Joe Sakic - Record as Colorado Avalanche GM - Part II (Updates in First Post)

[Pokecheque]

I'm happy Kaut is moving along nicely in the AHL, but I'm not penciling him in for the second line next year. I was thinking Compher long term as the #3RW when we actually have someone to push him down. Him and Kerfoot have both went from 2nd line to 4th line and back again lol.

Aw, shit...totally forgot about 877-GOALS-NOW...

But yeah I don't think he'll start the season as 2RW, hell, he might not start the year in the NHL at all. But given how well his development has gone thus far I'm pretty optimistic about him sticking in the bigs at some point next season.

 

[CobraAcesS]

Aw, ****...totally forgot about 877-GOALS-NOW...

But yeah I don't think he'll start the season as 2RW, hell, he might not start the year in the NHL at all. But given how well his development has gone thus far I'm pretty optimistic about him sticking in the bigs at some point next season.

I'm kind of getting the sense that with Bednar, you're chance is in training camp. Hes in win now mode, and has latched onto certain guys he trusts simply because they do what they are told against the puck.

I'm going to be really curious to see how he handles integrating guys as the season goes along when they are not guys like Makar. That is specifically going forward, because hes no longer managing the roster with the same mind set he did his first and second year.

 

[cgf]

It's true, I think there's a reason the team seemingly gets to that "tied for tops in the Conference/Division" and then lays a big fat egg not long afterwards. They're still not good enough to keep up with the Tampas and Nashvilles of the league, and I think they know that. How they go about correcting that will be interesting to watch.

BTW, I don't think they're "One 2C away" from contention. They still don't have a legit checking line and they most definitely need an improvement in the #6D area on Nemeth. It's possible both those areas get addressed internally, but I'm guessing the biggest need will require Joe to be aggressive on the trade/signings front.

Fortunately Makar should replace Nemeth for next season, and what's wrong with Soda? He's a pretty sweet one-man-checking-line...especially with Compher or Kaut joining him & Calvert next year if we add a 1b C to play with Jost & one of JTC/Kaut on the 2nd line.

 

[Pokecheque]

Fortunately Makar should replace Nemeth for next season, and what's wrong with Soda? He's a pretty sweet one-man-checking-line...especially with Compher or Kaut joining him & Calvert next year if we add a 1b C to play with Jost & one of JTC/Kaut on the 2nd line.

I know some on here disagree with me pretty vehemently on this but I still think Soda's checking abilities are overrated. Not wildly so but to the point where I think he's a good scoring line center with some two-way ability. I don't think he's necessarily an effective shutdown guy, though he is at the moment the best guy for the job. At the very least he should be getting linemates that don't have stone mitts for hands.

 

[Iceberg]

I know some on here disagree with me pretty vehemently on this but I still think Soda's checking abilities are overrated. Not wildly so but to the point where I think he's a good scoring line center with some two-way ability. I don't think he's necessarily an effective shutdown guy, though he is at the moment the best guy for the job. At the very least he should be getting linemates that don't have stone mitts for hands.

Soderberg's line is the "shutdown line" for Bednar, so he is giving Soderberg the best checking wingers on the team. Of course it would be better if they didn't have stone hands as you say, but is hard to argue with Bednar's decision when the team is tied for 1st in the division.

 

[Pokecheque]

Soderberg's line is the "shutdown line" for Bednar, so he is giving Soderberg the best checking wingers on the team. Of course it would be better if they didn't have stone hands as you say, but is hard to argue with Bednar's decision when the team is tied for 1st in the division.

I know, I still think the world of Bednar, and it's bordering on nitpicking at this point, though I still think he had what could be the start of something grand RIGHT THERE when he switched up the lines and put Wilson and Soderberg together and it immediately paid dividends. Of course it should be noted, and has been by others, that despite the fact that Soda has been saddled with very tough minutes and given the worst offensive linemates on the team, he's producing at a ridiculous clip.

In the end I'm some guy living in Nebraska who hasn't played ice hockey since he was 16 and Jared Bednar was a finalist for the Jack Adams last season. He knows better than me what to do. I still think though that he's being a bit stubborn about a couple things though, and hasn't quite tapped the full potential of this lineup. I think, at the very least, he should bump Soda up, or Wilson down, and use Calvert and Nieto a little less.

 

[Hasbro]

I wish Bednar would use Soda as the tagalong for the first power play unit instead of Wilson, Jost or Ghetto.

 

[Foppa2118]

I wish Bednar would use Soda as the tagalong for the first power play unit instead of Wilson, Jost or Ghetto.

They want a guy with a quick release in the slot though to one touch passes from behind the net and slap passes from the boards. That's not really Soda's forte. He's better in that Mikko spot down low to the right of the goalie, where he can pass to the slot or step in front to jam the puck in.

 

[Hasbro]

They want a guy with a quick release in the slot though to one touch passes from behind the net and slap passes from the boards. That's not really Soda's forte. He's better in that Mikko spot down low to the right of the goalie, where he can pass to the slot or step in front to jam the puck in.

Hell use Girard up front if you want MacKinnon on the point.

 

[McMetal]

IMO Wilson actually does OK on the top unit PP, he goes hard against the boards and does a little dirty work to free up the skill guys. I'm fine with spreading a little bit of the talent around, that second unit has quietly been pretty important to the overall success of the PP this year (unlike last year).

 

[CobraAcesS]

IMO Wilson actually does OK on the top unit PP, he goes hard against the boards and does a little dirty work to free up the skill guys. I'm fine with spreading a little bit of the talent around, that second unit has quietly been pretty important to the overall success of the PP this year (unlike last year).

