Series Talk: Colorado Avalanche vs Calgary Flames (P1 v WC2)

[Pokecheque]

Damn poke what a long read.... But I loved it

Most of my posts tend to be

 

[klozge]

Interesting you're frustrated at Sakic following that game. To me they have taken the next step, however incremental. Last year they won two playoff games. Now they've won three. Even if they blow this lead and series going forward, they've made progress. That's what I've wanted for roughly a decade since the "rebuild" began. Not some fluke run they follow up with more bad hockey, some actual steps toward the ultimate goal. And they appear to be doing that. Everything beyond this point is gravy. It's not until NEXT year that my expectations will shift.

I won't lie, I blasted Sakic for not being a little more aggressive during the big midseason swoon. I also, at the time, thought he should have made some other moves at the deadline. But I'm looking back and one of those big offseason free agents was none other than James Neal, who I only noticed last night because he was on the ice when Rantanen won the game. As far as rental guys go, Simmonds looks like he might be done, Boyle is hurt, and the guy Sakic did go out and get at a discount, Brassard, hasn't had much of an impact.

Meanwhile, the guy scoring clutch goals? J.T. Compher. Nieto with a HUGE SHG. Wilson and Kerfoot have also made their impact. Gotta admit, much as I criticized both Sakic and Bednar...things are coming together quite nicely. I can't say for certain a more aggressive approach this last summer or at the deadline would've yielded much more results than what we're seeing.

Avs fans these days:

 

[Foppa2118]

This feels like Dater mischaracterizing thing again. Pretty sure he wouldn't keep Girard out of the lineup if he was healthy. Same goes for Brassard. Ghetto's done nothing to deserve staying in the lineup so far.

 

[Linnie The Pooh]

This is coming from an outsider who when filling out her bracket picked the Avs to beat the Flames in this round. I just did not trust Mike Smith and even though he hasn't been bad really the Avs are one of the most exciting offensive teams I think I have ever watched this season. Rantanen and Landeskog and fantastic players and this new kid Makar looks to be a franchise D for sometime to come. Then there is Mackinnon who has to be one of the top players in all of the league. With what Grubauer(a past Capitals player) has been doing in the net this team is lethal. I see them wrapping this series up on Friday.

 

[klozge]

This feels like Dater mischaracterizing thing again. Pretty sure he wouldn't keep Girard out of the lineup if he was healthy. Same goes for Brassard. Ghetto's done nothing to deserve staying in the lineup so far.

Yeah, Dater completely misunderstood him. Bednar said he had no new information and that's why it's likely the lineup will stay the same. He continued and said this might change tomorrow because "some of the guys" might be available again.

 

[Avs_19]

I hope Peters doesn't listen to the public and finally get Neal out of the lineup. If you watch the Compher and second Rantanen goals again, you'll see him slowly come into the picture at the end and do nothing. Both could've possibly been prevented with a quicker and more committed back check.

 

[Balthazar]

If Sammy isn't 100% sit him until we really need him. I don't want him to get hurt again and if/when we get to round 2 we'll want him in the lineup for sure.

 

[cgf]

Interesting you're frustrated at Sakic following that game. To me they have taken the next step, however incremental. Last year they won two playoff games. Now they've won three. Even if they blow this lead and series going forward, they've made progress. That's what I've wanted for roughly a decade since the "rebuild" began. Not some fluke run they follow up with more bad hockey, some actual steps toward the ultimate goal. And they appear to be doing that. Everything beyond this point is gravy. It's not until NEXT year that my expectations will shift.

I won't lie, I blasted Sakic for not being a little more aggressive during the big midseason swoon. I also, at the time, thought he should have made some other moves at the deadline. But I'm looking back and one of those big offseason free agents was none other than James Neal, who I only noticed last night because he was on the ice when Rantanen won the game. As far as rental guys go, Simmonds looks like he might be done, Boyle is hurt, and the guy Sakic did go out and get at a discount, Brassard, hasn't had much of an impact.

Meanwhile, the guy scoring clutch goals? J.T. Compher. Nieto with a HUGE SHG. Wilson and Kerfoot have also made their impact. Gotta admit, much as I criticized both Sakic and Bednar...things are coming together quite nicely. I can't say for certain a more aggressive approach this last summer or at the deadline would've yielded much more results than what we're seeing.

Winning this series would match my hopes last summer, even without the reinforcements I thought it would require, but that's hindsight talking & using hindsight Joe can be criticized for not giving us the tools to capitalize on a wide open west this year.

