GDT: Game 55: Avs vs Jets | 8 PM MT | February 6, 2016 | There's a Hockey Game Tonight

[Jayevs]

Oh ok let's bring up a sporadic 20 year old, and put him on the first pairing and move our best dman by a country mile to the 3rd pairing. That seems like just what we need to get out of this funk. EJ hasn't been great lately but you don't take away ice time from a player like him, he'll get better.

I'm all for bringing up Zadorov but I'm not sure I'd play him much more than 12-14 minutes a night, kinda like what they've been doing with Bigras.

Zadorov looked good in 3/4 games, and that way all three pairs could be used for ~20 mins/night so they could get a little rest and play balls to the walls shifts when they are out there.

 

[Tweaky]

Tanguay and Iginla may not have done much to help, but they did not do much to hurt either. I saw more positive than negative from them tonight.

Duchene was fine, MacK had a couple shifts on fire, but many lagging. Landy was OK, Soda good. Comeau did not piss me off. Wagner, McLeod, and Marty made little impact either way. Same with Mitchell. Grigs was our best forward IMO....or at least even with Soda, Duchene and maybe Landy.

Bigras was great, only a couple miscues, and more than made up for them with outstanding plays. Bodnarchuk was a #6.

EJ. No excuse. If he is hurt, then he should not be getting the minutes. If he is not hurt, then he needs to be off top pairing. Thrree of four goals against with him on the ice, and none of our own. Not acceptable for a #1D, not against a bottom dweller. Enough games have passed to knock the rust off, and if was still hurt, he should not have come back...they were winning without him. Beauchemin was a bit better, but looked tired.

Barrie was a tire fire today too. The lack of hustle to pick up the puck behind the net, that ended up in our net, was egregious. And he did not do enough offensively to make up for it. And Holden was not any help either.

Varly was crap. Flopping like a fish out of water after a tap from Ladd, leads to one Stafford goal (not gonna blame him for the other one...that one was on Barrie). Passing it to Ladd for a one-timer. Perraults goal was a bit weak as well, but whatever. The D could have, and should have, been better on all of them. But Varly is supposed to be all world...this was not one of those games. And whoever said Varly would have won the last one....still think so?...he gave up 4 on 39, Picks was 4 on 44. Both games were only partly due to goaltending. I will give Varly the rust excuse for this one....with the hope that he stands on his head next time.


On to that next one. Hopefully it will turn out better. I am tempted to tweet (with a bunch of core players tagged) a question about who is planning the Vegas trip. See if something like that lights a fire.

edit: Doubt we have seen enough for Roy to call up the kids we want to see...yet.

 

[dahrougem2]

Hilariously sad stats for tonight:

Ice time for Avs Centremen
John Mitchell
19:09 (17:04 Even Strength)

Nathan MacKinnon
18:56 (17:02 Even Strength)

Carl Soderberg
15:48 (12:39 Even Strength)

Chris Wagner
6:04 (6:04 Even Strength)

Yay for Johnny Malkin being our 1st line centre tonight... Inexcusable for him to play that much.

 

[Foppa2118]

I do like how Nate caught himself and said he wasn't going to talk about what the team was doing wrong, he needed to be better. I always think that's the sign of someone capable of reaching their potential. Screw what the rest of the team needs to do better, I have to look in the mirror first and analyze my own play. You would think it'd be more common, even just as a cliche, but not many players take themselves to task when asked about losses.

Now just carry that same attitude over to your next practice, then your next game, and keep it going from there, and just like Dutchy you'll pick this team up by the boot heels, with all it's faults, and carry it into the playoffs. Work your ass off every shift in all three zones, get your head on a swivel and be aware defensively, get that swagger back offensively where you can take the puck to the net and score on anyone, and earn that contract they're thinking about giving you this summer. You're 100% capable of doing it right now. Not next season or down the road, but right now.

This team needs you Nate. It still has some serious weak points, so it's high points need to shine bright to make up for it.

 

[PAZ]

Tanguay and Iginla may not have done much to help, but they did not do much to hurt either. I saw more positive than negative from them tonight.

