GDT: Game 39: Avs vs Hawks | 7 PM MT | December 29, 2018

[forsbergavs32]

I’m still trying to figure Mack out, the last 2 weeks he’s been making tons of boneheaded plays and good for 5-6 turnovers a game. I thinking it’s a confidence issue right now but hopefully he figures it out and goes back to Oct-November Mack.

 

[Balthazar]

I legitimately cannot get over how poorly they've handled Jost's development. It's like they took every single lesson they learned from Miko and decided to go in the opposite direction with Jost for...uh...****s and giggles?

If you remember correctly they literally sacrificed Jost's future to please the fanbase after the 48 pts season. Sakic promised during that summer that Jost would be part of the team "next season" as one of the #youngerfaster face. Jost never had to prove that he could hang in the nhl before getting the job.

 

[CobraAcesS]

If you remember correctly they literally sacrificed Jost's future to please the fanbase after the 48 pts season. Sakic promised during that summer that Jost would be part of the team "next season" as one of the #youngerfaster face. Jost never had to prove that he could hang in the nhl before getting the job.

Yes but he had ROR's work ethic so it would all be ok in the end.

 

[avsfan09]

It's called overly protective asset management. If Jost could do it then they wouldn't have to pay any kind of price for that player. Believe what you want about ROR ever playing here again and take a step back. What if we had paid that price to bring him in?

Fine.. Sakic made a bet and he lost. Admit it and don't make us as fans suffer for it, and the players suffer for it while you sit back and think another month and a half is going to answer the question as to if you should pay to add to this team or not.

I feel like it is complete bull **** that we sit here on the ****ing line of mediocrity.

Let's give it time before we judge the outcome. We really have no clue what the prices would have been for the right fit.

 

[The Mars Volchenkov]

I think EJ was good tonight personally, but other than that I agree. I really liked EJ stepping up, pushing the play, and being physical. I think tonight was an example of him sacrificing the body in ways he has not for most of this year. It wasn't mistake free, but it was much more indicative of his fearless type of game that makes him a force on a lot of nights, and a leader on this team.

Honestly I don't think EJ has ever played a mistake free game when hes been at his best. Some of his best games have come when hes pushing hard sacrificing both offensively and physically.

EJ only rushed up in the second period a few times. The rest of the game he was stuck in mud and slow like he has been most of the year.

 

[the_fan]

The way they've been losing the last few games, is more of individual errors than a team thing. Two games in a row goalies gave up a stupid soft goal which lost them the games, today Landeskog takes a stupid penalty which costs them the game. They still need help up front big time though

 

[Balthazar]

Literally every other team's gameplan: Shutdown the AVS first line, win the game. That's what they have been doing successfully for the last 10 games.

Even if we make the playoffs, I certainly don't imagine us winning a round with that team. We're the most "one trick pony" team in the league and it's not close at all.

 

[Grigowski]

2 Homegames against Chicago: Outcome: 1 f***in point. That´s not enough for making the playoffs. Simple as that.

Something needs to happen.

 

[PAZ]

If we do make a trade, we're only going to be trading for 1 player - most likely a player like Kevin Hayes. Mark Stone is a pipedream considering Dorion's past moves and Melnyk being vindictive.

Does a player like Kevin Hayes move the needle this season? We're literally a one-line team plus Soda and Compher with Wilson and Kam injured. I know Wilson is our whipping boy, but he brought more to this team than most people believe with his size and forecheck, and he's gone after this season. Our depth consists of a bunch of one-dimensional players ('Ghetto, Kerfoot, Jost) or energy plugs (Calvert, Nieto, Dries, Gourque).

I don't even think getting Stone would be an instant fix for this team. I really hope Sakic doesn't do something rash, this off-season is when the moves should be made unless he can get a decent price at the TDL which will help moving forward. However, he shouldn't be paying deadline prices just to squeak into the playoffs and get bounced.

 

[CobraAcesS]

EJ only rushed up in the second period a few times. The rest of the game he was stuck in mud and slow like he has been most of the year.

Dude your fly byes lately around here have been hot take level hyperbole that make me wonder if you're actually watching the games or spending more time on twitter blasting hot takes. Are you f***ing kidding me?

You usually have a level head despite some obvious fan frustration, and some strait shooting analysis but lately you've just been dropping bombs based on whatever emotions you've got going on at the time.

 

[Hasbro]

If Sakic watches this team swirl the toilet this season and does nothing I'll never forgive him as a GM. He took a calculated risk going into this season, and it's been obvious from day one even when they were winning that it was a mistake.

I don't want to win a round or two in the playoffs. I want a dynasty.

 

[AvsCOL]

A few years into his career, and I still can't figure out why MacKinnon won't drive the net... He looks like he's about to blow by the defender, and he hits the brakes, and the rest of his team mates are at centre ice. If he'd try to beat them, he'd at least be drawing a ton of penalties.

