GDT: Game 46: Avs at the Center of the Universe | 5 PM MT | January 14, 2019 | The Who Cares Edition

[Balthazar]

Honestly, seeing Soda play so well and working so good on that line pisses me off. I’ve been saying he needs to be used in a more offensive role for months, can’t understand how Bednar didn’t see that and why it took so long.

It's almost like Bednar was still punishing him for the 16-17 season. He'd simply not allow him to play with good players ever again.

 

[Vaslof]

What were the lines?

 

[The Kingslayer]

Take Nieto and Calvert off his line and he gets you 3.

****ing blind man should have demanded this sooner.

Someone needs to make a Birdbox meme with Soda in the boat without a blind fold lol.

 

[MacBradley]

Honestly, seeing Soda play so well and working so good on that line pisses me off. I’ve been saying he needs to be used in a more offensive role for months, can’t understand how Bednar didn’t see that and why it took so long.

Most of this forums has been saying that. I'd imagine it has to do with getting the young, future players ice time and seeing what they can do as they gain experience, and it probably is influenced by Sakic's outlook on the letting the team's young players a chance to claim important team roles this year.

 

[CobraAcesS]

Someone needs to make a Birdbox meme with Soda in the boat without a blind fold lol.

We need a resident gif maker in the worst way. We've got a few people who do reply gifs, but someone needs to step up and make the funny ones that are mandatory in a marque way.

 

[klozge]

This changes things. 8:3 Avs

Pretty close.

Edit: Seriously, though, Z is amazing.

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

It's good Vegas didn't pick Soderberg in the expansion draft. He is having a good season with us.

 

[Balthazar]

It's good Vegas didn't pick Soderberg in the expansion draft. He is having a good season with us.

To their defense, Pickard had a long and prosperous career with the Golden Knights. Good pick, McPhee.

 

[crue7]

It's a joke listening to Leaf fans boo their own player during the game. I could not believe that shit, wow!

 

[Balthazar]

It's a joke listening to Leaf fans boo their own player during the game. I could not believe that ****, wow!

It's nothing new though. Happened in Montreal in the past as well. I remember Patrice Brisebois getting booed all the time. Funny thing is his playing style was very similar to Gardiner's.

 

[expatriatedtexan]

Why not just keep giving Jost / Kerfoot / Compher / Kamenev / Calvert / Wilson / Bourque / Dries / Varlamov chances at 2c?

I'd strangely be okay with Kamenev being given a chance if he was capable of playing but as is....If Soda is taken out off the 2nd line center role, I can only assume Joe is sticking his hand back into the operating end of a snow-blower and trying to waive the white flag on this season and tank.

There is absolutely no excuse for him or Bednar to not be icing the best team they can and it's pretty f***ing apparent that Carl is our second best center right now.

I really do believe that outside of a trade for a better 2nd line center, if we see Carl back with shit wingers this season the Avs are trying to tank.

 

[Ivan13]

It's a joke listening to Leaf fans boo their own player during the game. I could not believe that ****, wow!

They have a long history of that. The last time they did it, it cost us a Cup or two. larry Murphy was treated like shit, they gave him away to Detroit just to get rid of him, where he got to play with a kid called Nicklas, helped him quite a lot by Nick's own words and was an instrumental part in turning the Wings from perennial choke artists into a 90s powerhouse.

Going back further to their last Cup, their coach, press and fans drove the most talented player to ever wear their logo out of town and haven't won a Cup since while Frank won multiple ones with Montreal.

 

[expatriatedtexan]

So what is exactly that Big Z does for our team? There’s like this different indescribable energy we play with with him on the back. Is it just intimidation factor? I didn’t get to watch much of the game only listened to it, how was he playing during the game minus the 2 penalities?

He does several things.

1. His skill sets make him a capable #4 dman. That alone allows others to play lesser minutes.
2. He is usually clean with his hits but even his small ones are big because of the shear mass he carries around the ice.
3. Most importantly...he's a big lovable goof. Much like Bordeleau, it appears this team just absolutely loves him. When he is playing and giving the length of rope to actually play his game, the team seems to do a hell of a lot better.

 

[expatriatedtexan]

Drunk and victorious.

Is it sad that I still kinda want to know who you were drinking with?

 

[klozge]

He does several things.

1. His skill sets make him a capable #4 dman. That alone allows others to play lesser minutes.
2. He is usually clean with his hits but even his small ones are big because of the shear mass he carries around the ice.
3. Most importantly...he's a big lovable goof. Much like Bordeleau, it appears this team just absolutely loves him. When he is playing and giving the length of rope to actually play his game, the team seems to do a hell of a lot better.

