GDT: GAME VI: Avalanche @ Rangers - Blueshirt Velvet

[Avsboy]

I am trying to not make an anti-Landeskog post here because he pick up two points, but he is the definition of a play-killer. Actually you can say that he really is a top 6 version of Matt Calvert.

I am not going to really harp on them tonight because I thought they battled back, but the puck bounces were going against us. Like that beautiful inside-cut move by Rantanen, he scores on 9 out of every 10 of those plays, it just so happened to be that 10% where it was a great save by Lundqvist. MacKinnon also hit the post in overtime, those are sure goals in any other game. I know we should be breaking this type of team by a couple of goals, but it was just one of those games I suppose.

Agreed

 

[Bender]

Jost still tries to Duchene his way around the corners and boards down low but looks like a boy against men as he does it. Very disappointed with him to start the year. I’m not seeing the added strength and mobility that’s been talked about and he has also hasn’t made any adjustments to his old traits that haven’t worked.

Soderberg is our 2C but doesn’t have anybody to play with. I suggested starting the year with Jost on Soderberg’s wing and I think that’s what they should try.

Really? That's pretty surprising...I think there's definitely a progression there. I mean he's not tearing up the scoresheet but I find that he's more involved in the play overall. I think the World Championships were really good for him last year.

I'm not really sure what people are expecting. He's anchoring the 2nd line right now...and I'm not seeing a whole bunch of defensive miscues all over the place. At age 20, I'd say that's pretty good.

I said it before I don't really like the mix of having Jost at center and Kerfoot on the wing. I think Kerfoot is too much of a playmaker and so is Jost while he's playing center (old habits). Someone has to shoot and ideally, it's not Colin Wilson. They are going to have to find some kind of combination that works. I'd like to see something like this :

Andrighetto-MacKinnon-Rantanen
Landeskog-Jost-Kamenev
Kerfoot-Soderberg-Calvert
Dano-Compher*-Wilson/Nieto

To me those lines are much more balances than what we have right now. It's tough to say if it would work but Ghetto has played with Mack & Rants after he came over in a trade and did well.

 

[Ivan13]

Jost definitely improved away from the puck and in terms of how he is handling the physicality and the speed of the game, but he also looks out of sort offensively. Last year he was always in scoring chances and in good spots to convert but was snakebitten, this year those chances aren't there.

 

[henchman21]

I know I've been beating this drum over and over again... Jost's skating as his size just isn't there for him to be a two way force at center. I believe he can play on both sides of the ice effectively at center, just not at the same time. Right now we are seeing him be real effective defensively and putrid offensively. I believe that if you want the best out of him on both sides of the ice, you'll have to move him to wing. That will shorten up the ice for him and focus in his game while letting him be a force on both sides.

A part of his game that just flat out bothers me is his thought that he has more hands talent than he actually has. There are times he can pull off some great things, but he is not good at picking his battles and ends up killing a number of plays by not making the smart move and/or holding on to the puck too long.

 

[SaltySkywalker]

Maybe this will tame the “should be easy win” comments. I sort of cringe when I read y’alls comments on GDTs. There’s too much parity in this league right now to be guaranteeing anything. Even if it looks like we should be winning these.

 

[Foppberg]

Right now I'm much more lenient with evaluating players, or at least how much I take what is said around here. Whether that be Jost, or Z, or Kerfoot, or whoever. I can remember just 2 or so years ago people were adamant that MacKinnon was going to end up as a 50 point centre who comes up big in the playoffs and that's it. Monahan is better, Landeskog is Dustin Brown 2.0, etc etc.

So we'll see how Jost and the younger guys are in a year or two, a lot can change in that time. Both in how they develop and who else is brought in/let go.

 

[Muffin]

I have a good feeling about the NJ game, they're due for a loss and we seem to like breaking streaks.

 

[SoundwaveIsCharisma]

I know I've been beating this drum over and over again... Jost's skating as his size just isn't there for him to be a two way force at center. I believe he can play on both sides of the ice effectively at center, just not at the same time. Right now we are seeing him be real effective defensively and putrid offensively. I believe that if you want the best out of him on both sides of the ice, you'll have to move him to wing. That will shorten up the ice for him and focus in his game while letting him be a force on both sides.

A part of his game that just flat out bothers me is his thought that he has more hands talent than he actually has. There are times he can pull off some great things, but he is not good at picking his battles and ends up killing a number of plays by not making the smart move and/or holding on to the puck too long.

I think it's going to take him time to get good at being able to play both ends. Right now, I'm fine with him being good defensively and working his way through the offensive side of the game.

 

[chet1926]

Maybe this will tame the “should be easy win” comments. I sort of cringe when I read y’alls comments on GDTs. There’s too much parity in this league right now to be guaranteeing anything. Even if it looks like we should be winning these.

