GDT: Colorado Avalanche vs Columbus Blue Jackets 7pm MT

[Hans Landaskog]

someone forgot to tell him we were tanking

He's going into my doghouse with JSG.

 

[cgf]

EJ makes a good defensive play about as often as he makes bad ones.

Hunwick doesn't make that many bad plays, sure he can't even sniff EJ's jock as a defensemen, but still EJ doesn't make more good defensive plays than Hunnybunny makes bad ones. It's probably close, but still kinda absurd to say.

 

[bohlmeister]

It is good to see that EJ is getting a little criticism and people aren't just blindly saying he is a beast. That was sickening.

I think people are going to have to give Hunny some credit. He has had one hell of a season regardless of his brain farts and poor decisions.

 

[tucker3434]

1 is better than 2. Good game from the Avs though.

We got a couple special dmen in Elliott and Barrie. That little fake and wrister by Elliott was sexy. They'll make mistakes here and there but be patient with them cuz they're for real.

Yep. I really hope they both make the roster next year. Johnson, hejda, Barrie, Elliot, Wilson isn't a bad starting point. We're missing a 1/2. It would be nice if we could add that outside the draft (even if we add jones, he doesn't need that kind of immediate pressure.

I'm afraid that this offseason well add another 30 year old $3-4m 3/4 that will bump Elliot/Barrie. I hope it doesn't happen.

 

[tucker3434]

Nice night for McLeod, 3 goals in 2 games now...our new top 6 winger

Man I was hoping he'd pull off the hat trick.

I hope he sticks around. He plays his role very well.

 

[Coloradorov]

It is good to see that EJ is getting a little criticism and people aren't just blindly saying he is a beast. That was sickening.

I think people are going to have to give Hunny some credit. He has had one hell of a season regardless of his brain farts and poor decisions.

Compared with early last season, Hunny has made great improvements I would say. IIRC, he turned it up with just a couple weeks left in the season and it has continued on this season. Yes he makes stupid mistakes sometimes, but so does everyone on this team. Give him a 5/6 role with some 3/4 spot duty in case of injuries and I think he can bring more positives to this team than negatives.

 

[RoyIsALegend]

Man I was hoping he'd pull off the hat trick.

I hope he sticks around. He plays his role very well.

McLeod - Malone - Bordeleau

Very serviceable 4th line, IMO. I quite like Malone. Will gladly take him over Olver or Mitchell as 4th line center, and Bordeleau/McLeod over Kobasew/Palushaj/VDG/junk on the wings.

 

[henchman21]

Compared with early last season, Hunny has made great improvements I would say. IIRC, he turned it up with just a couple weeks left in the season and it has continued on this season. Yes he makes stupid mistakes sometimes, but so does everyone on this team. Give him a 5/6 role with some 3/4 spot duty in case of injuries and I think he can bring more positives to this team than negatives.

I agree with this... give him 16-18 minutes and he will look pretty good on a nightly basis. It is when he is overexposed against better lines that he starts making big mistakes.

Though with Elliott showing signs of sticking and Barrie in the lineup, I'm not sure where else Hunwick really fits.

As I see the defensive pairings next year:

_____-EJ
Wilson/Hejda-Barrie
Hejda/Wilson-Elliott
Zanon
Hunwick

Now that blank could be Hunwick again, but beyond that spot I really don't like him on any other pairing. In other words, he should not be next to Barrie or Elliott on a pairing, and IMO those two should be penciled in on the bottom 2 pairings.

 

[henchman21]

McLeod - Malone - Bordeleau

Very serviceable 4th line, IMO. I quite like Malone. Will gladly take him over Olver or Mitchell as 4th line center, and Bordeleau/McLeod over Kobasew/Palushaj/VDG/junk on the wings.

Agreed. That line will only get 6-8 minutes a night if all 3 centers are kept. Olver and Palushaj should be kept as extra forwards. I'm okay with trading Mitchell or keeping him as a 4th liner and scratching Bordy unless he is needed.... he should not be a LW nor should he be on a scoring line.

 

[The Kingslayer]

I got it. I finally figured out who PAP reminds me of....Robert Lang.

 

[CalderKing21]

EJ makes a good defensive play about as often as he makes bad ones.

he's still been our best defenseman since he's been here and it's never been close. still isn't and the attempt to suggest otherwise is laughable.
to suggest Hunwick has been better is borderline mentally impaired.

 

[IceyDice]

Regressed? I didn't have a problem with anything you said until the regressed part.