I'm enjoying where we are too much to get into it at length until the offseason, but I can see where he's coming from...I mean if we had ROR on our 2nd line & had picked up Zucker instead of Brassard at the deadline, maybe we'd be sitting where CBJ fans are this postseason; asking "what's stopping us from making a cup run right f***ing now?"

But things are good, for now, so why stress ourselves about what could've been if Joe were more proactive?

 

[AvsFan29]

Probably because looking at the way we've played & the way the west is opening up, we could make a deep run if we had a second reliable scoring line.

I'm just enjoying the moment...because what's done is done so why gripe about it now...but it's not like his reaction is completely disconnected from the situation we find ourselves in

Lol I understand his reaction. I was kidding. I also think sakic likely made the right call. The market was sparse and expensive.

Now we can sign someone without giving up assets.

 

[cgf]

Lol I understand his reaction. I was kidding. I also think sakic likely made the right call. The market was sparse and expensive.

Now we can sign someone without giving up assets.

My B, figured since this was something I remember you being on the other side of the discussion on, that you were being serious.

I don't think the price tag on Hayes was too expensive, although how he's fit in with the Jets could raise questions about whether he'd have the same problems with us or if our poor-er center depth would have accelerated his acclimatization...either way I think the big mistake came last summer / early in the season, not getting Hayes & Zucker at the TDL isn't too troubling to me.

But again, let's table this for now, we've got playoff hockey to talk about

 

[AvsFan29]

My B, figured since this was something I remember you being on the other side of the discussion on, that you were being serious.

It's been such a crazy year. My opinion has changed a couple times.

The meltdown we had, changed a lot of my views. I didn't expect us to make the post season, let alone have success.

Sakic has been doing a great job IMO.

If Makar develops into a top D, and we win a couple cups, he'll be considered a genius.

 

[armedequation]

Sorry cgf i have to sneak in a comment. I dont even know if we need a straight up center. Maybe a winger who can win faceoffs? A FA center doesnt seem abundant this offseason.

Now that my "i cant help myself" moment is over....kill the flames in game 5. I didnt think it was possible or forsaw them picking up the intensity but as other poster have said, calvert came out like he just slammed a case of red bull. I loved that because everyone else followed. I really like that line of him compher and neito

 

[PAZ]

Sorry cgf i have to sneak in a comment. I dont even know if we need a straight up center. Maybe a winger who can win faceoffs? A FA center doesnt seem abundant this offseason.

Now that my "i cant help myself" moment is over....kill the flames in game 5. I didnt think it was possible or forsaw them picking up the intensity but as other poster have said, calvert came out like he just slammed a case of red bull. I loved that because everyone else followed. I really like that line of him compher and neito

Yup, Sakic's offseason signings are paying dividends right now. Cole and Calvert are made for the playoffs.

 

[flyfysher]

Yup, Sakic's offseason signings are paying dividends right now. Cole and Calvert are made for the playoffs.

Remember the Cole and Calvert hate on our boards throughout the season. Those turned out to be important signings. Now had the Flames scored on the PP in OT then I'm sure we'd have a different opinion of Cole.

 

[LieutenantDangle]

Remember the Cole and Calvert hate on our boards throughout the season. Those turned out to be important signings. Now had the Flames scored on the PP in OT then I'm sure we'd have a different opinion of Cole.

That was a rough penalty to take, but he’s been an animal all series. He’s added an intimidation factor that is palpable. The skilled flames players are getting completely neutered by Zadorov, Cole and nemeth with the huge hits they’ve been laying out every single shift

 

[Foppa2118]

I hope Peters doesn't listen to the public and finally get Neal out of the lineup. If you watch the Compher and second Rantanen goals again, you'll see him slowly come into the picture at the end and do nothing. Both could've possibly been prevented with a quicker and more committed back check.

Neal's back check on the OT winner was just awful. He easily could have got a stick in the passing lane but just coasted back like it was a pre-season game. Glad Joe didn't sign him to that contract in the off season.

 

[cgf]

Remember the Cole and Calvert hate on our boards throughout the season. Those turned out to be important signings. Now had the Flames scored on the PP in OT then I'm sure we'd have a different opinion of Cole.

But the dislike for that move wasn't for Calvert as a player, it was for focusing on a bottom 6er when we needed a new 2nd line.

And what exactly is Cole doing that Nemeth isn't, other than making Zads & Greer look disciplined despite the refs giving him more leeway on penalties than any other av?