Yeah we are not a good enough team to count any team as an "easy" win.

We could easily finish bottom 12 in the league this year the Western conference is so stacked 85pts could put you in the bottom 3.

 

[Pokecheque]

Well, apart from an abhorrent first period, I thought they played okay.

I'm a little concerned that Bednar & Co. need to take a good, long look at their gameplan and make some adjustments. His system depends on short, quick passes from the D to the forwards to move it out of the zone, yet I'm seeing in the case of some of these teams with speed are sending guys in aggressive and creating turnovers. In the CGY game it was a Z pass to Nieto that led to the GTG, in the third of this game it was Kerfoot with, I believe, two horrid attempts at a pass leading to scoring chances against. If they're going in fast with a "blitz package" they might want to just chip it up past the D and let their speed up front create the occasional odd-man break, and at the very least, force them to back off a bit, at which point you can use the usual system. There just needs to be more variety in how they move the puck out of the zone. It's unfortunate that Nemeth is incapable of doing anything other than flinging it down to the other end of the ice and Cole just fires weak clearing attempts right into the opposition's pads. If Barberio gets his head screwed on straight he can teach everyone how to do it, he's an expert.

The second line is doing everything right except scoring. At the very least they need to shoot it more. Way, WAY too much passing going on there. Just put it on net and at least make the goalie work a little harder.

I really wasn't mad about Landeskog's play except for what has to be the worst-ever shift he's ever had in an Avs uniform where--tired or not--he was beaten down the ice by 80-year-old Cody McLeod, who promptly created a scoring chance and then Landy committed an idiotic penalty. If I'm Bednar and I want to get him fired off/enraged Hartley-style, I make him watch that shift over, and over again.

It was just one game, but I FINALLY saw the Vlad Kamenev everyone's been talking about. He was fantastic last night, and I thought the 4th line was really good. I was a bit concerned that even though they swapped out right wings, the third line still kinda sucked. I just don't know what's going on there, this was Calvert's worst game in an Avs uniform thus far, and I actually thought Bourque played relatively well, creating space and letting the two guys on the line who actually knew what to do with the puck handle it.

Anyway, I'm not panicking, nor am I really angry, but I am a little frustrated because we know this team can play dominant hockey, yet there have been long stretches in a few games now where they just fall asleep as a whole. That's concerning to me--motivation should not be an issue here.

Lastly, I don't know why it's a continuing problem for the Avs to get a proper one-timer off but maaaaan I've watched the Avs for their 20+ year history and I can count on one hand the players they had on the roster who could reliably get it on net with power off a one-timer. Mikko, for all his immense talent (and I thought he once again played fantastic) doesn't really have a good one, nor does anyone else really. I just don't get it, the Rangers had at least two guys who could pull it off last night.

 

[henchman21]

I think it's going to take him time to get good at being able to play both ends. Right now, I'm fine with him being good defensively and working his way through the offensive side of the game.

I'd prefer he works on his offensive game. I get the want and need for him to work defensively, I always worry about limiting players you want to be good offensively early in their development. I believe that it can do more harm than good when a player hits their stride. Jost obviously has the defensive skill and ability in the game, so it can be refined down the road.

 

[S E P H]

Idk why people are complaining about the overtime, both Landeskog and MacKinnon hit posts, and the penalty on MacKinnon was bull****. He didn't hold Skjei. That's just a trigger happy referee. Anyways:

There was a play in the first where MacKinnon was being legitimately held onto by a bear hug from one of Rags defender's for five seconds when the puck wasn't even next to him (Nate was visibly trying to get him off of him)...yet he gets called for a that bullcrap penalty in the third. I am not trying to blame any loss on the ref, but the amount of interference teams are getting away with on MacKinnon is just insane.

 

[Ceremony]

I personally can't wait for the February Cody McLeod rental so he can retire where he belongs.

 

[AvsCOL]

29 + 96 need a better left winger. Love Landeskog as a player, but man he's holding that line back so much.

 

[The Mars Volchenkov]

29 + 96 need a better left winger. Love Landeskog as a player, but man he's holding that line back so much.

Landy does so much of the grunt work on that line. I don’t know how people would expect to find a better LW for that line than Landy.

 

[The Mars Volchenkov]

I’m only slightly alarmed that teams have forechecked Girard very hard the last few games and he’s responded with some panicky giveaways. Also, McLeod stealing the puck from him was incredibly depressing.

 

[S E P H]

Landy does so much of the grunt work on that line. I don’t know how people would expect to find a better LW for that line than Landy.

Someone who's better in tight and can actually have some semblance of puck skills in his game. I'm not calling Landeskog a bad player, but as I said in the offseason, said it in the beginning of the season, and will say it now that Avs need to (hopefully) find a player in this draft which will demote him to the second line. Additionally, we're seeing bright spots of Rantanen grinding in those corners with his worth ethic, size, and toughness with the puck (just needs a couple more offseasons), but he also has the puck skills you need in those tight areas. Landeskog is a very easy player to pokecheque the puck from.

