GDT: Game 3: COL @ LA - Going Back to Cali 10PM ET/8 PM MT

[henchman21]

It becomes a problem when your 3C is playing only 8 minutes like yesterday.

Less of a problem if MacK and Kadri swap in a few minutes there. The 3C is a major issue for this team though.

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

Ya Comphers ice time last night really is telling I think.


He had 8 minutes of 5 on 5 ice, nobody else on the forward group was below 10 minutes. Nuke was the next lowest at about 10:30.


The writing may be on the wall here. Wouldn't be surprised to see Joe make another similar type of deal as the Cole one in the next few days involving Compher. Where we get a depth player back but free up considerable cap space in the deal as well which can be used towards adding a real 3C at some point later on in the season.


Would create an opportunity for Sherwood or Kaut to get some game time as well. And give Jost one more run at the 3C spot, I think he has played well enough so far this year to earn one last shot at that role to be fair.

 

[Perratrooper]

Taking the conversation away from the defense; has anyone else noticed that Kadri appears to be really fighting the puck this year as well as having an issue gelling with the line mates he’s playing with. Obviously early to push the panic button, but just something I thought I’d highlight.

 

[Balthazar]

Taking the conversation away from the defense; has anyone else noticed that Kadri appears to be really fighting the puck this year as well as having an issue gelling with the line mates he’s playing with. Obviously early to push the panic button, but just something I thought I’d highlight.

He played like absolute garbage yesterday.

It's one thing to have a bad night but another one when you look as disengaged and uninterested as he was.

Landy wasn't as bad but he looked like that, too.

 

[Richard88]

Ya Comphers ice time last night really is telling I think.


He had 8 minutes of 5 on 5 ice, nobody else on the forward group was below 10 minutes. Nuke was the next lowest at about 10:30.


The writing may be on the wall here. Wouldn't be surprised to see Joe make another similar type of deal as the Cole one in the next few days involving Compher. Where we get a depth player back but free up considerable cap space in the deal as well which can be used towards adding a real 3C at some point later on in the season.


Would create an opportunity for Sherwood or Kaut to get some game time as well. And give Jost one more run at the 3C spot, I think he has played well enough so far this year to earn one last shot at that role to be fair.

I agree. 8 minutes of 5v5 is pretty apparently because Bednar is aware of the 3C issue. Especially seeing as a competent 3C should be able to be trusted in the last 5-10 minutes of a close game.

It could also be Donskoi who gets moved in a Cole-like trade to open up capspace for a 3C, with Compher shifting to the wing. Not sure which one I prefer at this stage, but I'd probably pick to move Donskoi.

 

[Richard88]

He played like absolute garbage yesterday.

It's one thing to have a bad night but another one when you look as disengaged and uninterested as he was.

Landy wasn't as bad but he looked like that, too.

Bednar mentioned (in that interview on Altitude that tigervixxxen posted) that he liked what he had seen from the Kadri line in the last two games. That really surprised me, because to my eye they've been really bad all three games so far.

 

[Pokecheque]

Kadri looks lost right now but Bednar rarely calls out players individually. He expressed dissatisfaction with Nuke in that first game in response to a question, but quickly said he didn't want to single him out, and that half the team simply didn't show up. So it doesn't surprise me that me might not be completely honest with his public assessments of players.

He didn't have the quickest start last season either, so I'm not terribly worried as of yet. Hopefully he gets up to speed soon, as he was fantastic for the Avs in the playoffs.

 

[AvsCOL]

Anyone watching when Rycroft called Compher “one of the best defensive forwards in the league.”

Almost spit my drink out. No wonder people laugh at how biased our broadcasts are.

 

[LostInMosEisley]

They didn't have the usual 5-6 game pre-season to get tuned up, and it was a shortened training camp. We should probably be expecting most players will take a little longer to get into form. If the Avs lose a lot of games in the first 10 games or so that's one thing, but as long as they have a decent record I'm not going to be too concerned if all the players aren't in peak form the first 10 games or so.

 

[Mr Zappalanche]

Kadri looks lost right now but Bednar rarely calls out players individually. He expressed dissatisfaction with Nuke in that first game in response to a question, but quickly said he didn't want to single him out, and that half the team simply didn't show up. So it doesn't surprise me that me might not be completely honest with his public assessments of players.

He didn't have the quickest start last season either, so I'm not terribly worried as of yet. Hopefully he gets up to speed soon, as he was fantastic for the Avs in the playoffs.

