GDT: Game 50: Avs vs. Wild - 7:30PM MT

[the_fan]

The whole we played well but didn't get the results crap is getting old. If you play well you'll get results. This isnt a one or two or three game slide, this team has been horrible for two months. Outshooting opponents doesn't mean they played well because shots on goal vary, you can slowly throw the puck at goalie and it will count as a shot on goal, means very little.

Horrible turnovers that lead to goals, taking dumb penalties that lead to goals, having bad PP and bad PK etc..etc...that's not playing well. Looking at the stats at the end of every loss and seeing that the Avs outshot the opponent doesn't mean they played well. I'm sorry but they are playing like crap throughout this losing stretch. Maybe one or two games they lost they actually played well, but for the most part they are playing like shit and the results are showing

 

[Cousin Eddie]

Last night was the strangest series of penalties ever. One was immediatelay following what everyone assumed (rightfully so) was an offside play. Another was Mackinnon touching the puck with his hand on the face off. Then finally Nemeth takes a slap shot from his own zone, up over the net on the opposite side of the ice and through the uprights for the longest FG of all time. Like I still can’t believe he managed to do that.
We were scored on during the penalty kills from those very abnormal penalties.

 

[AvsFan29]

Accurate doesn’t mean good though. There’s no velocity to it and it’s not a threat unless it’s a easy scoring opportunity. Or randomly bouncing off him.

And 23% is very unsustainable for a shooting %.

I understand it's unsustainable, an he had some wonky goals, but it's not terrible.

 

[S E P H]

Whenever you give up two nearly full 5 on 3s... you're not going to win very many of those games. The Avs are the worst kind of combo... mistake prone and bad goaltending.

Two nearly 5 on 3s and you blame it on bad goaltending? Lol, I don't care who was in net that game that was a team loss regardless if it was Carey Price, Gibson, or Grubauer.

 

[Pokecheque]

One thing that's frustrating the living shit out of me is that we FINALLY see the Avs relent and make Soda the 2nd line, and Calvert's production takes off. Meanwhile JTC's game has taken a noticeable step back and he now can't hit the broad side of a barn with his shot. Wilson has been more or less good in that 2nd line role but far from ideal.

I still think Soda has benefited from better linemates and a bigger role, and we'd all be naive if we thought that newly-formed 2nd line was gonna just dominate out the gate, but I expected more. Not from Soda, but his wingers.

 

[The Abusement Park]

I understand it's unsustainable, an he had some wonky goals, but it's not terrible.

It’s like 14% over league average and he isn’t an elite goal scorer. He was never going to keep close to that shooting %. He’ll probably be in the 11-15 range due to his reluctance to shoot but his 23% last year was never going to be repeated.

 

[The Abusement Park]

One thing that's frustrating the living **** out of me is that we FINALLY see the Avs relent and make Soda the 2nd line, and Calvert's production takes off. Meanwhile JTC's game has taken a noticeable step back and he now can't hit the broad side of a barn with his shot. Wilson has been more or less good in that 2nd line role but far from ideal.

I still think Soda has benefited from better linemates and a bigger role, and we'd all be naive if we thought that newly-formed 2nd line was gonna just dominate out the gate, but I expected more. Not from Soda, but his wingers.

Yeah Compher has been pretty bad lately. He needs to be off the 1st PP immediately.

 

[AvsFan29]

Yeah Compher has been pretty bad lately. He needs to be off the 1st PP immediately.

I'd put soderberg on PP1. Can't hurt.

 

[The Abusement Park]

I'd put soderberg on PP1. Can't hurt.

Might as well. He’s been hot lately.

 

[nightonthesun]

This is not the 48 point year lol. f***ing relax with that. Watching those games was masochistic. These games are different. I’m seeing a team that has the talent and knows what to do to win. Those who’ve said the problem is mental are watching the same games I am. Every bit of bad luck and every stupid-ass bush league mistake is another pound of pressure. And I’m surprised no one seems to be looking to MacKinnon... I know he’s not the captain or the coach, but no one in the league is gripping his stick tighter right now and I believe that the man has a gift for contagious moods ... when he flies high, the team follows. When he is frustrated and bewildered, overthinking, being sloppy- the whole team is doing the same. I don’t mean to lay it all at his feet but I do believe he is the soul of the team and that a rediscovery of his confidence would bring the team back to life.

