GDT: Round 2 Game 5 Aves @ Sharkes | 5/4/19 8pm MT | Getting over the Hertl

[VikingAv]

Fuuuuuuck that. I have zero confidence in Sakic. I'll admit I was a Bednar hater, we had a 48 point season but I was allowed to be. I dunno if he's a great coach but he's not exactly the rate-limiting step. The guy is holding the Sharks to low scores with our problematic roster. Sakic has done very little for him in terms of acquiring depth and Sakic has had SIX YEARS.

People here are complaining about the deployment of Kerfoot or Andrighetto or whomever but every coach in this league has problematic deployment of players and Bednar's is not bad in comparison. The way to solve it is to have good depth and as long as you lack any actual top six players outside the big three, you're gonna have a bad time with a Kerfoot or someone. Look at Sakic's best players......

MacKinnon - Acquired from the scouting dep't
Landeskog - Pre-Sakic acquisition from scouting
Rantanen - Scouting acquisition
Makar - Scouting acquisition
Grubauer - Credit to Sakic he needed a goalie and got one
Girard - A prospect included in a trade, I'll credit both Sakic & the scouting department
Barrie & Johnson - Pre-Sakic and one of them should've been moved by Sakic

You bring up some valid points and some are, imo, a case of hindsight is 20/20, but I want to touch on the bolded: GM's are always heavily included in the decision of top ten picks, most in the whole 1st round, while by far the most let the scouting department do their thing from round 2 and onwards (Dorion would probably be an example of a GM involved all the way). This fact is also why I chuckle a bit when people rave on Yzerman for being such a good drafting GM.

There are usually reports of Sakic being at games/tournaments watching possible picks in the high 1st round, so Sakic should also get credit for the bolded.

 

[Tommy Shelby]

I want to go on record stating that I never liked Kerfoot, and this isn't hindsight or reactionary emotions talking.

He's just not very good at anything besides getting in prime scoring areas, and not the type of player good teams have on their rosters.

 

[letsgoavs1921]

I still have a good feeling. We should be able to win game 6 if we play like we can. Then it’s a winner take all. Would be the 14th game in 28 days for the Sharks with some of those games being long OT games and their top guys playing 27-30 minutes a night. Now they may push through it, but it should have an effect.

Let’s focus on game 6, win that, and then play as hard as we can Wednesday and see what happens.

Regardless what a fun run! Barely make it in, and you beat the top team in the west, then have to play maybe the best team left in the playoffs and give them all they can handle.

I still say Jones is due for a meh game.

 

[Avsavsavsavsavs]

It's certainly not like we are down 3-0 or 3-1, 1 win at home and the series is tied in a winner take all. We've won 1 game at the Shark Tank, and had the lead in the other 2 games we lost (arguably throwing the game away). Very winnable series.

 

[Frobbo]

Fourth line guys are fourth line guys. The problem is the Avs have them sprinkled on their 2nd, 3rd and 4th lines. Soda's disappearance is really obvious, he gave whatever line he was on a little juice during the year. Sakic and the scouting department's lack of player development is apparent. In the cap era its hard to maintain veteran depth, young players need to step in. Greer and Toninato aren't the answer, we saw their act during the season and to expect much now is a reach. They are pretty much stuck with what they have at this point. Guys need to play better.

Going forward, I would trade Barrie for legit 2nd line help. Pair that person with Rants for 2 solid lines. Barrie's penalty last night was killer. His balance sheet isn't as much of an upside as some think.

 

[Veritas0Aequitas]

Not that I had a choice in the matter but this is precisely why I wanted to play Vegas and not SJ. They are a big, bruising, experienced team and have done exactly what I expected them to do. I'd love for the Avs to come back but it's going to be very difficult.

Also, I stand by that my earlier statements that Barrie should be traded for scoring depth.

 

[AvsFanInMichigan]

I believe

 

[Foppberg]

I still think we take this in 7. Just a gut belief that I have in this squad.

 

[RoyIsALegend]

Not that I had a choice in the matter but this is precisely why I wanted to play Vegas and not SJ. They are a big, bruising, experienced team and have done exactly what I expected them to do. I'd love for the Avs to come back but it's going to be very difficult.

Also, I stand by that my earlier statements that Barrie should be traded for scoring depth.

Oh, you think we would have already eliminated Vegas in 5 games or something?

Who’s to say we would have even been tied at 2-2 after 4 games with the Knights?

We are still in this series and this was still a better draw for us than VGK. Just my opinion.

 

[LTC Pain]

I want to go on record stating that I never liked Kerfoot, and this isn't hindsight or reactionary emotions talking.

He's just not very good at anything besides getting in prime scoring areas, and not the type of player good teams have on their rosters.

Kerfoot just isn't a finisher!

 

[Patagonia]

I know they’re veterans and all, but I just refuse to believe that Brassard and Andrighetto are contributing more than what Toninato and Greer would.

Greer - Toninato - Bourque

That’s actually a 4th line with some jam.

Brass and Ghetto are completely useless.

I might be wrong, but those players are locked to the AHL and cannot be called up for playoffs unless for an injury?

 

[the_fan]

Even if Avs lose the 2nd round, you gotta be proud and excited for this team. They weren't even suppose to make the playoffs. At some point in the season they looked like a bottom dweller, they quickly became a contender. With few line up tweaks, they'll come back stronger next year.

