Pre-Game Talk: The Week of Disappointment, Aggravation, Anger, Rage, and Apathy (Sharts, Queens, and Yotes)

[henchman21]

MacKinnon and Rantanen not getting younger. Would be great if they get a player who could potentially replace Landeskog as well.

By the time that really any pick 20+ is ready, the whole forward core is aged out of normal contention age. So you're right that they aren't getting any younger, but the solution shouldn't be to draft, it should be to supplement immediately.

 

[expatriatedtexan]

I am constantly amazed and humbled by the knowledge of posters on this board. I appreciate the explanations and breakdowns and am sure others find it educational as well.

 

[AvBuff]

Good God, the team isn't "demoralized" because CMac didn't trade for a mediocre 2c. Bednar hasn't lost the team. What the Avs are going through is completely normal for a SC Champion defending the Cup.

Ex.A : The 1996-1997 Avs after winning the Cup in '96. That team was still stacked and was essentially the same squad that beat Florida in the finals in '96: Forsberg, Roy, Sakic, Foote, Lemieux, Deadmarsh, Keane, Ozo, Krupp, Ricci . . easy repeat, right?

Nope. They got bounced by Edmonton in the quarterfinals in '97. Hell, they had another All Star line-up after trading for Borque . . . and they still got beat by Dallas before winning in 2001. Thing is, even the Avs "Globetrotter" squads couldn't repeat. Not even close. And nobody blamed it on Pierre Lacroix being asleep at the switch at the trade deadline.

The SCP's are freaking grind and the Avs having a few "mental health days" during the regular season - after a very short off season - is as predictable as it it understandable.

Can they flip the switch in April? We'll find out.

 

[willy702]

Do some posters really think the players demand trades to the point that they get demoralized if they don't get them? That's insanity. Think about it, do you think guys who won a Cup with a guy like JTC are telling management this guy sucks, do whatever you have to in order to replace him and then dump him in the offseason? These guys are bonded and the last thing they want is change for change's sake. You want to go into that locker room and call them a bunch of lazy guys with bad habits who have no chance to win the Cup this year? Feel free to try that out and lets see if you have any functioning fingers to write us on how it went.

 

[Balthazar]

Do some posters really think the players demand trades to the point that they get demoralized if they don't get them? That's insanity. Think about it, do you think guys who won a Cup with a guy like JTC are telling management this guy sucks, do whatever you have to in order to replace him and then dump him in the offseason? These guys are bonded and the last thing they want is change for change's sake. You want to go into that locker room and call them a bunch of lazy guys with bad habits who have no chance to win the Cup this year? Feel free to try that out and lets see if you have any functioning fingers to write us on how it went.

Yeah, but no.

There's a reason why Mack said last year that he'd have traded 10 first round picks for Lehkonen.

 

[AvBuff]

Yeah, but no.

There's a reason why Mack said last year that he'd have traded 10 first round picks for Lehkonen.

Which is why Nathan MacKinnon shoots pucks instead of running the team.

 

[Balthazar]

Which is why Nathan MacKinnon shoots pucks instead of running the team.

Let me quote you:

"Do some posters really think the players demand trades to the point that they get demoralized if they don't get them? That's insanity. "

Were you talking about puck shooters in that sentence or people running the team?

 

[sethro109]

You gotta be f***ing kidding me. How does Compher keep his spot? He doesn't even win faceoffs. The one thing he's supposed to do on that unit.

 

[Spilot23]

You gotta be f***ing kidding me. How does Compher keep his spot? He doesn't even win faceoffs. The one thing he's supposed to do on that unit.

Yeah Lehkonen or Nuke is the two I would like screening the goalie and battling against the dman in front. Other than faceoff and tipping I don't see Compher being useful in the 1st unit over Lehk/Nuke.