 

[Bender]

So much guessing, you have no idea what was said in that incident. And heaven forbid a player have a cold streak. MacK is playing fine and the points will starting coming again, he just can't buy one right now. I highly doubt he is tanking it like you hinted at, a guy that competitive doesn't just tank because he doesn't like the coach. And I'm even more sure he isn't trying to send a message that if he doesn't play well the team is trash.

Sure, I'm 'guessing'...I'm guessing on how it would feel being the major driver of a mostly one line team - producing at about a ridiculous 1.5 PPG clip for the past calendar year + and then being chastised by a guy who can't even see that Ian Cole has been terrible for over a month and done nothing about it. Yeah, I'm guessing I wouldn't feel too great about that. Some things you just cannot say and some things just cannot be unsaid.

If I'm wrong and everything is hunky-dory then I guess MacK shouldn't have any problems getting to 44G & 115pts? (currently on pace for 116pts) If Bednar sticks, my guess is the Avs miss the playoffs (by a lot) and Mack barely reaches 35 goals & 100 pts.

In his last 6 games (since the game against Calgary) he's had a total of 13 shots on net for an avg of 2.16 shots per game WAY lower than his season avg of 4.63 shots per game.

I dunno, if I were Mack and I felt insulted...I probably wouldn't want upper management to think that everything is great and that the coach is doing a bang-up job when it's mostly 9296 that's been doing almost all of the lifting all season long.

Bender, I usually really like your posts and most of the time agree with you but Oh Man! Is this a pile of horses**t. There is absolutely nothing between Mack and Bednar. That was very well explained by all concerned and it was very easy too see they meant what they said. Furthermore there have been a few times since then and especially this past week that players (Mack, Landy, Ghetto I think, etc.) have stated how they like to play for Bednar/his system and those comments were unprompted.

Again there is nothing there. You are just starting a narrative with absolutely no basis to it and unfortunately it could quickly propagate over to the main board for no reason at all. Please stop with this.

Nobody is exempt from blame in this slide. However if we look at the goalie stats since Dec 7th it is pretty obvious what the main problem is. But yeah let's fire the coach. I'm sure Q or somebody else will make our goalies stop a puck.

I guess if they told the media that they resolved the issue and it's all behind them, then that must be it. Case closed.

Actually, I remember several players saying they enjoyed playing for Joe Sacco and Tony Granato...while they were the coach but afterwards it's a different story.

I distinctly remember Pierre Page saying that things between him and Sundin had been worked out and things were 'good'. Of course they will always say that to the media. ALWAYS.

Please stop what? Having an opinion?

Listen, if you think that Bednar isn't to blame, that's your opinion. Do the Avs have some holes? Yes. Do other teams have holes in their lineups as well? Absolutely. The Islanders and the Habs have rosters with less talent than what we've got and those coaches are making them go on all cylinders. That's way I want for the Avs. I don't want the Avs to be a successful team despite the coaches...I want us to be a successful team and having solid coaches that are a major part of that.

In the end, it doesn't matter. I believe that Bednar will be kept until the end of this season (I'd be surprised if Sakic fired him during the season) and then he'll be let go with 1 year left on his contract after we miss the playoffs. I don't believe they will extend him again.

 

[AllAboutAvs]

Sure, I'm 'guessing'...I'm guessing on how it would feel being the major driver of a mostly one line team - producing at about a ridiculous 1.5 PPG clip for the past calendar year + and then being chastised by a guy who can't even see that Ian Cole has been terrible for over a month and done nothing about it. Yeah, I'm guessing I wouldn't feel too great about that. Some things you just cannot say and some things just cannot be unsaid.