 

[SoundwaveIsCharisma]

Kerfoot just isn't a finisher!

Or a set up guy, or a grinder, or a two-way guy. He’s the type of forward that puts up numbers on a rebuilding team because he has decent skills. He doesn’t really have a place on an actual contender.

 

[nightonthesun]

I'm learning to skip over the posts of people who only show up after losses to roast their favorite whipping boys.

 

[Hornstar]

I want to go on record stating that I never liked Kerfoot, and this isn't hindsight or reactionary emotions talking.

He's just not very good at anything besides getting in prime scoring areas, and not the type of player good teams have on their rosters.

He gets in those areas because the D has no respect for him

 

[Ararana]

Even if Avs lose the 2nd round, you gotta be proud and excited for this team. They weren't even suppose to make the playoffs. At some point in the season they looked like a bottom dweller, they quickly became a contender. With few line up tweaks, they'll come back stronger next year.

Came here to post some positivity and was a little surprised to see if from you my friend. But I 100% agree, after they stomped Calgary this was all bonus hockey for me. Can't be anything but proud of what they've done this season and how bright the future looks. Hopefully they can win game 6 and make it interesting as hell going into a round 2 game 7.

IMO Sakic really needs one solid summer to get this team into cup contention. Get Rantanen locked down without breaking the Avs back, get a second liner or two via UFA or Barrie trade, and hit on the 4th and 16th OA.

It makes me giddy we still have Kaut, Bower, and hopefully Timmins still on the shelf. There's your solid depth going forward.

 

[Messrules11]

Tough loss last night. First time facing elimination for this bunch so I guess we’ll see what they’re made of Monday. Go Avs!

 

[the_fan]

Oh, you think we would have already eliminated Vegas in 5 games or something?

Who’s to say we would have even been tied at 2-2 after 4 games with the Knights?

We are still in this series and this was still a better draw for us than VGK. Just my opinion.

I think Vegas would have been a tougher opponent, they're faster than the Sharks and better structured

 

[The Pwnerer]

Gotta give credit to the Sharks, we are basically one and done everytime we entered the zone. They also blocked a ton everytime we had a prime chance which was frustrating. Karlsson and Vlasic look to be regaining their mojo, really good Dcore when healthy. Just not enough depth and not enough forwards willing to sacrifice the body to drive to the front of the net. Its been bashed to death but I think we are all done with Kerfoot ruining prime chances with his smurf shot. You put a guy like Labanc in his position and we are so much better off. He has the most nonthreatening shot I've seen.

Entering the last three games I always thought whoever wins game 6 will win the series. Win that and put the pressure on the Sharks at home in a game 7.

 

[chet1926]

God forbid somebody says a little something bad about our great Mack. How am I focusing on Mack. I didn't write a long paragraph about it like some do. It's a one line comment.

And the conception that because he is the top player on our team he can do whatever he pleases is so wrong. The way he reacts sometimes to passes and plays that others make looks like he is telling them to get their s**t together or that they are dumb and stupid to try that play when he makes lots of stupid play/passes himself. It looks like he puts himself way above the others...while it might be true he is it's just not a good look. Even the media people that don't watch him very much noticed his "temper tantrums" so that should tell you something. Like I said before I love his passion but there are better ways to express that passion than too-frequent mood swings and poutings.

Anyway like I said it was just a comment. I'm not gonna dwell on it. Carry on worshiping the great Mack. Mack does no wrong!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Not saying he is untouchable. Just find it weird that the only player you called out by name in your post is the only skater that's done anything of value for us during this series. And has probably been the best player in the entire NHL during the playoffs. You do realize that without him we are probably bottom 5 team in the league. We aren't watching playoff hockey.

Calling out MacK is like saying the reason Edmonton sucks is because McDavid has mood swings and he isn't even keeled every night. Which if you've ever watched McDavid you'll know that he is a lot like MacKinnon when it comes to attitude, Lots of ups and downs. Same goes for Crosby. Hell look at Couture on the Sharks if you want an example from this series, he melts down every time something doesn't go his way.

MacK mood swings as you call them are literally the least of our concerns. Jeez if the guy doesn't carry us to victory every single night he gets ripped on for being too moody, it's just ridiculous.

Why not focus on something that is a real problem, like secondary scoring and the fact that we have like 5 regulars that have done nothing this entire playoffs season. That's a real problem. That's what is killing us in this series so far. Not MacK and his 1 game where he wasn't at his best.

 

[nightonthesun]

It's going to be immensely difficult to win an elimination game against San Jose. If they do figure it out and win game 6, I fully believe the Avs will go back to California and end San Jose's season.

 

[the_fan]

Sharks did an excellent job on MacKinnon, completely took away time and space from him. Everytime Mack touched the puck, there was someone right there checking him, and that went on pretty much the entire game

 

[chet1926]

Sharks did an excellent job on MacKinnon, completely took away time and space from him. Everytime Mack touched the puck, there was someone right there checking him, and that went on pretty much the entire game

Yep the Sharks have realized that they don't fear anyone on our roster. Until somebody other than MacK makes them consistently pay its going to be now if the same.

We are going to need a line to step up and score a goal or two next game, so they can't just puppy guard MacK with 2 or 3 guys.

 

[the_fan]

I wont mind if MacKinnon calls out Kerfoot. Just tell him to do his f***ing job and stop shooting at goalies chests or 5 feet wide of net

 

[Bill Peckerskull]