GDT: Colorado at Calgary 9/30/14 7pm MST l "Finding The Switch" Edition

[tigervixxxen]

No way that happens. Roy isn't scratching Briere. If everyone minus Bordy is healthy then it's scratching Briere for Cliche anyway.

 

[AVS1819]

A few thoughts from last nights game:

Most impressive thing about Briere was him flipping about 10 warmup pucks over the boards. My boy got 3 so was able to have one to take home for little bro and one to give to another kid. To be fair though, Briere still has some great hands and creativity and the line with him, Hishon and Tanguay did create some chances

Hishon - looked good. Probably needs time in AHL but do feel better that he has an NHL future

Berra - made some nice saves and showed some great quickness. Also looked bigger in the net than he did last year. Helped calm my nerves over our backup goalie situation

Redmond - without a doubt our best d-man out there. Skates well, moves puck well, took some chances but never put himself too far out of position.

Wilson/Guenin/Hejda - all looked slow out there. Wilson made a few boneheaded plays but also played decent at times.

Noreau - he plays similar to Barrie and didn't do anything to really stand out in a good or bad way. Stepped up for one nice hit near the penalty box but other than that played a safe game. I guess if Roy is keeping 8, one of Wilson/Guenin or Noreau have to go and I don't see it being Wilson

Rendulic - excellent shot and he didn't look as soft as what was being reported from TC. He's not ready but we may have a player here

Everberg - you can see he's trying to show that he's defensively responsible and tough as that's his ticket to the show. But he made some mistakes that show he needs time in LE

Winchester - a night he'll want to forget but no doubt he'll be a fixture on the 4th line

Siemens - played the safe steady game I'd expect from. Big kid and you can see he's tough so probably not long until he's ready.

 

[Freudian]

Hishon showed that he can create space for himself when he has the puck and make quick plays. That he didn't really have anyone to pass to and had to throw the puck on net from poor angles is another thing. Play him with players that try to get something going and he'll create more chances.

 

[Alex Jones]

Mission 0-82: ACTIVATED.

 

[Cousin Eddie]

This year is already done. I'm just hoping McDavid can help the team improve to 1-81 in 2015/16.

 

[Drury_Sakic]

Any of you guys still thinking that Briere is a lock? I see a very possible healthy scratch when Mitchell comes back. Just like PAP last year.
Not that I care, we didn't get Briere because of his playing abilities anyway.

Briere has yet to really play in his role consistently, as he has played up and down the lines depending on the quality of lineup iced. I will reserve judgment until we see the regular lineup iced and Briere on the 3rd/4th line as he will be for the majority of the season.

Don't get me wrong, losing every game in the pre-season is not a good thing....but it also does not mean it is time to press the panic button.

The Avs have a good deal of new blood on the roster, most of that new talent is a bit older --- thus usually starts slower, had a short camp, and regardless of all of that were still a team looking for an identity. If they can get out of the first month or two of the season as a .500 team, I think that will be a major victory.

The whole point of adding the vet players is for hard games, the 2nd half of the schedule and the playoffs.... but because of that they may take some lumps out of the gate as the roster finds its way.

 

[Drury_Sakic]

Another reason not to panic is that the major issue seems to be scoring goals right now, not preventing them.....which given the firepower the Avs have, should resolve itself without much effort.

 

[henchman21]

There is NO reason to panic period... it is only preseason.

 

[Former Ladder]

There is NO reason to panic period... it is only preseason.

ABANDON SHIP!!!




We will be fine when we ice our actual lineup, barring any personnel brain farts by Roy, and when the top 6 gain some chemistry. Hopefully Mitchell and McGinn aren't too far off, which will help our bottom 6 immensely.

 

[JLo217]

Another reason not to panic is that the major issue seems to be scoring goals right now, not preventing them.....which given the firepower the Avs have, should resolve itself without much effort.

I was thinking this during the game last night as well. Defensively for the most part during the preseason they haven't looked bad other than Guenin, Wilson and Elliot.

Just got to hope the forward lines can mesh and start burying some pucks. Hopefully Iggy can get comfortable as well and settle into a line.

