GDT: Game 46: Avs @ Blue Jackets | Saturday, January 16th, 5pm MT | Future is Now

[Parks]

If they trade for anything it needs to be someone who can play LW, now and in the future.

We have nothing in the pipe and nothing outside of Landeskog, and McLeod there.

They definitely need help at LW. Landeskog is really the only thing they have. Tanguay should be scratched at this point. Martinsen is up and down not very consistent yet. Mcleod doesn't offer much and should never be asked to do more than a career 4th line grinder should. Grigo or Wagner should be given some time at wing. I hate that one of them needs to sit for the other to get some ice time.

 

[CobraAcesS]

They definitely need help at LW. Landeskog is really the only thing they have. Tanguay should be scratched at this point. Martinsen is up and down not very consistent yet. Mcleod doesn't offer much and should never be asked to do more than a career 4th line grinder should. Grigo or Wagner should be given some time at wing. I hate that one of them needs to sit for the other to get some ice time.

Yeah... I hate that Roy won't bench Tanguay's ass and put Greg there. It's just beating a dead horse these days though. Maybe we'll get lucky and in another week or two Roy will figure it out like he usually does, but too late and after the damage has already been done.

 

[The Mars Volchenkov]

Roy saying they were impeccable in their own zone, outside the first shift, makes me so happy. Columbus really didn't have much going all night until that last shift.

The young D need to stay in. Zadorov has made some poor decisions with the puck, but it's not like he's losing his man. His gap on the first goal wasn't great, but he was kept to the outside.

 

[AvsCOL]

Few thoughts...


Bigras looked confident. He's going to be a hell of a defenseman, and I'm really excited to see what he can do with more ice time. Really impressive game from Chris.

Zadorov had some splashy moments, and some forgettable ones. The giveaway to Atkinson was BAD, but he's so skilled for a big guy. When he figures it out... oh man

Tanguay needs to be played like Iginla is being played. Start limiting his minutes, because he's useless right now. No speed whatsoever, and it's always pass, pass, pass.

MacKinnon is so darn fast but I wish he'd start driving to the net. Not that he's not still making plays happen, but he should be attacking the gaps with the speed he has.


The Avs need a top-6 winger awfully bad right now. Thought Atkinson looked really good tonight, would love to get him. Maybe Rantanen gets the nod when he's healthy? Tanguay needs to be OUT of the top 6 immediately. I don't care if he gets some PP time, but that's about it.

 

[tigervixxxen]

I'm still happy Bigras got his first point tonight. People always say don't count on his offense and yet he finds a way to get points.

 

[landy92mack29]

If they trade for anything it needs to be someone who can play LW, now and in the future.

We have nothing in the pipe and nothing outside of Landeskog, and McLeod there.

Compher is close

 

[The Mars Volchenkov]

Rantanen will be here soon enough. Don't worry.

 

[CobraAcesS]

Compher is close

Not close enough IMO, two years out most likely

Rantanen will be here soon enough. Don't worry.

How much LW has be played in SA though?

 

[AslanRH]

Are any of those players considered part of the core? Landeskog is one of the big three on this team, and he is supposed to be helping Duchene and Mack carry the team, which he is not. If he was contributing as much as you say he is, this many people would not be complaining about him.

What does it matter if he is a core player or not. He makes the team better than the guys I listed do.

If you mean the people wanting to shut him down or worse because he is "doing more harm than good" are correct than it is good to know which claims you think need called out.

 

[tigervixxxen]

Not close enough IMO, two years out most likely



How much LW has be played in SA though?

Almost exclusively.

But we really need 2 top 6 forwards. And rookie/Greg aren't really the solution right now.

 

[AvsWraith]

What does it matter if he is a core player or not. He makes the team better than the guys I listed do.

If you mean the people wanting to shut him down or worse because he is "doing more harm than good" are correct than it is good to know which claims you think need called out.

It matters that he is a core player because unlike Tangs and Marty, we both need and expect Landeskog to be great because he is in that core group.

More like he made the team better back when he was actually playing well last season.

