Do the Avs need an elite goalie to win the cup?

[NOTENOUGHJTCGOALS]

This team has a weak middle six and a very average fourth line.

Weak defensive depth. The top of the defensive depth chart is outstanding but maybe not suited for playoff hockey.

In short this team has an elite first line and is average in most other aspects.

Without an elite goalie does this team even win a playoff round against a good team? They can blow out a middling or weak team that barely makes the playoffs.

But if they match up against a playoff built team that is a lower seed due to not lighting up the regular season it will be a tough slog.

Dallas or St Louis can absolutely beat this current Avs team in a 7 game series.

 

[Richard88]

This team has a weak middle six and a very average fourth line.

Weak defensive depth. The top of the defensive depth chart is outstanding but maybe not suited for playoff hockey.

In short this team has an elite first line and is average in most other aspects.

Without an elite goalie does this team even win a playoff round against a good team? They can blow out a middling or weak team that barely makes the playoffs.

But if they match up against a playoff built team that is a lower seed due to not lighting up the regular season it will be a tough slog.

Dallas or St Louis can absolutely beat this current Avs team in a 7 game series.

Dallas beating this team I could see. But St. Louis? I don't see that. Especially considering that this Avs team just swept them fairly convincingly two months ago.

 

[Pokecheque]

Dallas beating this team I could see. But St. Louis? I don't see that. Especially considering that this Avs team just swept them fairly convincingly two months ago.

Well, St. Louis will have, if nothing else, an elite top line IMO of Saad - O'Reilly - Buchnevich. It may not be on the same level as 92296 but it should be way, way better than what they had last year. If they can get more out of their D-corps, then they should bounce back fairly well. Are they legit contenders? I don't know, probably playoff-worthy at least, especially in this division, because I'm not buying the Chicago hype.

 

[Patagonia]

This team has a weak middle six and a very average fourth line.

Weak defensive depth. The top of the defensive depth chart is outstanding but maybe not suited for playoff hockey.

In short this team has an elite first line and is average in most other aspects.

Without an elite goalie does this team even win a playoff round against a good team? They can blow out a middling or weak team that barely makes the playoffs.

But if they match up against a playoff built team that is a lower seed due to not lighting up the regular season it will be a tough slog.

Dallas or St Louis can absolutely beat this current Avs team in a 7 game series.

AVs are really weak on the 3rd line, DMen is young and getting better. Teams are prone to off nights and having a strong Goalie would smooth the inconsistencies. VGK bullied their wins and still some of the games were winnable. Grubs playoff collapse creates doubts in trying to recoup for miscues. Good and steady Goalie is really needed, elite is rare. Kuemper can be very good and might be the player the team really needed.

 

[Richard88]

Well, St. Louis will have, if nothing else, an elite top line IMO of Saad - O'Reilly - Buchnevich. It may not be on the same level as 92296 but it should be way, way better than what they had last year. If they can get more out of their D-corps, then they should bounce back fairly well. Are they legit contenders? I don't know, probably playoff-worthy at least, especially in this division, because I'm not buying the Chicago hype.

Saad-O'Reilly-Buchnevich is a good line, but elite? Nah.

Also how do you expect the Blues to get more out of their D corps after losing Dunn? Parayko's injury issues aren't going away either.

And to top it off Ville Husso is still their backup.

Solid team that should be in the race for the playoffs, but I don't see them making much noise.

 

[Pokecheque]

Saad-O'Reilly-Buchnevich is a good line, but elite? Nah.

Also how do you expect the Blues to get more out of their D corps after losing Dunn? Parayko's injury issues aren't going away either.

And to top it off Ville Husso is still their backup.

Solid team that should be in the race for the playoffs, but I don't see them making much noise.

Yes, I believe that top line has the potential to be elite. Whether that happens, I don't know. ROR is insanely consistent, it's the other two who might have trouble over an 82 game season. I kinda/sorta follow the Rangers, and Boosh is without a doubt a phenomenal two-way talent. But he doesn't always bring his A-game every night, which is why NY finally decided to move on. Saad, well, I've already said enough about him, but if those other two are on, he'll have an easy time feeding them the puck.

Also depends on what Kyrou and Thomas do in these intervening years. Kyrou just signed a bridge deal--he's got speed and talent to spare, but his defensive game and consistency scoring haven't quite shown up yet. Thomas needs to prove he can be the #2 guy, because even without the Landeskog beatdown, Schenn is very obviously a player in serious decline. No idea how much Perron has left in the tank either.