 

[Nihiliste]

The way we’ve played the past few weeks, it’s looking like we’ll have two pretty good picks at the next draft. Which is a shame since I’d much rather see a winning team.

We’re pretty incomplete though, both the D and the secondary scoring need some serious work. Hopefully Sakic has some ideas beyond sitting on his hands and praying for his scouts to make picks that can make an impact in their D+1 or D+2 seasons.

 

[klozge]

Avs looked like they cared for more than just 20 minutes. I enjoyed that.

 

[Goulet17]

Graves credited with 3 hits, 5 blocks, and one takeaway (no giveaways) in 10:32 of ice time.

The ice time overall was interesting. Girard only received 13:32 of TOI, compared with Nemeth, who had nearly twenty minutes.

Nieto played nearly 18 minutes at forward, nearly three more minutes than Soderberg, and the fifth highest total among the forwards.

The Nieto, Nemeth, and Girard ice time totals are interesting to me considering that the Avs were playing from behind for a chunk of the game and I would think those times would be reversed under those circumstances.

 

[Foppberg]

I don't want to win a round or two in the playoffs. I want a dynasty.

As does every team in the league.

 

[klozge]

Graves credited with 3 hits, 5 blocks, and one takeaway (no giveaways) in 10:32 of ice time.

The ice time overall was interesting. Girard only received 13:32 of TOI, compared with Nemeth, who had nearly twenty minutes.

Nieto played nearly 18 minutes at forward, nearly three more minutes than Soderberg, and the fifth highest total among the forwards.

The Nieto, Nemeth, and Girard ice time totals are interesting to me considering that the Avs were playing from behind for a chunk of the game and I would think those times would be reversed under those circumstances.

Girard had a tough game last night. It was the right decision to protect him a bit imo.

 

[Freudian]

While Avs have been extremely streaky this season, it's hard to argue that they aren't right about where they should be at this point. They were a borderline playoff team when they started the season and they are one right now.

You don't build a team in-season so anyone expecting Sakic to do something major will most likely be disappointed.

 

[AvsCOL]

When Nemeth is playing 22 mins a night, you're going to have a bad time. Also, I've said it a million times, but Gabe Bourque is a total waste of a roster spot. He contributes absolutely nothing that I can see. Why not try Greer in a PK role? At least there's a bit of offensive upside there.

 

[Hasbro]

As does every team in the league.

So why piss away an advantage over the rest of the league with short term moves.

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

Literally every other team's gameplan: Shutdown the AVS first line, win the game. That's what they have been doing successfully for the last 10 games.

Even if we make the playoffs, I certainly don't imagine us winning a round with that team. We're the most "one trick pony" team in the league and it's not close at all.

McDavid and the Oilers easily make that statement false

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

So why piss away an advantage over the rest of the league with short term moves.

What advantage? A couple prospects that might help us in 5 years when our window is closed?

 

[Goulet17]

While Avs have been extremely streaky this season, it's hard to argue that they aren't right about where they should be at this point. They were a borderline playoff team when they started the season and they are one right now.

You don't build a team in-season so anyone expecting Sakic to do something major will most likely be disappointed.

Sitting at third in the division by the end of the year, one point behind second place Nashville and only five points behind Winnipeg for first.

Nashville has lost six consecutive games and Winnipeg may have lost Byfuglien for a minimum of two weeks.

Dallas has had mixed results and their CEO just bashed his two franchise players in a public, controversial way

Minnesota also has been mixed and has lost Dumba for a large part of the remainder of the season.

Chicago has struggled and has fired coach Q and St. Louis has also struggled and fired coach Yeo. St. Louis is also rumored to possibly be looking to shop high profile players like Pietrangelo.

If most had known those facts entering into the season, I think the majority gladly would have taken it. It is the last stretch of game that has people worried and wondering if the bottom has yet to arrive.

 

[Foppberg]

So why piss away an advantage over the rest of the league with short term moves.

? What advantage?

 

[The Mars Volchenkov]

Dude your fly byes lately around here have been hot take level hyperbole that make me wonder if you're actually watching the games or spending more time on twitter blasting hot takes. Are you ****ing kidding me?

You usually have a level head despite some obvious fan frustration, and some strait shooting analysis but lately you've just been dropping bombs based on whatever emotions you've got going on at the time.

So I saw something different than you so that means I didn’t watch? Get out of here with that BS.

The Avs got hammered with EJ on the ice last night for a reason. He makes dumb decisions and is slow right now. At one point in the second, he was the only fresh skater on the ice, and instead of moving his feet, just whipped it up the boards, giving it back to the Hawks, letting them change all five guys and allowing them to get two more shots. He’s skating like he’s stuck in mud 90% of the time. He got beat to the puck in the first in a race, and instead of being smart and playing positionally, tried to go for a big hit, completely whiffed, and gave the Hawks player a bunch of time and space. It’s little things like this that are adding up to why the Avs got smoked with him out there.