Prospect Info: Bowen Byram - Canada’s Savior - Thread 2.0

[Richard88]

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[Richard88]

Reconfigure. Shift to a focus on up-tempo movement and cycling and force that 5 to move the puck around better. Let Byram (or G) and Makar feed off each other and really drive the action.

Take what regularly works so well against a 5man unit and terrorize teams PKers with it. That top unit should be skating teams into the ground (assuming they manage to enter the zone).

Those shifts in the 3rd period last night where the 1st line and Makar and Byram/Toews dominated were beautiful to see. The balance is just right somehow. With Kadri there's just one too much standing still and not enough movement, but even at 5v5 with that 1st line and two Dmen we were dominating and creating chances. Would be great to see that on a PP as well.

 

[Matt Roberts]

Count me in with testing Byram on PP1.

Byram on that unit would unshackle Makar from this static game he's playing on the point, as Byram's 'rover' movement would force some movement and make the powerplay a lot more dynamic.

Kadri would also give the 2nd unit another high end scoring threat, because right now the likes of Compher/Donskoi/Saad aren't really bringing much (yes I know Donskoi scored but that was more to do with Girard's genius and was on a plate, anyone would have scored that).

-------------- Landeskog ------------
Mackinnon -------------- Rantanen
-------- Byram -------- Makar ------


-------------- Nichuskin -------------
Kadri ------------------- Burakovsky
------- Girard ------- Toews ---------

It's funny, because just getting some movement has created multiple scoring chances for that 2nd unit, yet they refuse to do anything with the 1st unit beyond standing around and hoping MacK or Rantanen can bury a one timer.

 

[Northern Avs Fan]

Hell, I wouldn’t mind seeing 3 defenceman on the second PP unit.

If Byram continues to play like he has I think he’d be more useful than the forward on the half-wall. Once Burakovsky comes back of course that spot is his, but I’d be fine with Toews on the top and Girard and Byram on the walls.

If the forwards don’t want to pull their weight, just play all the defenceman lmao

 

[hoserthehorrible]

I agree that a reconfiguration would be needed if/when Byram is added to the #1 PP. The other option is to replace Makar with Byram for a short period until Makar gets his game figured out; however, that would be a short term change and I wouldn't go that route.

 

[Richard88]

Hell, I wouldn’t mind seeing 3 defenceman on the second PP unit.

If Byram continues to play like he has I think he’d be more useful than the forward on the half-wall. Once Burakovsky comes back of course that spot is his, but I’d be fine with Toews on the top and Girard and Byram on the walls.

If the forwards don’t want to pull their weight, just play all the defenceman lmao

You wouldn't have to drop Byram once Burakovsky is back. Just put Byram on the left half wall and Bura on the right.

-------------- Nichuskin -----------
Byram ---------------- Burakovsky
-------- Girard ------ Toews -------

 

[AvsFan29]

Hell, I wouldn’t mind seeing 3 defenceman on the second PP unit.

If Byram continues to play like he has I think he’d be more useful than the forward on the half-wall. Once Burakovsky comes back of course that spot is his, but I’d be fine with Toews on the top and Girard and Byram on the walls.

If the forwards don’t want to pull their weight, just play all the defenceman lmao

Definitely better than Donskoi or Compher

 

[hoserthehorrible]

I know there's a storyline on these boards that the Avs 1st PP unit is crap and the 2nd PP unit the bomb; however, if I'm not mistaken both PP units have five goals each. I know the 1st unit gets more PP ice time so they aren't equal in their production but I don't think the 1st unit has been complete crap so far this year, perhaps a bit too predictable though.

I kind of like two different configurations; one PP config on the 1st unit and a 2nd config on the 2nd unit. It's harder for the opponent to prepare their PK unit for the game and it does make it a little tougher to change up coverages when they are different. I'd like to take things a step further and start mixing up the zone entries as well.

 

[Richard88]

I mean... Timmins certainly isn't small. He's 6'2" and I would venture to guess he's pushing 195 this year with the added muscle.

He's not gonna be Zadorov on the ice with his physicality, but he also doesn't need to be and he and Girard on a pairing together would be quite fine defensively.

You're right that Timmins isn't short, but we're yet to really see him use his size to his advantage that much on the boards, at all. That isn't to say that he doesn't have that in physical facet of play in him, but we're yet to see it, and the one game he played with Girard so far he wasn't very assertive in the Dzone (though it was the first game of the season admittedly so I'm willing to wait and see more).