I'd have a tough time wanting to take Landy off Mack's line but just a thought to possibly get Iggy going:

Tanguay-Duchene-Iggy
Landy-Mack-ROR

or

Tanguay-Mack-Iggy
Landy-Duchene-ROR

 

[The Shermanator]

Tanguay-Duchene-Iggy
Landy-Mack-ROR

or

Tanguay-Mack-Iggy
Landy-Duchene-ROR

Yup. I like that. Lando and ROR is sex. Duchene and ROR is pretty great too.

And apparently Tangs and Iggy are pretty good too so try it.

 

[JLo217]

Yup. I like that. Lando and ROR is sex. Duchene and ROR is pretty great too.

And apparently Tangs and Iggy are pretty good too so try it.

Duchene and Lando haven't had chemistry in the past but I feel thats something Duchene could develop.

 

[Balthazar]

Tanguay-Duchene-Iggy

This isn't a problem as Tangs is a natural LW.

Landy-Mack-ROR

That's where we might have a problem. ROR on the right side and ROR without Duchene means that we most likely won't get the best ROR.

Could worth trying it in preseason though. Let's see if Iggy plays better with Tangs.

 

[bohlmeister]

IMO. Roy is hoping that he can sign ROR to a long term deal. Then he is going to marry Landy with Mac, and ROR with Duchene. Those pairs won't switch. Both Landy and ROR can cover Dutch and Mac's defensive deficiencies.

I hope Landy and Mac will be together for the next 10 years.

 

[Pokecheque]

IMO. Roy is hoping that he can sign ROR to a long term deal. Then he is going to marry Landy with Mac, and ROR with Duchene. Those pairs won't switch. Both Landy and ROR can cover Dutch and Mac's defensive deficiencies.

I hope Landy and Mac will be together for the next 10 years.

I hope Roy isn't that stupid and rigid.

 

[Avs_19]

Keeping Duchene-O'Reilly and MacKinnon-Landeskog together would be one of the smartest things Roy could do. I also hope he doesn't move them around. Change anything else on the team, just leave those guys together.

 

[Hesher]

Another reason not to panic is that the major issue seems to be scoring goals right now, not preventing them.....which given the firepower the Avs have, should resolve itself without much effort.

Yep. If they were losing high-scoring games then I'd be worried.

 

[CantTouchThis]

Question: How has Mack been on the draw? Any improvements over last year?

 

[tigervixxxen]

One game he was good, one bad, one we don't have boxscore for so who knows.

 

[Pokecheque]

Keeping Duchene-O'Reilly and MacKinnon-Landeskog together would be one of the smartest things Roy could do. I also hope he doesn't move them around. Change anything else on the team, just leave those guys together.

Why?

 

[Avs_19]

Why?

They're great together? What else do you really need? I like the idea of pairing each of our stud offensive centers with an excellent two-way winger, which both O'Reilly and Landeskog are.

Duchene and O'Reilly have a lot of chemistry and they played the best hockey of their careers while playing together. They play off each other so well and O'Reilly always knows where to go when Duchene is spinning around and doing his thing down low. In the defensive zone O'Reilly makes things much easier for Duchene as well.

I guess we'll see how MacKinnon and Landeskog look without Stastny but on paper I like it. Landeskog is a very good playmaker, he'll go into the dirty areas to make a play in the offensive zone, and he'll also take a lot of pressure off MacKinnon in the defensive zone.

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

They're great together? What else do you really need? I like the idea of pairing each of our stud offensive centers with an excellent two-way winger, which both O'Reilly and Landeskog are.

Duchene and O'Reilly have a lot of chemistry and they played the best hockey of their careers while playing together. They play off each other so well and O'Reilly always knows where to go when Duchene is spinning around and doing his thing down low. In the defensive zone O'Reilly makes things much easier for Duchene as well.

I guess we'll see how MacKinnon and Landeskog look without Stastny but on paper I like it. Landeskog is a very good playmaker, he'll go into the dirty areas to make a play in the offensive zone, and he'll also take a lot of pressure off MacKinnon in the defensive zone.

Agreed, Duchene finds it hard enough to get chemistry with his linemates... it would be counter productive to take Ryan away from him. The 3rd guy I want to try is Tangs or Hishon later in the season.