Speculation: One Surprise & One Disappointment with Bednar & Veilleux

[CB Joe]

Bednar
+ Duchene, Rantanen, Varly
- Iginla, Grigorenko, Gelinas

 

[Pokecheque]

Bednar:
+ MacKinnon
- Beauchemin

I'd really like to see MacKinnon really make this a statement year, but we'll see. I think Beauchemin will continue to decline a bit, hopefully that will be mitigated by the emergence of a young defender or two.

Veilleux:
+ Bigras
- Compher

Hoping like hell Bigras really makes it near-impossible for the Avs to keep him in the minors, but we will see. As TV said about Compher, expectations might be a little outta whack, so he might be viewed as a disappointment his first pro season. I was thinking Siemens might be the disappointment but I wrote him off a long time ago.

 

[S E P H]

Might be a tad bit too early to bump this since we're at 15 games, but as of now it seems like Barrie and Soderberg take the cake in major disappointment. I think I am going to give Grigorenko benefit of the doubt, the team is in a rut and nobody is looking dangerous offensively except for Duchen and Rantanen. He's still one of the strongest defensive forwards on our club, even if that is pathetic or not.

On the other hand, Zadorov and Rantanen are getting every chance to succeed and thus far have not looked out of place.

In the AHL, I don't think any one of us saw the explosion which came from AJ Greer. On the other hand, perhaps the veterans or even Siemens hasn't taken that next step which would have been required of him to be in the consideration of an NHL call-up. Tigre maybe you can shine some light and name someone else who has looked way worst who is an Avs pick...

 

[tigervixxxen]

You mean in San Antonio or the prospects? I assume you mean in SA. Well, I don't like to call anyone out as disappointing unless they are just terrible. Probably Geertsen would be the one. Hurt his hand in that stupid fight and then comes back in either his first or second game back gets beat 3x for goals against, hasn't seen the ice since. Now there were breakdowns that lead to those chances but he was the last line of defense and wasn't helping. He should be in the echl over Boikov right now. Compher I thought was advertised as more NHL ready because of the holy NCAA but in particular since being put with Greer has looked more alive, would still like seeing him agitate more as is his calling card. I recognize the expectations bar for him has been placed awfully high, he's been one of the better players in SA, don't get me wrong. I still don't like Lindholm, I might just not get his game. I didn't see what made him so great in camp and preseason, he doesn't do anything noticeable in SA other than turn the puck over. Maybe he does it less than some other guys, I don't know. He has zero points, I'm not sure there's much puck skill there. So maybe those three I thought would be a bit better for various reasons.

 

[S E P H]

Was going through some of my thread history and found this.

How right were you guys' in your predictions?

 

[henchman21]

50/50

Gelinas blew... Grigo was a disappointment. Nantel didn't become that middle 6 guy this year. Martin was great and then disappointing after getting sent back down... average year for him.

 

[Avs_19]

Barrie is probably #1 on my list of players who will take the next step under Bednar/Pratt and a new system. I like that Sullivan/Letang example someone brought up on the previous page. He might not put up more points but I think he'll be a better player.

Nope. Another up and down season with some very rough moments in the first half of the season. I think he has been better lately but not to the level I was expecting. The entire PP is a mess but Barrie's play and production on the PP is unacceptable.

 

[dahrougem2]

Avs' Surprise: Iginla.

Avs' Disappointment: Grigorenko.

H.M. Avs: Gelinas

Ha. So wrong on Iginla and Gelinas.

I guess Grigorenko could be counted as a disappointment