GDT: Game 4: COL @ LA **Hollywood Nights** 10PM ET / 8PM MT

[the_fan]

I'm so excited to watch that fanbase when McDavid is wearing a different sweater.

Avs sweater?

Sakic can always upgrade Kadri with McDavid

 

[Northern Avs Fan]

I’d really like to see the Avs give Kaut, Bowers, and LOC some time in the bottom-6. If it mean healthy scratching guys like PEB/Donskoi, or moving them to the taxi squad, so be it.

Bednar is always raving about Bowers, why not get him into some games?

Nobody in that bottom-6 should be feeling safe, aside from Calvert.

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

I’m worried about our centers outside Mack. Is Kadri-Compher-Bellemare good enough to win the cup?

Do you guys think Landeskog could be moved to center? He can play defense and take draws.

I'd say Compher is the problem there

 

[the_fan]

Sakic won't be trading for a new 3rd line C until they see what they have in Bowers. For now Compher is that guy

 

[Metallo]

I'd say Compher is the problem there

Hence my idea of moving Landy to 2C, Kadri to 3C and Compher to 4RW.

Calvert-Mack-Mikko
Saad-Landy-Bura
Nuke-Kadri-Don
Jost-Belly-Compher
(LOC and Kaut are really close to overcoming guys on the 4th line)

If this internal solution does not work I think we need a trade for a 3C.

 

[Northern Avs Fan]

Im upset at the crappy loss but still giggling remembering when Graves launched a missle of an icing when there was 2 la kings players down behind the net and he had time and space haha

I hope someone has a clip of this. It was glorious.

 

[Cousin Eddie]

Bednar played Jost and Compher together almost the entire night and Compher played centre the entire time

Id like to get Sherwood or Kaut in tonight and go with 6 D. Devon Toews or Sam Girard should never play less than 20 minutes in a hockey game yet they both did last night because of that mess.

 

[Metallo]

Sakic won't be trading for a new 3rd line C until they see what they have in Bowers. For now Compher is that guy

Bowers can’t be the answer for this year, impossible.

 

[Northern Avs Fan]

Bednar played Jost and Compher together almost the entire night and Compher played centre the entire time

Id like to get Sherwood or Kaut in tonight and go with 6 D. Devon Toews or Sam Girard should never play less than 20 minutes in a hockey game yet they both did last night because of that mess.

I think things should settle back into a normal place minutes wise once EJ returns.

As long as Byram continues to play the same way, there’s a clear top-6 forming of, Makar, Toews, Girard, EJ, Graves, and Byram.

 

[larueskee]

Another thing that has bothered me since the season started. What is up with Bednar's hair? I mean seriously there should be a thread devoted to just that. Is Bednar trying to look like his boss Joe?

 

[Perratrooper]

This 90% of this team looks like they think the cup is going to be handed to them because they were ranked as the cup favorite. The compete level has been absolutely terrible to start this season. Not having a training camp is not an excuse to put in zero effort.

I have no problem reshuffling the lines, in-fact I think the issue is chemistry on a lot these lines and while there’s almost no one who deserves a promotion based on play, something has to give.

 

[Alex Jones]

You can't be too aggressive with a 5-on-3 because there are so many passing options. Once you get pulled away to one skater it turns into a free one-timer into an open net.

I would have still liked to see him be more aggressive...The issue happened throughout the night. For a guy like Miska to be successful he has to be extremely aggressive at challenging shooters or he is going to get lit up at the NHL level.

 

[Alex Jones]

To collect quite a few thoughts that I have:

1. The second line is only going to work with a high level transition puck carrier on the wing. Kadri/Saad just don't skate well enough for Bednar's transition game...this is why you must have Burakovsky on that line. It gets bad very quickly once he's gone. Without him I would put Nuke there.

2. Please no more Miska. He is not good enough for this level.

3. JTC/PEB are getting their teeth kicked in right now. They both struggle when matched up against big, physical centers that want to play below the goal line. Gotta find at least one bottom six pivot that drives the play.

4. I don't really care for 7 D, I would much rather put someone like LOC/Bowers in over a plug that's going to play <10 minutes.

 

[the_fan]

Bowers can’t be the answer for this year, impossible.

Well if they're upgrading positions for this year, they have to upgrade 4 C also because Bellemare does absolutely nothing on that line

 

[Richard88]

Sakic won't be trading for a new 3rd line C until they see what they have in Bowers. For now Compher is that guy

Compher isn't up to the task clearly, and Bowers is totally unproven especially at C, so a rental 3C would be a sensible solution.

 

[S E P H]

I’m still pissed about the game this morning.

