GDT: Kings @ Avs 9/20/13 7PM MST

[bohlmeister]

You win cups with players like o reilly. Number one defensmen make players they play with better, you dont have to find players to make them better. Ej has to step up or someone else has to be given the reigns to lead this defense. We have had a lot of d come through our system since ej has been aquired and no one has been a match for him, maybe ej is the problem and thats why st. Louis made him expendable. I hope im wrong and he turns it around this year and becomes that player under a new coaching staff, but trading o reilly for another mediocre defensman is not the answer. Remember, weber made suter expendable, they didnt have to sell the farm to get someone to play with him.

I agree with this, all of this, and have been saying it for 2 years. EJ is still young, and I hope that with Roy and Footers help he can put it all together, but he hasn't yet. I always get criticized for this view, but people seem satisfied with what EJ has done and we just need to find a better partner for him. Not true at all, he needs to play much better, and he has the skills to do it. For some reason EJ is a lightning rod on this board. I am not sure if it is because we traded for him, and St Louis fans were all saying he was ****, so now Avs fans have to defend him to the death, or what the issue is. But if you criticize him, expect to see backlash. As far as most on here are concerned EJ never makes mistakes, and it is always his parters fault. If Hejda is his partner this year, he will be horrid If Wilson is, he will suck. Hunwick, lord help us all. That will be the viewpoint on here. By the sounds of it EJ is going to be given free reigns, and hopefully that makes him more comfortable and he can start to work towards playing the player he really is. EJ has been a 3 dressed up as a 9 for too long. Lets see what he really is this season.

Dat cowbell...........

 

[Freaky Styley]

I agree with this, all of this, and have been saying it for 2 years. EJ is still young, and I hope that with Roy and Footers help he can put it all together, but he hasn't yet. I always get criticized for this view, but people seem satisfied with what EJ has done and we just need to find a better partner for him. Not true at all, he needs to play much better, and he has the skills to do it. For some reason EJ is a lightning rod on this board. I am not sure if it is because we traded for him, and St Louis fans were all saying he was ****, so now Avs fans have to defend him to the death, or what the issue is. But if you criticize him, expect to see backlash. As far as most on here are concerned EJ never makes mistakes, and it is always his parters fault. If Hejda is his partner this year, he will be horrid If Wilson is, he will suck. Hunwick, lord help us all. That will be the viewpoint on here. By the sounds of it EJ is going to be given free reigns, and hopefully that makes him more comfortable and he can start to work towards playing the player he really is. EJ has been a 3 dressed up as a 9 for too long. Lets see what he really is this season.

Dat cowbell...........

I see what you're saying, but the defenders of EJ give him the benefit of the doubt because of his supporting cast. Ever since we've had him he has been our ONLY competent defender. How is he supposed to grow and develop into a great Dman if he is asked to do everything himself? Half the time it appears to me that he is hesitant to do anything because he knows he can't trust his partner, and mistakes result because of this. All I want is someone else was can rely on to take some pressure off him. Add to the fact that he has been very poorly utilized the last few years and you get the results we are seeing. I STILL don't understand why he has never been the focal point of the powerplay, setting up his big shot with a one-timer with traffic in front - it will give him more minutes, more confidence and more points. Let's hope Roy changes that this year.

 

[Bonzai12]

I see what you're saying, but the defenders of EJ give him the benefit of the doubt because of his supporting cast. Ever since we've had him he has been our ONLY competent defender. How is he supposed to grow and develop into a great Dman if he is asked to do everything himself? Half the time it appears to me that he is hesitant to do anything because he knows he can't trust his partner, and mistakes result because of this. All I want is someone else was can rely on to take some pressure off him. Add to the fact that he has been very poorly utilized the last few years and you get the results we are seeing. I STILL don't understand why he has never been the focal point of the powerplay, setting up his big shot with a one-timer with traffic in front - it will give him more minutes, more confidence and more points. Let's hope Roy changes that this year.

Is this post about EJ or Paul Stastny? I swear I've heard the same argument for both players. You could stick Paul's name in there every time you say EJ and his supporters would think you were brilliant.

They're both complementary players at best.

 

[Avs71]

Is this post about EJ or Paul Stastny? I swear I've heard the same argument for both players. You could stick Paul's name in there every time you say EJ and his supporters would think you were brilliant.

They're both complementary players at best.

Probably has nothing to do with the fact they were probably the two most misused players under Sacco...

 

[avsfan9]

I know what your saying, enstrom would look very good next to ej, but enstrom plays on a team with bobosian and buff, and that line up is far superior than the avs ""on paper" and look how far they havegotten since returning to winnipeg. I think the avs could give up less to get a d man to play with ej. With buffalos prospect pool deep in young defensman maybe a stastny for erhoff deal could be worked out.

 

[Freaky Styley]

Is this post about EJ or Paul Stastny? I swear I've heard the same argument for both players. You could stick Paul's name in there every time you say EJ and his supporters would think you were brilliant.

They're both complementary players at best.

I don't think Stastny would be very good on the point on the PP...

 

[cgf]

I know what your saying, enstrom would look very good next to ej, but enstrom plays on a team with bobosian and buff, and that line up is far superior than the avs ""on paper" and look how far they havegotten since returning to winnipeg. I think the avs could give up less to get a d man to play with ej. With buffalos prospect pool deep in young defensman maybe a stastny for erhoff deal could be worked out.

Well I don't agree that they look better than us on paper at all other than at first pairing LHD. EJ's as good if not better than Bogo and buff, and Barrie's a lot closer to that level than their forwards are to ours or Pavs is to Varly.

And while I'd gladly add just a solid guy like erhoff or Sekera to play with EJ, but I don't think that's as feasible as moving Ryan for an Enstrom or Edler type.