Post-Game Talk: Avs vs Bruins... sigh of relief

[tigervixxxen]

Redmond could be an option on the PP but he needs to work up to that first. I wouldn't mind giving it to Barrie in a double shift for a while too.

I believe one of the too many men was created by Tanguay having a bad turnover right as they were trying to change.

 

[StayAtHomeAv]

I actually thought O'Reilly was OK this game. Certainly didn't think he was bad. Didn't do anything amazing, but made a lot of smart plays, especially defensively. Everberg was the best player on that line though. That kid might turn out to be quite the find.

Yep. Most the RoR hate in the GDT was coming from a select few people nit picking every single play. The 'RoR sucks' propaganda is going to be in full force again this year, just like the shortened season. Lucky us

I re-watched most of the game last night, the Avs actually played pretty well overall. Tangs looks a bit lost right now, but I think that mostly stems from getting used to playing at game speed again. He will be fine. Stuart played much better than people led on... he is pretty damn effective at standing players up at the blue line and is still a physical force (he needs somebody that can handle to puck paired with him). Holden-EJ is going to be the top pairing going forward, while Hejda or Stuart is going to be paired with Barrie (probably Hejda as they should try to keep Stuart on the right for a bit).

This may not seem like a big issue now, but the Avs really need a 2nd PP unit QB. Tangs is back there in an attempt to fill that void, but it isn't a strength of his. There is nobody there that can direct the play and calm things down. A possible solution is to double shift Barrie there, but it wouldn't surprise me a bit if the Avs target somebody in a trade (probably a left shot) that can QB a PP.

My thoughts exactly. Tangs is really my only compliant now. Some guys need to fine tune some things, but Tangs seems to be the only one that is far behind were he should be for the role he is asked to play.

 

[henchman21]

I like Redmond, but QBing a PP is just not one of his strengths. Noreau is the player in the system that might be able to fill that role, but I think that is far from likely. Gut feeling... the Avs target Jake Gardiner...

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

Yep. Most the RoR hate in the GDT was coming from a select few people nit picking every single play. The 'RoR sucks' propaganda is going to be in full force again this year, just like the shortened season. Lucky us

He certainly hasn't been on the same level as he was last season, I think that's why people critize him and of course because of his salary demands. People might hate on him, because they know he will be gone in 2 years. Sucks to see player who doesn't want to play for your team long-term. I don't like ROR as much as Duchene, Varly, Johnson just because of his contract problems. He doesn't seem to like Avalanche like those players. That matters to me.

 

[Alex Jones]

I've never played competitive hockey but is it so hard to go on the ice when your counterpart gets off?

If you're left wing, do you not go on when left wing gets off? Everyone just jumps on the ice when they feel like it I guess

Not really the way it works.

First off, there's a reason why you have a zone (generally five foot) where you can have more than five guys on the ice. The players coming on are going to jump on the ice before the players coming off are at the bench. Teams aren't going to wait for a guy to get over the bench before putting on another guy.

The number one reason you have too many men is because either the guy coming off is late because he's going slow, or because the guy coming on is too eager and gets on the ice while the player he's coming on for is still a ways away from the bench. Most too many men violations last only a couple seconds.

The one on Tanguay was actually the worst kind. The number one rule of line changing is never, ever, ever change your mind. Never start to change and think twice. Once you are headed to the bench, there is no turning back. Once he starts to dump it in, the players coming on are trying to get on as quick as possible because they know they have to defend right away. Tangs has to get off immediately and makes a terrible decision to not do so. All his fault.

 

[TheStranger]

Not really the way it works.

First off, there's a reason why you have a zone (generally five foot) where you can have more than five guys on the ice. The players coming on are going to jump on the ice before the players coming off are at the bench. Teams aren't going to wait for a guy to get over the bench before putting on another guy.

The number one reason you have too many men is because either the guy coming off is late because he's going slow, or because the guy coming on is too eager and gets on the ice while the player he's coming on for is still a ways away from the bench. Most too many men violations last only a couple seconds.

The one on Tanguay was actually the worst kind. The number one rule of line changing is never, ever, ever change your mind. Never start to change and think twice. Once you are headed to the bench, there is no turning back. Once he starts to dump it in, the players coming on are trying to get on as quick as possible because they know they have to defend right away. Tangs has to get off immediately and makes a terrible decision to not do so. All his fault.

Well I know they don't wait for their counterpart to actually get off the ice, but it shouldn't be hard to read and see when is the right time to jump over the boards. However, if the guy is heading for the bench and changes his mind then yes it's all on him.

Happening twice in one game is ridiculous though, and it certainly falls on the players having a brain cramp as it really shouldn't be hard to get it right.

 

[chet1926]

Duchene played great game last night. Let's hope he crushes Leafs tonight!

