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

[cgf]

I think the problem is when you say "undeniably led this team to playoff contention". the only contention i have is with that statement. The team has picked up its play sinsce the beggining of the year. that is undeniable. Varly needs to catch up a bit imo.

Varly lead the way in the team turning the season around. He carried us through that hot run that erased our **** start. He's had some struggles when he's not playing every other day and hates playing in western canada for some reason, but he was absolutely the reason this team got back into contention around the turn of the new year.

 

[Boulder Avalanche]

I would love if we called up Zadorov if only for his edge and mean streak (which would not be the only thing he would bring). He would be a better option than freaking Bodnarchuk. Pair Barrie with Beauchemin and put Johnson with Bigras or Holden.

 

[SuperJoe]

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.

Well I don't want to dump on Varly, but other than a stretch or two of spectacular play he's been very average, 2.75, .914 are not great stats, he's like the rest of them inconsistent bunch.

 

[Shaggy88]

I think the problem is when you say "undeniably led this team to playoff contention". the only contention i have is with that statement. The team has picked up its play since the beginning of the year. that is undeniable. Varly needs to catch up a bit and play better more often imo.

Fair. The team as a whole picked up their play, but let's not deny that the goaltending has given on most nights, a chance to win for this team. Yes, Varly hasn't been great as of late, but where's the team in front of him? Is the goaltender expected to carry the team throughout the whole year AND the playoffs? That's not a winning recipe. The team on occasion needs to carry it's goalie. As of late, I haven't seen the team carry Varly like Varly has carried the team.

 

[Ncit3]

You act like the team didn't turn their stuff around during the second half of the season, what are they in their last 10? Do you really think they aren't giving their hearts out? Do you not think they gave their hearts out in this game? Seriously.

No. Minnesota has seen a nosedive until lately and they are catching us. Nashville had been cold until lately. Winnipeg has been all but out of it for awhile but shows a lot of the same problems we do.

I'm not surprised we're in the playoff hunt. We're a wildcard team. The guys are playing below their talent and are happy with it.

Go watch our power plays from this game again and tell me we have any character on this team.

 

[lostinnothingness]

Varly lead the way in the team turning the season around. He carried us through that hot run that erased our **** start. He's had some struggles when he's not playing every other day and hates playing in western canada for some reason, but he was absolutely the reason this team got back into contention around the turn of the new year.

well if hes the biggest reason as you claim then where was he tonight?. im not saying everyone else played their best but we were leading 2-1 in the third? bad goal no?

 

[Alex Jones]

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.

That Canes team was the weakest team to win the cup in a long time, and that Penguins team had the two best players in the world. Those two teams are the closest thing you would have to a "statistical outlier" in the results.

 

[Jarey Curry]

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.

Ever since seeing how unstoppable he was for example in the regular season 13/14 and then playing like a mortal nhl goalie in the playoffs, a big loss for Finland in Sochi, even disability to get many shutouts cause of late goal etc. I just think he needs a ton of pure confidence and games to overcome the pressure of big games

 

[Ncit3]

I would love if we called up Zadorov if only for his edge and mean streak (which would not be the only thing he would bring). He would be a better option than freaking Bodnarchuk. Pair Barrie with Beauchemin and put Johnson with Bigras or Holden.

I know it's impossible like everyone in the trade thread said. But it's the reason i was so heavily advocating Gudas as a target for trade.

We lack fire. We lack intensity. Maybe that intensity takes it over the line a bit but didn't Lemeiux back in the glory days?

Play tough and play mean. Don't be a bunch of wishy washy babies.

 

[tigervixxxen]

I'm basically in the same boat. I've invested time, if not money, in this team through all the recent bad years. That will, if they ever win the Cup, make the win sweeter no doubt. But I don't consider myself virtuous for having done it. I'm hard pressed to come up with an argument that it's been a good investment of my time. But I do it anyway. And I sure as hell don't look down on people who just stop paying attention.

I'm mostly speaking in a broader sense. We've seen the Avs drop from the perch it had during the glory years. We see the the home arena filled with opposing fans. That's reflective of the state of the team. That's reality.

Are Blackhawks fans any better than Avs fans because they are filling the Pepsi center? Are Wings fans? No. The teams are better. That's reality. Blackhawks fans weren't filling the Denver arena during the Bill Wirtz years. You think the Wings fans will still be traveling strong if their 20+ year run of success ends?

From a fan engagement perspective it absolutely matters that the team was playing in front of 50,000 people tonight. And if a lot of those people don't feel inclined to rush out to buy tickets to games at the Pepsi center, who can blame them? Besides folks reaching for a perch to act hoity toity for no reason.

There's a lot more to it if you want to talk about support. The fact that everyone and their dog has moved here, that's a huge factor in the arena getting invaded. I've also correlated the Avs and Nuggets attendance as inverses of each other, the local fanbase chooses which one to support at any given time, the Avs are actually winning the battle right now. I totally agree on the "if you build it they will come" principle but the constant reminiscing on the glory years has to Fing stop one of these days. The alumni game was fantastic and all that, the 20th anniversary and all that I get it but put it away for a LONG while now. That's not helping anyone. Not the team, not the fanbase, not the attendance, nobody. I dont get how this isn't an obvious issue.

 

[Alex Jones]

Varly lead the way in the team turning the season around. He carried us through that hot run that erased our **** start. He's had some struggles when he's not playing every other day and hates playing in western canada for some reason, but he was absolutely the reason this team got back into contention around the turn of the new year.

If the Avs didn't have Varly, we would all be coming up with Austin Matthews jokes right now.

 

[tigervixxxen]

Migrate over to the PGT, this will be locked soon.

 

[Shaggy88]

No. Minnesota has seen a nosedive until lately and they are catching us. Nashville had been cold until lately. Winnipeg has been all but out of it for awhile but shows a lot of the same problems we do.

I'm not surprised we're in the playoff hunt. We're a wildcard team. The guys are playing below their talent and are happy with it.

Go watch our power plays from this game again and tell me we have any character on this team.

Minny is catching us? No. They've been in the same spot since at least a month ago. Close enough to threaten, not enough of a threat to over take. I understand the Avs are a wildcard team, but who do you honestly think dragged us there? Duchty? Mack? Landy? Iggy? Or Varlamov. If you ask me, the answer is clear. I've watched every single game this year (aside from a few that I turned off in frustration), I understand what the PP looks like.

 

[AslanRH]

, well hopefully we didn't buy stupid **** to be caught holding the bag when that one is over.

Can you define what that is a little more?

Are you merely referring to rentals or more than that?

 

[tigervixxxen]

Can you define what that is a little more?

Are you merely referring to rentals or more than that?

You know I don't think we should buy at all. Meaning giving more value for now. I'm not saying don't make a move but it shouldn't be a "buy" move. People want to freak out over a game yet don't mind turning around and keep feeding coins into the meter. It's up to the core plain and simple.

 

[Hans Landaskog]

Minny is catching us? No. They've been in the same spot since at least a month ago. Close enough to threaten, not enough of a threat to over take. I understand the Avs are a wildcard team, but who do you honestly think dragged us there? Duchty? Mack? Landy? Iggy? Or Varlamov. If you ask me, the answer is clear. I've watched every single game this year (aside from a few that I turned off in frustration), I understand what the PP looks like.

If by clear you mean Duchene, then I'd agree. He went on a tear after a slow start.