I mean, there's a reason why Bednar changed the bottom 2 D pairs after the first game, as there was clearly something about Girard/Timmins he didn't like. And I think it was the size mismatch against the cycle that was the reason.

@Pierce Hawthorne Further to the conversation above here's some analytics that support exactly what I was saying earlier about Timmins and Girard struggling a lot off the puck together.

Bednar is very much into data as well, and this is likely why Timmins was taken off the pairing with Girard, and then subsequently scratched.

Btw, compare where Graves + Girard (27+49) appear on that graph, to where Timmins + Girard (22+49) appear. Night and day. Even if Graves had a shocker last night he's still done better on paper next to Girard than Timmins has.

 

[Richard88]

I know there's a storyline on these boards that the Avs 1st PP unit is crap and the 2nd PP unit the bomb; however, if I'm not mistaken both PP units have five goals each. I know the 1st unit gets more PP ice time so they aren't equal in their production but I don't think the 1st unit has been complete crap so far this year, perhaps a bit too predictable though.

I kind of like two different configurations; one PP config on the 1st unit and a 2nd config on the 2nd unit. It's harder for the opponent to prepare their PK unit for the game and it does make it a little tougher to change up coverages when they are different. I'd like to take things a step further and start mixing up the zone entries as well.

The issue people have with the PP1 setup is that nothing has changed since last year when they were completely shut down by Dallas' PK unit. And the same thing happened against Sharks the year before. It might work against weaker teams or in a freak early season/preseason game against the Blues, but in the playoffs you need more dynamism on the PP or the unit will get shut down by the top PK units in the league.

 

[hoserthehorrible]

The issue people have with the PP1 setup is that nothing has changed since last year when they were completely shut down by Dallas' PK unit. And the same thing happened against Sharks the year before. It might work against weaker teams or in a freak early season/preseason game against the Blues, but in the playoffs you need more dynamism on the PP or the unit will get shut down by the top PK units in the league.

Yeah, I hear what you're saying. The good news is that so far we finally have an effective 2nd PP unit so that should help a lot. We haven't had an effective 2nd PP unit in years.

I'm not against moving some bodies off the 1st unit (i.e. Kadri) and changing their zone entries for sure. I also think that Byram will need to be added to the PP somewhere in the near future and that would give the Avs four Dmen on the PP as a whole so something will have to change. It'll be interesting to see what they end up doing one way or the other.

 

[McJedi]

@Pierce Hawthorne Further to the conversation above here's some analytics that support exactly what I was saying earlier about Timmins and Girard struggling a lot off the puck together.

Bednar is very much into data as well, and this is likely why Timmins was taken off the pairing with Girard, and then subsequently scratched.

View attachment 387392

Let me boil this down as simple as possible. Byram is fun and good. That’s exactly how I felt watching him last night. I slept like a baby. That went about as well as I could have hoped.

 

[Richard88]

Yeah, I hear what you're saying. The good news is that so far we finally have an effective 2nd PP unit so that should help a lot. We haven't had an effective 2nd PP unit in years.

I'm not against moving some bodies off the 1st unit (i.e. Kadri) and changing their zone entries for sure. I also think that Byram will need to be added to the PP somewhere in the near future and that would give the Avs four Dmen on the PP as a whole so something will have to change. It'll be interesting to see what they end up doing one way or the other.

I almost find myself being surprised when our 2nd unit manages to get the PP set up in the other teams zone. I guess I've just gotten used to the 2nd unit always getting 30 seconds and basically just rushing the puck back and forth without ever getting set up or creating anything other than on the rush. What a welcome change!

 

[Richard88]

Delete

 

[Matt Roberts]

I know there's a storyline on these boards that the Avs 1st PP unit is crap and the 2nd PP unit the bomb; however, if I'm not mistaken both PP units have five goals each. I know the 1st unit gets more PP ice time so they aren't equal in their production but I don't think the 1st unit has been complete crap so far this year, perhaps a bit too predictable though.

I kind of like two different configurations; one PP config on the 1st unit and a 2nd config on the 2nd unit. It's harder for the opponent to prepare their PK unit for the game and it does make it a little tougher to change up coverages when they are different. I'd like to take things a step further and start mixing up the zone entries as well.

There's a huge talent discrepancy between the two units. Nuke, Donskoi and Compher generating as much offense as MacK, Rantanen and Landeskog isn't exactly a positive. That top unit isn't crap, but it's never been as dangerous as the talent would imply it should be.

 

[Avsavsavsavsavs]

Top unit is predictable and lacks net front presence.

