If Byram is cleared, should he play in the postseason?

[Foppa2118]

FTR, I am not saying I don't want him to play. At this point I want anybody to play over Nemeth, but physically speaking he would be the weakest of anybody on the ice except maybe Newhook.

I don't agree with this, but even if I don't Makar was always a superior skater and has superior IQ/vision that he never truly gets hit big time. The one which rung him (Cale) good was the Marchand one and Byram has already been hit by a Marchand hit like twice (though the Kolesar was chickenwing shit).

Oh it was an effed up hit by Kolesar, but it won't be the last time Byram gets hit from a player who leaves his feet (just the sake of being a defender). It's against the rules, but at times it's also just Newtonian physics and human nature for it to happen, Landeskog has had hits where he's left his feet multiple times and not get a suspension.

Also for the record, I'm not pushing for Bo to go in right now.

Like I said in the GDT, I think they should wait until they lose to consider bringing him in, and if he has to wait until the second round that only gives him more practice time to get up to speed.

But personally I think it would be a big mistake to keep a race horse like that in the stable all playoffs. He's not fragile or a shrinking violet. He just got caught with a bad hit up high.

He may not be used to men targeting him with hits, but he's been used to teams taking runs at him to stop him for a while now. I think he can play through the physicality in the playoffs if he's recovered from the concussion.

 

[Goulet17]

MacDonald will be inserted into the lineup before Byram. It would not be my choice, but I feel confident in saying that would be the choice at the moment.

 

[MarkT]

I don't think we're going to see Byram or MacDonald unless/until we get an injury back there or Timmins plays really poorly. I just don't see them taking out Graves or Nemeth because they seem to really value having two big physical PK specialists in the lineup. If it's Graves or Nemeth who get injured I'd expect MacDonald to get the call. If it's Timmins out then I'd expect to see Byram.

 

[The Abusement Park]

People will hate to hear this but Byram won’t be taking Nemeth out of the lineup. Nemeth has to big a role in the PK to be taken out. If he goes in it will be at the expense of Timmins.

 

[Hasbro]

People will hate to hear this but Byram won’t be taking Nemeth out of the lineup. Nemeth has to big a role in the PK to be taken out. If he goes in it will be at the expense of Timmins.

Not complaining.

 

[klozge]

People will hate to hear this but Byram won’t be taking Nemeth out of the lineup. Nemeth has to big a role in the PK to be taken out. If he goes in it will be at the expense of Timmins.

Timmins doesn't get much icetime anyway. And if we go against Vegas I'd like the Avs to add a player who can piss off opponents. Byram is excellent at that.

 

[Iceberg]

Timmins doesn't get much icetime anyway. And if we go against Vegas I'd like the Avs to add a player who can piss off opponents. Byram is excellent at that.

Last time he was pissing people off he ended up cheap shotted by this same Vegas team.

I don't want my most valuable prospect having that kind of role.

 

[Ararana]

If the Avs continue to progress in the postseason, defensive injuries are coming. I agree though, Nemeth isn't the role Byram will come in and take. Timmins is probably the guy that gets yanked if Byram truly swaps places with someone. I'm expecting Graves, Nemeth, and Timmins to get exposed significantly more in a second round against a hard forechecking Vegas team.

 

[Richard88]

If the Avs continue to progress in the postseason, defensive injuries are coming. I agree though, Nemeth isn't the role Byram will come in and take. Timmins is probably the guy that gets yanked if Byram truly swaps places with someone. I'm expecting Graves, Nemeth, and Timmins to get exposed significantly more in a second round against a hard forechecking Vegas team.

Bednar could also opt to go 11F + 7D. An extra puckmover on D for 15 minutes would be more usefu than having Newhook playin 7 minutes, or Soderberg playing 10 minutes. That has the added benefit of limiting Nemeth's minutes to pure defensive situations.

 

[Ararana]

Bednar could also opt to go 11F + 7D. An extra puckmover on D for 15 minutes would be more usefu than having Newhook playin 7 minutes, or Soderberg playing 10 minutes. That has the added benefit of limiting Nemeth's minutes to pure defensive situations.

I just can't see Bednar going 11+7 in the postseason unless injuries dictate it. His team hasn't lost a game yet, I doubt he touches anything until either an injury or someone craps the bed in a loss.

 

[JH21]

Byram is clearly better than Nemeth, so if he’s healthy, play him.

The guy is a gamer and looked right at home ever since he stepped into the NHL.

Nemeth isn't sitting. In game 4 he had over 19 minutes of ice time while Timmins had 7.

Timmins will be the one to sit.

 

[MarkT]

Bednar could also opt to go 11F + 7D. An extra puckmover on D for 15 minutes would be more usefu than having Newhook playin 7 minutes, or Soderberg playing 10 minutes. That has the added benefit of limiting Nemeth's minutes to pure defensive situations.

I completely agree here. Outside of the top line, we don't really have any set in stone combinations anyway. This would allow Bednar to organically double-shift whoever is playing well. In the last game when they were down to 11, guys like Donskoi, who were really going, were getting double-shifted. I also think it really motivates guys when they get a shift or two with MacKinnon.

