GDT: Stadium Series: Avalanche vs Red Wings | 6 PM MT | February 27, 2016

[lostinnothingness]

Didn't Varly play poorly in his last game as well? Against Vancouver. Pickard played against SJ and played well.

I would give Varly a few days to get his **** together, and play Pickard against the Wild.

Yeah. As good as Varly can be he has NOT played up to that standard ....pretty much all year. He needs to be better. End of story!

 

[NothingLikeAnEJ]

Time to see if this core can man up on Tuesday and beat the Wild.

 

[Ncit3]

I love you cgf and I would really like to know your opinion here...




I agree that our fanbase including myself can tend to be bi-polar, but not tonight. Could you please and try to explain how you think this Avs team has the potential to win the Cup in the future? What swagger has this club shown you since 2009 (7 years ago)? It truly sucks that I am going to say this, but I think this team is following the path of the St. Louis Blues 2.0 than either the Penguins, Hawks, Kings or Bruins.

- #9 has some problems mental leading to widely inconsistent forms.

- #1 hasn't won a major game at all in his career, questions of his mental toughness are absolutely justified.

- #6 hasn't been consistently healthy having him to constantly rebuild his game back to average #1 form. Plus he never was the smartest defender on this club.

- #92 even though he has performed admirably the last month, it still doesn't excuse him from so far 1 and half seasons of awful form.

The players I think that deserve a pass are MacKinnon and Barrie. Nathan because he's just 20 years old and Barrie because he never was this amazing defensive freak like Lidstrom.

And will Rantanen and Zadorov really change this teams inability to close games off not talent wise, but mentally? They will definitely make the Avs better; those two with Bigras, Compher, Bleackley, Meloche, Greer, Nantel, and Beaudin. Not all of them will be NHL players, but some of them will surely surprise exceptions. Again they will make this team good, but just because this team is good doesn't MEAN jack ****. Blues are an extremely good club, this year I think they have started to tune out Hitchcock, but the last 4-5 seasons, they have been an amazing club. Just because they are an amazing club, doesn't mean anything if you don't have the "it" factor I was talking about on my previous post. Furthermore, look at the San Jose Sharks, another very dominant team that went nowhere. Again being good means jack **** if you don't have the mental toughness to fight through adversity. Avs have not only been one of the worst clubs with the lead the last 3-5 seasons (besides the fluke year), they blew a multiple goal lead in Game 7, blew a multiple goal lead at the seasons start, and now blew a goal lead tonight in a big game. I am more of an optimistic person here, but even I think this core is starting to face some really tough questions. I do hope Sakic is starting to notice it too because he knew what it took to go all the way (and I think he might from the Duchene rumours earlier on).

Fairweather fans =/= Passionate fans with standards.

2012 Miami heat fans who just want to watch them win and only cheer when they do so... and Dallas Maverick fans who have had a consistently good team since the early 00s, suddenly see their team... in example... literally not give a *** and NOT cheer loud, is a different ball game bro.. just saying.

So yes, as a fan, Ill show my support. But Im not showing anything until I atleast see you completely care.... Raiders fan are loud and proud.. cause even though they lose they have a club who does try hard atleast, in the Broncos division every year. They may have ****** players, but they do ****in try.

Constant icing, fumble passes, defensemen not going after the puck.. Duchene behind the net on the OTHER side of the ice... etc etc etc, dont need to say more.

These posts exactly. I have no plans of jumping ship. I am an Avalanche fan and have suffered all the same as anyone else.

That being said why do I have to just trust in management? I don't have to blindly follow to be a fan. Challenging the status quo shows that I am unhappy with losing. I'll still wear my gear. I'll still fervently defend my team in front of the face of others but I am not going to be mocked by "fans" who show no passion. Your diatribe is sickening and shows you only care about maintaining the existing conditions.

 

[JLo217]

Had a great time at the game. I was enjoying the game and just the atmosphere in general. Had a few drinks too.

Maybe some that watched it on TV would agree. But it seemed like Varly lost them the game.

 

[tigervixxxen]

I was there, I obviously know what happened but I couldn't see much. So anyone want to give me a non rage summary of what happened in the third? I don't exactly want to watch it back just to find out.

I know many won't agree but absolutely DO NOT BUY anything further. I've been saying it forever now, this core is either going to come together and get us into the playoffs. I don't give a F who is the bottom pair D on this team this year.

 

[cgf]

Yeah. As good as Varly can be he has NOT played up to that standard ....pretty much all year. He needs to be better. End of story!

Varly's the single biggest reason we're in a playoff spot...