Likewise. It's not losing because we're inevitably going to lose a lot more games, but losing when you had the lead and losing such a winnable game by having majority of the team not show up is down right pathetic.

Glad we got another one today, because if we beat the Ducks this game gets thrown away in the mental rubbish can. If we lose, it's just going to exacerbate it.

 

[Metallo]

Likewise. It's not losing because we're inevitably going to lose a lot more games, but losing when you had the lead and losing such a winnable game by having majority of the team not show up is down right pathetic.

Glad we got another one today, because if we beat the Ducks this game gets thrown away in the mental rubbish can. If we lose, it's just going to exacerbate it.

Yes, another bounce back test.

Hopefully they come out angry.

 

[Richard88]

Well if they're upgrading positions for this year, they have to upgrade 4 C also because Bellemare does absolutely nothing on that line

Whilst Bellemare hasn't been great lately, keep in mind that he's playing as the defacto 3C on this team based on TOI. It's possible that his play will pick up if and when he's deployed as a proper 4C.

 

[Alex Jones]

I thought about it, and here is what the Avs should do. It's a bold move, but I think it's the one that best fixes the current malaise.

Switch JTC and Landeskog. We have already seen 29-96 carry inferior teammates, for example Name last season. JTC is more natural as a wing at the NHL level, he can skate with that line, and his shot is good enough to add some production. He's not a long term solution and he's gonna be a big time passenger on that line, but I think that's the best option.

Landeskog basically played center for long stretches with Mackinnon, so the transition shouldn't be too hard for him. He's going take a serious hit in production playing with Nuke/Jost, but Landeskog is a beast and driving possession at both ends of the ice. This also makes it easier to shorten the bench and roll three lines, hiding some of the lack of depth at the bottom of the roster. It's a tough ask that might hurt Landeskog's value in the market next year, but I think it's the best possible in-house move that you can make.

 

[Northern Avs Fan]

The third period was the most frustrating for me.

I thought the Avs played really well though 40 minutes, but took too many penalties to let the Kings back in it. Then they got beaten up at 5v5 in the 3rd, which irked me.

 

[Pokecheque]

I thought about it, and here is what the Avs should do. It's a bold move, but I think it's the one that best fixes the current malaise.

Switch JTC and Landeskog. We have already seen 29-96 carry inferior teammates, for example Name last season. JTC is more natural as a wing at the NHL level, he can skate with that line, and his shot is good enough to add some production. He's not a long term solution and he's gonna be a big time passenger on that line, but I think that's the best option.

Landeskog basically played center for long stretches with Mackinnon, so the transition shouldn't be too hard for him. He's going take a serious hit in production playing with Nuke/Jost, but Landeskog is a beast and driving possession at both ends of the ice. This also makes it easier to shorten the bench and roll three lines, hiding some of the lack of depth at the bottom of the roster. It's a tough ask that might hurt Landeskog's value in the market next year, but I think it's the best possible in-house move that you can make.

Right now JTC is dragging down every single line he's on. Frankly I think he either needs to head to the press box or the taxi squad. He's been THAT bad.

I really want to see them slot in Kaut. Put in Kaut at RW, take out JTC, and slot either Jost or Bellemare at center, or even Donskoi, I don't care. But something has to change in the bottom six, it can't stay this way.

Anyway, I'm a little frustrated, yes, but not alarmed as of yet. Concerned about the goaltending depth and the 3C issue that we were all concerned about to start the season, but not alarmed yet. This is still an insanely talented team, and even though they played like shit for 2/3rds of the game, they still would have won if their goaltending hadn't sucked.

 

[El Travo]

I would have still liked to see him be more aggressive...The issue happened throughout the night. For a guy like Miska to be successful he has to be extremely aggressive at challenging shooters or he is going to get lit up at the NHL level.

The 2nd goal he 100% should have come out more. It was a nice shot but he gave him all the room in the world to aim at.

 

[henchman21]

Miska isn't a NHL level goalie... he's not even an AHL starting level goalie. That was very clear last night. Any game he plays, the Avs will need at least 4 goals, if not 5 or 6 to win the game. This was very clear early in the game last night...

Miska looks shaky... gonna need 4+ tonight.

 

[The Kingslayer]

Miska isn't a NHL level goalie... he's not even an AHL starting level goalie. That was very clear last night. Any game he plays, the Avs will need at least 4 goals, if not 5 or 6 to win the game. This was very clear early in the game last night...

I had flashbacks of Philippe Sauve

 

[Balthazar]

Whilst Bellemare hasn't been great lately, keep in mind that he's playing as the defacto 3C on this team based on TOI.

This!