 

[henchman21]

Bednar could also opt to go 11F + 7D. An extra puckmover on D for 15 minutes would be more usefu than having Newhook playin 7 minutes, or Soderberg playing 10 minutes. That has the added benefit of limiting Nemeth's minutes to pure defensive situations.

I think the only coach that likes 11/7 is Cooper and that is because he wants to pair Hedman with scrubs and limit those minutes. Plus his 4th line is Johnson + Maroon and he can rorate any top 9 forward down there for a combo that works.

 

[Northern Avs Fan]

Unfortunately, the Avs have too many left D.

I think the best defence is:

Toews - Makar
Graves - Girard
Byram - Nemeth

That gives you two big bodied PK’ers and a bunch of mobile two-way defenceman. But, that leaves you with Makar as the only right shot.

 

[Richard88]

Unfortunately, the Avs have too many left D.

I think the best defence is:

Toews - Makar
Graves - Girard
Byram - Nemeth

That gives you two big bodied PK’ers and a bunch of mobile two-way defenceman. But, that leaves you with Makar as the only right shot.

Just replace Nemeth with EJ

 

[Hasbro]

After what happened last night, Byram should go up to Bednar and say he wants to get Vegas back for their transgressions.

 

[Hornstar]

Also for the record, I'm not pushing for Bo to go in right now.

Like I said in the GDT, I think they should wait until they lose to consider bringing him in, and if he has to wait until the second round that only gives him more practice time to get up to speed.

But personally I think it would be a big mistake to keep a race horse like that in the stable all playoffs. He's not fragile or a shrinking violet. He just got caught with a bad hit up high.

He may not be used to men targeting him with hits, but he's been used to teams taking runs at him to stop him for a while now. I think he can play through the physicality in the playoffs if he's recovered from the concussion.

I’m not sure about this. It was several hits in the Vegas game, not just the cheap one. He doesn’t seem to be able to avoid hits. I’d wait till the next round and get the Vegas series behind us

 

[Foppa2118]

I’m not sure about this. It was several hits in the Vegas game, not just the cheap one. He doesn’t seem to be able to avoid hits. I’d wait till the next round and get the Vegas series behind us

He's going to take contact as a hockey player, it can't be avoided. And it's going to be just as physical against Montreal or Winnipeg in the third round as it is against Vegas. Both of whom had more hits/game than Vegas or St Louis this year.

If he's 100% healed like it sounds like he is, then now is just as good as waiting until the regular season next year to play him.

Also, it's not that he can't avoid hits. It's that he intentionally takes them to wait until the last second to make a pass, and buy his D partner and teammates time and space with the puck.

He may need to adjust this aspect of his game, or maybe it was just an unlucky hit when he's 19 and hasn't fully developed that man strength or grown into his body yet. Too early to tell.

 

[Hornstar]

He's going to take contact as a hockey player, it can't be avoided. And it's going to be just as physical against Montreal or Winnipeg in the third round as it is against Vegas. Both of whom had more hits/game than Vegas or St Louis this year.

If he's 100% healed like it sounds like he is, then now is just as good as waiting until the regular season next year to play him.

Also, it's not that he can't avoid hits. It's that he intentionally takes them to wait until the last second to make a pass, and buy his D partner and teammates time and space with the puck.

He may need to adjust this aspect of his game, or maybe it was just an unlucky hit when he's 19 and hasn't fully developed that man strength or grown into his body yet. Too early to tell.

Agree that all the playoff games will be physical but I remember that game and how he took way more hits than necessary. And yes he needs to adjust part of his game or he’ll be a sad story like Joey hishon.

 

[henchman21]

I’m not sure about this. It was several hits in the Vegas game, not just the cheap one. He doesn’t seem to be able to avoid hits. I’d wait till the next round and get the Vegas series behind us

Is it that he isn't able to avoid hits or is it just the way he wants to play? If he does adjust, does it change his game fundamentally? I don't think we know the answers to those yet, and they will partially determine how his career goes.

 

[ORRFForever]

Boy your shelves are full of amazing prospects.

How has Byram looked? Be objective, please.

 

[Foppa2118]

Definitely need to play Bo next game. He's had plenty of practice time by now.

They need his breakout passing big time after Vegas shut them down in game 2.

Timmins hasn't stood out enough. He should be the first to sit IMO. Then Nemeth when EJ comes back.

 

[Ararana]

Definitely need to play Bo next game. He's had plenty of practice time by now.

They need his breakout passing big time after Vegas shut them down in game 2.

Timmins hasn't stood out enough. He should be the first to sit IMO. Then Nemeth when EJ comes back.

Been saying it before the series started. Byram is a weapon against Vegas’ forecheck. Swap him and Timmins, because you know Bednar isn’t going to sit Nemeth.

 

[cinchronicity]

Boy your shelves are full of amazing prospects.

How has Byram looked? Be objective, please.

I would say the one thing I can identify is poise. He makes decisions other rookies definitely do not. He is tough as nails - too tough really, and needs to dial it back a bit, like Landy did way back when. Right now, he's a legit 3rd pair guy and would be Top 4 on a team that does not have Makar, Toews and Girard. I don't think he is Top 4 here yet, but could be next year with some fine tuning.

 

[Shinjuku Calling]

YES