Duchene is always so entertaining player to watch. He's the most entertaining player in the NHL. I'm so happy we have him for another 5 years or so.

Dutchy is a lifer. I just don't see any scenario where he is not playing for the Avs. It's his favorite team, he wants to be here, and he is arguably going to be one of the top players on the team every year. He is exactly the player management will not let get away.

 

[The Kingslayer]

What was wrong with Holden? He played fine. I liked his physical game.

He had a few bad giveaways but the worse was the icing with 2 minutes left in the 3rd. He had all the time in the world. Pass it to Johnson. Pass it to a forward but he decides to circle around a few times and then ice it. I didnt like that. Beyond that I too liked his physical game

 

[tigervixxxen]

I want nothing more than to see #9 go in the rafters some day and I believe I will.

On ROR, true maybe most like him a bit at arms length right now but that's not the majority of where the criticism is coming from. Even Pierre called him out on the broadcast for playing terrible (I know everyone was playing terrible tho). Not everything he's doing is bad, he can still disrupt the play. But it's not just hurt feelings to say he can be better and he needs to be better.

With too many men I thought the key is for the players going off/coming on the leeway is granted unless they try to play the puck. So if you are going off and the puck comes by you then you can't make a move to play it while others are coming on the ice. So it's also on teammates to not bumble the puck right in the middle of a line change so that someone isn't forced to play the puck when they shouldn't. A bad turnover would screw that up because everyone is scrambling to get to the puck.

 

[henchman21]

For $6m a season... ROR needs to be better and held accountable. It is really as simple as that for me. I don't care if he wants to leave or stay following this contract.

On line changes... I would almost guarantee that Julien talked with the refs before and pointed out that the Avs were pushing the limits on line changes and to watch out for it. Combine that with the Avs being sloppy (the Tangs example is a perfect one) and you have some dumb penalties.

 

[The Kingslayer]

Man looking at it from that angle looks like Chara nearly gets Duchene's knee.

 

[The Kingslayer]

For $6m a season... ROR needs to be better and held accountable. It is really as simple as that for me. I don't care if he wants to leave or stay following this contract.

On line changes... I would almost guarantee that Julien talked with the refs before and pointed out that the Avs were pushing the limits on line changes and to watch out for it. Combine that with the Avs being sloppy (the Tangs example is a perfect one) and you have some dumb penalties.

ROR has been weak, uninterested and making dumb dumb plays with the puck for the last 3 games. Almost a case of a guy thinking to much. Prolly because hes the highest paid player on the team now. Thats a pressure he hasnt dealt with before and he hasnt handled it well so far based on his on ice play. Could be him adjusting to centre again. Whatever it is he needs to be alot better.

 

[henchman21]

ROR has been weak, uninterested and making dumb dumb plays with the puck for the last 3 games. Almost a case of a guy thinking to much. Prolly because hes the highest paid player on the team now. Thats a pressure he hasnt dealt with before and he hasnt handled it well so far based on his on ice play. Could be him adjusting to centre again. Whatever it is he needs to be alot better.

Well... he isn't the highest paid player this season. Varly is the highest paid player this season.

 

[Nzap]

ROR has been weak, uninterested and making dumb dumb plays with the puck for the last 3 games. Almost a case of a guy thinking to much. Prolly because hes the highest paid player on the team now. Thats a pressure he hasnt dealt with before and he hasnt handled it well so far based on his on ice play. Could be him adjusting to centre again. Whatever it is he needs to be alot better.

Nope.
edit: hench with the ninjapost.

 

[The Kingslayer]

Well... he isn't the highest paid player this season. Varly is the highest paid player this season.

Varly is beyond player hes more a demi-god. I meant to say highest paid forward.

 

[Gigantor The Goalie]

Varly is beyond player hes more a demi-god. I meant to say highest paid forward.

Would O'Reilly really be bothered by that though? You'd think being the 2nd highest paid forward last season plus the upcoming negotiations would be a bit more harder to deal with. I hope he really picks up his game here. We need all 3 lines to start clicking properly.

 

[dahrougem2]

Part of the issue is that Tangs isn't moving his feet... he doesn't need to be outright fast, he has to adjust the way he plays. I think he is a smart enough player to figure it out and make the proper adjustment. Time will tell.

ROR would be an option, but it is creating one hole to fill another. ROR is great down low on the PP, and he has more value there than he does on the point IMO.

The Avs have some players on this team though that can make up for ROR, they just need to change their PP1 strategy. If Tanguay comes off the point and ROR goes back there, just move Tangs down with Dutchy and Iggy. I feel it'd make things easier on the PP since Tangs and Iggy have that natural chemistry.

