Sam Girard

[Freaky Styley]

IMO his ceiling is elite #2. He will never be a work horse like those bigger guys who can easily log close to 25 min for 82 games. Ideally I'd not push Girard too much over 20 minutes per game. What we have to keep in mind is Girard needs to spend more energy than bigger players when he's playing the body or just trying not to get hit. This is tiring on the long run.

However, the good news is the chances of him reaching his ceiling appears to be pretty good at the moment.

I think him playing next to a big guy like EJ is ideal.

After seeing how well Timmins & Mete complimented each other at the WJC I've always envisioned a Girard- Timmins pairing (hopefully he can overcome his injury woes).

Girard - Timmins
Zadorov - Makar

Is how I see our top 4 D in 3 - 5 years

 

[Ararana]

After seeing how well Timmins & Mete complimented each other at the WJC I've always envisioned a Girard- Timmins pairing (hopefully he can overcome his injury woes).

Girard - Timmins
Zadorov - Makar

Is how I see our top 4 D in 3 - 5 years

Girard - Makar when we need a goal late *drools

 

[Pokecheque]

I thought Meloche would be the guy but that was when I still thought Sammy would be a third pairing puckmover.

I didn't think the EJ/Girard pairing would work but it is, and credit to EJ for accepting a quieter, more defensive role. I thought he'd have to be a play-driver in order to remain effective, I was wrong.

I'd still like to see a return of the Z-EJ pairing soon though.

 

[EdAVSfan]

I thought Meloche would be the guy but that was when I still thought Sammy would be a third pairing puckmover.

I didn't think the EJ/Girard pairing would work but it is, and credit to EJ for accepting a quieter, more defensive role. I thought he'd have to be a play-driver in order to remain effective, I was wrong.

I'd still like to see a return of the Z-EJ pairing soon though.

Instead, I prefer it as is.

Simply because I like the fact that we have an element of physicality on all three pairings.
Pairing Z and EJ leaves us with one likely “softer” pairing.

 

[Pokecheque]

Instead, I prefer it as is.

Simply because I like the fact that we have an element of physicality on all three pairings.
Pairing Z and EJ leaves us with one likely “softer” pairing.

Well, I don't mean to imply I'd like to see that as a regular pairing but Bednar has rotated guys on the blueline around, so if he's gonna go with Barrie/Girard on occasion, why not Z/EJ? I just really liked that dynamic. Both were tough, physical, and EJ was free to jump into the play whenever he wanted, and on some occasions it'd be Zads who would be the playmaker. But that's kinda nitpicky on my part, I'm fine with the defensive makeup of this club right now.

 

[Patagonia]

Well, I don't mean to imply I'd like to see that as a regular pairing but Bednar has rotated guys on the blueline around, so if he's gonna go with Barrie/Girard on occasion, why not Z/EJ? I just really liked that dynamic. Both were tough, physical, and EJ was free to jump into the play whenever he wanted, and on some occasions it'd be Zads who would be the playmaker. But that's kinda nitpicky on my part, I'm fine with the defensive makeup of this club right now.

I also like Bednar's pairing.

Jumbo + Shrimp. Spreads the matchups the other team can't exploit with bigger Forwards due to the size of the DMen. Close games, they could use a Zadorov-EJ pairing, but this seems to be working just fine.

 

[klozge]

While I'm still not on board with the whole PP QB debate, I will say that Sammy's vision and ability to complete passes through traffic is some of the best I've ever seen in an Avs player.

He is in many ways the player we all kinda wished Kyle Cumiskey would've been. He could move that fast, but just couldn't think the game that fast.

Maybe that's the reason why I love Girard so much. Thanks for opening all those old wounds.

 

[RoyIsALegend]

What a play for the goal tonight by Samuel Norris Girard.

 

[Murzu]

 

[Freaky Styley]

Instead, I prefer it as is.

Simply because I like the fact that we have an element of physicality on all three pairings.
Pairing Z and EJ leaves us with one likely “softer” pairing.

I too wouldn't mind a Z - EJ pairing, if only just to get Z more involved in every game. To avoid a soft pairing we could have Nemeth - Barrie which worked well and Cole - G pairing. Honestly I think they are more balanced as there's only 2 D on our team that I inherently trust shift in, shift out, and that's Sammy G & EJ. splitting them up allows them to cover up for other guy's mistakes.

 

[hooverdam]

Playing with Girard is helping EJ too, not just Girard. EJ looks like he's going to have one of his best offensive seasons yet. He'll probably cool down at some point but still, look at how productive and solid that pairing has been through a few games. You can't break them up until they start legitimately struggling. It also helps that they're constantly thrown out there with the top line, of course.

The only D swap I want to see in the near future is Zadorov for Cole when/if Zadorov gets his act together. Keep Nemeth away from Barrie or Girard, he was not good with either of them.

 

[RoyIsALegend]

Sam - EJ
Z - Boobs

The top 4 should be so easy to set. Problem is neither of Cole or Nemeth can handle a puck, so they are a liability together, and nobody wants to see Barberio continue to clown around out there.

 

[MarkT]

I think Z will work his way up the pairings eventually, but he seems to be having a rough start to the season.

For now I think the Girard-EJ pairing is very nice, especially since we don't really have any bonfide top pairing guy to go with EJ right now so we might as well see if Girard can handle it long-term.

 

[Foppa Frossa]

Need Timmins on that bottom pairing next season.

 

[Pokecheque]

Yeah, Barbs has been an outright disaster out there. Not sure what his issue is.

 

[missionAvs]

Yeah, Barbs has been an outright disaster out there. Not sure what his issue is.

Must have forgotten how to hockey.

 

[Bubba Thudd]

Sam - EJ
Z - Boobs

The top 4 should be so easy to set. Problem is neither of Cole or Nemeth can handle a puck, so they are a liability together, and nobody wants to see Barberio continue to clown around out there.

Wait...

...I thought you didn't like us calling him Boobs or T-Boobs.

 

[RoyIsALegend]

Wait...

...I thought you didn't like us calling him Boobs or T-Boobs.

Don’t think I ever said that.

 

[klozge]

It'll be a sad day when he goes back into his space ship to leave the planet.

 

[Piestany88]

It'll be a sad day when he goes back into his space ship to leave the planet.

He's the best young dman in the league.

 

[The Abusement Park]

He's the best young dman in the league.

Ehh, I wouldn’t go that far. But he’s up there with how he’s played this season.

 

[TruePowerSlave]

Need Timmins on that bottom pairing next season.
[/IMG]

Who is coming out of the lineup? The D will be crowded once Makar arrives.

 

[klozge]

Who is coming out of the lineup? The D will be crowded once Makar arrives.

Lots of time to sort that out with a couple of trades. Plus Timmins has to play again first.

 

[ASmileyFace]

This pass needs to be in this thread. So dirty.

 

[TruePowerSlave]

Lots of time to sort that out with a couple of trades. Plus Timmins has to play again first.

The point I was trying to make was that I do not see any room for Timmins next year, unless he dominates in the AHL which I very much doubt. After years of misery the Avs are finally icing teams with a strong defense and it is going to be hard for rookie D to make the big club.