 

[Jarey Curry]

I disagree the way he has been playing let him sit on the bench and figure it out while pickards steals a couple games for us otherwise we will miss the playoffs trying to get him out of his funk. When someone can't get the job done and you have someone that can get it done you go with that person even if that means pickard becomes our starter for a week or two

Varly aint far away from getting the job done but a 1-2 solid games and he'll be back big time, plus we need him the most in the playoffs WHEN we get there! I feel like playing Pickard on consecutive nights over him when he's healthy somewhat harms Varly's confidence at this point of the season

 

[LazRNN]

Because that's what a good fan actually does when given the opportunity to cheer for their club in person, come thick or thin? Or should I just accept that most fans of professional sports teams in this country are entirely fair-weather creatures; and judge them accordingly?

So a "good fan" by your definition, is under some kind of obligation to spend money and cheer for them like they are a pee-wee team? As to the latter question, yes, if you have an interest in accepting reality, you ought to accept that. People have lives that don't revolve around professional sports teams fella. The biggest joke of a perception among sports fans is that it's some kind of virtue to spend time and money supporting a team when they aren't entertaining to watch. Sorry, it's not a virtue. I'm not going to knock people who do that... they are free to spend their time and money as they choose. But to get all hoity toity about people who have can't be so forthcoming with their time and money is something else...

 

[cgf]

I was there, I obviously know what happened but I couldn't see much. So anyone want to give me a non rage summary of what happened in the third? I don't exactly want to watch it back just to find out.

Our team lacked passion, or something.

 

[Shaggy88]

Dunno why no one can see this...

Guess my quote didn't work, quoted CGF saying Varly is the reason the Avs are in a playoff spot.

 

[Mules]

Had a great time at the game. I was enjoying the game and just the atmosphere in general. Had a few drinks too.

Maybe some that watched it on TV would agree. But it seemed like Varly lost them the game.

This team folds under pressure.

 

[Ncit3]

So a "good fan" by your definition, is under some kind of obligation to spend money and cheer for them like they are a pee-wee team? As to the latter question, yes, if you have an interest in accepting reality, you ought to accept that. People have lives that don't revolve around professional sports teams fella. The biggest joke of a perception among sports fans is that it's some kind of virtue to spend time and money supporting a team when they aren't entertaining to watch. Sorry, it's not a virtue. I'm not going to knock people who do that... they are free to spend their time and money as they choose. But to get all hoity toity about people who have can't be so forthcoming with their time and money is something else...

It's not even that though. He's saying that you have to be a good little soldier and suffer through the hard times quietly to earn your gold star.

I love this team. I grew up with this team. That is why I am outraged. This isn't the loss talking, this is the lack of heart they showed. The team doesn't care but I do.

Our team lacked passion, or something.

They've lacked passion from the get go. At the end of the day wins and losses are not the problem. I can take a hard fought loss easier than a lethargic win. The problem is we are having lethargic losses.

I care what this team's future looks like. Apparently you're okay with bad management and drifting.

 

[Hans Landaskog]

Varly aint far away from getting the job done but a 1-2 solid games and he'll be back big time, plus we need him the most in the playoffs WHEN we get there! I feel like playing Pickard on consecutive nights over him when he's healthy somewhat harms Varly's confidence at this point of the season

Varly will be fine until it's an elimination game, then he will choke. I've been a big supporter of his, but a pattern is developing here with him.

 

[hoserthehorrible]

I was there, I obviously know what happened but I couldn't see much. So anyone want to give me a non rage summary of what happened in the third? I don't exactly want to watch it back just to find out.

Detroit had the puck a lot and the Avs turned it over a lot.

Detroit scored a couple to take the lead and then the Avs stormed back and tied it right back up quickly on a Tanguay wrister from Landeskog.

it was looking like OT when Landeskog turned the puck over in the Dzone with a semi-fancy pass to Mac that went to the Wings Dman. next thng you know Richards gets a bit of a luck y bounce and it's in the back of our net.

Empty netter to seal the deal at the end.

 

[StayAtHomeAv]

Barrie is good offensively but sorely lacks defensive skills. He needs a partner to step in and help in that regard. Please for the love of all that is holy get Holden off that paring?

No matter who his partner was he still would have been the guy getting beat by that backhand and the guy letting that one dude come right in front of him for position on the other goal.

 

[Mules]

Varly will be fine until it's an elimination game, then he will choke. I've been a big supporter of his, but a pattern is developing here with him.

I agree with this. And frankly, I think Roy starting to see this too.

