GDT: Game 80: Avs @ Kings: 4/2 8:30pm MT

[Foppberg]

I get what you're saying but if it's the same issues, are we not supposed to comment on them? Being honest here, I wasn't even the person that started this "dispute". It was was a rather offsetting comment insinuating that some posters here are pathetic for calling the team's play pathetic lol. I don't care if people are optimistic. Hell I'll be honest, if it wasn't for some of you losers (I mean this in a good way haha), there are games that I would just lose hope on from the start .

I look at this team for what they've accomplished this season and believe that they are truly good enough to play in the playoffs if they give it their all. I, as well as others, just aren't seeing that. If other posters are ok with where they are and are ok with coming 9th, then kudos to that crowd, I'm just not there.

I mean yeah of course, but the majority of the more negative comments aren't critiques at all, they're just broadly complaining to blow off steam, at least that's how I see it. Usually I don't get lumped into the optimistic side to be honest , all season I've just been enjoying the ride, and the past month or so I've just tried to stay in the middle so I'm not devastated when/if we miss the playoffs.

For me, I do think that we deserve to be where we are right now, the guys have worked hard, but at the same time we're like a freshman trying to get into a HS seniors clique. Just not ready. We've jumped on MacKinnon's back for months, without the top line playing out of their mind we're nowhere near where we are today.

Obviously I want playoff hockey, I can't remember being as stressed as I was versus Vegas a few games ago. And definitely have critiques of our play from the past few weeks, and the season in general, but that's part of a young club. If we make the playoffs it's extra icing on the cake, if we don't I'll still be disappointed but I appreciate the way the guys have played for the season.

With that said.... If we're saying similar things in 2-3 years, then I'll be much more upset because this season we're a surprise story, in 2-3 years we should be a playoff team. And if we're not that's a big issue.

 

[klozge]

I mean yeah of course, but the majority of the more negative comments aren't critiques at all, they're just broadly complaining to blow off steam, at least that's how I see it. Usually I don't get lumped into the optimistic side to be honest , all season I've just been enjoying the ride, and the past month or so I've just tried to stay in the middle so I'm not devastated when/if we miss the playoffs.

For me, I do think that we deserve to be where we are right now, the guys have worked hard, but at the same time we're like a freshman trying to get into a HS seniors clique. Just not ready. We've jumped on MacKinnon's back for months, without the top line playing out of their mind we're nowhere near where we are today.

Obviously I want playoff hockey, I can't remember being as stressed as I was versus Vegas a few games ago. And definitely have critiques of our play from the past few weeks, and the season in general, but that's part of a young club. If we make the playoffs it's extra icing on the cake, if we don't I'll still be disappointed but I appreciate the way the guys have played for the season.

With that said.... If we're saying similar things in 2-3 years, then I'll be much more upset because this season we're a surprise story, in 2-3 years we should be a playoff team. And if we're not that's a big issue.

Avs need to make the playoffs next year imo but I agree on everything else.

 

[Arcade Fire]

NHL Playoff Odds -MoneyPuck Analytics Based Playoff & Cup Odds

Avs have 61,3% chance to make the playoffs.
Blues have 54,9% chance to make the playoffs.

It's too exciting..

These odds mean nothing to me. A few games ago we had a 90% chance of making the PO and we've lost almost all of our games ever since. Can't get carried away in positivity like that again, Avs hockey is supposed to be a miserable state of affairs where nothing good ever happens

 

[Murzu]

These odds mean nothing to me. A few games ago we had a 90% chance of making the PO and we've lost almost all of our games ever since. Can't get carried away in positivity like that again, Avs hockey is supposed to be a miserable state of affairs where nothing good ever happens

I hear you

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

These odds mean nothing to me. A few games ago we had a 90% chance of making the PO and we've lost almost all of our games ever since. Can't get carried away in positivity like that again, Avs hockey is supposed to be a miserable state of affairs where nothing good ever happens

Of course, they change, If the situation changes. You're surprised by that? lol

 

[Arcade Fire]

Of course, they change, If the situation changes. You're surprised by that? lol

No shit Sherlock.

 

[Vaslof]

Speaking of odds changing, it's now Blues at 60% and Avs at 43% to make the playoffs.

 

[Kschey]

What pisses me off is people acting like our team simply doesn't WANT to win those games. Like they don't give it their best.

There could be so many factors playing in and determining how they play. You seriously think 8 games ago MacK decided to go out there and stop dominating the game of hockey? Rantanen suddenly decided to fumble every puck and fall over again and again? Ever considered things like fatigue, going cold because something in your mind changes or your opponents start playing up to you closer to the playoffs? MacK literally carried us to this point often playing 20+ minutes per game. Him and Rantanen are both still in their early 20s and probably feeling the pressure of having to carry this team more than ever before. That's things you gotta learn dealing with, experiences you need to make. It's not like they've been in this situation too often before.