He may not have developed upwards like we had hoped or wanted when he came here, but he certainly hasn't regressed.

Just because he isn't putting up points like he did when he first came here doesn't mean he has regressed. His defensive game has taken big strides forward, and his offensive game hasn't been all that bad, he makes good plays that lead to good scoring chances every game, he just hasn't had any luck on finding a goal or finding the scoresheet.

But regressed? come one man.

His defensive play hasn't regressed, I think its gotten better but his offense has definitely regressed. He never used to have this much trouble getting his shot off. I'll admit he's been a little unlucky and he does show flashes of great offensive skill but his offensive play has regressed. How much of that is because of his defensive partner? I'm not sure. Hopefully he'll get a proper one next season (from where, I don't know) and then we can start to understand what kind of a D-man EJ really is.

 

[agentblack]

I got it. I finally figured out who PAP reminds me of....Robert Lang.

Ha! you are so right. Was with Pit and Det I think right?

 

[landesberg]

he's still been our best defenseman since he's been here and it's never been close. still isn't and the attempt to suggest otherwise is laughable.
to suggest Hunwick has been better is borderline mentally impaired.

if you take off the blinders and the Hunwick hate, he's actually been better than Johnson lately. Johnson is much sturdier in front of the net and on the boards than Hunwick, but offensively the two are the same at this point, and defensively they both make terrible mistakes.

 

[CalderKing21]

if you take off the blinders and the Hunwick hate, he's actually been better than Johnson lately. Johnson is much sturdier in front of the net and on the boards than Hunwick, but offensively the two are the same at this point, and defensively they both make terrible mistakes.

i don't hate Hunwick. i hate the role he's forced to play above his station.
he's a 3rd pairing d man on a good team. maybe even a healthy scratch. he's asked to play a role he is not suited for.
i don't have blinders on with regards to EJ.
he has been and still is our best defenseman. i know what his flaws are and that he makes dumb ass mistakes at times on D.
but he's still our best D man. i liken him to Varly, he can struggle like a mother but even during his erratic modes he still is out best player on that side overall. just because he's not scoring doesn't lessen his role as the best guy.
or do you not remember when he was out for those games and we got owned like a AHL team?

 

[Hans Landaskog]

i don't hate Hunwick. i hate the role he's forced to play above his station.
he's a 3rd pairing d man on a good team. maybe even a healthy scratch. he's asked to play a role he is not suited for.
i don't have blinders on with regards to EJ.
he has been and still is our best defenseman. i know what his flaws are and that he makes dumb ass mistakes at times on D.
but he's still our best D man. i liken him to Varly, he can struggle like a mother but even during his erratic modes he still is out best player on that side overall. just because he's not scoring doesn't lessen his role as the best guy.
or do you not remember when he was out for those games and we got owned like a AHL team?

He's injured now and we are playing good hockey. What's your point?

 

[PAZ]

i don't hate Hunwick. i hate the role he's forced to play above his station.
he's a 3rd pairing d man on a good team. maybe even a healthy scratch. he's asked to play a role he is not suited for.
i don't have blinders on with regards to EJ.
he has been and still is our best defenseman. i know what his flaws are and that he makes dumb ass mistakes at times on D.
but he's still our best D man. i liken him to Varly, he can struggle like a mother but even during his erratic modes he still is out best player on that side overall. just because he's not scoring doesn't lessen his role as the best guy.
or do you not remember when he was out for those games and we got owned like a AHL team?

He was also back when we were getting destroyed as well.

Is EJ our best defenseman on the team? Overall, yes. That still doesn't mean he's good, all that means is the Avs have a bunch of inexperienced rookies or bottom pairing defenseman.

He needs to be better, simple as that. For what we gave up for him, he should be better. Too many times do people ignore EJs mistakes and blame it on Hunwick. Hunwick probably played a large part in the goal, but a lot of times EJ should get partial blame as well.

It's infuriating because we know what he's capable of, he has all the tools.

 

[InjuredChoker]

Ha! you are so right. Was with Pit and Det I think right?

And Caps. Also Hawks, Coyotes and Canadiens on his last seasons.

 

[Iceberg]

Let's move all the EJ conversation to the EJ thread, people!

 

[The Kingslayer]

Ha! you are so right. Was with Pit and Det I think right?

Yah Lang played for a few teams in his career but I meant playing style and look on the ice. very similiar players.

 

[Alex Jones]

Lang was a lot bigger, but he played the same game.