The people I mean are the ones that are noticing that he is not right out there, and are frustrated about it. Read what Fruedian wrote in his post, it's pretty accurate as to what is happening right now with him. Landy is currently broken, and if he needs surgery, they should just get on with it because the version of him we have playing now is not helping.

 

[Foppa2118]

You just knew they were gonna give this game away late. You could feel it. Just too many sloppy mistakes.

Zadorov totally out of position for like tenth time in the game leads to an odd man rush and a scrambly play, and McLeod makes a terrible shot blocking attempt and deflects it past Picks If you're not gonna block it, get the hell out of the way. You know that!

Holden had just a terrible gaffe prone first period. Literally every single shift he had a huge defensive break down. This team needs EJ back soon so much it's crazy.

Refs were brutal in this one too. Let about 50 penalties go combined from both sides. So many blatant holding plays it was ridiculous. Not sure what decade they teleported these two idiots from but it made for one hell of an ugly boring game. NHL should get in their ear and tell them that is not the hockey they want being played. If they called penalties the way they were supposed to in this one, it would have opened the game up for sure because players knew they were being allowed to get away with whatever they wanted.

Nathan MacKinnon has to start burying his chances. He's just not bearing down enough because it's translating to other parts of his game where he's making weak efforts. He's still skating his butt off, but he's got to work hard in other areas of the game, not just moving his feet. They can't afford to have him missing chances every single game.

 

[chet1926]

This was a classic game of letting a bad team hang around too long.

Our big guys just couldn't get that next goal, and one bad break cost us. When you're playing teams like Columbus, you have to just step on their throats early, so that if you do get a bad break late in a game it doesn't really matter.

Somebody needs to tell MacKinnon that every single one of his shots doesn't have to be so ridiculously fine tuned. He has a very heavy shot and for him hitting the net is going to be a positive more than it isn't. He had like 3 or 4 posts hit the past few games that need to be goals. Especially the one tonight, point blank, late in the 3rd in a tie game, that has to be a goal from your best player. You don't many opportunities like that from your best player. Let's put it this way Kane doesn't miss that shot, neither does Stamkos or Ovechkin or Seguin or Benn etc. MacKinnon had the game on his stick and blew it. Hopefully it's a learning experience for him. So that next time in a similar situation he doesn't miss.

Zadorov was very mediocre tonight, kinda like the beginning of the year where he was all over the place and he looked way too casual tonight. I expect better from him.

Bigras on the other hand was great, made a superb play on the goal. Read the play, intercepted a pass, made a good pass that led to a goal. Plus he was solid in his own end. If he continues to play like that, I don't see how you could take him out of the lineup.

 

[Foppa2118]

Bigras was flawless tonight. I don't remember a single mistake from him. I wish he would skate the puck up more instead of deferring to Redmond all the time

Redmond doesn't want to give him the puck, you can tell. He wants to be the guy that makes the plays but he just turns the puck over most of the time. He knows he's next to be sent down if Bigras plays well.

 

[PeterTheGreat]

This was a classic game of letting a bad team hang around too long.

Our big guys just couldn't get that next goal, and one bad break cost us. When you're playing teams like Columbus, you have to just step on their throats early, so that if you do get a bad break late in a game it doesn't really matter.

Somebody needs to tell MacKinnon that every single one of his shots doesn't have to be so ridiculously fine tuned. He has a very heavy shot and for him hitting the net is going to be a positive more than it isn't. He had like 3 or 4 posts hit the past few games that need to be goals. Especially the one tonight, point blank, late in the 3rd in a tie game, that has to be a goal from your best player. You don't many opportunities like that from your best player. Let's put it this way Kane doesn't miss that shot, neither does Stamkos or Ovechkin or Seguin or Benn etc. MacKinnon had the game on his stick and blew it. Hopefully it's a learning experience for him. So that next time in a similar situation he doesn't miss.

Zadorov was very mediocre tonight, kinda like the beginning of the year where he was all over the place and he looked way too casual tonight. I expect better from him.

