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

[CobraAcesS]

And he’s got a bomb. Not the most accurate, but holy moly he gets that thing going.

Also is it me or does it seem that almost every goal Z scores is a big one?

Yeah, I think when he was in the AHL he paced for 20 goals once as well. If he ever dials that in wooh boy.

Yeah, 10 goals 19A in 52 games in 15-16. Close anyways.

 

[Pokecheque]

When Z scores a goal it's usually a big one and it swings momentum to be sure. Some players just have that ability to change the pace of the game with a play here or there.

 

[The Abusement Park]

Yeah, I think when he was in the AHL he paced for 20 goals once as well. If he ever dials that in wooh boy.

Yeah, 10 goals 19A in 52 games in 15-16. Close anyways.

He’s like Fulton from the Mighty Ducks sorta

 

[CobraAcesS]

He’s like Fulton from the Mighty Ducks sorta

Speaking of shots, just another reason why I hate the Holden/Graves comparison.

 

[The Abusement Park]

When Z scores a goal it's usually a big one and it swings momentum to be sure. Some players just have that ability to change the pace of the game with a play here or there.

He seems to always score the 1st goal in a 2 goal comeback and get the momentum going.

 

[AllAboutAvs]

Big Z has a great wrist shot. I would like to see him use it a lot more from the blue line instead of scaring the screen guys in front of the net or shooting wide. He would get a lot more points I bet.

 

[CobraAcesS]

Speaking of Graves, has anyone seen if he got sent down? That might be a good sign if they've kept him. I'd imagine if he wasn't going to play they'd have shipped him out.

 

[hooverdam]

I still the think best possible spot for Z to flourish is next to Barrie. They're good for each other in terms of play style and what they want to do with the puck. Barrie needs someone who can handle the puck more than most people care to admit (because the traditional idea is to anchor every offensive dman with a pylon), and Z makes the effort to be that guy when he's with Barrie.

Put Cole with EJ and spread the minutes out so neither of them are overplayed. Put Girard with Graves/Nemeth/Barberio and shelter them until Girard figures his game out a bit more. Reward Girard with shifts with EJ, but in the meantime EJ can play like the little OFD that lives in his heart and died trying to play drunk golf cart polo and Cole can try to regain some of his early season confidence.

 

[dahrougem2]

Re-watching highlights from the game:

That 3rd Leafs goal, Marner starts from down low on the left hand side in the Leafs zone. Tyson Barrie starts on the right side, but turns to the inside and starts skating back towards his own zone as soon as Marner starts to skate with speed.

As soon as Barrie turns around, he sees Mark Barberio already pivoted and skating backwards, and already on the right side of the ice. I don't know if something was said or gestured, but it sure as hell looks like Barrie thinks Barberio is going to play that right side on Marner while Barrie himself shifts to the left, and Barrie looks confused AF when Barberio doesn't even attempt to play Marner and instead sticks to his man who is literally just a decoy outside the blue line.

Both defensemen are to blame for the goal, but I think it's common sense for Barrie to assume that given Barberio is already there, he should be playing Marner while Barrie acts as the safety valve and they rely on their back checkers to watch the incoming forwards.

Barberio just had himself a heinous game.

 

[The Abusement Park]

Re-watching highlights from the game:

That 3rd Leafs goal, Marner starts from down low on the left hand side in the Leafs zone. Tyson Barrie starts on the right side, but turns to the inside and starts skating back towards his own zone as soon as Marner starts to skate with speed.

As soon as Barrie turns around, he sees Mark Barberio already pivoted and skating backwards, and already on the right side of the ice. I don't know if something was said or gestured, but it sure as hell looks like Barrie thinks Barberio is going to play that right side on Marner while Barrie himself shifts to the left, and Barrie looks confused AF when Barberio doesn't even attempt to play Marner and instead sticks to his man who is literally just a decoy outside the blue line.

Both defensemen are to blame for the goal, but I think it's common sense for Barrie to assume that given Barberio is already there, he should be playing Marner while Barrie acts as the safety valve and they rely on their back checkers to watch the incoming forwards.

Barberio just had himself a heinous game.

Yeah I remember Barrie moving to the left to cover who ever was over there and just watched Barberio look right at Marner and not even try to cover him basically. So yeah I'm sure Barrie was a bit surprised that Marner was completely un-pressured.

Edit: After looking at it again Barberio was following Hyman who was pretty close and actually moving towards Marner. Then Marner gets the puck and he basically just kinda turns around very slowly.

 

[Foppa Frossa]

Speaking of Graves, has anyone seen if he got sent down? That might be a good sign if they've kept him. I'd imagine if he wasn't going to play they'd have shipped him out.

He is still with the club.

 

[CB Joe]

Re-watching highlights from the game:

That 3rd Leafs goal, Marner starts from down low on the left hand side in the Leafs zone. Tyson Barrie starts on the right side, but turns to the inside and starts skating back towards his own zone as soon as Marner starts to skate with speed.

As soon as Barrie turns around, he sees Mark Barberio already pivoted and skating backwards, and already on the right side of the ice. I don't know if something was said or gestured, but it sure as hell looks like Barrie thinks Barberio is going to play that right side on Marner while Barrie himself shifts to the left, and Barrie looks confused AF when Barberio doesn't even attempt to play Marner and instead sticks to his man who is literally just a decoy outside the blue line.