Yeah, Nuke was putrid in game 1 but much better after that. Still waiting for Kadri.

 

[arun]

Man those away unis are so beer league-esque. We had a rec team with awesome jerseys, with black pants and gloves.
when some new guy joined the team, he’d wear our jersey and socks but with some blue or red pants, because yes i understand you dont get new matching gear for rec league.

But this is the nhl. At least add blue details to the jersey or go burgundy for pants and gloves.

barf.

 

[Northern Avs Fan]

Yeah, Compher could be on outs with a declining role.

I will say though, the only guys who played a lot last night were Toews-Makar and the top line. There were a lot of guys who didn’t see much ice.

 

[Islay1989]

You have to remember there was no preseason, no time to get up to speed and the ice in LA was horrid.

 

[The Abusement Park]

You have to remember there was no preseason, no time to get up to speed and the ice in LA was horrid.

What about last year?

Assuming you're talking about Compher.

 

[Islay1989]

What about last year?

Assuming you're talking about Compher.

No Kadri, I quoted the post but for some reason it doesn't show. When I edit it it's there when I hit reply it is gone.

 

[The Abusement Park]

No Kadri, I quozed the post but for some reason it doesn't show. When I edit it it's there when I hit reply it is gone.

Weird... well nvm then lol.

 

[Pokecheque]

BTW, Vilardi didn't really impress me. The only time I noticed him was when he literally tackled Makar--should've been called, but then the refs penalized the Kings seconds later for something rather innocuous, so I guess it worked out.

The Kings look like a bad team that is very well coached. LA did a good job of getting sticks in lanes, covering Avs players, and clearing the 18,000 bad rebounds Cal Petersen served up. I still think if the Avs had been on it, they'd have absolutely destroyed that guy, but whatever.

Very clear to me that Doughty and Kopitar are shells of their former selves, but still good players. It's a shame Kopitar is signed to such a ridiculously huge deal, because, hey Avalanche, there's your third line center right there.

 

[tigervixxxen]

I thought Vilardi played well, he had a shift in the third when they couldn’t take the puck off of him. Nothing super flashy tho no but he’s gonna be an effective player for them.

I’m not worried about Kadri and Saad, I’m sure they’ll shake some rust off and get better but they’ve been a mix bag so far. I think adding Nuke to that line helped, he gave them a little stability.

 

[Frobbo]

I thought Vilardi played well, he had a shift in the third when they couldn’t take the puck off of him. Nothing super flashy tho no but he’s gonna be an effective player for them.

I’m not worried about Kadri and Saad, I’m sure they’ll shake some rust off and get better but they’ve been a mix bag so far. I think adding Nuke to that line helped, he gave them a little stability.

I noticed Vilardi in the game too. He looked strong on the puck.

I thought Kadri had Saad in front for a pass once when he was down low on the right and decided to stickhandle his way into a crowd behind the net. The play didn't look right because he had time and seemingly saw Saad in front.

They need to try Jost in Comphers spot.

 

[henchman21]

Vilardi is gonna end up on wing and be a guy you don't really think about much but ends up with 55-60 points a season and has great puck possession stats. That is if his back holds up.

 

[SoundwaveIsCharisma]

I noticed Vilardi in the game too. He looked strong on the puck.

I thought Kadri had Saad in front for a pass once when he was down low on the right and decided to stickhandle his way into a crowd behind the net. The play didn't look right because he had time and seemingly saw Saad in front.

They need to try Jost in Comphers spot.

I think I remember the play your are talking about. Saad had position on his guy in front, Kadri had an easy pass, circled to the end boards, and forced a weird short side shot on net.

 

[Pokecheque]

FTR the reffing crew last night was HORRIBLE. They gave the Avs two power plays on really soft calls (even the Altitude crew thought at least one of them was really bad) and they inexplicably messed up that icing call when EJ was indeed ahead of the Kings player.

 

[Pokecheque]

I think I remember the play your are talking about. Saad had position on his guy in front, Kadri had an easy pass, circled to the end boards, and forced a weird short side shot on net.

Yeah, I saw that too. Unfortunately that happens with Kadri--he is not going to wow anyone with his vision and hockey sense. He is what he is, a very talented and scrappy scoring line center who has serious flaws in his game. I'd really like for him to get his shooting on track. He flubbed a fantastic feed across the slot from Nuke last night, and donked an empty-netter off the side. Come on, dude...