GDT: Game 37: Avs @ Sharks | December 28th, 8:30PM MT/5:30AM Finnish | Sergio, Dear Sergio

[henchman21]

We don't need Rundblad badly enough to claim him. Maybe if we had more injuries back there, but Gormley and Redmond are playing well enough. We're not making the playoffs this year, so that's not a concern, and by next year Bigras and Zadorov will almost certainly be ready to play in the NHL, and we'd be stuck with his contract.

4 points back with over half the season to go... I don't see how you can be certain there.

 

[Alex Jones]

MAB was one of the top pp guys in the league for a long time. He just didnt understand how defense worked.

 

[dahrougem2]

MAB was one of the top pp guys in the league for a long time. He just didnt understand how defense worked.

Unless he was throwing a massive hip check at Brendan Morrow lol

 

[McMetal]

4 points back with over half the season to go... I don't see how you can be certain there.

We may be winning more than we lose right now, but we still have a lot of deep, systemic flaws, especially on defense. I don't see us maintaining this level of play for long enough to pass Nashville. Some nights we win based on our raw talent alone, other times we lose based on our bad systems. We're not playing up to our potential, and I think when it comes down to it Nashville uses their talent better than we do, and that will be the difference in March.

 

[JoemAvs]

4 points back with over half the season to go... I don't see how you can be certain there.

Preds also have a game in hand. So do the Flames and Sharks and even the Jets could tie us if they win those games in hand.

I absolutely agree with McMetal.

The Avs making the playoffs would be a varlicious miracle. Do you really believe we can outperform all of NSH (by 5 points) , SJS, CGY and WPG?

I would absolutely bet against that.

And to be honest with you, we absolutely should not make the playoffs. Not after how we have performed so far this season.
I am already dreading that they will buy at the deadline which will be a terrible idea given our cap situation in the offseason and our need for more cheap depth down the road.

The only reason we are somewhat close now is Varly going into godmode for a couple of weeks.
Maybe he can keep it up 2013/14 style and get us into the playoffs. But I fear that the after effects would be as disastrous as they were back then.

The Avs are simply not a good team. I don't want management to fall into that (Varly) trap again and think this team is better than it is.

That is not healthy longterm. Huge reason why we are where we are right now despite nailing many of our top draft picks over the last couple of years.

We can't afford another misevaluation and try to rush this once again. We already did that about 3 times during our rebuild (which many times is the cardinal sin that ultimately leads to a failed rebuild).

 

[S E P H]

Preds also have a game in hand. So do the Flames and Sharks and even the Jets could tie us if they win those games in hand.

I absolutely agree with McMetal.

The Avs making the playoffs would be a varlicious miracle. Do you really believe we can outperform all of NSH (by 5 points) , SJS, CGY and WPG?

I would absolutely bet against that.

And to be honest with you, we absolutely should not make the playoffs. Not after how we have performed so far this season.
I am already dreading that they will buy at the deadline which will be a terrible idea given our cap situation in the offseason and our need for more cheap depth down the road.

The only reason we are somewhat close now is Varly going into godmode for a couple of weeks.
Maybe he can keep it up 2013/14 style and get us into the playoffs. But I fear that the after effects would be as disastrous as they were back then.

The Avs are simply not a good team. I don't want management to fall into that (Varly) trap again and think this team is better than it is.

That is not healthy longterm. Huge reason why we are where we are right now despite nailing many of our top draft picks over the last couple of years.

We can't afford another misevaluation and try to rush this once again. We already did that about 3 times during our rebuild (which many times is the cardinal sin that ultimately leads to a failed rebuild).

Yikes, whenever I have to read your posts, its always doom and gloom with you. Don't you ever have anything positive to say? Now I am not saying we will make the playoffs, but if we do, I wouldn't consider it a miracle. You have half of a season left and Avs have played very well against Western opponents, especially the Central. Of course we won't win every game against the Central, but Avs have played decent hockey for December to put them right back into the playoff picture. We all here thought they were a bubble team, with some thinking they can make and other saying they are just on the outside. Right now they are what we all thought they are.