Dunn is not a huge loss. They tried like hell to get rid of him last season, he was gonzo one way or the other. I was actually quite impressed with Niko Mikkola in the four-game sweep, if he's a legit depth defender then STL will be fine.

But let me be clear, I would love NOTHING more than to see the Blooz circle the drain. There is the potential for bounceback, but a lot of things have to go right for them. There's also the potential for them to flounder and if that happens, no way does Berube survive the season.

 

[Richard88]

Yes, I believe that top line has the potential to be elite. Whether that happens, I don't know. ROR is insanely consistent, it's the other two who might have trouble over an 82 game season. I kinda/sorta follow the Rangers, and Boosh is without a doubt a phenomenal two-way talent. But he doesn't always bring his A-game every night, which is why NY finally decided to move on. Saad, well, I've already said enough about him, but if those other two are on, he'll have an easy time feeding them the puck.

Also depends on what Kyrou and Thomas do in these intervening years. Kyrou just signed a bridge deal--he's got speed and talent to spare, but his defensive game and consistency scoring haven't quite shown up yet. Thomas needs to prove he can be the #2 guy, because even without the Landeskog beatdown, Schenn is very obviously a player in serious decline. No idea how much Perron has left in the tank either.

Dunn is not a huge loss. They tried like hell to get rid of him last season, he was gonzo one way or the other. I was actually quite impressed with Niko Mikkola in the four-game sweep, if he's a legit depth defender then STL will be fine.

But let me be clear, I would love NOTHING more than to see the Blooz circle the drain. There is the potential for bounceback, but a lot of things have to go right for them. There's also the potential for them to flounder and if that happens, no way does Berube survive the season.

I just don't see goals when I look at that roster.

You've got a first line that's elite at two-way play but not necessarily elite at scoring. The 2nd line as you said is betting big on Kyrou and Thomas stepping up, because Schenn, Perron, and Tarasenko are declining.

Losing Dunn isn't massive, but their D group wasn't all that strong to begin with.

They'll be a solid team that'll cause problems at times but again I don't envisage that they'll make noise - of course barring huge breakout seasons for Kyrou and Thomas among others, a return to cup-winning form for Binnington, and close-to career years for a few others.

 

[Pokecheque]

I just don't see goals when I look at that roster.

You've got a first line that's elite at two-way play but not necessarily elite at scoring. The 2nd line as you said is betting big on Kyrou and Thomas stepping up, because Schenn, Perron, and Tarasenko are declining.

Losing Dunn isn't massive, but their D group wasn't all that strong to begin with.

They'll be a solid team that'll cause problems at times but again I don't envisage that they'll make noise - of course barring huge breakout seasons for Kyrou and Thomas among others, a return to cup-winning form for Binnington, and close-to career years for a few others.

I don't expect Tarasenko to even be there when the dust settles, so I don't count him.

I agree they don't look like an offensive powerhouse, but then again they didn't look like one when they won the Cup either.

 

[Richard88]

I don't expect Tarasenko to even be there when the dust settles, so I don't count him.

I agree they don't look like an offensive powerhouse, but then again they didn't look like one when they won the Cup either.

When they won the cup they had strong depth and a legit #1 D in Pietrangelo.

 

[NOTENOUGHJTCGOALS]

I just don't see goals when I look at that roster.

You've got a first line that's elite at two-way play but not necessarily elite at scoring. The 2nd line as you said is betting big on Kyrou and Thomas stepping up, because Schenn, Perron, and Tarasenko are declining.

Losing Dunn isn't massive, but their D group wasn't all that strong to begin with.

They'll be a solid team that'll cause problems at times but again I don't envisage that they'll make noise - of course barring huge breakout seasons for Kyrou and Thomas among others, a return to cup-winning form for Binnington, and close-to career years for a few others.

The Bloos aren't going to be a team that goes all the way but with a few bounces or a Binnington hot streak they could easily upset the Avs.

Aside from the top pairing and top line the bottom 9 forwards and bottom 4 defense aren't exactly a murderers row.

 

[Richard88]

The Bloos aren't going to be a team that goes all the way but with a few bounces or a Binnington hot streak they could easily upset the Avs.

Aside from the top pairing and top line the bottom 9 forwards and bottom 4 defense aren't exactly a murderers row.

Yeah, aside from the best line in the NHL and a the best Dman in the league, pretty even teams...

 

[NOTENOUGHJTCGOALS]

Yeah, aside from the best line in the NHL and a the best Dman in the league, pretty even teams...

