GDT: Game #61- Avs host Kraken @7pm MT / 9pm ET/ 4am CET/ 8am ICT

[niwotsblessing]

I still think not having our top 4 dmen all healthy together for any significant amount of time is one of the biggest cracks. When the Avs are playing "their" game, everything, I mean everything, starts from the backend. For the team to function well playing their game, they need to have chemistry and get in a groove and they've just never been able to do so. Somebody has always been injured causing somebody else to be overworked to exhaustion. And if I'm being honest, we don't have the depth to cover for our top 4 being injured without sacrifice (or cracks).

No team has the depth to cover for the injury situation you describe, up front or on D.

 

[Northern Avs Fan]

I think they’ve performed about how you’d expect considering the players they’ve missed.

I know we kind of like to brush it off, but literally every game they’re missing 3-5 players. Even when healthy, I don’t think they’ll be as strong as last year without Naz, but they have another level.

 

[dahrougem2]

I put zero stock into the Avs numbers in 20-21 during the bubble season.

 

[henchman21]

I think they’ve performed about how you’d expect considering the players they’ve missed.

I know we kind of like to brush it off, but literally every game they’re missing 3-5 players. Even when healthy, I don’t think they’ll be as strong as last year without Naz, but they have another level.

I personally agree they’ll be better. How much is a question. Going from 20 to 14 isn’t enough. I’d also say they are far below where the standard is.

I put zero stock into the Avs numbers in 20-21 during the bubble season.

Even if you exclude that season Avs were top 10 in 19-20 too.

 

[TruePowerSlave]

Kadri + Bura + Sturm + NAK + Kuemper > ERod + Malgin + Nieto + Eller +Georgiev, there's no doubt.

But I think we forget how bad the Avs looked going into the playoffs (lost 6 of 7). If we can ever figure out a way to fire on all cylinders this season (hasn't really happened yet, part of it is the glut of injuries of course, but could be a sign we're just not as good this year), then I don't think the team is THAT much weaker, at least in context of being able to make it out of the West.

The cup winning team lost a bunch of games at the end because they didn't care about the regular season anymore. The West was won and they took a breather before a cup run. Nothing like this season.

The 21-22 Avs were a powerhouse that wrecked the regular season + playoffs. Nobody should expect this group to come close to that.

 

[MacKaRant]

The cup winning team lost a bunch of games at the end because they didn't care about the regular season anymore. The West was won and they took a breather before a cup run. Nothing like this season.

The 21-22 Avs were a powerhouse that wrecked the regular season + playoffs. Nobody should expect this group to come close to that.

If everyone is healthy, I don't see why not. Very big if, I know. Tampa looks disinterested now, but I'm assuming they will show up for the playoffs.

We're missing Kadri for sure. Burakovsky was playing fourth line, healthy scratched, or injured for over half of the playoffs. games.

 

[dahrougem2]

If everyone is healthy, I don't see why not. Very big if, I know. Tampa looks disinterested now, but I'm assuming they will show up for the playoffs.

We're missing Kadri for sure. Burakovsky was playing fourth line, healthy scratched, or injured for over half of the playoffs. games.

Don't perpetuate this myth. Burakovsky was a big part of the playoff run and was a huge part of our team during the prior three regular seasons.

 

[nammerus]

If everyone is healthy, I don't see why not. Very big if, I know. Tampa looks disinterested now, but I'm assuming they will show up for the playoffs.

We're missing Kadri for sure. Burakovsky was playing fourth line, healthy scratched, or injured for over half of the playoffs. games.

He had 8 pts in 12 games, which is the same amount that JTC had in 20. And he scored a huge goal in the finals.

Everyone keeps saying that Compher played well as our #2C after Kadri went down. He had 2 points over 5 games when he got shoved into that role. And he got caved in against the Oilers matching up against their #2C. Luckily the rest of the team was so good it didn’t matter. This year, we won’t have that luxury.

 

[MacKaRant]

Don't perpetuate this myth. Burakovsky was a big part of the playoff run and was a huge part of our team during the prior three regular seasons.

It isn't a myth. He had one three point game in the Nashville series (zeroes in the others), then Bednar dropped him down to fourth line against the Blues, then got healthy scratched for two games, came back for Game 6, managed a lone secondary assist amongst the 14 goals we scored in the first two games against Edmonton, then got injured, back for Tampa for one huge clutch goal, then injured again.

He had an impact on exactly three games last postseason: Game 4 versus Preds, Finals Game 1 OT winner, and first period onslaught in Finals Game 2. And, yeah, that's three games more than NAK or Newhook.

Good player, always a part of our championship team, and we could use his secondary scoring, but I don't see how you could argue against that he was invisible / injured for two of the playoff series last year.

 

[MacKaRant]

Everyone keeps saying that Compher played well as our #2C after Kadri went down. He had 2 points over 5 games when he got shoved into that role. And he got caved in against the Oilers matching up against their #2C. Luckily the rest of the team was so good it didn’t matter. This year, we won’t have that luxury.