Ever considered that these guys are humans and maybe they're f***ing nervous and anxious about not making it and that limiting them more than experienced teams like LA or Anaheim? Plus the obvious fact that our roster is filled with rookies and nowhere as deep as those teams' rosters, especially with guys like EJ and Barberio out on D. We literally played Mark Alt and David Warsofsky on the bottom pairing and IIRC they were on the ice for two goals against. That's a BIG difference right there.

It's pathetic how some of you don't give this team the benefit of the doubt at least when it comes to character and mentality. Last year's team with beauchemin and iginla? THEY were pathetic, not this team.

 

[Murzu]

Speaking of odds changing, it's now Blues at 60% and Avs at 43% to make the playoffs.

Yikes.

National Hockey League Playoff Chances - Sports Club Stats

These good fellas here give Blues 53.1% and us 49.4%. That's a coin flip.

 

[Draisaitl]

These odds mean nothing to me.

Since odds dont mean much to you, maybe the fact that if we (the Avs) win both of our remaining games, we will be in the playoffs, means a little more to you

Though if the Blues win their games #80 and #81, we can't just beat them in OT or SO, it would have to be in regulation. If blues win one of those 2 games(#80&#81) in SO, it would be enough to beat them in regulation or OT, not in a SO though.

This is all calculated into our playoff chances of over 40%. I absolutely expect us to beat San Jose and then we get our final game at home to show the Blues what's good.


Unfortuantely I couldnt wake up last night at 4:30AM even though I had several alarms on, so that I missed the game. Went to work at 10AM and the first thing I did was watching the condensed game without knowing the score. Dunno if I've ever been that excited watching the highlights of a game.

Maybe it's just me or it might be the missleading condensed game, but I had the impression that Dustin Brown played like MacKinnon out there. Not really following the Kings, but I feel like I've been living under a rock...

 

[ASmileyFace]

I think even a month ago we all knew it would likely come down to that very last game vs St. Louis. Win and you're in is a good place to be no matter what.

 

[Avs71]

Girard was fantastic last night. Best defenceman on the team and played 23 minutes, against a huge L.A team, completely unfazed

2-3 years from now, he looks like he could be the leader of this defence core. He's tiny, but he has so much compete. He took a pretty good run at Brown in the third, and actually knocked him off the puck. Plus, he has ice in his veins. You just can't teach what he has, and in time I think he will surpass Barrie as the Avs best defenceman. Probably won't ever produce like Barrie, but he seems like he will develop into a top-pairing defencemen who is excellent on both sides of the puck.

If you compare his start to his NHL career to Barrie's, he's already way ahead on the curve. Not that all development is linear, but Barrie first got his feet wet at 20 years old playing 10 games. At 21 years old, Barrie played 32 games, and was very up and down (lockout season). I remember the frustration of Sacco not trusting him, Then, at 22 years old, Barrie was assigned early to the AHL again before being recalled, and Roy wasn't really a fan. I remember the "rumours" the Avs weren't happy with Barrie and Dater saying he was going to be traded to the Rangers for Dan Girard (yikes). Barrie figured it out that season, and ended the year on fire, but that is like Girard being sent to the AHL three years from now. THREE.

I really can't even picture how good Girard will be in three years. Especially if his shot selection improves, and he gets a harder shot.

 

[delaney8]

It's too bad you guys lost EJ. He was a rock back there. Makes everyone else's job harder, including the top line, who seem to be feeling the pressure after playing outrageous hockey for the half the year. Having to go against Kopitar/Doughty and Kesler and gang probably isn't helping either.

 

[henchman21]

So did he do it? What adjustment did they make to play that much better in the 2nd? I enjoy the tactical stuff. I need to get a book on this **** or something.

The wingers were pulled away from the boards 5 or so feet, and released earlier. The D carried the puck forward more. It still didn't allow a great flow IMO, but was improved.

 

[ASmileyFace]

Losing EJ sucks but losing both EJ and Varly for this last stretch really stings. Easily the most important two players on this team outside of MacKinnon.

 

[GoldenBearHockey]

Girard was fantastic last night. Best defenceman on the team and played 23 minutes, against a huge L.A team, completely unfazed

2-3 years from now, he looks like he could be the leader of this defence core. He's tiny, but he has so much compete. He took a pretty good run at Brown in the third, and actually knocked him off the puck. Plus, he has ice in his veins. You just can't teach what he has, and in time I think he will surpass Barrie as the Avs best defenceman. Probably won't ever produce like Barrie, but he seems like he will develop into a top-pairing defencemen who is excellent on both sides of the puck.

