The Avalanche are what the Leafs and Oilers were supposed to become

[Fivealive5]

What happened? Why did one core excel where the others are flailing?

Click to read more...

 

[Rabid Ranger]

Sakic is a better GM than Dubas? Good timing?

 

[SI90]

What happened? Why did one core excel where the others are flailing?

Cap and contracts. Look at the AVS best players AAV. It allows them to build a stronger team around their stars.

 

[JoVel]

Tavares, Matthews, Marner = 33.5 mil
MacKinnon, Rantanen, Landeskog = 21 mil

 

[780il]

Bad management vs good management

 

[Del Preston]

 

[ChickenMcNugget]

Contracts aside the avs core is also really good in the playoffs by itself, i mean they almost dragged Hutchinson to win a series. Colorado is lucky to have them for sure.

 

[Weast]

Bad management vs good management

It really is just as simple as that.
Plus Bednar is a better coach

 

[Castle8130]

Mackinnon is an amazing two way player and so is most of their team. A lot of their guys are great at 5v5, and play with a young, but strong defensive core. For example, a guy like Rantanen is better at playing 5v5 than someone like Marner. I'd even argue Burakovskiy is a better 5v5 player than Marner.

Overall, Colorado was really smart for adding players with middling cap hits and high compete levels.

 

[McJC]

Mackinnons contract is the game changer here... just an absolute steal

 

[KCC]

Bad management vs good management

Absolutely. Esp with EDM. They've gone through a ton of GM's who have never been able to surround the top players with the talent needed. It was just bad signings, bad contracts, bad trades etc. Holland hasn't been able to do much the last few seasons because of (surprise surprise) Chiarelli screwing up the team. This summer more money finally becomes available. But can Holland finally get the wheels turning in the right direction or will he be like every other GM of the Oil the last 1 5 years? Time will tell. lol

The Leafs? Their core is severely overpaid. Simple as that. And now they are in massive trouble because of it.

 

[Nemesis Prime]

They're lucky MacKinnon shit the bed for a couple seasons so they could pay him peanuts.

 

[Lt Dan]

The Avs have an actual goalie and capable defensemen and testicles

 

[voxel]

Chia tried to build the Oilers to be like the Kings + Ducks... big, slow, physical. i.e Maroon, Lucic, Gryba, Larsson, Pouliot, Hendricks, Kassian, etc.

I don't think Oilers were on pace to be anything like the Avs. Holland is trying transform the team into something more skilled and faster (hence signing the fast Euros).

 

[bobc222]

Remember that the Avalanche had the historically bad season, when everyone that Sakic was insane for his trade demands. And then he proved everyone wrong

 

[Rabid Ranger]

They're lucky MacKinnon shit the bed for a couple seasons so they could pay him peanuts.

I mean, this is true. With a normal career trajectory for him the Avs don't have the same kind of cap flexibility. That said, Dubas crapped the bed and showed everyone he's an amateur.

 

[missinthejets]

When looking at the oilers you gotta look way way back to understand what happened. A string of really bad decisions and a poorly run franchise left them completely devoid of assets leading up to their string of first overalls. Then they got impatient and fired a lot of coaches and GMs kept trying to make that one move to make them a contender. Lots of poor drafting and a poor development system compounded with overpaying too many players and making bad trades meant they were just holding on.

Chia made some poor assed trades and gave out some bad contracts but at least the team drafted a lot better under him and you are starting to see some of those guys make it. The key to success has always been home grown talent, Edmonton just never really got that message before. At least now you can look at their draft picks who are contributing to the team and see the ones on the cusp of making it and feel like there is some foundation being built.

 

[ForsbergForever]

I mean, this is true. With a normal career trajectory for him the Avs don't have the same kind of cap flexibility. That said, Dubas crapped the bed and showed everyone he's an amateur.

Even if MacKinnon was putting up 90+ point seasons since his sophomore year I still think he would've taken around $8M instead of $10-11M. He seems like he genuinely will make any sacrifice to win the Cup including money. Didn't he even offer Panarin his powerplay time if he'd sign with them? I look at "Playoff MacKinnon" as almost an equivalent to Kobe's Mamba Mentality - build winning habits and help your team and teammates to help yourself win.

 

[Muffin]

Colorado's stars are capable of playing a physical game.

 

[Gurglesons]

The Avalanche have won two playoff series in MacKinnon's career.

He has been in the league for 8 years.

 

[Jixer19]

The Avalanche have won two playoff series in MacKinnon's career.

He has been in the league for 8 years.

1 player doesn't make a team, might also want to double check that number

 

[Gurglesons]

1 player doesn't make a team, might also want to double check that number

Sorry, 3 including this year.

My point still stands. The Avalanche aren't anything yet. They are very well positioned to win a cup this year, but let's see what happens in this series before we appointment the next championship squad.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

1 player doesn't make a team, might also want to double check that number

That's certainly the refrain when star (s) don't play well.

 

[Freudian]

Different philosophy as well in how they use resources. Joe Sakic doesn't splash at trade deadline. He has yet to trade a first round pick, even in 2019 when he had two of them.

He doesn't go crazy on July 1st (though he tried to sign Panarin) The free agent signing with highest cap hit is Donskoi with a $3.9M cap hit.

 

[RavenGuard]

Tavares, Matthews, Marner = 33.5 mil
MacKinnon, Rantanen, Landeskog = 21 mil

That changes this off season and then again in another year. That number will be significantly higher in a short period of time. The Avs were extremely fortunate that Mack signed that deal when he was on the precipice of being a bust.