I think a PPQB is ultimately the end goal, but it wouldn't hurt to try ROR there. Heck, it wouldn't hurt to try anything new with the way the PP has been playing the first 3 games

 

[The Kingslayer]

Would O'Reilly really be bothered by that though? You'd think being the 2nd highest paid forward last season plus the upcoming negotiations would be a bit more harder to deal with. I hope he really picks up his game here. We need all 3 lines to start clicking properly.

I would like to think it wouldnt bother him but who knows. The last 3 games he's just doing things that are so not O'Reilly. Could it be hes rusty? He sure didnt look rusty to start the season last yr. Could it be he doesnt have Duchene on his line? Could be. Centre? Possibly. Whoever has been wearing his jersey the last few games needs to go away and return the real O'Reilly.

 

[Freudian]

Hamilton looks like he's auditioning for a bad movie about 70s cops.

 

[InjuredChoker]

ROR has been meh or even bad. was better last game.

he'll be fine, doing what he always does. score in 55-60 range or so and play near elite D.

He had a few bad giveaways but the worse was the icing with 2 minutes left in the 3rd. He had all the time in the world. Pass it to Johnson. Pass it to a forward but he decides to circle around a few times and then ice it. I didnt like that. Beyond that I too liked his physical game

he also had one bad pinch or didn't realize bruins were heading up the ice, they got scoring chance from that iirc.

 

[TheStranger]

Hamilton looks like he's auditioning for a bad movie about 70s cops.

Wow, at first I was like, he's so much taller than his teammates...didn't notice the kid at all, then I was like...WHO THE HELL IS THE REALLY SHORT GUY...and then I clued in it was a kid.

 

[JLo217]

On a side note Ray Bourque's restaurant in the North End is amazing. I'm gonna try and save up to go out to the game there next season. Potentially go the night before and try to snag some autographs.

 

[Pokecheque]

Wow, at first I was like, he's so much taller than his teammates...didn't notice the kid at all, then I was like...WHO THE HELL IS THE REALLY SHORT GUY...and then I clued in it was a kid.

What I noticed right away is that Marchand ain't that much taller than the kid.

 

[StayAtHomeAv]

He certainly hasn't been on the same level as he was last season, I think that's why people critize him and of course because of his salary demands. People might hate on him, because they know he will be gone in 2 years. Sucks to see player who doesn't want to play for your team long-term. I don't like ROR as much as Duchene, Varly, Johnson just because of his contract problems. He doesn't seem to like Avalanche like those players. That matters to me.

Duchene is the only forward so far to show to be on the same level. Yet, RoR is the only one being mocked every single time he doesn't do something perfect. By reading this board the last few days you would think he was the worst player on the team and should be scratched. Yes, he needs to be better and showed to be better last year. But the same should be said for MacK and Lando, and Iggy and Tanguay, and Talbot and McLeod. Everberg has been a pleasant surprise and I would say Cliche looks better. But everyone needs to get better for the most part. RoR and Lando are very similar right now. Seems like both are not nearly as sure handed with the puck. Last year they both seemed to have super glue on their sticks but now both are missing passes (receiving) or just bobbling the puck around the boards and when stick handling. They have been better than everyone else though, other than Duchene. At least the past couple games. RoR could have had 4 assists the past 2 games. We missed 3 wide open shots against the wild on Sat , 2 of which RoR set up the play. Then yesterday he had a couple more really sweet passes that set up very good shots (not wide open like on Sat though). And other than Boston's pp goal his D has been good, though that might have been more on Hedja. Shouldnt the forward help out in the middle while the backside Dman covers the backside of the play? 5 on 5, that's definitely RoR guy, but not sure on the PK where it's much more of a zone system. I felt like that RoR line really controlled the play yesterday. Boston has a couple solid lines they were going against but never really had any great scoring chances or sustained possession in the O zone. Lando-RoR-Everberg really limited their top lines while getting some offensive chances themselves.

Claiming he doesn't like the Avs is just ridiculous. All you are doing is spreading baseless propaganda. Just because he is difficult when it comes to a contract means nothing about his likeness for the team. The guy is an Av. How bout we fans treat him as one until he actual proves to hate the team so much like some of you believe.

 

[TheStranger]

*wall of text here*.

There's a difference between O'Reilly and everyone else in that he has twice held out for more money, saying he's worth more than he's being offered and now he has come out with 3 completely lackluster games in a row.

He's being "mocked" (mostly in jest by most people, except those that don't like him at all anymore), because someone that's just been given a big pay day and talked themselves up as being this amazing player is now seemingly giving less effort than he ever has in his career.

Whether it's nice or not, O'Reilly doesn't get the same pass as everyone else does (And believe me, McLeod and company haven't even been given a pass) because of his salary demands. If you're going to demand to be paid the same as Duchene, you better damn well perform like Duchene.

I'm sure Ryan will turn things around, as the team will, and this will all be forgotten, but there are damn good reasons why he's getting **** on more than anyone else.