The "core" is getting thinner

[ColoradoSportsFan]

Those teams that have veteran "luxury-core" players older than their "core" players really never have much success.

Except the Blackhawks, Kings, Bruins and Penguins.

He was replaced last year when we drafted MacKinnon.

He was never as much of a core player as Duchene, Landeskog, and MacKinnon are.

Still bummed we lost him for nothing.

I think Stastny was in the core. Roy was too emphatic about him being part of it. Sakic seemed more lukewarm. Stastny was just the most expendable piece of it.

And I wouldn't say we lost him for nothing. We got a fantastic (albeit heartbreaking) 7 game series and division championship with him. Trade him at the deadline and we are fighting with Dallas and Minny to just make the playoffs.

 

[Cousin Eddie]

Bleackley will be added to that core in 1-2 seasons, easily.

It's obviously possible, but easily certainly isn't the right term to use here. I think Bigras has a better shot at blooming than Bleackley.

 

[Avs71]

I too would hesitate to put ROR in the core, EJ too. We don't even know for 100% certain that ROR will even be on the team next year. And in 2 years EJ could be "Stastny" in that his expected salary doesn't fit in "the structure"

Dutchy, Landy, Mack and Varly. There is your core, with Bigras possibly to be added.

The Avs had 3 players who are better, or who will be better in the future than Stastny, that could instantly step in and take his place.

There is no one on the Avs, on the Monsters, or in Junior that is a threat to EJ's spot. There will undoubtedly be a new "structure" in place by the time MacKinnon and EJ's agents are chatting with the Avs.

 

[tigervixxxen]

I think we need to wait and see on Bleackley (I know no one is saying its an absolute certainty). We like to see the similarities to OReilly and thats partly because, to almost the largest extent possible, OReilly has exceeded those expectations. But that doesn't mean Bleackley will. Im not saying he wont be good. I think he's almost the safest pick if you're looking for "good" and I think that's partly why they took him. But just because he's been compared to OReilly, that doesn't mean he will progress the same way. And if he ends up maxing out as a good 3rd line player, then that doesn't exactly seem "core-worthy".


Honestly, I think there are 3 guys who are core players at this point. I wonder if they see Bigras possibly becoming one. I agree that EJ is less of a certainty and even Varly to some extent (depending on how Berra progresses).

It's a fair point. I don't think you have to be an elite top line player to be a core player. I see him as a heart and soul player that is going to fit in for a long time. If that's just as a 3C I think it's still possible. If he ends up just a complimentary piece then no but I think they drafted him to fill a certain need for the future.

 

[tigervixxxen]

I think Stastny was in the core. Roy was too emphatic about him being part of it. Sakic seemed more lukewarm. Stastny was just the most expendable piece of it.

And I wouldn't say we lost him for nothing. We got a fantastic (albeit heartbreaking) 7 game series and division championship with him. Trade him at the deadline and we are fighting with Dallas and Minny to just make the playoffs.

I think Roy was selling at that point. For months on the radio it was "well we have a tough decision to make..."

 

[CB Joe]

Someone should do a poll.

Back in 2010, after the Avs traded Wolski due to financial concerns in keeping the core together, I created a poll and asked Avs fans to vote who they thought were the core pieces of the Avs, and which ones were the least expendable. The results were:

1) Matt Duchene 87.10% (54/62 votes)
2) Paul Stastny 65.96% (31/47 votes)
3) Chris Stewart 51.85% (28/54 votes)
4) Craig Anderson 63.04% (29/36 votes)
5) Ryan O'Reilly 32.76% (19/58 votes)

Interesting to see how things have changed.

 

[RoyIsALegend]

I can't see EJ looking for the moon on salary. Unless he really has a great year statistically. If so, he deserves it. 6 Mill is ALOT to pay a defender. Has to be a pretty damned great defenseman.

Did you sleep all day or what, bohly? A 28 year old UFA EJ gets 7+ over 7 years. Lock.

 

[Cypher]

Someone should do a poll.

Back in 2010, after the Avs traded Wolski due to financial concerns in keeping the core together, I created a poll and asked Avs fans to vote who they thought were the core pieces of the Avs, and which ones were the least expendable. The results were:

1) Matt Duchene 87.10% (54/62 votes)
2) Paul Stastny 65.96% (31/47 votes)
3) Chris Stewart 51.85% (28/54 votes)
4) Craig Anderson 63.04% (29/36 votes)
5) Ryan O'Reilly 32.76% (19/58 votes)

Interesting to see how things have changed.

This is how the Avs lineup card should be printed everyday for the next 10 years, and just pencil in the XXXXX over time.

O'Reilly - Duchene - XXXXX
Landeskog - Mackinnon - XXXXX
XXXXX - XXXXX - XXXXX
XXXXX - XXXXX - XXXXX

XXXXX - Johnson
XXXXX - Barrie
XXXXX - XXXXX

Varlamov
XXXXX

The 7 man core should be around 40 mill.

 

[Iracundia]

By the end of this season Barrie will be one of the "core" players.

 

[Cypher]

By the end of this season Barrie will be one of the "core" players.

Unless his rehab goes very bad, he already is part of the core.

 

[Skip2myBordyloo]

How often are PP specialist's considered "core" players?