Duchene was fine, MacK had a couple shifts on fire, but many lagging. Landy was OK, Soda good. Comeau did not piss me off. Wagner, McLeod, and Marty made little impact either way. Same with Mitchell. Grigs was our best forward IMO....or at least even with Soda, Duchene and maybe Landy.

Bigras was great, only a couple miscues, and more than made up for them with outstanding plays. Bodnarchuk was a #6.

EJ. No excuse. If he is hurt, then he should not be getting the minutes. If he is not hurt, then he needs to be off top pairing. Thrree of four goals against with him on the ice, and none of our own. Not acceptable for a #1D, not against a bottom dweller. Enough games have passed to knock the rust off, and if was still hurt, he should not have come back...they were winning without him. Beauchemin was a bit better, but looked tired.

Barrie was a tire fire today too. The lack of hustle to pick up the puck behind the net, that ended up in our net, was egregious. And he did not do enough offensively to make up for it. And Holden was not any help either.

Varly was crap. Flopping like a fish out of water after a tap from Ladd, leads to one Stafford goal (not gonna blame him for the other one...that one was on Barrie). Passing it to Ladd for a one-timer. Perraults goal was a bit weak as well, but whatever. The D could have, and should have, been better on all of them. But Varly is supposed to be all world...this was not one of those games. And whoever said Varly would have won the last one....still think so?...he gave up 4 on 39, Picks was 4 on 44. Both games were only partly due to goaltending. I will give Varly the rust excuse for this one....with the hope that he stands on his head next time.


On to that next one. Hopefully it will turn out better. I am tempted to tweet (with a bunch of core players tagged) a question about who is planning the Vegas trip. See if something like that lights a fire.

edit: Doubt we have seen enough for Roy to call up the kids we want to see...yet.

What's with this bottom dweller nonsense. They've been playing crap hockey, but they're only 9 points back of us and made the playoffs the year before. Yes, EJ should've played better but the Jets aren't much worse than us.

 

[Tweaky]

What's with this bottom dweller nonsense. They've been playing crap hockey, but they're only 9 points back of us and made the playoffs the year before. Yes, EJ should've played better but the Jets aren't much worse than us.

Before beating us, they were tied for dead last in the league. That qualifies. Pretty much the definition of bottom dweller. I did not say perennial or perpetual bottom dweller...that would be wrong. Should they be there now, maybe not. But they are. Just as we were earlier in the season. And if they play other teams they way they played us, they have a chance to climb out. But we have to play better...especially against teams below us and who we are competing against for the wild card.

 

[freeboy]

well, that looked a lot like getting beat 5 0 a month ago...
We need to play better , not sure what happened at the all star break but man we are in a funk...
top to bottom we need to pick up our intensity and team play.. More shots on goal, better passing better clearing ..

no reason to go to playoffs like this.. woe full
dissappointing and dreadful.

That said, we are in GREAT shape for points, all we need to do is win although that is true as well for the other 6 teams competing for the 2 spots.
If we cam out and got 4 or 5 points in these last three games I would say our suck is behind us and we are ready to challenge for legit top 3 spots ... but we are not.
Glad I did not go to the can last night... hope we trade away some of this garbage as well.. just saying

 

[Metallo]

I do like how Nate caught himself and said he wasn't going to talk about what the team was doing wrong, he needed to be better. I always think that's the sign of someone capable of reaching their potential. Screw what the rest of the team needs to do better, I have to look in the mirror first and analyze my own play. You would think it'd be more common, even just as a cliche, but not many players take themselves to task when asked about losses.

Now just carry that same attitude over to your next practice, then your next game, and keep it going from there, and just like Dutchy you'll pick this team up by the boot heels, with all it's faults, and carry it into the playoffs. Work your ass off every shift in all three zones, get your head on a swivel and be aware defensively, get that swagger back offensively where you can take the puck to the net and score on anyone, and earn that contract they're thinking about giving you this summer. You're 100% capable of doing it right now. Not next season or down the road, but right now.