Bigras on the other hand was great, made a superb play on the goal. Read the play, intercepted a pass, made a good pass that led to a goal. Plus he was solid in his own end. If he continues to play like that, I don't see how you could take him out of the lineup.

Truth.

 

[Foppa2118]

Roy saying they were impeccable in their own zone, outside the first shift, makes me so happy. Columbus really didn't have much going all night until that last shift.

The young D need to stay in. Zadorov has made some poor decisions with the puck, but it's not like he's losing his man. His gap on the first goal wasn't great, but he was kept to the outside.

I think that was more Roy being positive like he usually is. They didn't play anywhere near as bad as those two recent losses, but they made some sloppy plays as well, especially in the first. They were on the verge of breaking down on a lot of plays because of small mistakes with the puck especially, but were getting lucky on bounces until the end. I think it was also because Columbus doesn't have a lot of poise with the puck, because they're so focused on playing this gritty style with gritty players.

Zadorov's gap was pretty bad all night unfortunately. I hope they get some practice time in because he really needs to run some drills at NHL pace. He just gets away with it because his reach is so long, and he skates well, but he nearly got beat on a lot of plays.

I think he looks nervous out there. He's scared to make a mistake. Kinda like the last few games before he was sent down earlier in the year. Beauch or EJ or someone just needs to pull him aside and tell him not to worry. Get him to think about something other than making mistakes, so he can just go out and play his game. I think he's capable of getting it figured out during this stint, he just needs to settle down a bit. That will let him be decisive and react quicker.

 

[The Merchant]

Wasn't able to watch the game so I can't speak for the performance tonight, but MAN does this team not know how to push when they need to. Proving everyone right saying they're nothing but a bubble team when they're capable of so much more when they decide to not play to their opponent's level every game...

 

[The Mars Volchenkov]

I think that was more Roy being positive like he usually is. They didn't play anywhere near as bad as those two recent losses, but they made some sloppy plays as well, especially in the first. They were on the verge of breaking down on a lot of plays because of small mistakes with the puck especially, but were getting lucky on bounces until the end. I think it was also because Columbus doesn't have a lot of poise with the puck, because they're so focused on playing this gritty style with gritty players.

Zadorov's gap was pretty bad all night unfortunately. I hope they get some practice time in because he really needs to run some drills at NHL pace. He just gets away with it because his reach is so long, and he skates well, but he nearly got beat on a lot of plays.

I think he looks nervous out there. He's scared to make a mistake. Kinda like the last few games before he was sent down earlier in the year. Beauch or EJ or someone just needs to pull him aside and tell him not to worry. Get him to think about something other than making mistakes, so he can just go out and play his game. I think he's capable of getting it figured out during this stint, he just needs to settle down a bit. That will let him be decisive and react quicker.

I think Zadorov was fine after the first period, which he really struggled with. He had a rough shift at the end of the second, and his last in the third prior to the goal, but other than that, he really calmed down. He was on for 12 shot attempts against in the first period but was only out there for 8 in the last two. I don't really agree that his gap control was bad all night. It was on the first goal, but I think he was trying to go for a change and got caught too long, which was why he was on the right side.

They showed Beauchemin talking to him after his turnover during the 4 on 4, so he's trying to help. You're right, though. I don't think the two young guys have gotten an actual practice in that's not a morning skate. That might help. He does look a little nervous, but he's been good tracking his guy in the defensive zone, and not getting beat one on one. His decision making has been an issue. Right before his turnover on the 4 on 4, he played the odd man rush perfectly and broke it up, only to have that happen after. He's 20, he's still going to make mistakes, I just would like to see Roy let him work through them. He got some pretty tough minutes playing with Beauchemin tonight, so he's not exactly getting sheltered.

I really don't think the Avs were that sloppy at all after the first. The first was bad, but they were definitely the better team the last two periods, and I don't even think it was close in the second period. They only gave up 23 shot attempts through the last two periods at even strength, compared to 18 in the first. I'm pretty happy with the way the team has played defensively the last two, but Winnipeg on Monday will be a much bigger challenge.