 

[dahrougem2]

Preds also have a game in hand. So do the Flames and Sharks and even the Jets could tie us if they win those games in hand.

I absolutely agree with McMetal.

The Avs making the playoffs would be a varlicious miracle. Do you really believe we can outperform all of NSH (by 5 points) , SJS, CGY and WPG?

I would absolutely bet against that.

And to be honest with you, we absolutely should not make the playoffs. Not after how we have performed so far this season.
I am already dreading that they will buy at the deadline which will be a terrible idea given our cap situation in the offseason and our need for more cheap depth down the road.

The only reason we are somewhat close now is Varly going into godmode for a couple of weeks.
Maybe he can keep it up 2013/14 style and get us into the playoffs. But I fear that the after effects would be as disastrous as they were back then.

The Avs are simply not a good team. I don't want management to fall into that (Varly) trap again and think this team is better than it is.

That is not healthy longterm. Huge reason why we are where we are right now despite nailing many of our top draft picks over the last couple of years.

We can't afford another misevaluation and try to rush this once again. We already did that about 3 times during our rebuild (which many times is the cardinal sin that ultimately leads to a failed rebuild).

Boy oh boy you're all kinds of negative, aren't you? I'll admit I had this team pegged for a bottom-5 finish a month ago, but over the last ~month and change they've been playing much better hockey.

This team isn't solely relying on the goaltender to win hockey games. Varlamov has played well but this team has also turned a corner.

Also, Calgary isn't a good team. You want to talk about us needing a Varlicious miracle? The Flames need Kari Ramo to continue playing lights out in order to win games. That isn't going to happen.

Nashville can't score goals to save their life, and Rinne is not what he once was.

The Jets are struggling in a major way this season. The Sharks are not what they once were. We're 4 points out of a playoff spot and have played the Central division very well this season. We won't need a miracle to make the playoffs. Just need to continue playing good hockey

 

[henchman21]

We may be winning more than we lose right now, but we still have a lot of deep, systemic flaws, especially on defense. I don't see us maintaining this level of play for long enough to pass Nashville. Some nights we win based on our raw talent alone, other times we lose based on our bad systems. We're not playing up to our potential, and I think when it comes down to it Nashville uses their talent better than we do, and that will be the difference in March.

Nashville isn't a good team and will fall off.

All the teams in the west except the top 4 in the Central and Kings have major flaws and it is a grab bag between them. If the Avs can play like they have over the past ~20-25 games... they will make the playoffs.

Preds also have a game in hand. So do the Flames and Sharks and even the Jets could tie us if they win those games in hand.

I absolutely agree with McMetal.

The Avs making the playoffs would be a varlicious miracle. Do you really believe we can outperform all of NSH (by 5 points) , SJS, CGY and WPG?

I would absolutely bet against that.

And to be honest with you, we absolutely should not make the playoffs. Not after how we have performed so far this season.
I am already dreading that they will buy at the deadline which will be a terrible idea given our cap situation in the offseason and our need for more cheap depth down the road.

The only reason we are somewhat close now is Varly going into godmode for a couple of weeks.
Maybe he can keep it up 2013/14 style and get us into the playoffs. But I fear that the after effects would be as disastrous as they were back then.

The Avs are simply not a good team. I don't want management to fall into that (Varly) trap again and think this team is better than it is.

That is not healthy longterm. Huge reason why we are where we are right now despite nailing many of our top draft picks over the last couple of years.

We can't afford another misevaluation and try to rush this once again. We already did that about 3 times during our rebuild (which many times is the cardinal sin that ultimately leads to a failed rebuild).

The two teams to really worry about are the Flames and San Jose. Nashville is falling off and with Rinne being what he is now, they can't ride him anymore. Winnipeg is a flawed team that will be around .500 in the end. If the Flames get solid goaltending, they are a complete team... big if though. San Jose will fight to the end and be around the 90-94 point range.