This team needs you Nate. It still has some serious weak points, so it's high points need to shine bright to make up for it.

Well said.

Right now he's not worth than 6M$ per year on a bridge deal (not gonna happen I know but that is how he looks).

He's my most frustrating player to watch on the Avs.

 

[Metallo]

That would be exothermic oxidation reactions...Chemistry, not Thermodynamics

Chemical reactions don't follow the laws of thermodynamics?

 

[Metallo]

Naps on the SO are the best. I keep telling my hubby I'm hoing him out they are so good.

Anyway,

He thought it was goalie interference but admitted he was trying to fire the team up.

Liked they played with emotion in the 3rd. Mostly not good enough, haven't played well since the break.

EJ, Tyson, MacK, Dutchy, Landy are the leaders of the team, they are going to bring us to the playoffs or not.

Frei "are you calling them out"

No, I'm just saying how it is.

I'm surprised Roy does not mention Varly. If one guy can carry this team it's Varly.

 

[Metallo]

OK, Tanguay and Iggy need to be scratched on a regular basis until they show something. We need our bottom six to skate around, bang bodies and not be liabilities. You know, just kill the clock until our top 2 lines are rested and back on the ice.

 

[Tweaky]

Chemical reactions don't follow the laws of thermodynamics?

They do, but they are rarely much help in teaching them. Especially the Third (The entropy of a system approaches a constant value as the temperature approaches zero).

 

[Tweaky]

OK, Tanguay and Iggy need to be scratched on a regular basis until they show something. We need our bottom six to skate around, bang bodies and not be liabilities. You know, just kill the clock until our top 2 lines are rested and back on the ice.

I disagree. I think they are fine in the bottom 6. As rotating scratches, they are fine as well. They were pretty invisible today...which I am good with for bottom line guys. Much rather have them than Cliche. Everberg or Rendulic, maybe I could get behind.

 

[cgf]

Tangs and Iggy had a good game by their standards.

 

[Cousin Eddie]

Yeah I'm the biggest Iggy and Tangay hater on here but I had no issue with what they did last night. Tangs even used his body once.

 

[cgf]

Yeah I'm the biggest Iggy and Tangay hater on here but I had no issue with what they did last night. Tangs even used his body once.

I counted 3 or 4 times where Tangs threw that old body around. That line didn't do anything, but they weren't the reason we lost or a major liability. Ideally we'd be rotating the two retirement-home'ers to keep them fresh, but what they gave us last night was fine.

 

[DUHockey]

Have to keep bringing this back to Roy and his defensive style and system he has for this team. They give up typically 35-45 shots a night. They take 20-25 shots on average.

The system allows the other team to hold on to the puck on the perimeter in the D end and requires the forwards to back out of the O end when ever the puck is lost. If he would let them attack in both ends of the ice there would be a dramatic shift in zone times. An attacking D style would not have allowed the goal that Stafford scored while standing in the soft spot in front of Duchene and behind the D. He even had time to take a few steps back. If Duchene had been allowed to sag down and leave his post that goal never happens. But as it was, all 5 guys had their feet firmly planted on the ice in the D end.

Only solution is a coaching change IMO.

 

[CobraAcesS]

I'm surprised Roy does not mention Varly. If one guy can carry this team it's Varly.

He did actually go back and said something like 'Varly too' if I remember right. He called out the entire core basically.

 

[AnimalMother73]

Have to keep bringing this back to Roy and his defensive style and system he has for this team. They give up typically 35-45 shots a night. They take 20-25 shots on average.

The system allows the other team to hold on to the puck on the perimeter in the D end and requires the forwards to back out of the O end when ever the puck is lost. If he would let them attack in both ends of the ice there would be a dramatic shift in zone times. An attacking D style would not have allowed the goal that Stafford scored while standing in the soft spot in front of Duchene and behind the D. He even had time to take a few steps back. If Duchene had been allowed to sag down and leave his post that goal never happens. But as it was, all 5 guys had their feet firmly planted on the ice in the D end.