 

[henchman21]

It is almost like people don't remember that line without Landy...

Landy isn't always the most graceful or sexy (on the ice, not off since his off-ice sexiness is through the roof) player in the world, but he is very effective and incredibly important to that line. Is there a potential improvement out there? Sure, but I think you are looking at a Jamie Benn sort of player to be an upgrade.

 

[AvsFan29]

Landy has been great with his tips and redirects. If he wasn't on the top line, we would have lost last night. He needs to stop stickhandling so much and get his passes off quicker.

 

[The Abusement Park]

Landy does so much of the grunt work on that line. I don’t know how people would expect to find a better LW for that line than Landy.

Acquire stone and put Rantanen on the LW?

 

[Ivan13]

Landy does so much of the grunt work on that line. I don’t know how people would expect to find a better LW for that line than Landy.

It's really comical. Like, if you have a chance, watch a replay of the game and just keep your eyes on him. He's the guy that basically plays the role of the center defensively on that line. If we replaced him with someone more offensively inclined we would probably see that line bleed far more scoring chances.

 

[Vaslof]

It is almost like people don't remember that line without Landy...

Landy isn't always the most graceful or sexy (on the ice, not off since his off-ice sexiness is through the roof) player in the world, but he is very effective and incredibly important to that line. Is there a potential improvement out there? Sure, but I think you are looking at a Jamie Benn sort of player to be an upgrade.

You mean when Andrighetto went PPG on it?

That said I prefer keeping Landy there, he'll suck more elsewhere.

 

[The Abusement Park]

You mean when Andrighetto went PPG on it?

That said I prefer keeping Landy there, he'll suck more elsewhere.

I mean ghetto when ppg for like 13 games... with Landy on that line he trailed only McDavid in PPG. For a whole season. I think it’s clear who’s the better fit.

 

[henchman21]

You mean when Andrighetto went PPG on it?

That said I prefer keeping Landy there, he'll suck more elsewhere.

You also mean how he crashed on it the first part of last season? A stretch of good play after getting a chance in the NHL isn't the same as a full season.

 

[Piestany88]

Well, apart from an abhorrent first period, I thought they played okay.

I'm a little concerned that Bednar & Co. need to take a good, long look at their gameplan and make some adjustments. His system depends on short, quick passes from the D to the forwards to move it out of the zone, yet I'm seeing in the case of some of these teams with speed are sending guys in aggressive and creating turnovers. In the CGY game it was a Z pass to Nieto that led to the GTG, in the third of this game it was Kerfoot with, I believe, two horrid attempts at a pass leading to scoring chances against. If they're going in fast with a "blitz package" they might want to just chip it up past the D and let their speed up front create the occasional odd-man break, and at the very least, force them to back off a bit, at which point you can use the usual system. There just needs to be more variety in how they move the puck out of the zone. It's unfortunate that Nemeth is incapable of doing anything other than flinging it down to the other end of the ice and Cole just fires weak clearing attempts right into the opposition's pads. If Barberio gets his head screwed on straight he can teach everyone how to do it, he's an expert.

The second line is doing everything right except scoring. At the very least they need to shoot it more. Way, WAY too much passing going on there. Just put it on net and at least make the goalie work a little harder.

I really wasn't mad about Landeskog's play except for what has to be the worst-ever shift he's ever had in an Avs uniform where--tired or not--he was beaten down the ice by 80-year-old Cody McLeod, who promptly created a scoring chance and then Landy committed an idiotic penalty. If I'm Bednar and I want to get him fired off/enraged Hartley-style, I make him watch that shift over, and over again.

It was just one game, but I FINALLY saw the Vlad Kamenev everyone's been talking about. He was fantastic last night, and I thought the 4th line was really good. I was a bit concerned that even though they swapped out right wings, the third line still kinda sucked. I just don't know what's going on there, this was Calvert's worst game in an Avs uniform thus far, and I actually thought Bourque played relatively well, creating space and letting the two guys on the line who actually knew what to do with the puck handle it.

Anyway, I'm not panicking, nor am I really angry, but I am a little frustrated because we know this team can play dominant hockey, yet there have been long stretches in a few games now where they just fall asleep as a whole. That's concerning to me--motivation should not be an issue here.

Lastly, I don't know why it's a continuing problem for the Avs to get a proper one-timer off but maaaaan I've watched the Avs for their 20+ year history and I can count on one hand the players they had on the roster who could reliably get it on net with power off a one-timer. Mikko, for all his immense talent (and I thought he once again played fantastic) doesn't really have a good one, nor does anyone else really. I just don't get it, the Rangers had at least two guys who could pull it off last night.

Impressive length on your post