You get past the top ~5 teams in the West... none of the teams are 'good' teams. They all have major flaws that will show up as the season progresses.

Cheering against your team making the playoffs... that just doesn't make sense to me at all.

 

[McMetal]

Cheering against your team making the playoffs... that just doesn't make sense to me at all.

That's not exactly what I'm doing, although I am thinking that we'd be better off just focusing on the long term this season instead of trying to push for something we're clearly not ready for. Playoffs would be nice, but we're a lot less playoff ready this year than we were last time we made it in. I'm just trying to stay realistic, next season (hopefully with a coaching change) we should be ready to make a real push for the playoffs with a prayer of winning something with a stronger blueline and another good year of drafting on our side.

 

[JoemAvs]

Nah I am not always doom and gloom.

Just when I am not convinced of my teams. Same goes for the Mavericks for the last couple of years since Cuban decided to blow up a championship roster. The Mavs are a mediocre team that rely on great coaching and a 37 year old former superstar on their last legs. Their ceiling is first round (maybe second round with this years weak West) exit and they have no future at all.
Yet there are many posters on the Mavs board that I post that thought they are a contender after a surprisingly strong start.




I even foolishly bought into the Eagles preseason hype for whatever reason. But it was obvious pretty quickly that they were going nowhere.



To be honest the Avs have not given many reasons over the last years to be convinced of them.

Certainly not this year.


I could bring up the statistics about teams out of the playoffs making it after being out by more than 5 points on Thanksgiving but I will hold off on that.

Just stating that it is not all that likely that you recover from a start like the Avs had.
Even with Varly playing great.


And yes of course we have been playing better lately. But still IMO not close to good enough to make it in this division. Just read the Sharks GDT from last night to see what they think of the Avs.

The main reason for that "turnaround" is goaltending, improved confidence because of good goaltending and that we are finally getting bounces we didn't before.


I never really realistically pegged this team as a top5 pick team the same way I can not envision this team making the playoffs.



Yes all of those teams have issues themselves no question about it.
But as I said I would bet against the Avs being the one team that will overcome those issues.

My money is on Nashville and Rinne bouncing back a bit.


I am not cheering against them hench. I just believe that the Avs are not good enough to make the playoffs and that their performance so far does not even warrant it. I am just saying that I fear that another playoff "fluke" would do more harm than good because the only way I see us making it would be on the back of an unsustainable goaltending performance.

If they start to outplay teams for the rest of the season and prove me wrong that most of it is on the goaltending, I will very happily take that.

 

[Alex Jones]

Unless he was throwing a massive hip check at Brendan Morrow lol

He always tried to be physical. He wasnt a pansy like Elliot, he literally didnt understand how to play d.

 

[tigervixxxen]

Unless the Avs completely fall off a cliff in the second half, I'd take a coaching change off the table. For as much as people have roasted Roy for the troubles early on he has managed to get a lot out of this secondary cast, who I still believe is thin on talent. One could say it was all a hot Varly but it was also guys like Wagner, Martinsen, etc scoring key goals. This team has scored the second most goals in the west with 3 top 6 players and two third lines. I agree this is still a bubble team but that's what we were expecting anyway.

I know the Thanksgiving stat but it takes a 8-2 run to counteract it. That's exactly what this team has done. It's not something anyone can count on but it's happened and it greatly reduces the hole. We haven't accomplished anything by any means but it makes a difference where they are standing.

 

[The Kingslayer]

At least MAB had an insane clapper from the point. For such a small guy that thing was deadly

I was there the night he destroyed Brendan Morrow. Amazing.

 

[McMetal]

Unless the Avs completely fall off a cliff in the second half, I'd take a coaching change off the table. For as much as people have roasted Roy for the troubles early on he has managed to get a lot out of this secondary cast, who I still believe is thin on talent. One could say it was all a hot Varly but it was also guys like Wagner, Martinsen, etc scoring key goals. This team has scored the second most goals in the west with 3 top 6 players and two third lines. I agree this is still a bubble team but that's what we were expecting anyway.