Only solution is a coaching change IMO.

Whatever it is system or players the whole thing is awful. Players chasing the puck around for an eternity in their own zone then gain possession only to make god awful passes back to the opposition trying to break out- pathetic. I cannot understand for the life of me why the Avs are so bad at possession and see no attempt by the coaches to change up the game plan at all. Roy has said since he's been here he wants to play a fast up tempo offensive style. Pretty hard to do by completely ignoring that you have to control the puck to be effective....and not calling up Rantanen right now should be a fireable offense given the significant gaping hole in top end forwards.

 

[cgf]

The system has issues, but the players just aren't playing well enough right now. We've seen them get to pucks first, assert themselves, and string together passes; they're just not doing that now. Now this sort of inconsistency is understandable given the holes in roster, the lack of depth tiring the main guys, the youth of so many key pieces (MacK/Greg/Bigras/Zads), and the ineptitude of the elder anchors; but they need a spark to start playing like we've seen them again.

 

[bohlmeister]

I counted 3 or 4 times where Tangs threw that old body around. That line didn't do anything, but they weren't the reason we lost or a major liability. Ideally we'd be rotating the two retirement-home'ers to keep them fresh, but what they gave us last night was fine.

"They didn't lose us the game" is the problem. They can't be those type of players, and sadly they are. 8.5 mil between the 2. Can't pay those guys to play fluff minutes and hope they don't cost you.

It's a shame, Tangs was really good last season, but he fell off a cliff.

Iggy was a mistake signing from the start. Too slow to play, and isn't physical. Roy wanted a physical forward.

 

[The Kingslayer]

Hilariously sad stats for tonight:

Ice time for Avs Centremen
John Mitchell
19:09 (17:04 Even Strength)

Nathan MacKinnon
18:56 (17:02 Even Strength)

Carl Soderberg
15:48 (12:39 Even Strength)

Chris Wagner
6:04 (6:04 Even Strength)

Yay for Johnny Malkin being our 1st line centre tonight... Inexcusable for him to play that much.

Well Roy has nobody to blame but himself for this bs. How the **** are tou givin Mitchell that uch ice? Whats he done since November to deserve more that 10 mins es? Nothing.

 

[AslanRH]

The system has issues, but the players just aren't playing well enough right now. We've seen them get to pucks first, assert themselves, and string together passes; they're just not doing that now. Now this sort of inconsistency is understandable given the holes in roster, the lack of depth tiring the main guys, the youth of so many key pieces (MacK/Greg/Bigras/Zads), and the ineptitude of the elder anchors; but they need a spark to start playing like we've seen them again.

Seems to be the story of Roy's tenure. I haven't chosen which side of the fence I'm on regarding Roy as the coach of this team, but I'm a results oriented guy, and when I don't see improvement in the possession imbalance over significant time, I really start to question who should in the end be held accountable for it.

 

[DUHockey]

The system has issues, but the players just aren't playing well enough right now. We've seen them get to pucks first, assert themselves, and string together passes; they're just not doing that now. Now this sort of inconsistency is understandable given the holes in roster, the lack of depth tiring the main guys, the youth of so many key pieces (MacK/Greg/Bigras/Zads), and the ineptitude of the elder anchors; but they need a spark to start playing like we've seen them again.

It's not the lack of depth that is causing the problem. It's that lack of playing time that the depth gets when they are up with the big club. Let the young guys play. Bring up Ratanen, Zads, Everberg and let them play some significant minutes along with Grigo and Wagner. Lets inject energy into this line up. If the same pieces get shuffled every night it will not change.

 

[The Kingslayer]

"They didn't lose us the game" is the problem. They can't be those type of players, and sadly they are. 8.5 mil between the 2. Can't pay those guys to play fluff minutes and hope they don't cost you.

It's a shame, Tangs was really good last season, but he fell off a cliff.

Iggy was a mistake signing from the start. Too slow to play, and isn't physical. Roy wanted a physical forward.

Iginla was a bad signing from the jump and is a disaster now. He should waive his NMC.