

[Peter Peckerwood]

I don't know if you've seen the last 11 games vs Vegas, but we're 7-2-2. That 4th line can try to run around all they want, it won't matter if we're constantly beating them. Eventually, DeBoer will adjust and staple them to the bench.

I agree to an extent, but playing them in random games isn't the same intensity as playing them in the playoffs.
If the Avs play their game and stay true to their system, I wouldn't bet against them against anyone in a series.
Oh, and if they don't play into the hype.

 

[dahrougem2]

I agree to an extent, but playing them in random games isn't the same intensity as playing them in the playoffs.
If the Avs play their game and stay true to their system, I wouldn't bet against them against anyone in a series.
Oh, and if they don't play into the hype.

I said it before, but the Vegas Golden Knights last season tried to bully their way through the playoffs. They got taken 7 games by the Vancouver Canucks because Vancouver relied on speed and skill (and great goaltending), and then the Dallas Stars just straight up didn't take it from Vegas and whooped them.

We are a much, MUCH more talented team than Vancouver. If we end up meeting Vegas in the playoffs, I'm not worried one bit. We have the best forward and the best defensemen, and the jury is still out on which Marc-Andre Fleury will show up in the post-season (if it's even him) but even then, we might also have the best goaltender.

 

[Belgican]

I don't know if you've seen the last 11 games vs Vegas, but we're 7-2-2. That 4th line can try to run around all they want, it won't matter if we're constantly beating them. Eventually, DeBoer will adjust and staple them to the bench.

Yes I did, that’s not the point, my point is that if you let them abuse us, you could win, but you won’t have your players available for the next 2 rounds

 

[dahrougem2]

Yes I did, that’s not the point, my point is that if you let them abuse us, you could win, but you won’t have your players available for the next 2 rounds

Please, find me a series where one team takes out half of the other team's players because of hits.

 

[Belgican]

Look at our injuries this season, and also last playoffs to get your answer

 

[Balthazar]

Look at our injuries this season, and also last playoffs to get your answer

Exactly. We've lost Byram in a game that we won 5-1. Winning isn't a proper response.

I'm just glad Sakic and Bednar know better otherwise we were heading in the same direction.

 

[Nihiliste]

O’Brien isn’t going to be able to successfully fight Reaves or Kolesar anyways so we’re going to need to beat Vegas primarily on skill alone. We’ve got to make it hurt for Deboer to put those guys out there. Figuring out the PP would go a long way

 

[Moosehead1]

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.

That scrum effectively changed the trajectory of that game. That is the definition of deterrent lol.