GDT: R2G3: Panic Buttons vs. Dallas Stars - 8/26/20, 8:30pm MDT

[Pokecheque]

I mean when we have the third period lead.

Again, not built for that. They're absolutely not a team that can just stack up in the NZ and DZ, clog shooting lanes, and hold on for dear life. Any time they try that it usually costs them dearly. They have to stay aggressive and disrupt whatever attack Dallas has before they even get it going, clear dump-ins with controlled exits, and if they have to, just clear the damned puck effectively.

 

[Avs_19]

Makar's play on Landeskog's goal is rightfully getting a lot of praise today but his assist on Burakovsky's goal was also impressive. It was a subtle quick pass but so smart and good.

 

[Pokecheque]

Yikes. Didn't see that horrid giveaway by Connauton that led to one goal against, and Ian Cole faceplanting in front of the net on the first one. Defense has been a real sore spot in this series.

But also, goals 2 and 3 given up were really bad ones for Frankie. He has got to be better.

 

[Balthazar]

Yikes. Didn't see that horrid giveaway by Connauton that led to one goal against, and Ian Cole faceplanting in front of the net on the first one. Defense has been a real sore spot in this series

Everyone is overplayed, especially our 2 smaller dmen.

I think it puts to rest the idea that we don't need EJ anymore. He left such a huge hole in our defense.

 

[Avsboy]

Yikes. Didn't see that horrid giveaway by Connauton that led to one goal against, and Ian Cole faceplanting in front of the net on the first one. Defense has been a real sore spot in this series.

But also, goals 2 and 3 given up were really bad ones for Frankie. He has got to be better.

All 4 goals were weak. First goal Frank is way out of position, second goal he covered a very small portion of the net, third and fourth goals were long shots. One was deflected but barely. Again, too small in the net.

 

[Metallo]

Everyone is overplayed, especially our 2 smaller dmen.

I think it puts to rest the idea that we don't need EJ anymore. He left such a huge hole in our defense.

Yeah it was a pretty ridiculous stance by some posters here that he was playing like a bottom pairing D.

 

[Foppa2118]

Every game the Avs win, I've been going down to JW as I live in Edmonton. You can choose to believe me or not but Z's right arm was wrapped up in something. Not a sling but rather looks like a meshed tensor bandage or something. Hope he'll be ok.

Jammed his wrist along the boards maybe?

Would explain why Bednar didn't want to risk putting him back in to hold a lead. Potential turnover risk not being able to handle the puck.

 

[drhiii]

As a goalie, I will never blame a goalie for a deflected shot goal.
Yes, there are aituations occasionally where it was possible to stop it, but a majority of the time, you’re either somewhat lucky if it hits you, or it’s going in.

there simply is no time to prep for it. You’ve committed to a “different” save and therefore, likely a different type of movement than you would’ve normally done if you knew where the shot was going.
That, and you have no read. Most of a goalies instinctive save is based on being able to read the shot right off the stick.

As a former goalie.. dittos.

 

[Northern Avs Fan]

Everyone is overplayed, especially our 2 smaller dmen.

I think it puts to rest the idea that we don't need EJ anymore. He left such a huge hole in our defense.

Makar has thrived with the increased role, so that hasn’t been an issue. I think Girard has played fine as well, though I think he’d be better with a little less ice time.

During the regular season a lot of people wanted EJ gone. I remember a few people saying that Girard was carrying EJ’s corpse for most of the year. I’m not sure where this sudden shift on the guy has come from.

He’s important to the team at this very moment because the Avs replacement level players are not very good and because Graves hasn’t played well.

The Avs lost a solid defenceman when EJ went down, but in no way do I believe he was holding the defence together. He was playing on the 3rd pair. Which gave the Avs great balance, but the goals lie more with poor goaltending and guys like Graves playing poorly than the hole EJ left imo.

 

[The Kingslayer]

Makar's play on Landeskog's goal is rightfully getting a lot of praise today but his assist on Burakovsky's goal was also impressive. It was a subtle quick pass but so smart and good.

Credit to Bura for also taking the ice that was made abundantly available there.

 

[PAZ]

Everyone is overplayed, especially our 2 smaller dmen.

I think it puts to rest the idea that we don't need EJ anymore. He left such a huge hole in our defense.

I think everyone would be fine with EJ if he was making 4 mil with his term left, the main point of contention is the length of his contract at his cap hit.

Butttt I highly doubt we'll find anyone better in the next year or two, so the point is moot.

 

[burgundynblue]

Makar has thrived with the increased role, so that hasn’t been an issue. I think Girard has played fine as well, though I think he’d be better with a little less ice time.

During the regular season a lot of people wanted EJ gone. I remember a few people saying that Girard was carrying EJ’s corpse for most of the year. I’m not sure where this sudden shift on the guy has come from.

He’s important to the team at this very moment because the Avs replacement level players are not very good and because Graves hasn’t played well.

The Avs lost a solid defenceman when EJ went down, but in no way do I believe he was holding the defence together. He was playing on the 3rd pair. Which gave the Avs great balance, but the goals lie more with poor goaltending and guys like Graves playing poorly than the hole EJ left imo.

Yep, depth is not capable to replace him properly, but it kinda says that he is important to the current Avs team.
Dallas series is showing how we are missing EJ in his defenside D role. He's one of the go-to PK and defensive situations D after all.

As PAZ mentioned, it is his salary cap which makes people uneasy, but he cannot be replaced via current depth right away and perhaps not even after a year.