If you compare his start to his NHL career to Barrie's, he's already way ahead on the curve. Not that all development is linear, but Barrie first got his feet wet at 20 years old playing 10 games. At 21 years old, Barrie played 32 games, and was very up and down (lockout season). I remember the frustration of Sacco not trusting him, Then, at 22 years old, Barrie was assigned early to the AHL again before being recalled, and Roy wasn't really a fan. I remember the "rumours" the Avs weren't happy with Barrie and Dater saying he was going to be traded to the Rangers for Dan Girard (yikes). Barrie figured it out that season, and ended the year on fire, but that is like Girard being sent to the AHL three years from now. THREE.

I really can't even picture how good Girard will be in three years. Especially if his shot selection improves, and he gets a harder shot.

Kings fan here, Girard looked REALLY good last night, his speed, his timing of when to jump in, when not to jump in, really solid player it looks like.

 

[dahrougem2]

I know that I said my last post would be my last, but I just have to throw a couple more thoughts out there...

In ways I won't be mad if we don't make the playoffs, I think that it will tell us a lot about the FO and whether or not we will be successful or not...

Thought experiment...why do the Oilers suck??? They genuinely have some wonderful players, yet their team is atrocious year in year out. Fun fact, I don't think that the Oilers will ever be true contenders, even with McJesus. They literally have no blueprint of how they want to play. Seriously, what is the Oilers playstyle?? You might think it's run and gun scoreathons, but their team got pushed around in a few games and they invested big money in absolute slugs like Lucic and defenders that can't really pass like Larsson. Those players would be fine on banging team like LA or SJ, but don't fit the Oilers at all.

Here's something...I think that teams love to run and gun with the Oilers, even though they have McDavid. The rest of that team is so horribly slow and unskilled with the puck that a wide open game just opens them up to make a billion mistakes and give away free goals. There is literally no plan in place, management there just chases the tail of whatever they think the next big thing is and usually get caught holding the bag.

I think that the biggest mistake the Avs FO can make is pulling an Oilers and seeing that they got bullied around by the WC teams and deciding that they want to find some slow ass outdated bullies as well. I think our blueprint is (and should be) burying teams with our skill and scoring ability. I want the Avs this offseason to keep focusing on bringing in more skill players, more mobile defenseman, and turning this into a team that you literally cannot run and gun with. We need to focus on being an dominant team with the puck on our sticks. One of the things that really encourages me is that the FO went out and got Girard in the Duchene deal. We already have a high end puck mover in Barrie, I love that the FO went out and decided that they wanted even more of that in Girard. Biggest mistake we can make is going out and signing some slugs for "toughness" or whatever. Obviously skill players that can bring that element (such as Landeskog) would be really valuable, but I'd rather load up on soft skill guys and try to run teams out the building than go for some brawlers this offseason.

Thankfully I believe Sakic has learned from his mistakes from when he and Roy did this very thing after the 13-14 season.

 

[Cousin Eddie]

I actually thought the Avs played really well last night. Girard and Nemeth were awesome again. As were that Jost/Ghetto/Kerfoot line. Ghetto is such a good hockey player. I took a lot of heat every time I rambled on about how big of a loss he was from the lineup but he's showing his importance.

 

[Alex Jones]

I actually thought the Avs played really well last night. Girard and Nemeth were awesome again. As were that Jost/Ghetto/Kerfoot line. Ghetto is such a good hockey player. I took a lot of heat every time I rambled on about how big of a loss he was from the lineup but he's showing his importance.

Yea Ghetto does so much good work, he's a heck of a player. Lol we got him for a guy that's not even a good AHL player

 

[Alex Jones]

Thankfully I believe Sakic has learned from his mistakes from when he and Roy did this very thing after the 13-14 season.

Hopefully, that offseason was such a disaster

 

[hooverdam]

They probably should've had 5-6 points out of the Flyers, Ducks and Kings games, so it's frustrating to only have one. That kind of luck tends to even out, though, so hopefully it does so after a little sorely needed break this week. It feels like the first time in a long time they have more than a day between games.

I think they can do it. Win out and they're in, that has to be the mentality. Would love some help from the Hawks, though.

 

[dahrougem2]

I actually thought the Avs played really well last night. Girard and Nemeth were awesome again. As were that Jost/Ghetto/Kerfoot line. Ghetto is such a good hockey player. I took a lot of heat every time I rambled on about how big of a loss he was from the lineup but he's showing his importance.

You and I both. So important to have players like him that can play up and down a lineup for such little money.

 

[The Kingslayer]

Lol everyone looking forward to that STL game like San Jose is a gimme. It wont come down to the final game if the Sharks beat us and its never an easy win in that arena for the Avs in any era.

 

[the_fan]

Assuming Blues win their next 2 games against the Hawks, and Avs beating the Sharks, Avs will have to beat the Blues in regulation to make it.

 

[TruePowerSlave]

Lol everyone looking forward to that STL game like San Jose is a gimme. It wont come down to the final game if the Sharks beat us and its never an easy win in that arena for the Avs in any era.

Absolutely. With the way things are going it looks more likely that the final game will mean nothing for either team.