GDT: Game 54: Stars @ Avs | Thursday, February 4th, 7pm MT | Wake Me Up

[CobraAcesS]

Rantanen wouldn't be a miracle worker, but he could be a spark may be all the team needs. People have short term memories when it comes to sports and it's hard to remember when they are playing this poorly that not long ago, they were playing pretty well. But there's every possibility they can play well again.

When Zadorov and Bigras were up, I don't think you can make a great argument that the 1.0 GAA was because they are both stout, shut down defensemen. But you can probably attribute it to an intangible chemistry or dynamic the team had with them. There could be a similar affect with Rantanen in the lineup and Roy and Sakic need to turn over this stone before they try anything else (I'm pretty sure Roy has more or less tried every stone available from the present active roster).

I liked that last line, I loled, Roy really has gone above and beyond trying everything except bringing up Mikko or actually giving Grigorenko a couple of full games on that top line. Even going back to what he did before chasing his tail.

 

[CobraAcesS]

MacKinnon has been really bad the last 2 months. Mitchell has been non-existent for almost the same amount of time. Wagner/Grigorenko rotated on the 4th line hasn't added much.

We're in a playoff stretch and literally have 1 centerman producing and playing well; Soderberg. That just will not get it done. Too important of a position in terms of dictating a game for us to have 3 passengers down the middle at this point.

I think MacK needs a reality check, and needs to be put back on RW personally. Either that or as others said last night. Use him and Greg together against easier match ups. Whatever it is something more than simply plugging that hole at LW with Mikko or Greg needs to happen with him.

Something like Greg - MacK - Comeau, and putting Duchene with Sodaskog would be worth trying.

 

[FALAPARK17]

Comeau - Duchene - Grigorenko
Landeskog - Soderberg - Mackinnon
Tanguay - Wagner - Iginla
McLeod - Mitchell - Skille
Beauchemin - Johnson
Holden - Barrie
Bigras - Redmond

 

[Foppa2118]

If Rantanen can help give them two top lines that can contribute offensively, then it's worth it. That's what Roy has been striving for, trying every combination under the sun at LW with Mack and Dutchy.

They need to be able to count on one of those lines every night, even if they alternate effectiveness. Lately it seems like one contributes, then the other the next game, then neither for a game or two. They need both, because the bottom six isn't contributing enough.

The gladiator line was only going to be counted on offensively for so long, before they fell back to being a more traditional, but solid 4th line.

 

[CobraAcesS]

Comeau - Duchene - Grigorenko
Landeskog - Soderberg - Mackinnon
Tanguay - Wagner - Iginla
McLeod - Mitchell - Skille
Beauchemin - Johnson
Holden - Barrie
Bigras - Redmond

Not bad, but obviously Greg and Comeau would be on opposite sides there.

 

[Hesher]

They were second-best right from the start but at least they managed to get one point. Too many players are playing below their capabilities.

 

[The Kingslayer]

They were second-best right from the start but at least they managed to get one point. Too many players are playing below their capabilities.

We said this far too often this season and especially of late. There is no excuse for it whatsoever.

 

[dahrougem2]

MacKinnon has been really bad the last 2 months. Mitchell has been non-existent for almost the same amount of time. Wagner/Grigorenko rotated on the 4th line hasn't added much.

We're in a playoff stretch and literally have 1 centerman producing and playing well; Soderberg. That just will not get it done. Too important of a position in terms of dictating a game for us to have 3 passengers down the middle at this point.

The problem I have with MacKinnon is he isn't even creating much. I get it if a player is in a slump and the puck just isn't going in, or players just aren't capitalizing on opportunities, but he's doing neither.

People say all the time that Grigorenko has "engagement issues", well if that's the case then MacKinnon must have the exact same problem but to an even larger extent because a lot of the time, without the puck, he looks like he isn't even trying. There is clearly a different gear he goes into when he gets the puck vs when he doesn't have it, and that drives me nuts. It's clear as day when watching him that he doesn't work as hard without the puck, and I believe that's a big reason for his struggles right now.

As you said, he's been really bad for the last 2 months, and it's got to change. I love Soderberg and how he plays but he can't be this team's #1 centre for the playoff push. He needs help and he just isn't getting it right now from any of the centres.

 

[TheStranger]

We said this far too often this season and especially of late. There is no excuse for it whatsoever.