Absolutely not true. Check the splits. Game 4 he had an xGF% of 81% when McJesus was not on the ice. Only 2.95% when McJesus was on. Matchup problem was against McDavid, every other centerman he dominated. Not the first center to get caved by McDavid and won't be the last. Oilers got last change as it was Game 4.

 

[dahrougem2]

It isn't a myth. He had one three point game in the Nashville series (zeroes in the others), then Bednar dropped him down to fourth line against the Blues, then got healthy scratched for two games, came back for Game 6, managed a lone secondary assist amongst the 14 goals we scored in the first two games against Edmonton, then got injured, back for Tampa for one huge clutch goal, then injured again.

He had an impact on exactly three games last postseason: Game 4 versus Preds, Finals Game 1 OT winner, and first period onslaught in Finals Game 2. And, yeah, that's three games more than NAK or Newhook.

Good player, always a part of our championship team, and we could use his secondary scoring, but I don't see how you could argue against that he was invisible / injured for two of the playoff series last year.

This is such a disingenuous breakdown of the guy. But it's ok. Keep perpetuating the myth that never seems to die around here about Burakovsky.

 

[Chiarelli]

Bura was soft and benefitted from favourable matchups playing down the depth chart. If Seattle makes playoffs this year it’ll be much more telling as he’ll be in a top 6 role and top PP

 

[dahrougem2]

Bura was soft and benefitted from favourable matchups playing down the depth chart. If Seattle makes playoffs this year it’ll be much more telling as he’ll be in a top 6 role and top PP

Nope. Definitely not soft.

 

[henchman21]

I'm not even really a Burkie fan and I support the decision not to keep him. What I don't support is the lack of replacement. Avs need a transition wing. Lehky and Nuke for all of their talents are not guys who are that sort of winger. ERod isn't either.

 

[dahrougem2]

I'm not even really a Burkie fan and I support the decision not to keep him. What I don't support is the lack of replacement. Avs need a transition wing. Lehky and Nuke for all of their talents are not guys who are that sort of winger. ERod isn't either.

You can f*** off and on!

 

[henchman21]

You can f*** off and on!

Avs just don't have the cap to afford him and fit in a 2C... and the 2C is more of an issue.

 

[RockLobster]

Avs just don't have the cap to afford him and fit in a 2C... and the 2C is more of an issue.

[Chris MacFarland enters the chat]

 

[Reparlana]

I'm not going to argue Burky was quintessential to our cup run but that silky smooth release can beat any goalie at any time. He was a fine player for us. I miss him for that impact alone. But it's a cap world oh well.

 

[Pokecheque]

Yep, I get why they didn't bring him back but anyone who thinks this team isn't missing him and his insanely good transition game are just being plain delusional.

And I am sick of the "he's soft" accusation. Y'all don't know what "soft" is in the NHL. Go watch archived footage of Mike Ribeiro, Peter Mueller, or Mikhail Grigorenko if you want to see what a soft player looks like.

 

[The Abusement Park]

Yep, I get why they didn't bring him back but anyone who thinks this team isn't missing him and his insanely good transition game are just being plain delusional.

And I am sick of the "he's soft" accusation. Y'all don't know what "soft" is in the NHL. Go watch archived footage of Mike Ribeiro, Peter Mueller, or Mikhail Grigorenko if you want to see what a soft player looks like.

Yeah the Bura takes here are pretty delusional. And look at the posts I made in the trade thread. My mind was certainly changed during his tenure here.

 

[MacKaRant]

This is such a disingenuous breakdown of the guy. But it's ok. Keep perpetuating the myth that never seems to die around here about Burakovsky.

Not disingenuous. I like the player, I like his personality, I like watching his shot.

But we all know he blows hot and cold, and it got to the point last year in the playoffs that Bednar felt the need to demote him and eventually healthy scratch him (in favor of Newhook) because he couldn't count on him to make smart plays with the puck if he wasn't scoring. That happened, and I don't understand why it's a point of contention.

And then injuries took him out of 6 of the 10 games in the Conference Finals and Cup Finals.

I don't mean to slag on the player, the whole idea is to say he wasn't one of the go to guys on the team during the Cup run judging by usage, trust level, etc., so maybe this year in the playoffs, we can get similar production from a lesser talent like ERod (assuming he blows hot).

 

[niwotsblessing]

...we can get similar production from a lesser talent like ERod (assuming he blows hot).

Now it's all become clear: ERod blows and Compher sucks.

 

[Foppa2118]

Nate had a terrible game of turnovers. The last one resulted in the tying goal. Then he got caught puck watching and gave up the breakaway goal.

Mikko also was really bad. Careless turnovers and a really bad penalty to put them down 5 on 3.

Poor Georgie. He deserved a better fate.

With all the injuries, this team is as reliant as it ever was on their stars driving the bus. They're too soft on the backend with EJ and Manson out, and no deadline additions, so the margin for error is pretty thin. If their top guys take the night off they usually lose.