 

[AvsGuy]

To those saying this is only one game and to calm down, no ****ing thank you: this game is emblematic to the minute of the effort this roster and management team is willing to put forth, and it's simply not sufficient for what fans are paying to see. We used to invest money and emotion and support in players who wouldn't go down with a putrid flailing effort like this in a lifetime outdoor game experience. We used to see talented players who played that way for 60 minutes of 82 games. We used to see coaches and players who gave half a **** after a loss like this, and now we have a stone faced lineup of half hearted schmucks who can't even muster a grimace after HANDING the other team a win on our ice on a national broadcast. It's ****ing pathetic to the point of throwing my television through a ****ing wall, and I don't see why any purported fan of this franchise would accept even one more effort like this.

 

[CobraAcesS]

I was there, I obviously know what happened but I couldn't see much. So anyone want to give me a non rage summary of what happened in the third? I don't exactly want to watch it back just to find out.

I know many won't agree but absolutely DO NOT BUY anything further. I've been saying it forever now, this core is either going to come together and get us into the playoffs. I don't give a F who is the bottom pair D on this team this year.

Would love to, but sanity is not strong with this one right now. Very disappointing

 

[lostinnothingness]

Varly's the single biggest reason we're in a playoff spot...

i hope you are joking. that is totally a ridiculous statement! LOL if hes the biggest reason were in a playoff spot then why is he letting in weak goals when we are up 2-1 in the third? what? A bad game/goal in one of, if not the biggest game all year? sorry dont believe it.

 

[JLo217]

I agree with this. And frankly, I think Roy starting to see this too.

Ok i'm not crazy then. I though Varly should've had a couple of those goals back tonight. Obviously the last goal was a brutal turn over, but he just seems to struggle when it matters.

 

[The Kingslayer]

The Avs have some black holes at wing right now. Thankfully they are designed to be transitional signings so we can continue to build our young talent. I don't think there is really a problem with the offensive core. There is a problem with the offensive role players, but not the core.

The defense is a trainwreck though. The Avs need a number one defender to lean on, they don't have that. Fixing that hole is the biggest question mark in my mind as to the future of the team.

If you want to win a cup you need a Norris caliber defenseman. The Avs do not have one on their roster, and probably don't in their system. That is what will limit this team.

I was goin to defecate on your head until I started thinking back on the last 10 or so cup teams.

2006 Canes - No Norris Dman but solid d corp.
2007 Ducks - Two Norris Dman Pronger and Scott Niedermeyer
2008 Wings - Lidstrom
2009 Penguins - No Norris Dman but solid mix
2010 Hawks - Duncan Keith and a very solid Brent Seabrook
2011 Bruins - Zdeno Chara
2012 Kings - drew Doughty Norris caliber dman and will prolly win it this season.
2013 Chicago - See 2010
2014 Kings - See 2012
2015 Chicago - See 2010 and 2013

So aside from the Pens and Canes team it certainly looks like having a Norris dman wins cups. Karlsson and Subban doe...poor guys.

 

[Shaggy88]

Varly will be fine until it's an elimination game, then he will choke. I've been a big supporter of his, but a pattern is developing here with him.

A pattern!? LOL Now I've heard it all. Varly leads the Avs to a playoff appearance, it's his fault the Avs can't win it in front of him despite leading going into the final minutes of game 7, and it's his fault the Avs lose every game. Instead of the crappy crap from EJ specifically icing it several times, and the rest of the team, no, go ahead, just blame it on Varly. Ridiculous.

 

[Hans Landaskog]

A pattern!? LOL Now I've heard it all. Varly leads the Avs to a playoff appearance, it's his fault the Avs can't win it in front of him despite leading going into the final minutes of game 7, and it's his fault the Avs lose every game. Instead of the crappy crap from EJ specifically icing it several times, and the rest of the team, no, go ahead, just blame it on Varly. Ridiculous.

It's not ridiculous, He gave up deflating goals in game 7 to lose to the Wild, he **** the bed at the Olympics, too.

 

[ABasin]

Well, I'm realizing again why I avoid GDTs as a general rule.

It was one game - yeah perhaps a mediocre one for the home team, but a game that was part of an awesome hockey weekend in Denver. I enjoyed it immensely. I just can't seem to get all that upset right now - all things considered.

Onward to Minnesota.

 

[The Kingslayer]

i hope you are joking. that is totally a ridiculous statement! LOL if hes the biggest reason were in a playoff spot then why is he letting in weak goals when we are up 2-1 in the third? what? A bad game/goal in one of if not the biggest game all year? sorry dont believe it.

ugh. Hate to break it to you but yah Varlamov is a big reason and most likley the biggest reason we are playing meaningful games in February. I think he had a ****** game tonight and I am a little concerned he dies under pressure (See Marc Andre Fleury) but cgf is right. We aint here if not for Varly.