Confirmed with Link: [COL / NYR] Chris Bigras Traded For Ryan Graves

[RoyIsALegend]

So I would assume Graves goes to San Antonio and Alt stays up with the big club?

Sakic interview last night clarified DMen injuries have depleted their roster and minor moves were for depth.

Alt is a UFA and this is essentially a PTO if he wants to continue his career; he has about 20 games to prove himself. Graves has less potential than Bigras, but might be more NHL ready. A low risk trade to add extra depth, their careers have stalled and they need a change.

Lol, you didn't answer the dude's question!

The answer is yes, Alt stays with the Avs and Graves to the Rampage.

 

[Patagonia]

Lol, you didn't answer the dude's question!

The answer is yes, Alt stays with the Avs and Graves to the Rampage.

I did.

Alt will definitely stay for a PTO. Graves adds depth, but there is no indication if he stays or sent down because of LHD injuries to Lindholm and Barberio. Siemens was the call-up, but for how long? Graves might get a few games, but likely sent down with Siemens when the other players return.

 

[RoyIsALegend]

I did.

Alt will definitely stay for a PTO. Graves adds depth, but there is no indication if he stays or sent down because of LHD injuries to Lindholm and Barberio. Siemens was the call-up, but for how long? Graves might get a few games, but likely sent down with Siemens when the other players return.

I don't really know what's going on right now, but...

- Alt is not on a PTO like you've said for the past two posts. Call it that if you want, but I dunno why. Sakic said he will play on the bottom pairing when he gets an opportunity. He is on the Avalanche roster.

- Graves is not on the NHL roster. Check the websites and NHL transactions. He is on the Rampage roster.

Again, it's not a big deal, but you definitely did not answer the guy's simple question. He asked if Alt is on the Avs and Graves with the Rampage. Forget injuries and other things you're talking about. The answer is YES.

 

[cgf]

They're not quite the same players, but they have similar issues IMO. Barrie has them as well. He still displays a fear of contact and rushes passes because of it. Difference for Barrie though is it finally sunk in after Roy emphasized on his last demotion that he needed to get the puck and go. Not dilly dally or over think plays.

Someone like Girard can think his way out of the D zone. while guys like Elliott and Barrie can't. Debatable whether Bigras can. I think he has the smarts to play that style, but the problem is he never really calmed down in the NHL. He always looked apprehensive to me.

A lot of that had to do with the concussion, but I think it might also be due in part to his natural demeanor. It's why Grigo didn't really work out either. Really smart players, but just a little too much of a gentle soul for the NHL. You got to battle in the NHL. Not just physically, but mentally through the ups and downs, and through your mistakes, and injuries. Bigras and Elliot struggled with that.

I remember bringing up Barrie’s swagger when the Stef-Tyson debates were first firing up...right around the time Elliott flashed that best twister since Sakic to go score his goal. Barrie was always much more fearless out there and it was clear from the way they played. Tyson is a little more cautious now and picks which hits to take; but at his size that’s what you’ve gotta do with such a long season.

Bigras is different from not because used to be just stupidly brave, getting lit up every game because he always took the hit to make a play. It was the single biggest aspect of his game that I worried about preventing him from making it and in the end it did. The almost inevitable concussions scared him, and shook his confidence. Which spiraled with his benchings in the NHL to shatter his confidence even further.

Unlike the other two Elliott was scared of getting hit from the get go, he just had Dunk to scare the other kids away from him in junior so it didn’t big a problem until he went pro

 

[cgf]

Yup. I remember Feaster/Calgary telling a story of they were debating which risk to take, Gaudreau or Kucherov? And they went with Gaudreau. But instead of taking two gamble picks they went with the one in Gaudreau, and the safer one in Tyler Wotherspoon, who they took 57th overall. 58th overall was Kucherov, imagine if they said **** it let's gamble? Damn.

This is why I loved the attitude the team brought to last year’s draft. You can’t hit homeruns unless you actually swing.

 

[Hasbro]

Next Pronger.

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

#WonTheTrade

 

[Avalanche]

#WonTheTrade?

 

[Foppberg]

So he was good?

 

[Goulet17]

So he was good?

I was very impressed with him, thought he played great. He deserves more ice time based on what he showed tonight IMO.

 

[The Mars Volchenkov]

The Avs like 6’5” defensemen with the faces of 8 year olds.

He’s been solid but there needs to be a much bigger sample size with him. I don’t like his skating and he’s made some risky plays so far that could easily fail him. Remember how Siemens looked solid when he got in his first few games last year too.

