Do the Avs get over the hump this year?

[Belgican]

I’ve said it before but I hope they go with a close to 50% split anyway. Keep Kuemper fresh as possible for playoffs while also limiting his total body of work to use against us in contract negtotiations. If Grubauer played 5-10 less games last year he doesn’t get nominated for the Vezina and that nomination absolutely added more dollar signs from his negotiation ask.

Also I came across this post on the Coyotes board... I knew they played him a lot but didn’t know they burned him out this much....

Also to let the first line play 22 minutes a game and Toews 25 minutes. If Bednar doesn’t start to split the minutes, we’ll come into the playoffs burned like usual with the same result

 

[shadow1]

I didn't vote because I didn't like the options.

-- Forwards
+ Defense/Goaltending

I basically think they're still weak at center, and on top of that lost two good wingers. Finding a 2nd line winger during the season shouldn't be a problem, but way too many questions at center - will Kadri rebound, can Newhook play center, was Jost's second half real, can Maltsev play center, etc.

Basically I think they win the division but will lose to Vegas if they clash again in the playoffs. As is, I think the team is good enough to win a cup but Sakic didn't do nearly enough to put them over the top.

 

[flying v 604]

I'd say there are at least 3-4 teams in the East better than the top teams in the West. Isles and Panthers are stacked. Tampa is Tampa... Toronto is deeper.

The leafs have bunting and his 26 games in he top six along with Ritchie, their bottom six is gross and they can't even run a full roster. They are not deep.

 

[Ararana]

Like others have said, going back to the Central and not having to face one of the big guns (Vegas/Tampa) until the 3rd or 4th round does help.

Depending on health I think this Avs roster can come out of the Central. Dallas is probably the only team that can potentially shut them down the way Vegas did, and I've never been a believer in Dallas who continually just gets older.

Good lord does Vegas have a cake walk to the WCF...

 

[Garavar]

Forward group stinks, no scores they replaced Saad and Donk with trash.

Bura and Kadri go invisible (if not suspended)

Shut down Mack/Landy/Rants and you beat the Avs. If the west werent dog shit this year the Avs would miss the playoffs.

 

[Metallo]

Forward group stinks, no scores they replaced Saad and Donk with trash.

Bura and Kadri go invisible (if not suspended)

Shut down Mack/Landy/Rants and you beat the Avs. If the west werent dog shit this year the Avs would miss the playoffs.

That’s a laughable bad take.

 

[cinchronicity]

My latest calculations have Avs at 100% winning the cup this year. Mack wins the Hart, Maker wins the Norris, Kuemper wins the Vezina, Bednar wins the Jack Adams, and Sakic wins the Jim Gregory.

Bank it.

Edit: Kadri wins the Conn Smythe just to f*** with you all.

Kadri will win a Smythe before Bednar wins an Adams. That is a certainly a bankable fact.

 

[Northern Avs Fan]

Like others have said, going back to the Central and not having to face one of the big guns (Vegas/Tampa) until the 3rd or 4th round does help.

Depending on health I think this Avs roster can come out of the Central. Dallas is probably the only team that can potentially shut them down the way Vegas did, and I've never been a believer in Dallas who continually just gets older.

Good lord does Vegas have a cake walk to the WCF...

Wouldn’t surprise me if Edmonton upsets them.

 

[Ararana]

Wouldn’t surprise me if Edmonton upsets them.

McJesus is going to need to score a lot of goals to make up for that Vegas forecheck eating Edmonton’s defense alive.

 

[Garavar]

That’s a laughable bad take.

LA, SJ, Stl, Minn, Nash, Ariz, Ana, Sea and every Canadian team sucks.

 

[The Abusement Park]

LA, SJ, Stl, Minn, Nash, Ariz, Ana, Sea and every Canadian team sucks.

Winnipeg is a good team? But I mean I don’t see how the Avs aren’t a top ~5 team in the East. The east is definitely better but there would just be more competition for the top spot in the conference than there would in the west.

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

McJesus is going to need to score a lot of goals to make up for that Vegas forecheck eating Edmonton’s defense alive.

Yep. Edmonton ain't good team.