Mitchell and Comeau have been frustrating the last two games. A lot of holding onto the puck and not doing anything with it.

 

[linusandvarlamov]

Disappointing end to the game but tonight was just one of those nights where luck just wasn't on our side. A really solid effort from our D. Zads made a couple mistakes in the 1st period but he's going to figure things out soon enough. He does a lot of good things out there for somebody as big as him.

Bigras made some really good, simple plays tonight. He made simple plays, didn't really see any mistakes on his part and I think he'll be getting more and more comfortable as time goes on. That assist he had tonight was really great (shows a lot of awareness on his part).

We had some close calls tonight, just couldn't bury that second one we needed. Entertaining game though.

 

[tigervixxxen]

I really hope it's possible Bigras stays. I'm pretty sure he was up to just get a taste but if he keeps playing like he did tonight, which I very much believe he can, then I really hope they think about keeping him around.

 

[The Mars Volchenkov]

Let's just hope that the Avs don't miss the playoffs because they picked up 0 of a possible 8 points against Toronto and Columbus.

 

[raistlin76]

Let's just hope that the Avs don't miss the playoffs because they picked up 0 of a possible 8 points against Toronto and Columbus.

And just one against Carolina. These 11 points may haunt us at the end of the season. We would be at 58 right now.

 

[dahrougem2]

So I hear we played a good game? Sucks we didn't manage to pick up at least a point. It feels like the last few times we've played the Jackets they've been heart-breaking losses.

Reading all these compliments about Bigras are a little odd because I checked the box score and he played 10 minutes. I honestly think the only way Roy/Farrish hit the brakes on Beauchemin and the ridiculous amount of minutes he plays is if Beauch gets injured, unfortunately. Are we a better defensive team with Bigras and Zadorov in the lineup? No doubt. But once EJ comes back do we really foresee a situation where Roy plays the 3rd pairing of Zadorov/Bigras/Redmond any more than 10 minutes per night? If that's going to happen send them both back down to the AHL and let them play 25 minutes per night.

I get it's the thick of a playoff race already, but my opinion is that it does more harm to the team than good having Beauchemin playing 27+ minutes per night. There are very, very few defensemen in the league who can do that and still play at their peak level. Francois Beauchemin is not one of those defensemen, he never has been. At the very least cut his PP minutes, he does not need to be out there for those and that can be extra rest for him. It's just very worrisome that Roy/Farrish believe he'll be able to hold up playing this many minutes night in, night out even when EJ returns.

As of right now, Beauchemin sits 13th in the league in TOI/Game at 24:51. The defensemen in front of him are:

Erik Karlsson
Ryan Suter
Drew Doughty
Alex Pietrangelo
Kris Letang
Brent Burns
P.K. Subban
T.J. Brodie
Duncan Keith
Oliver Ekman-Larsson
Jack Johnson
Justin Faulk

I love Beauchemin, but he's not in that class. The only other player who stands out is Jack Johnson but other than that, those are all cornerstone franchise defensemen who are all on a different level.

 

[Balthazar]

Wasn't able to watch the game so I can't speak for the performance tonight, but MAN does this team not know how to push when they need to. Proving everyone right saying they're nothing but a bubble team when they're capable of so much more when they decide to not play to their opponent's level every game...

This team seems to like challenges but has absolutely no killer instinct whatsoever so it's not a surprise that they always lose the "easier" games.

I agree with the people earlier in the thread who said that Landy doesn't help the team enough. At his age he should get better and better as he gets closer to his prime but he doesn't. Almost looks like he has reached his ceiling and will never be better than this (hopefully not the case).

2011-12: 22g 30a 52pts
2012-13: Irrelevant
2013-14: 26g-39a 65pts
2014-15: 23g-36a 59pts

Currently on pace for: 18g-40a 58pts

5th year in the NHL and he never really improved offensively.

 

[DUHockey]

Beacuh is great, but watching him last night as he was getting turned by speed rushes, shows he shouldn't be any where close to the minutes.