Both defensemen are to blame for the goal, but I think it's common sense for Barrie to assume that given Barberio is already there, he should be playing Marner while Barrie acts as the safety valve and they rely on their back checkers to watch the incoming forwards.

Barberio just had himself a heinous game.

To me it looks like Barrie knew Barberio would get beat and tried to cover for him. They both got caught sleeping on a stretch pass.

 

[henchman21]

Definitely not as sure about it as these guys, but it feels like Z really gets going further into the season. He may be *fine, but we don't see stretches of his peak play early IMO.

I do kind of wonder if Z is always going to struggle with conditioning at the beginning of the season. Hes kind of like Buff in a way that he seems to be able to put on bad weight really easily. In saying that from his posts it seemed like it wasn't for lack of trying this off-season, but the guy just wasn't ready to play 20 minutes a night and look good at the start. That is my conspiracy theory as to why he didn't start the year anywhere close to the way he finished the previous season.

We certainly don't see peak early and he does hit a stride during the season, but I think that really goes for most NHL players. What we see with Z is extreme peaks and valleys, he has a lot of play with huge positivity and a very high level of play. Then valleys where he barely looks like a NHL player. Which causes coaches to pause on giving him more and more responsibility since most are pretty risk averse. I'd absolutely love Z to run with it here to finish the season and take a top 4 spot away from Cole.

 

[Foppa2118]

Speaking of Cole, Z making $4M, and inconsistency, Cole has been fairly inconsistent this year and he makes $4.25M. You’re going to get varying levels of inconsistency from defenseman making that much. Otherwise they’d be making $5-6M+

These guys are all in the $4M range and they’re all inconsistent.

Cole - $4.25M
Maata - $4.083M
Gardiner - $4.05M
Scandella - $4M
Russell - $4M
Gudbranson - $4M
Murphy - $3.85M

 

[Avs_19]

Gardiner certainly didn't play that goal well but it's funny how he's getting all the blame when Marner is the one who turned it over at the blueline and then slowly came back.

 

[forsbergavs32]

And he’s got a bomb. Not the most accurate, but holy moly he gets that thing going.

Also is it me or does it seem that almost every goal Z scores is a big one momentum wise?

I won’t forget that game against the Yotes awhile back where every time he would wind up for a shot Arizona players were jumping out of the way

 

[Foppberg]

 

[Avsboy]

Soderberg is a man's man. I love this guy.

 

[The Kingslayer]

And he’s got a bomb. Not the most accurate, but holy moly he gets that thing going.

Also is it me or does it seem that almost every goal Z scores is a big one momentum wise?

If he didn't have a big toe curve he might be able to hit the net more often. Ahwell, atleast he stopped the Selanne tape job he used to rock and tapes his blade completely.

 

[The Kingslayer]

Re-watching highlights from the game:

That 3rd Leafs goal, Marner starts from down low on the left hand side in the Leafs zone. Tyson Barrie starts on the right side, but turns to the inside and starts skating back towards his own zone as soon as Marner starts to skate with speed.

As soon as Barrie turns around, he sees Mark Barberio already pivoted and skating backwards, and already on the right side of the ice. I don't know if something was said or gestured, but it sure as hell looks like Barrie thinks Barberio is going to play that right side on Marner while Barrie himself shifts to the left, and Barrie looks confused AF when Barberio doesn't even attempt to play Marner and instead sticks to his man who is literally just a decoy outside the blue line.

Both defensemen are to blame for the goal, but I think it's common sense for Barrie to assume that given Barberio is already there, he should be playing Marner while Barrie acts as the safety valve and they rely on their back checkers to watch the incoming forwards.

Barberio just had himself a heinous game.

And to boot Marner ramps the puck off Barrie stick and shelfs it on the poor russian

 

[The Kingslayer]

View attachment 175993

I believe Barrie was the one yelling Carl Carl lol. Soda just a no nonsense kinda guy. Love him.

 

[Ceremony]

Did CARL (new nickname) get a water bottle to the face from Landeskog?

Elsewhere in CARL news:

 

[forsbergavs32]

Just try to imagine Soda’s reaction if he hit the lottery

 

[crue7]

Man, what a game. Soda was an absolute beast and it was fun watching Zads lay people out all night.

Went to a bar after the game and met Ray Ferraro

The atmosphere in that arena just plain sucks. Business suit people talking shop all around me. An absolute joke if you ask me! Ban these corporate morons to the moon and make it affordable for real fans.

 

[expatriatedtexan]

Man, what a game. Soda was an absolute beast and it was fun watching Zads lay people out all night.

Went to a bar after the game and met Ray Ferraro

The atmosphere in that arena just plain sucks. Business suit people talking shop all around me. An absolute joke if you ask me! Ban these corporate morons to the moon and make it affordable for real fans.

You do realize that the salary cap would go down tremendously right? The glory days for the Avs died because PL never fully understood how to live in a cap era. The bonuses given in contracts to Sakic and Blake made it impossible for the team to make an even half-assed attempt at keeping either Forsberg or Foote.

The last thing in the world I want right now is a reduction in the cap. It would make life an absolute living hell the minute we resign Rants.