Yeah I can't talk because I was ok with trying Calvert their because of his ability to tip pucks. Wilson has been finishing his chances when fed from down low too.

 

[Iceberg]

Wilson has been excelent on the first PP unit, he is doing a great job battling for loose pucks, helping keep possession in the offensive zone. He was put on the 1st PP unit on november 9th, against WPG.

Before 11/09:
Avs scored 14 PPG on 53 chances for 26,4%, the first unit scored 7 of those goals.

After 11/09:
Avs scored 16 PPG on 48 chances for 33,3%, the first unit scored 11 of those goals.

 

[The Abusement Park]

Wilson has been excelent on the first PP unit, he is doing a great job battling for loose pucks, helping keep possession in the offensive zone. He was put on the 1st PP unit on november 9th, against WPG.

Before 11/09:
Avs scored 14 PPG on 53 chances for 26,4%, the first unit scored 7 of those goals.

After 11/09:
Avs scored 16 PPG on 48 chances for 33,3%, the first unit scored 11 of those goals.

Yeah I said that a week or two ago. The 2nd pp really misses Compher and Wilson does a fine job of sitting in front of the net and causing just enough chaos.

 

[CobraAcesS]

So is Sakic asleep at the wheel? Does anyone feel like we may actually hear from him any time soon? I feel like the dude is deep in the presidential bunker waiting for the day he can emerge and walk atop all of our ashes.

In years past I feel like they've made a concerted effort to let the fans know what their position is and make it clear. Regardless of if we may or may not like it.

This mofo is in a bunker somewhere eating popcorn and spam, laughing like the Wizard of OZ.

 

[cgf]

So is Sakic asleep at the wheel? Does anyone feel like we may actually hear from him any time soon? I feel like the dude is deep in the presidential bunker waiting for the day he can emerge and walk atop all of our ashes.

In years past I feel like they've made a concerted effort to let the fans know what their position is and make it clear. Regardless of if we may or may not like it.

This mofo is in a bunker somewhere eating popcorn and spam, laughing like the Wizard of OZ.

He's just waiting for us to discover the perfect move for him to not make.

 

[Hasbro]

So is Sakic asleep at the wheel? Does anyone feel like we may actually hear from him any time soon? I feel like the dude is deep in the presidential bunker waiting for the day he can emerge and walk atop all of our ashes.

It's Tiberius on Capri all over again.

 

[cgf]

It's Tiberius on Capri all over again.

Does that make MacK the overbearing former-Augusta?

 

[Foppa2118]

So is Sakic asleep at the wheel? Does anyone feel like we may actually hear from him any time soon? I feel like the dude is deep in the presidential bunker waiting for the day he can emerge and walk atop all of our ashes.

In years past I feel like they've made a concerted effort to let the fans know what their position is and make it clear. Regardless of if we may or may not like it.

This mofo is in a bunker somewhere eating popcorn and spam, laughing like the Wizard of OZ.

This is how it happens every year. There's almost no deals until around the deadline. The prices are just crazy, and too many teams are still in the playoff hunt.

Sakic does almost no press until after the deadline passes. He basically only talks publicly a few times a year. After the deadline. After the season. After the draft. And After he's done with free agency.

 

[Pokecheque]

Yes, I think Sakic has been asleep at the wheel a bit. I think he waited too long to make some minor deals to shore up the depth even only a little. He shouldn't be afraid to do those kinds of trades, especially when a key guy like Kamenev goes down for the season.

I also think he underestimates the need sometimes to make deals that shake up the chemistry a bit, especially if things are running stale. I don't pretend that guys like Wilson, Andrighetto, and Bourque have much, if any, trade value, but at some point you need to move some of these players aside and try someone new. Much like Graves showed a lot of promise in place of Barberio.

 

[CobraAcesS]

This is how it happens every year. There's almost no deals until around the deadline. The prices are just crazy, and too many teams are still in the playoff hunt.

Sakic does almost no press until after the deadline passes. He basically only talks publicly a few times a year. After the deadline. After the season. After the draft. And After he's done with free agency.

I seem to remember him speaking a bit prior to let the fan base know his intentions. Hell one year he basically did the exact opposite of what he said as well. So no.. IMO he usually does something prior to the TDL within the season. We haven't heard from him since the off-season that I can remember.

 

[CobraAcesS]

It's ALIVE, but barely..

 

[Pokecheque]

Sakic waited way, way too long to address scoring depth issues. I don't necessarily blame him for wanting to see what they had in Jost, but in hindsight he should've recognized the kid simply wasn't coming along as needed while the Avs were still successful, certainly not as 2C. And Kerf/Compher obviously were never going to be the answer there.

I suppose it would've been a moot point given the double goalie implosion but at least we wouldn't be looking at horrid goaltending AND a burned-out top line.

 

[cgf]

Sakic waited way, way too long to address scoring depth issues. I don't necessarily blame him for wanting to see what they had in Jost, but in hindsight he should've recognized the kid simply wasn't coming along as needed while the Avs were still successful, certainly not as 2C. And Kerf/Compher obviously were never going to be the answer there.

I suppose it would've been a moot point given the double goalie implosion but at least we wouldn't be looking at horrid goaltending AND a burned-out top line.

It’s funny how quickly “patience” can turn out to have actually been complacency.

 

[GoNordiquesGo]

And vice-versa!

 

[Hasbro]

It’s funny how quickly “patience” can turn out to have actually been complacency.

I think it takes more than a half season.