And Bleackley will be a great complimentary player, but not a core player.

 

[landy92mack29]

Did you sleep all day or what, bohly? A 28 year old UFA EJ gets 7+ over 7 years. Lock.

the reason for the high salaries was because the nhl was stupid and made the cap floor to high so teams had to give out dumb deals to reach it. if it was 44 instead of 51 none of this would have happened

 

[bohlmeister]

Did you sleep all day or what, bohly? A 28 year old UFA EJ gets 7+ over 7 years. Lock.

Niskanen was the big ticket d-man. Got 5.75. The Avs will be able to sign EJ. That one doesn't worry me.


ROR, worries me. Guy will be asking for 7+ now. Guaranteed.

 

[CB Joe]

This is how the Avs lineup card should be printed everyday for the next 10 years, and just pencil in the XXXXX over time.

O'Reilly - Duchene - XXXXX
Landeskog - Mackinnon - XXXXX
XXXXX - XXXXX - XXXXX
XXXXX - XXXXX - XXXXX

XXXXX - Johnson
XXXXX - Barrie
XXXXX - XXXXX

Varlamov
XXXXX

The 7 man core should be around 40 mill.

If O'Reilly doesn't get a long term contract before arbitration I don't think we'll be able to keep him. He'll take his two year arbitration deal and ride into free agency at 25. If it's true that Toews is about to get $10m to $12m a year O'Reilly's probably going to want $8m or more on the open market.

 

[Avelanche]

MacK will just be taking a bigger role. He wasn't really a core player last year. He may be our best overall player in two years.

 

[Iracundia]

How often are PP specialist's considered "core" players?

And Bleackley will be a great complimentary player, but not a core player.

Pro-rated Barrie would have had 48 points last season, good for 9th(tie) in D scoring in the NHL. I think being paired with a veteran stay-at-home D in Stuart will afford Barrie even more "go-time" and I would expect Barrie to hit 50+ this season. If he puts himself in that company then he's, without question, a core player.

 

[Gabe the Babe]

When is arbitration and does anybody really think that ROR will actually hold out? If so, I'd like to see them move him immediately, but at the same time, given their trading history I'm scared of the return being nothing close to what is expected.

 

[Balthazar]

ROR, worries me. Guy will be asking for 7+ now. Guaranteed.

Then he's as good as gone. The earlier the better.

 

[CB Joe]

When is arbitration and does anybody really think that ROR will actually hold out? If so, I'd like to see them move him immediately, but at the same time, given their trading history I'm scared of the return being nothing close to what is expected.

Late July, not sure of the exact date. He can be offer-sheeted up until the 5th.

 

[Mr Serious]

If we lose O'Reilly, then our core will be thinner. As others have said, Stastny was not part of the core; rather, he was a luxury for the team.

O'Reilly-Duchene
Landeskog-MacKinnon

Johnson-Barrie

Varlamov

That's 4 top-6 forwards, 2 top-4 defensemen, and a #1 goalie. You build around that core through free agency and the draft.

 

[Freudian]

EJ and O'Reilly are part of the core, as was Stastny. Players being part of the core doesn't mean they'll never be traded or go to other teams. It's a business and sometimes the player or team makes a business decision to move on. Then you have a new core, consisting of the players you have left.

Just because a player isn't part of the core doesn't mean they can't be important to you. Tanguay, Iginla and Barrie are complementary players that's going to play very important roles next year.

Avs have a young, well rounded and highly skilled core. It's not smaller than the cores of a lot of good teams around the league. No reason to suffer from core envy. We're fine.

 

[bohlmeister]

"The core is getting thinner!"

And Leon's getting laaaaaaarger.....

 

[Frenchy]

"The core is getting thinner!"

And Leon's getting laaaaaaarger.....

well played , that's one of the funniest i saw

 

[Yetti090]

Let's see what Barrie's contract will be before we go plugging him in as a core guy. He took a step in the right direction on a team with a not very good defense. Would you call Krug a core member of the Bruins? Probably not, just an exciting new young Dman. As of now.....In my opinion.....as far as "core" goes, it's not a bad thing to have 3-4 guys being the core of a team with everyone else as role players. I think Varly, Dutch, EJ, and MacK. Ror is gone...Will see if we can get a core guy from trading him away.

 

[Miri]

This is how the Avs lineup card should be printed everyday for the next 10 years, and just pencil in the XXXXX over time.

O'Reilly - Duchene - XXXXX
Landeskog - Mackinnon - XXXXX
XXXXX - XXXXX - XXXXX
XXXXX - XXXXX - XXXXX

XXXXX - Johnson
XXXXX - Barrie
XXXXX - XXXXX

Varlamov
XXXXX

The 7 man core should be around 40 mill.

We have to keep O´Reilly now. Honestly if they let Stastny go, they have to keep him, whatever it takes.
Looking at this line-up, it makes me realize how the teams in the NHL change constantly... i am not a big fan of that, since i value continuity a lot. OFC you got to evolve all the time, but it goes bit too fast in the hockey for my liking. ManUtd kept fielding almost the same team throughout the last half-decade, i dont even know with Stastny gone if there is a single COL player who played for Avs 5 years ago...