If I'm wrong and everything is hunky-dory then I guess MacK shouldn't have any problems getting to 44G & 115pts? (currently on pace for 116pts) If Bednar sticks, my guess is the Avs miss the playoffs (by a lot) and Mack barely reaches 35 goals & 100 pts.

In his last 6 games (since the game against Calgary) he's had a total of 13 shots on net for an avg of 2.16 shots per game WAY lower than his season avg of 4.63 shots per game.

I dunno, if I were Mack and I felt insulted...I probably wouldn't want upper management to think that everything is great and that the coach is doing a bang-up job when it's mostly 9296 that's been doing almost all of the lifting all season long.



I guess if they told the media that they resolved the issue and it's all behind them, then that must be it. Case closed.

Actually, I remember several players saying they enjoyed playing for Joe Sacco and Tony Granato...while they were the coach but afterwards it's a different story.

I distinctly remember Pierre Page saying that things between him and Sundin had been worked out and things were 'good'. Of course they will always say that to the media. ALWAYS.

Please stop what? Having an opinion?

Listen, if you think that Bednar isn't to blame, that's your opinion. Do the Avs have some holes? Yes. Do other teams have holes in their lineups as well? Absolutely. The Islanders and the Habs have rosters with less talent than what we've got and those coaches are making them go on all cylinders. That's way I want for the Avs. I don't want the Avs to be a successful team despite the coaches...I want us to be a successful team and having solid coaches that are a major part of that.

In the end, it doesn't matter. I believe that Bednar will be kept until the end of this season (I'd be surprised if Sakic fired him during the season) and then he'll be let go with 1 year left on his contract after we miss the playoffs. I don't believe they will extend him again.

There is a big difference between playing lip service about Sacco and the others and this case. It is obvious listening to them that they enjoy playing for him and want hi to stay but hey go ahead and keep harping on something that is not there. You can have an opinion without trying to add fuel to something that is not and has never been there in the first place.

I've never said Bednar is not to blame. On the contrary I said many times that like everybody else he shouldn't be exempt. I just think the goalies are by far the most guilty of the problems with this team.

 

[henchman21]

Two nearly 5 on 3s and you blame it on bad goaltending? Lol, I don't care who was in net that game that was a team loss regardless if it was Carey Price, Gibson, or Grubauer.

I'm not blaming last night on bad goaltending... I'm saying that is what the Avs are right now. They are getting consistently bad goaltending, and they are error prone...

Gru probably should have kept the game at 4 goals... but the Avs weren't going to get 4 goals anyway.

 

[the_fan]

This is not the 48 point year lol. ****ing relax with that. Watching those games was masochistic. These games are different. I’m seeing a team that has the talent and knows what to do to win. Those who’ve said the problem is mental are watching the same games I am. Every bit of bad luck and every stupid-ass bush league mistake is another pound of pressure. And I’m surprised no one seems to be looking to MacKinnon... I know he’s not the captain or the coach, but no one in the league is gripping his stick tighter right now and I believe that the man has a gift for contagious moods ... when he flies high, the team follows. When he is frustrated and bewildered, overthinking, being sloppy- the whole team is doing the same. I don’t mean to lay it all at his feet but I do believe he is the soul of the team and that a rediscovery of his confidence would bring the team back to life.

So now its Mackinnon's fault the team is in a slump?

Again, it's not one or two things that is wrong with the Avs, it's a team issue. Maybe MacKinnon is gripping his stick tighter because he has issues with coaching, or maybe he and his linemates are out of gas carrying this team because the only other forward besides the 1st line who can do anything on this team is Soderberg, the rest have pretty much been useless.

There are so many things you can point out and say that's what's wrong with the team. Goaltending is an issue, secondary scoring is an issue, defense is an issue, the 1st line not getting 9 points a game is an issue, ultimately it comes down to the entire team being the issue including coaching because no one is showing the neccessary leadership right now to turn this mess around

 

[AvsFan29]

Might as well. He’s been hot lately.

The only thing Compher has done on the last 15+ PP, is take 10 foot pass from MacKinnon and immediately pass it back lol

 

[Foppberg]

He's probably not wrong, but damn he is doing absolutely nothing to make me like him. At all.