Comeau, Tanguay, Iginla being in our top 6 or even 9 is an excuse. We don't have the skill to compete with many teams in the NHL. Not to mention Duchene and Mackinnon being ghosts for a long time now. Once again need to get their **** together, which seems to be a bi-weekly situation except now it's about 6 weeks.

 

[AvalancheFan19]

Comeau, Tanguay, Iginla being in our top 6 or even 9 is an excuse. We don't have the skill to compete with many teams in the NHL. Not to mention Duchene and Mackinnon being ghosts for a long time now. Once again need to get their **** together, which seems to be a bi-weekly situation except now it's about 6 weeks.

Duchene is fine. Mackinnon is absolutely lost.

 

[Balthazar]

Duchene is fine. Mackinnon is absolutely lost.

It's not Mack's fault if this team is getting outplayed night after night (win or lose). The problem is elsewhere and I wish people would start to focus on the real issue instead of individual players.

 

[dahrougem2]

It's not Mack's fault if this team is getting outplayed night after night (win or lose). The problem is elsewhere and I wish people would start to focus on the real issue instead of individual players.

I don't put too much stock into the team getting outplayed badly because prior to this ~5 game stretch, we were outplaying other teams. The best players have to be the best players, plain and simple. Right now, MacKinnon is playing like the 5th best forward on this team, and he's only that high because everyone else beneath him is either also struggling mightily (Mitchell) or should be playing 4th line minutes (McLeod/Skille/Iginla/Tanguay/Wagner/Martinsen).

Same applies to EJ. He's looked awful since coming back from injury. He has to elevate his game if this team wants to win. He isn't playing like a #1 defensemen right now.

 

[cgf]

So... we don't have any depth, we have horrendous coaching, and our good players suck. Amazing the Avs have more than 10 wins all season.

I've been saying it a while... this team isn't deep and the fact that we are competing for a spot is a good thing and a testiment. Mitchell can work as a 3rd line center if he is surrounded by good linemates, but McLeod and Skille shouldn't play more than 8 minutes a game. Problem is, there isn't other options... Marty shouldn't play every night. Iggy has 1 good game in 5... Tangs is lucky to have that. Grigo needs more ice time, but he isn't what I would call a savior. Holden plays too much, but has been alright considering his role. Beauch plays way too much, but we don't have better options to eat top pairing minutes. etc.

This team only has 4 top 6 forwards and 3 top 4 defensemen. That isn't a recipe for success and the team obviously knows it. The holes are being patched up until the kids can be ready to take on bigger roles. The don't want to rush the development so much that it hurts the kids in the long run. The Avs don't also have the assets to patch the holes properly until they are ready. So stretches where water the fills the boat and the bailer can't keep up are going to happen. It is about minimizing them until the kids are able to help.

A point of desperation on the top line, bottom 6, and defense is going to (or has) come. They will probably give some kids bigger roles (Grigo, Rantanen, Bigras, and maybe Zadorov) and they probably make a trade or two as well to help shore up the depth.

IMO making a move for a RD to ease the burden on the other pairings would be a wise thing to do. Giving Grigo a shot on the top line and then Rantanen on the Landy-Soda line would also be a step forward. Then trying a ____-Mitchell-Comeau line as a 3rd to see if a move is needed there. I'd also swap Everberg and Marty... Marty is useless and Everberg may not be.

This. All of this.

 

[AvalancheFan19]

It's not Mack's fault if this team is getting outplayed night after night (win or lose). The problem is elsewhere and I wish people would start to focus on the real issue instead of individual players.

No, it is not Mack's fault the team is getting outplayed. However, it is his fault he looks like he doesn't give a damn when the puck isn't on his stick. Absolutely unacceptable for a C in todays league.

The real issue is we don't have enough talent. The reality is this is our team and I'm not going to keep asking for another top 6 winger or top 4 defender. If a trade happens great. If a call-up happens (Z or Rants) even better. We should try that option for a bit before doing anything drastic.

Back to Mackinnon.. He looks apathetic out there. I love the kid and he's going to be the face of this franchise and the best player on the team soon enough but his play as of late has been absolutely inexcusable. Especially considering how he started the season. I know he's young but it's frustrating that we can't have all guns firing at once. Cold streaks happen, I just want him hustling harder defensively.