 

[Metallo]

LA, SJ, Stl, Minn, Nash, Ariz, Ana, Sea and every Canadian team sucks.

So, it does not make the Avs not a playoff level team. The Avs would be a playoff team even in the east.

 

[Sea Eagles]

Hello fellow avs fans. I’m just curious as to where the fans sit going into this season with all the departures and additions. Are we a better team? Are we worse then last year? Can we at least make the finals this year?

We are at LEAST more balanced.
We will win the Stanley Cup this year.

I said we'd come first overall last year.

We have all the character, players, ability and mentality to do it.

 

[Pintokyo]

I think forwards has less offensive talent in 3rd-4th lines but more balance. But we have enough talent to where I view this is make it break season for Bednar. He should feel the pressure to step up and get past the 2nd round. If the Avs exit 2nd round again this season Bednar needs to be fired and we need to get a coach who good at getting success in the playoffs. I think we needed new PP coach at least a few years ago and we should let him go too if the PP is still bad.

 

[JH21]

Forward group stinks, no scores they replaced Saad and Donk with trash.

Bura and Kadri go invisible (if not suspended)

Shut down Mack/Landy/Rants and you beat the Avs. If the west werent dog shit this year the Avs would miss the playoffs.

So Newhook who was on pace for 42 points as a rookie is trash?

 

[JH21]

LA, SJ, Stl, Minn, Nash, Ariz, Ana, Sea and every Canadian team sucks.

The team that just made the Stanley Cup finals sucks??

 

[Pokecheque]

Better team?

Well...the backup goalie position should at least show more stability.

I think they're really hoping Kadri has a bounceback season and that Newhook continues to develop. If Kadri continues to play as poorly as he did last season that'll be really bad.

 

[Garavar]

The team that just made the Stanley Cup finals sucks??

Yes Montreal is terrible that was Dallas luck

 

[HF007]

I think we are in caps land right now, get past that second round and anything is possible

 

[larueskee]

Win the second round and everything will fall into place. Thats the hump.

 

[NOTENOUGHJTCGOALS]

If Kuemper is better than Grubauer, the Avs are over the hump.

Games 4/5/6 against Vegas: .857/.880/.773

Previous year game 1 against Dallas, before getting hurt: 3 goals on 10 shots.

Two years ago, game 6/7 against San Jose: .864/.869

He has been as much of a problem in round 2 as anyone on the Avs, and they have moved on from him. That’s why I think they could get over the hump this season. On paper they have upgraded the most important position.

Kuemper and Gru both have some iffy playoff save percentages.

Kuemper seemed good at times in the series vs the Avs. Then got worse. Some people give him the benefit of the doubt that he was getting shelled and eventually the dam broke.

Gru got shelled in games 2 3 and 4 of the Vegas series too though.

 

[Ararana]

Win the second round and everything will fall into place. Thats the hump.

Divisional realignment pushed the hump back to round 3 for me. Coming out of the Central shouldn't really be that significant of a goal, getting through Vegas in the conference finals is the big test IMO.

I've got a feeling if MacKinnon ever gets himself to a cup final series we're going to see the best MacKinnon we've seen since major juniors.

 

[larueskee]

Divisional realignment pushed the hump back to round 3 for me. Coming out of the Central shouldn't really be that significant of a goal, getting through Vegas in the conference finals is the big test IMO.

I've got a feeling if MacKinnon ever gets himself to a cup final series we're going to see the best MacKinnon we've seen since major juniors.

It is mostly mental with winning a second round. When you are the favorite every team wants to bump you. I would bet that the Avs might sweep the rest of the field after having WON in 7 versus Dallas and by beating Vegas. Of course they have to win the first round but I have seen this story play out many times. After winning a tough second round the rest seems not easy but more comfortable. The core really needs to get it done and the inexperienced guys will follow.

 

[Murzu]

Kuemper and Gru both have some iffy playoff save percentages.

Kuemper seemed good at times in the series vs the Avs. Then got worse. Some people give him the benefit of the doubt that he was getting shelled and eventually the dam broke.

Gru got shelled in games 2 3 and 4 of the Vegas series too though.

Kuemper was a brick wall against the Avs in the bubble. Problem was Avs just pounded the wall until it broke.