GDT: Game 43: Avs @ Caps | January 12th, 5PM MT

[bohlmeister]

Lol, he's a role player who plays hard every night, hits and disturbs the opposition all the while keeping it under control most nights without taking stupid penalties. At the same time, he's STILL outscoring Cliche who's missed at least 3 empty nets this year and provides very little of anything. Sucks on faceoffs, average skater, doesn't really hit, won't really trash talk or fight, isn't great defensively, can't score, can't really pass, works hard...that's about it.

Every time that line gets thrown out there with Cliche as the center I cringe and more often than not, they end up pinned in their own zone.

I don't think McLeod has been nearly good enough this season. Looks slow, and borderline lazy most nights. He needs to get on the forcheck and play physical. The fact that he is wearing a letter this season is starting to piss me off. I said in a thread earlier that Roy needs to pull him aside and tell him to get his act together or he is going to the AHL. I just think the effort isn't where it needs to be. I get that he is an agitator, and isn't going to score you goals. I understand his role.

Now part of the problem is that he plays with Cliche and that their line is pinned the entire time they are on the ice.

IMO, Cliche should be a 13th forward that can fill in during injuries. I think he has done a good job on the PK for most of the season. But Roy has to shelter them so much it is getting to be a glaring issue.

 

[Alex Jones]

Cliche should go back to being an AHL third liner.

 

[Pokecheque]

I don't think McLeod has been nearly good enough this season. Looks slow, and borderline lazy most nights. He needs to get on the forcheck and play physical. The fact that he is wearing a letter this season is starting to piss me off. I said in a thread earlier that Roy needs to pull him aside and tell him to get his act together or he is going to the AHL. I just think the effort isn't where it needs to be. I get that he is an agitator, and isn't going to score you goals. I understand his role.

Now part of the problem is that he plays with Cliche and that their line is pinned the entire time they are on the ice.

IMO, Cliche should be a 13th forward that can fill in during injuries. I think he has done a good job on the PK for most of the season. But Roy has to shelter them so much it is getting to be a glaring issue.

McLeod has indeed been awful this year. His lack of defensive prowess was always a problem, but now it's REALLY apparent.

I'll agree that Cliche is an interim measure that pulled a Brett Clark and overstayed his welcome, though IMO his play hasn't been as horrid as McLeod's.

The only really decent 4th liner the Avs have is Talbot. Too bad Roy keeps using him on scoring lines.

 

[Foppa2118]

McLeod has indeed been awful this year. His lack of defensive prowess was always a problem, but now it's REALLY apparent.

I'll agree that Cliche is an interim measure that pulled a Brett Clark and overstayed his welcome, though IMO his play hasn't been as horrid as McLeod's.

The only really decent 4th liner the Avs have is Talbot. Too bad Roy keeps using him on scoring lines.

How has it been apparent? McLeod has been fine defensively. Not dominant but he's been good. I don't understand about 99% of the things said about him. Like being lazy and slow, and unwilling to forecheck like the post you quoted said. He works harder, and is faster and better on the forecheck than anyone else on the 4th line, yet he's always the one criticized about these things.

 

[Pokecheque]

How has it been apparent? McLeod has been fine defensively. Not dominant but he's been good. I don't understand about 99% of the things said about him. Like being lazy and slow, and unwilling to forecheck like the post you quoted said. He works harder, and is faster and better on the forecheck than anyone else on the 4th line, yet he's always the one criticized about these things.

Well, I don't agree with all that's been said about him. I don't think he's been "lazy" by any means. As I posted elsewhere I think any appearance of "laziness" is Roy telling his players to be more passive and more defensive-minded, which IMO just isn't McLeod's game at all. You want him crashing into bodies and crashing the net and nothing more. The key to making the Highlander effective again would be to free him up and give him better linemates who can play the kind of defense that Roy seems to be trying to make Cody play.

That said, McLeod has not been "fine" at all defensively. It's an effin' shooting gallery (and no, I'm not glancing at a Corsi chart) whenever he and his linemates are out there. He's not doing much of anything right in his own zone, which again, might be on Roy.

 

[InjuredChoker]

i think mcleod would be fine if he had actual, legit 4th line center besides him and that line would have some kind of purpose. now they just kind of kill time out there and hope they don't get scored on.

 

[ABasin]

I don't think McLeod has been nearly good enough this season. Looks slow, and borderline lazy most nights. He needs to get on the forcheck and play physical.

I think it's indicative of the entire Avs' politeness on the ice. Even McLeod is polite.

Easy team to play against. For several reasons.

 

[Pokecheque]

i think mcleod would be fine if he had actual, legit 4th line center besides him and that line would have some kind of purpose. now they just kind of kill time out there and hope they don't get scored on.

Agreed.

 

[tigervixxxen]

I think it's indicative of the entire Avs' politeness on the ice. Even McLeod is polite.

Easy team to play against. For several reasons.

I've thought on this a while, they have to be the cleanest team in the NHL. Except for when rage-EJ and McLeod from 3 years ago show up.

 

[frog]

I've thought on this a while, they have to be the cleanest team in the NHL. Except for when rage-EJ and McLeod from 3 years ago show up.

Its weird I never would have thought a Patrick roy team would be clean, polite and soft. That's the last thing I expected from a fiery, warrior-like player like roy...

 

[tigervixxxen]

Its weird I never would have thought a Patrick roy team would be clean, polite and soft. That's the last thing I expected from a fiery, warrior-like player like roy...

Thats why he wants to keep adding size. I dont think they are soft though, they play physical. But I think if they can get size in I hope they inch closer to the edge.

 

[Pokecheque]

I've thought on this a while, they have to be the cleanest team in the NHL. Except for when rage-EJ and McLeod from 3 years ago show up.

Actually, they're not. 11th-most penalized team in the league right now. No surprise, Quenneville's boys are the least penalized team in hockey, though IMO some of their guys get away with murder.

A lot of the Avs' penalties are what you'd expect them to be, the result of a bad defensive team spending too much time in their own end, and defensemen who are just too damned slow.

FYI Avs were 16th in penalties last season. Not a huge difference, but noticeable.

 

[Pokecheque]

Thats why he wants to keep adding size. I dont think they are soft though, they play physical. But I think if they can get size in I hope they inch closer to the edge.

I don't mind him adding size, just wish he'd add more speed. At least he's finding players like Everberg who are both.

 

[tigervixxxen]

By clean I don't mean penalties, I mean more like by the book.

 

[Pokecheque]

By clean I don't mean penalties, I mean more like by the book.

Oh, gotcha.

And I'd agree with that. In fact I'd say that's part of the problem.

 

[StayAtHomeAv]

Too clean for my liking. I'm not saying to take cheap shots or do anything that could hurt someone. But I would like to see a more agitating team. I thought we were last year, which contributed to the successful attitude we had, and even led directly to a win or two. Tons of little scrums after the play, players noticeable off their game (Getslaf, Lucic, Backes quickly come to mind), a coach tearing down a wall. For once I would like to see someone other than Cody actually try and get under another players skin, and not just react to an opponent starting something.