 

[cgf]

I think MacK needs a reality check, and needs to be put back on RW personally. Either that or as others said last night. Use him and Greg together against easier match ups. Whatever it is something more than simply plugging that hole at LW with Mikko or Greg needs to happen with him.

Something like Greg - MacK - Comeau, and putting Duchene with Sodaskog would be worth trying.

I would love to see Soderberg play with Duchene. They have shown chemistry before and Matt's two way game has become a legit strength, so that could stay our tough minute line whether Landy or Comeau are the third wheel.

I'd really love to see Greg or Rantanen work their way onto a line next to Matt & Soda, since both have the two-way ability and skill to really click with that duo. If that worked, we could stick Landy & Comeau around MacKinnon; and tell them to focus on causing havoc with their speed & physicality until they score enough 'garbage goals' for MacKinnon to get his mojo back. Then we could replace Comeau on that line with Greg/Rintintin, to better take advantage of a clicking MacKinnon. Working towards something like this by the end of the regular season:

Grigorenko* - Soderberg - Duchene
Landeskog - MacKinnon - Rantanen*
Comeau* - Mitchell - Iggy/Tangs/Skille (trade?)
McCleod - Wagner - Iggy/Tangs/Skille

Not bad, but obviously Greg and Comeau would be on opposite sides there.

Comeau's played on both sides a lot; but in previous years he preferred to play on the left.

 

[Jarey Curry]

Even if we could give him 6M, I fear that it's not enough cause some other team will surely make a higher offer with a contender status... Unless we find out that Roy and Rads were best friends forever paris hilton style ;O

 

[5280]

I just think Dutchy and Mack were never made to play together. Never have.

 

[cgf]

Even if we could give him 6M, I fear that it's not enough cause some other team will surely make a higher offer with a contender status... Unless we find out that Roy and Rads were best friends forever paris hilton style ;O

Not the thread for it, but Patrick and Rads are BFFs. Radulov lived with the Roy family in junior and they have a father-son relationship. Rads having famously been quoted as saying he'd swim across the ocean to play for Roy, when asked about Roy coaching a Quebec expansion team; and has since then acknowledged that he and Roy still talk regularly.

And we would be contenders with Radulov as long as Beauch didn't fall apart completely before Bigras and Zadorov were ready. By the postseason we could be rolling with something like

Radulov - Soderberg - Duchene
Landeskog - MacKinnon - Rintintin
Comeau - Grigorenko - Compher
McCleod - Mitchell - Iginla/Skille
(Bleackley)

Beauchemin - EJ
Bigras - Barrie
Zadorov - Holden

Varlamov
Pickard

 

[CobraAcesS]

Not the thread for it, but Patrick and Rads are BFFs. Radulov lived with the Roy family in junior and they have a father-son relationship. Rads having famously been quoted as saying he'd swim across the ocean to play for Roy, when asked about Roy coaching a Quebec expansion team; and has since then acknowledged that he and Roy still talk regularly.

And we would be contenders with Radulov as long as Beauch didn't fall apart completely before Bigras and Zadorov were ready. By the postseason we could be rolling with something like

Radulov - Soderberg - Duchene
Landeskog - MacKinnon - Rintintin
Comeau - Grigorenko - Compher
McCleod - Mitchell - Iginla/Skille
(Bleackley)

Beauchemin - EJ
Bigras - Barrie
Zadorov - Holden

Varlamov
Pickard

All of that is fine and dandy, but this : http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/...eturn-colorado-avalanche-nashville-predators/ : is what makes me think hes coming over.

Patrick Roy coached Radulov in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. In May, Radulov’s agent, Yuri Nikolaev, told Russian outlet Championat that Radulov had spoken with Roy about joining the Avs in 2016-17.

I've never known it was that specifically reported until recently. Didn't believe in it until I seen that.

 

[Hans Landaskog]

Radulov is a pipe dream guys. That article is old. Pretty sure he extended his KHL contract.

 

[CobraAcesS]

Radulov is a pipe dream guys. That article is old. Pretty sure he extended his KHL contract.

That article is from November 27th, 2015... And the rumor of his extension was shot down by his agent. Nothing else has been let out after that.

 

[AvsRobin]

That article is from November 27th, 2015... And the rumor of his extension was shot down by his agent. Nothing else has been let out after that.

There also might be a problem when we offer him a contract and he realizes that he would been making less than 50% of what he does in Russia. Radulov is a pipe dream.