Which as we've seen doesn't prevent you from getting upset. And definitely doesn't push you to the cup.

 

[RampoSanta]

Well, St. Louis will have, if nothing else, an elite top line IMO of Saad - O'Reilly - Buchnevich. It may not be on the same level as 92296 but it should be way, way better than what they had last year. If they can get more out of their D-corps, then they should bounce back fairly well. Are they legit contenders? I don't know, probably playoff-worthy at least, especially in this division, because I'm not buying the Chicago hype.

Sounds like a bunch of 2nd liners to me... albeit very good ones

 

[Richard88]

Sounds like a bunch of 2nd liners to me... albeit very good ones

Yep, a cup calibre team has guys like Saad and Buchnevich on their 2nd line not their 1st line.

 

[Sea Eagles]

Lucky we have two elite goal tenders , who will be playing behind:

Toews - Makar
Girard - Johnson
Byram - Murray

Being the best defense in the league.

Lock in the cup.

 

[The Pwnerer]

Our goalie tandem is going to be just fine. Any team that loses one or two of their goalies are in trouble, it's just plain luck.

I'm excited to see what a healthy Francouz can do. People have soured on him given his last playoffs and injury which is justified. Recency bias. Little did we forget how elite of a backup goalie he was behind Grubauer and many even wanting him to be our starter. We'll have a 1a/1b situation if things go right.

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

Which as we've seen doesn't prevent you from getting upset. And definitely doesn't push you to the cup.

When was this team upset?

I'm assuming you're not trolling here since you seem to be taking a pretty serious tone. People keep acting like the Avs loss to Vegas was a huge upset. It really wasn't. Do people forget they finished tied for 1st in the league in points with us at 82 points?


Vegas was and is just as strong of a team as us and losing to them was not some significant upset. They were a damn good team, simple as that. Any other year and that was the conference finals not the semi-finals as well.

 

[NOTENOUGHJTCGOALS]

When was this team upset?

I'm assuming you're not trolling here since you seem to be taking a pretty serious tone. People keep acting like the Avs loss to Vegas was a huge upset. It really wasn't. Do people forget they finished tied for 1st in the league in points with us at 82 points?


Vegas was and is just as strong of a team as us and losing to them was not some significant upset. They were a damn good team, simple as that. Any other year and that was the conference finals not the semi-finals as well.

This team wasn't upset.

But a one elite line and one good defensive pairing team not only got upset this post season they got swept.

And no the Oilers aren't in the same tier as the Avs. The Avs are much better. But my point is a team with not much past its top players isn't primed to win 4 rounds.

Sure the Avs most likely beat the Blues or Dallas but winning the cup is another story. With the bottom 9 forwards and bottom 3 D I don't see it happening unless your goalie flat out steals multiple games.

The roster isn't done yet. I think Sakic still makes one big move either this offseason or mid season. A legit top 6 forward or top 4 defender who isn't a bandaid makes the roster look very strong in a hurry.

And Sakic has the futures and cap space to do exactly that. One aggressive move would be all it takes. But if they add a replacement level 7th D and a healthy scratch 4th liner again I don't like their chances.

 

[Sea Eagles]

This team wasn't upset.

But a one elite line and one good defensive pairing team not only got upset this post season they got swept.

And no the Oilers aren't in the same tier as the Avs. The Avs are much better. But my point is a team with not much past its top players isn't primed to win 4 rounds.

Sure the Avs most likely beat the Blues or Dallas but winning the cup is another story. With the bottom 9 forwards and bottom 3 D I don't see it happening unless your goalie flat out steals multiple games.

The roster isn't done yet. I think Sakic still makes one big move either this offseason or mid season. A legit top 6 forward or top 4 defender who isn't a bandaid makes the roster look very strong in a hurry.

And Sakic has the futures and cap space to do exactly that. One aggressive move would be all it takes. But if they add a replacement level 7th D and a healthy scratch 4th liner again I don't like their chances.

Bottom 3 D-men? You mean Johnson, Byram and Murray (most clubs would DIE for that talent) - assuming Toews, Makar and Girard are the top 3. Full strength, we have the best defense in the NHL.

Bottom 9 forwards? Possibly one of the most exciting prospects in Newhook in the game. Kadri (proven winner) & Burakovsky (cup winner). Guys like Helm who have also won a cup. Look at our potential last line of Maltzev, Helm and Compher. Know how many teams would salivate for that?

Agree about one more signing at forward, but we are pretty loaded.

 

[frog]

Goalie just must be willing to eat chickpea salad