 

[Foppa2118]

Makar's play on Landeskog's goal is rightfully getting a lot of praise today but his assist on Burakovsky's goal was also impressive. It was a subtle quick pass but so smart and good.

More impressive than the Landy goal IMO.

The Landy goal was just pure skill and athleticism. This play shows his high level hockey IQ.

He's great at these quick passes too. He's great at picking the puck off the wall and instantly firing it on net for a shot or shot/pass too.

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

Yeah it was a pretty ridiculous stance by some posters here that he was playing like a bottom pairing D.

Just because he finally showed up to play in the playoffs doesn't mean he wasn't absolute trash all year long.


I'd wager to guess he's going to be much closer to bottom pairing moving forward then the Dman we had seen through the playoffs so far. His spot in the Top 4 will need to be replaced very soon. No question about it.

 

[Foppa2118]

I think one of the big parts of why some people came around to EJ in the playoffs, was NBC talking about him so positively and highlighting what he does on the ice to help his team.

I like McNab but he'll be the first one to tell you he doesn't know much about defense.

He doesn't point out that many good defensive plays, especially the subtle ones, and the plays away from the puck.

For all their faults, Pierre and Eddie know a lot more about defense. Both were head coaches in the NHL, and Pierre was a defenseman as a player, and ran the defense as an assistant in Pittsburgh while Scotty Bowman was there.

 

[Metallo]

Just because he finally showed up to play in the playoffs doesn't mean he wasn't absolute trash all year long.


I'd wager to guess he's going to be much closer to bottom pairing moving forward then the Dman we had seen through the playoffs so far. His spot in the Top 4 will need to be replaced very soon. No question about it.

Trash? Greg Zanon was trash.

EJ is a top four D and has been all year. He’s a huge part of our D and his absence shows that.

 

[Balthazar]

Just because he finally showed up to play in the playoffs doesn't mean he wasn't absolute trash all year long.

he wasn't trash all year long.

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

Trash? Greg Zanon was trash.

EJ is a top four D and has been all year. He’s a huge part of our D and his absence shows that.

He definitely was not Top 4 quality all year long. He was very bad for one stretches of the season.

he wasn't trash all year long.

Maybe not all year. He might have had 5 games or so where he played well.




It's too funny how quickly this board is to forget things. And then some people pretend shit just never even happened.


Multiple times this year this board wanted EJ out of here. He was not good at all. Certainly not Top 4 quality.

 

[Foppa2118]

Seems difficult for a team that finished with the 3rd best points percentage in the NHL, while giving up the 5th fewest goals, and 6th fewest high danger scoring chances, to do so with their #2 defenseman in minutes played, only playing 5 good games.

 

[Balthazar]

He definitely was not Top 4 quality all year long. He was very bad for one stretches of the season.



Maybe not all year. He might have had 5 games or so where he played well.




It's too funny how quickly this board is to forget things. And then some people pretend shit just never even happened.


Multiple times this year this board wanted EJ out of here. He was not good at all. Certainly not Top 4 quality.

He had a rough 2018-19 season where he looked like he fell off a cliff (was likely playing injured)...but this season he was OK to good most of the time in a lesser role.

People are worried with his contract going forward but this isn't relevant to his play this year.

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

He had a rough 2018-19 season where he looked like he fell off a cliff (was likely playing injured)...but this season he was OK to good most of the time in a lesser role.

People are worried with his contract going forward but this isn't relevant to his play this year.

He wasn't any better this year either, and his skating has gotten noticeably worse pretty much every year.


Throw in a knee injury that does not look good now as well... He isn't someone we should even be remotely relying on for Top 4 minutes. He wasn't great at his role to begin with and the age and injuries only continue to pile up.

 

[Balthazar]

He wasn't any better this year either, and his skating has gotten noticeably worse pretty much every year.


Throw in a knee injury that does not look good now as well... He isn't someone we should even be remotely relying on for Top 4 minutes. He wasn't great at his role to begin with and the age and injuries only continue to pile up.

This I agree with. We have to replace Grubauer first then EJ in the top 4 then Compher at 3C.

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

This I agree with. We have to replace Grubauer first then EJ in the top 4 then Compher at 3C.

Id have it in reverse order actually. I think replacing JTC at 3C and getting him into the 3W spot should be the teams absolute top priority this summer. JTC is a decent 3rd liner but he'd be more impactful from the wing and we need a better Defensive Center at 3C who is also more consistent offensively.


Beyond that... EJ needs replacing, but I think the best play is to just give Timmins the 3RD slot right out of the gate next year. See if he can sink or swim in the role. If he does well, we don't need to go external for Defense help. If Timmins doesn't do well, look at adding a RHD at the deadline.


Gruby is a tricky one. I'm concerned about the Injuries, but if he's healthy I think our Goaltending is perfectly capable of doing well and winning a cup. The only way I would actually do anything to fix the goaltending is if we truly go all in on John Gibson. Anything else and I'd much prefer we stay with what we have

 

[Goulet17]

Every game the Avs win, I've been going down to JW as I live in Edmonton. You can choose to believe me or not but Z's right arm was wrapped up in something. Not a sling but rather looks like a meshed tensor bandage or something. Hope he'll be ok.

Mesh tensor bandage and not a sling...if I am visualizing that correctly, it could be an elbow injury.

 

[CobraAcesS]

Credit to Bura for also taking the ice that was made abundantly available there.

I have a real hard time giving Bura credit for anything. It's like giving credit to a piece of drift wood, but I'll try.