I know the Thanksgiving stat but it takes a 8-2 run to counteract it. That's exactly what this team has done. It's not something anyone can count on but it's happened and it greatly reduces the hole. We haven't accomplished anything by any means but it makes a difference where they are standing.

I'd settle for an assistant coach at this point, since we HAVE been performing better, but I still believe we are vastly underperforming based on our enviable level of talent. We could and should be doing a lot better. Something has to change and I don't think it's the players.

 

[Gigantor The Goalie]

I was watching the game when MAB killed Roloson

 

[henchman21]

Id say a coaching change was never on the table. People like to blast Roy, but considering the roster and the mental fragility of the team... I'd say he has done a good job overall. He isn't perfect, but the adjustments he has made through the season has this team in contention for a playoff spot.

 

[henchman21]

I'd settle for an assistant coach at this point, since we HAVE been performing better, but I still believe we are vastly underperforming based on our enviable level of talent. We could and should be doing a lot better. Something has to change and I don't think it's the players.

Any team with Holden in the top 4 and Martinsen in the top 6 doesn't have a great amount of talented depth. The Avs have 4 legit top 6 players and 3 top 4 D. Not exactly an enviable roster.

 

[PAZ]

Any team with Holden in the top 4 and Martinsen in the top 6 doesn't have a great amount of talented depth. The Avs have 4 legit top 6 players and 3 top 4 D. Not exactly an enviable roster.

Holden has been playing closer to a low-end #4 than a #5-6 this year. Martinsen is only there because of Roy's man crush, we have plenty of players like Grigs who would fit better in the top 6.

 

[UncleRisto]

Holden has been playing closer to a low-end #4 than a #5-6 this year.

Well he shouldn't have to.

 

[the_fan]

4 points back with over half the season to go... I don't see how you can be certain there.

If it was another division i'd say Avs have a chance, but the central division is just too tough even with half the season to go, Avs chances are very slim seeing how all the central teams seem to win every single day.

NHL has done a stupid job yet again putting all the top teams in one division instead of perhaps spreading the teams and making it more even. Pacific division is too weak, central is too strong, how do you explain that NHL?

 

[henchman21]

Holden has been playing closer to a low-end #4 than a #5-6 this year. Martinsen is only there because of Roy's man crush, we have plenty of players like Grigs who would fit better in the top 6.

Holden playing as well as he is, shows the coaching. Holden isn't a top 4 defensemen and never will be. I have less of an issue with Holden than most around here, but I'm not going to pretend he is something he isn't.

Grigs isn't a top 6 player either. The Avs have 4 legit top 6 players in Duchene, MacK, Landy, and Soderberg. Iggy is a tweener (at best) at this point. Tangs is done. Grigs has talent, but is still a work in progress. Comeau is a good 3rd liner. Marty is a big body that hits.

There just isn't an abundance of top 6 (top 9 even)/top 4 talent on this team. The depth is coming, but it is very much a work in progress. When Rantanen, Compher, Bleackley, Bigras, and Zadorov start making impacts on the team... then we might have some depth depending how the next couple offseasons go.

If it was another division i'd say Avs have a chance, but the central division is just too tough even with half the season to go, Avs chances are very slim seeing how all the central teams seem to win every single day.

NHL has done a stupid job yet again putting all the top teams in one division instead of perhaps spreading the teams and making it more even. Pacific division is too weak, central is too strong, how do you explain that NHL?

The Central is probably the toughest division, but how tough it really is, is getting overrated on here. The Avs have played the Central very well so far... in fact they have the best record within the division at 7-2-0.

IMO Nashville, Winnipeg, and Colorado are similar levels of teams... Colorado is probably the most complete team. Winnipeg has the most depth.

 

[Avs_19]

Ouch. Still came back and finished the game though.

 

[tigervixxxen]

Can't believe that didn't break his cheekbone

 

[21]

Ouch. Still came back and finished the game though.

Good, a captain doesn't quit he is leading by example

 

[dahrougem2]

Lol that's gonna get him even more lady love