 

[CobraAcesS]

He's probably not wrong, but damn he is doing absolutely nothing to make me like him. At all.

That dude is very close to making my hated Avs players list. (And I didn't even think he was bad last night) I'm just not a fan of him opening his mouth, like not one single time do I remember liking something he said.

 

[Metallo]

IMHO here are the problems with the team, in order of importance:

1- Goaltending: No team can expect to make the playoffs with the level of goaltending we are getting in the last 2 months.

2- Confidence: This team is a mess mentaly right now but there were signs of fragilty even when things were going right before, like problem in closing out games. I have said before that this team does not know how to win. It is expected for such a young team.

3- Coaching: Bednar and his assistants are taking an approach of minimal invanisness in their coaching. Very slow and deliberate in making changes. This is both good and bad. Good in that the young players have a steady environment. But mostly bad because obvious potential solutions are not tried until too late. Questionable decisions in player usage, poor game management, lack of discipline, awful PK, all things that point to coaching.

4- Talent: We have a lack of depth were the 1st sign of injury trouble disrupts the whole team. Even when fully healthy we lack depth. We also lack a good mix: too many small bodies and not enough shooters.

5-Team identity: What is our team identity? We want to be fast but for what? Being great at counter-attack? Having a relentless forecheck? Never be out of position? This team has not found its indentity and a playing style that is consistent for every line and every game.

 

[TruePowerSlave]

How about Scrubs takes a look at his own numbers, they are hideous. Fix that shit first man then publicly complain about the team.

 

[sethro109]

Should I be mad at Grubs for speaking up even though he's been a big problem? Or should I be happy that he's trying to take a leadership role on this team? I guess it only really matters how the team perceives the message. But man it does seem really arrogant.

 

[dahrougem2]

Grubauer has been trash this season, there's no denying that, but he's not wrong in his assessment of the team.

1st goal is a hideous turnover from Girard, who then does nothing to defend that turnover. No chance.

2nd goal is a player coming in point blank with nobody even bothering to defend him, AND he's screened by two players. No chance.

3rd goal is a back door 5-on-3. No chance.

4th goal Graves/Nemeth overstay their shift after a good one in the offensive zone, and nobody even bothers picking up Coyle who goes top shelf. No chance.

5th goal another 5-on-3. No chance.

He needs to bail this team out once in a while, no doubt about that, but last night wasn't a night where he had a shot in hell. The Avs were terrible both defensively, on the forecheck, and taking penalties. It was laughable.

That said, start Francouz next game. Neither Varly nor Grubauer deserve to play.

 

[The Kingslayer]

Two nearly 5 on 3s and you blame it on bad goaltending? Lol, I don't care who was in net that game that was a team loss regardless if it was Carey Price, Gibson, or Grubauer.

One of them became a 5 on 2 when Calverts stick broke aswell. Not many goalies are going to stand a chance when that happens.

 

[Pokecheque]

“I just think it’s time to see if he can respond and (give him) a chance to play,” Bednar said. “He’s good in practice, working hard, hungry for the net and goaltending has been just OK. Need someone to step up.”

I think someone should have checked for blood given how hard he was biting his tongue there.

 

[Balthazar]

I'm not sure if people are overreacting to Grubs' comments because they hate him or they are genuinely offended that he said that everyone needs to be better.

 

[Pokecheque]

I'm not sure if people are overreacting to Grubs' comments because they hate him or they are genuinely offended that he said that everyone needs to be better.

True or not, I'd like to see him own his own failures before calling out the ones he's seeing in front of him. Again, the defensive breakdowns were not on him, but he still wasn't good. He still isn't making that big save to keep his team in it. Even Bednar acknowledged as much.

I said before that Grubauer reminds me of Jaro Halak, and I believe that assessment was correct. He's a good backup who has shown flashes of brilliance, but ultimately is not a viable starting goaltender. I think we've seen enough. He's not The Guy. I don't blame the Avs for taking a legit shot here, but this gamble will not pan out. They need to look elsewhere. Start Francouz next game after the break, and go from there.