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

Yeah I dont see much upside to Graves but he at least looked decent with his limited minutes so far. Better then anything Bigras ever showed really.

 

[UncleRisto]

Lindholm also looked decent for a time. And people liked Alt early. But you take what you can get with guys like this. We'll see.

 

[McMetal]

As others have said, it's a small sample size, but encouraging nonetheless. I'll take a few more games of him as a bottom pair guy and we'll see if he goes anywhere. I don't see much upside but if he can deliver OK bottom pair play till Z gets back that's a win.

 

[CobraAcesS]

As others have said, it's a small sample size, but encouraging nonetheless. I'll take a few more games of him as a bottom pair guy and we'll see if he goes anywhere. I don't see much upside but if he can deliver OK bottom pair play till Z gets back that's a win.

I think hes been better than Nemeth personally. Hes deferred a bit to Nemeth, but when he hasn't and taken it on himself to make a play good things have happened.

When he dishes it off to Nemeth to move the puck we end up with an icing or a nothing play turned into the other team attacking. When Graves has decided to manage the puck hes hitting guys at the far blue line, and making a great first pass. Also thus far hes been better under pressure in the for check and kept the puck moving in the right direction. Hes skated it when needed, and passes when needed, and stood up with hits at the right time.

IMO hes been the 5th best D in his two games. Especially considering what this team needs from our defense. Which is f***ing possession and not just giving the puck away while under zero pressure letting the other team attack and attack because you can't figure out how to make a simple pass through the neutral zone.

 

[Pokecheque]

Yeah, I'd like him to stay once Z is healthy, whenever the hell that is.

 

[CobraAcesS]

Yeah, I'd like him to stay once Z is healthy, whenever the hell that is.

I think Graves is legit, but we'll see if he keeps it up with more ice. So far he has too as Bednar has given him more shifts.

I'd f***ing kill for them to try and get him into the right spot on the second unit PP too. Our second unit is much more get it to the net and get rebounds based as well. If you could find a way to use that shot as a weapon on the second unit it could really be valuable. He keeps it low, gets it through traffic, and is great at getting the one time off.

 

[Cousin Eddie]

Do people forget the year of Bigras’ first call up? He went like 15 games before ever being on the ice for a goal against. Everyone was begging for him to be paired with EJ on the top pairing and some were calling him our best defenseman.

He turned out to not be very good but this new opinion that Graves has already shown more than Bigras ever did is laughable since everyone on here was drooling over Bigras’ NHL play at the end of that 15/16 season.

 

[CobraAcesS]

Do people forget the year of Bigras’ first call up? He went like 15 games before ever being on the ice for a goal against. Everyone was begging for him to be paired with EJ on the top pairing and some were calling him our best defenseman.

He turned out to not be very good but this new opinion that Graves has already shown more than Bigras ever did is laughable since everyone on here was drooling over Bigras’ NHL play at the end of that 15/16 season.

You are right, but I see one post to that effect on this page. Was there more in the GDT?

 

[Cousin Eddie]

You are right, but I see one post to that effect on this page. Was there more in the GDT?

Yep

 

[henchman21]

With any young player coming in, people want to see the positives and for them to build upon it. Only natural, but human bias is there. IMO the absolute best case for Graves is to become a Nick Holden clone with a better shot. That is a player that can carve out a NHL career, but is never going to be super desirable. I hope Graves can develop into that. Not super optimistic, but I hope.

 

[expatriatedtexan]

Yep

Please tell me I wasn't one of those....

 

[expatriatedtexan]

With any young player coming in, people want to see the positives and for them to build upon it. Only natural, but human bias is there. IMO the absolute best case for Graves is to become a Nick Holden clone with a better shot. That is a player that can carve out a NHL career, but is never going to be super desirable. I hope Graves can develop into that. Not super optimistic, but I hope.

Not so sure....we've gone through a decade of having bad defenders. If Graves was to be our 6th best...that's not bad, eh?

 

[Metallo]

With any young player coming in, people want to see the positives and for them to build upon it. Only natural, but human bias is there. IMO the absolute best case for Graves is to become a Nick Holden clone with a better shot. That is a player that can carve out a NHL career, but is never going to be super desirable. I hope Graves can develop into that. Not super optimistic, but I hope.

I had the same thought. I would be happy with that result, having a guy like that as a #7.

 

[CobraAcesS]

Yep

Meh, there is always some over the top comments with stuff like this. I'm just enjoying this kid looking like found money right now. Those trades so rarely work out I never really gave Graves much thought. I was actually surprised it was his NHL debut the other night because as high as NY was on him supposedly, it seems a little dumb to move the kid without him getting any games at all.