 

[flyfysher]

But the dislike for that move wasn't for Calvert as a player, it was for focusing on a bottom 6er when we needed a new 2nd line.

And what exactly is Cole doing that Nemeth isn't, other than making Zads & Greer look disciplined despite the refs giving him more leeway on penalties than any other av?

You're a tough critic.

 

[Foppa2118]

But the dislike for that move wasn't for Calvert as a player, it was for focusing on a bottom 6er when we needed a new 2nd line.

And what exactly is Cole doing that Nemeth isn't, other than making Zads & Greer look disciplined despite the refs giving him more leeway on penalties than any other av?

It felt to me like people were upset with the Calvert signing because of what he was as a player, and that he wasn't worth his contract. I think the 2nd line thing was a separate issue.

Cole's doing a hell of a lot for this team right now. Being real hard to play against, breaking up plays in the D zone, clearing the front of the net, blocking shots, throwing momentum changing hits. Nemeth is playing great and doing a lot of the same too.

Blocking shots is part of both Cole and Nemeth's roles, but Cole is doing more in this area. He's got 12 blocked shots so far in the post season. That's good for 5th in the league, and 1st on the Avs. Nemeth, despite playing well has 5 blocked shots. This isn't a knock on Nemeth, but Cole is just better at this. It's one of the main reasons he was brought in.

 

[AvsFan29]

The only forwards in the top 33 in average ice time, is Mack/Landy/Rantanen lol

 

[cgf]

If all goes well I'll either be going to watch the NBA playoffs with my evil twin tonight or getting birthday sex. So either way, I'll be watching this game on delay as well.

You are all welcome.

 

[MarkT]

Just finished the game and I'm so frustrated at Sakic right now. If he'd given this team an actual 2nd line and more than 3 top-six players, we probably win this game by the 2nd period. Bednar had these guys giving 110% and we were getting fairly sound defence (which was nice to see after having a full game of me being pissed off at watching ****ty Babcock hockey). Barrie's lack of defence on the 2nd goal was an issue but overall, I couldn't really ask for more other than get shots off faster from the point cos beating Smith from down low is too tough.

Just an unreal effort, I'm fairly certain Rantanen is still not 100% yet he scores 2 goals, Ian Cole took a bad pen in OT when he was tired but he was a monster defensively, if Sakic had gotten even one of the many available top-six wingers between the 2018 trade deadline and summer 2018, that game wouldn't need to go to OT. Only thing holding this team back is a lack of offensive finish.

I'm really sorry to pile onto you as I know a lot of other people have already replied disagreeing with you and I know how it feels to have an unpopular opinion on this board. So I'm not writing this just as a response to you but to everyone who agree with you.

I've been saying since the offseason that this year was an evaluation year. What that means is that nobody, including Sakic and Bednar, knew what we really had in terms of our depth players. Nobody could say at the beginning of the year is any of Kerfoot, Jost, Compher, Kamenev (remember him?), Nieto, Ghetto, Wilson, Greer and others would end up being legit 2nd line players. It was quite realistic to think that at least a couple of them might be. Combine that with Soderberg and you've got your 2nd line scoring right there. What I don't think anybody predicted (I remember the predictions thread where everyone predicted a big year for Jost) was that every single one of those guys would fail to consistently prove that they are 2nd line quality players.

If Sakic had gone out an paid to get legit 2nd line players this offseason, yeah we might have more offensive production (or we might have signed James Neal ), but we might still be wondering if some of those young guys might be ready for a top 6 role. I say this because if we had a legit 2nd line all year some of those guys would have been stapled into depth roles and never even got a chance to fail at being a top 6 guy.

And frankly I think going with this roster was a smart move by Sakic because now we know what we have, and it just so happens that half our team are free agents this offseason and there's a glut of free agent forwards on the market.

As for the trade deadline, once it was clear we need more scoring depth, Sakic went out and got the best deal of the deadline when he picked up Brass for just a 3rd. Since trade deadline acquisitions are a complete crap shoot, I think it's much better to not give up much for a guy like Brass rather than give out serious assets for someone who might never gel with the team anyway.

 

[cgf]

I hope Joe never again gets "the best deal of the deadline" if that means having to see more Brassard's on the roster.

 

[Freudian]

Bednar should know if Girard can play or not, so most likely Girard isn't healthy enough yet.

 

[RoyIsALegend]

Avalanche, I’m not eating meat today just for you guys. Let’s go baby.