 

[hoserthehorrible]

Top unit is predictable and lacks net front presence.

Predictable for sure. Net front presence? Agreed. I suppose they have a little when Landy crashes for a rebound but he isn't in front enough when shots are launched.

I don't think Byram gives you net front presence on the 1st PP unit so he wouldn't solve that issue. I could see Nuke taking Kadri's spot and sticking his big body right in front. The problem with that is Nuke had a lot to do with both of Toew's goals on the 2nd PP unit so you might be robbing one unit to help the other.

I am more inclined to think Byram takes Kadri's spot and they reconfigure the 1st unit altogether. Tough to make a wholesale change like that in the middle of a shortened season unfortunately.

 

[The Kingslayer]

Let me boil this down as simple as possible. Byram is fun and good. That’s exactly how I felt watching him last night. I slept like a baby. That went about as well as I could have hoped.

Pretty much. I had my doubts that he would be able to come in and contribute right away. I figured 5-10 games before he start looking comfortable but Byram is getting better with every shift he takes. Its kind of surreal. Hes gonna make mistakes and thats fine we have a bunch of guys who are older who also make them.

 

[Richard88]

Predictable for sure. Net front presence? Agreed. I suppose they have a little when Landy crashes for a rebound but he isn't in front enough when shots are launched.

I don't think Byram gives you net front presence on the 1st PP unit so he wouldn't solve that issue. I could see Nuke taking Kadri's spot and sticking his big body right in front. The problem with that is Nuke had a lot to do with both of Toew's goals on the 2nd PP unit so you might be robbing one unit to help the other.

I am more inclined to think Byram takes Kadri's spot and they reconfigure the 1st unit altogether. Tough to make a wholesale change like that in the middle of a shortened season unfortunately.

If Byram goes on the 1st PP unit it obviously wouldn't be to play the net-front role.

Right now we have Kadri and Landeskog in the slot area, and since the net front responsibility is split between them neither of them actually does that job the same way Nichuskin does.

What adding Byram for Kadri does is that it forces Landeskog to be less involved in the actual passing plays, and instead makes him the sole net front presence so that he focusses 100% on that instead of trying to play pitch-and-catch with Mackinnon.

Parking Landeskog in front would also create more freedom for Rantanen to move around more. Right now the tendency is for Landeskog to occupy the spot next to the net on the goalline on Rantanen's side, so that kinda forces Rantanen to be static in that position rather than roaming closer to the goal line. Rantanen's passing and vision from behind the net is a real weapon, but we never see it on the PP because Landeskog is there.

As an added benefit this setup with Landeskog in front of the net instead of at the goal line would mean that we never have to see that awful play Landeskog tends to do where he receives a pass from Rantanen and turns around and tries to jam it through the goalies pads. It never works.

 

[Avs_19]

Not quite Girard-Makar level from the playoffs right after Makar arrived but pretty good. In two games, Makar and Byram have had two very strong shifts like this in the offensive with the top line.

Also, one of my favourite parts about Byram's assist was how decisive he was. MacKinnon was right there, open for a pass, and Byram just took it himself and went to work.

 

[Richard88]

Not quite Girard-Makar level from the playoffs right after Makar arrived but pretty good. In two games, Makar and Byram have had two very strong shifts like this in the offensive with the top line.

Also, one of my favourite parts about Byram's assist was how decisive he was. MacKinnon was right there, open for a pass, and Byram just took it himself and went to work.

Lol, Byram's like "Mackinnon who?! Just get outta my way"

 

[Barklez]

Man would I love to have been wrong about his offensive upside.

The Byram we saw last night could put up a lot of points.

 

[Northern Avs Fan]

Not quite Girard-Makar level from the playoffs right after Makar arrived but pretty good. In two games, Makar and Byram have had two very strong shifts like this in the offensive with the top line.

Also, one of my favourite parts about Byram's assist was how decisive he was. MacKinnon was right there, open for a pass, and Byram just took it himself and went to work.

The 10 second mark of the second clip is nice. Going outside the offensive zone and then back in again to gain speed is a beautiful thing.

I liked his play in the D zone as well. He made good plays with the puck and knocked guys off the puck a couple times as well.

 

[atreyuavenged]

He thinks the game at a high level and he's got the physical attributes to capitalize on it. He's gonna be a gooder.

 

[Jayevs]

He’s always had amazing natural instincts offensively but he’s able to dictate the game offensively now way more than in his draft year, he’s come a long way.