His skills make him a #2, growing into a #1. He's just not constantly there yet because he's still learning. I know I would feel very comfortable about our defense if Z was playing 25 minutes every game. And I think he will in the future.

 

[Ivan13]

As for the goaltending, Varlamov made some pretty good saves, but he can also thank his lucky stars Leafs and Nylander, in particular, can't get it up.

His skills make him a #2, growing into a #1. He's just not constantly there yet because he's still learning. I know I would feel very comfortable about our defense if Z was playing 25 minutes every game. And I think he will in the future.

Yeah, I don't agree with that one bit. He is not a top pairing D in any way, shape or form.

 

[CobraAcesS]

It's nothing new though. Happened in Montreal in the past as well. I remember Patrice Brisebois getting booed all the time. Funny thing is his playing style was very similar to Gardiner's.

We can't forget the ultimate fans though can we? Edmonton with their paper bag heads and throwing jerseys on the ice. Or maybe the ultimate fans who burned down their city after a loss in the Cup finals? (Vancouver Knuckle heads)

 

[klozge]

I like the new 2nd and 3rd lines. They finally make sense. 3rd with Kerfoot, Calvert and Nieto will cause some defensive problems but I think the guys will bring a lot of energy to our game. Soda, Compher and Wilson should be rock solid defensively and still strong offensively. They looked great in this game. Now bring in Graves for Barberio (I don't give a f*** about losing players to a waiver claim, Graves is still green but he actually adds something to our game) and Greer for Dries or Ghetto. We need a bit of grit. And let's pray Varly stays healthy now.

 

[klozge]

As for the goaltending, Varlamov made some pretty good saves, but he can also thank his lucky stars Leafs and Nylander, in particular, can't get it up.



Yeah, I don't agree with that one bit. He is not a top pairing D in any way, shape or form.

Not constantly now. He makes too many mistakes and sometimes reacts too slowly. He has all the skills for the position, though. He's proven it often enough in this and in the last season. Although loved by some Z is easily the most underrated player on this team.

 

[Ivan13]

Not constantly now. He makes too many mistakes and sometimes reacts too slowly. He has all the skills for the position, though. He's proven it often enough in this and in the last season. Although loved by some Z is easily the most underrated player on this team.

Not with Landeskog, Soda and Tyson on the team.

 

[klozge]

Not with Landeskog, Soda and Tyson on the team.

I don't think these guys are still underrated. (Maybe a bit still.) Landeskog will be in the All Star Game, Soda's rightfully getting praised each game and everybody knows how good Barrie is offensively. Z is just the lovable goof who can hit people for many.

 

[avsfan09]

Someone needs to make a Birdbox meme with Soda in the boat without a blind fold lol.

Just an eye patch.

 

[HartKinnon]

I can understand Bednar's reasoning with Söderberg being on a third line. He had one monster top line and a good shutdown line in Söderberg's line. Who would have guessed that struggling Kerfoot would fit with Nieto and Calvert that good? I think Kerfoot played one of his best games for a while last night and didn't seem to push plays to happen. Also Jost seemed to play better in fourth line. Jost and Kerfoot possibly can't handle the pressure of providing constant secondary scoring for their team and played more to their strengths with much lesser pressure of scoring.

Barrie should start shooting the puck more to the net rather than shooting those slap passes that miss the sticks and the net and gives opposition good breakout pucks.

 

[klozge]

I think that is a game which solidifies that Graves has won that spot, Barberio has some Lindholm constant panic syndrome in his game. He plays like he has a tad bit of ADD; always overly aggressive, always giving away the puck, and just roaming around the ice for no good reason.

Very good win, we were the better team, and I argue that game is a potential culture changer. Avs as a team saw a result that if you put in the hardwork, sometimes that can lead you to victories besides just relying on four players every night. Goaltending was still pretty poor, but Varlamov stopped the ones he had to. It was more of the 2 on 2 shots and 1st shot of the 3rd which was frustrating.

I disagree that our defencive core sucks, I don't think it does as I actually believe it is quite decent. Team defence on the other hand is alpha level shambolic. Constant weak clears by wingers, randomly throwing it along the boards (Cole/Barberio), stupid turnovers (MacKinnon), and players randomly roaming for no real reason (cough Barrie). It was great to see Zadorov back, however he has to stop with these lazy penalties. First one was a terrible call from the refs, but the second one was unacceptable.

It's still Bednar. Nemeth will play in the next game. Bet on it.

 

[klozge]

Yet Mark is a 6th rounder and as not played 300 games.

Graves was better in his few games than Barb this year.

This includes preseason.