 

[Pokecheque]

It's a real shame that in a career season where he's finally been that legit 3rd liner/utility guy the Avs were always hoping he'd be (yes yes, I know, he's had better linemates and ton more ice time, but he's also had tougher defensive assignments and competition) he's had to play way above that as the 2C practically the entire year.

He'll cash in this summer and deserve it. Part of me wants to complain that he didn't do it sooner, but he also picked a great time to start making the transition (last year's playoffs).

 

[sethro109]

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It's a real shame that in a career season where he's finally been that legit 3rd liner/utility guy the Avs were always hoping he'd be (yes yes, I know, he's had better linemates and ton more ice time, but he's also had tougher defensive assignments and competition) he's had to play way above that as the 2C practically the entire year.

He'll cash in this summer and deserve it. Part of me wants to complain that he didn't do it sooner, but he also picked a great time to start making the transition (last year's playoffs).

f*** this guy. The only time he looks decent is during contract years. Same story last time. I'll be more than happy when Bednar's boy is on some other team. He's like Nemeth. Bednar can't help himself playing these guys above where they belong and it ends up costing us. Had this POS played his normal game before the TDL, Cmac probably would've been more aggressive on the 2C front. Now we're past the TDL and he's reverted to his normal sucking.

 

[Balthazar]

JTC is playing 2C with an elite 1W and on PP1.

Based on those 2 facts, saying he has a career year and great 3rd liner numbers is not an honest way to look at it.

 

[Pokecheque]

JTC is playing 2C with an elite 1W and on PP1.

Based on those 2 facts, saying he has a career year and great 3rd liner numbers is not an honest way to look at it.

He did not play the entire year with Rantanen. In fact that's a more recent occurrence. He's also looked good on the 3rd line centering Cogs and LOC, which he did during the time the Avs were still trying out Newhook, Rodrigues, and Rantanen himself at 2C.

So long as we keep the numbers within context there's nothing dishonest about this. He's having a career season, that's just a fact. The question is what the Avs or any other team think he's worth this offseason.

I'd say he's a decent, but not great, third liner. That's a fairly good jump from the 4th line RW he was previously. There's been some evolution to his game the last year or so that IMO will likely stick, just not at the levels he's currently at.

 

[Pokecheque]

f*** this guy. The only time he looks decent is during contract years. Same story last time. I'll be more than happy when Bednar's boy is on some other team. He's like Nemeth. Bednar can't help himself playing these guys above where they belong and it ends up costing us. Had this POS played his normal game before the TDL, Cmac probably would've been more aggressive on the 2C front. Now we're past the TDL and he's reverted to his normal sucking.

If we impugn the character of a player having a career season in a contract year then we're opening a very, very large can of worms. Joe Sakic had the best season of his career in a year when he snagged the Hart Trophy and Stanley Cup at the age of 31 in 2001. That also happened to be a contract year, and he was paid quite handsomely. So was Conn Smythe winner Patrick Roy that offseason. So was Rob Blake. Not all of 'em can be like John-Michael Liles and pick literally the worst possible time to have his worst-ever season.

And of course Nazem Kadri completely destroyed his previous career highs last year.

And it's not like the switch flipped this season. He was quite good in the playoffs last year, when he and every other player in the National Hockey League was making literally NO money whatsoever.

Yes, I have slagged Bednar in the past for overusing him, and Lord knows he was absolutely dreadful for at least a year-and-a-half, if not longer. But this year, not only does he have no choice, but JTC has, for the most part, stepped up. No one else they tried was anywhere near as consistent (maybe Rants but it's pretty clear he and the player himself are just not comfortable there) or reliable. I'm not happy with management for failing to get a 2C either in the offseason or at the deadline, but that ain't JTC's fault.

 

[CobraAcesS]

That would be the end of this cores cup window and a true sign that Cmac has completely f***ed this team.

Myself personally would probably have to go on sabbatical from this forum after I get banned. I could see my self seeking anger management after that.... If my body survived the sudden increase of blood pressure.

Just thought you might enjoy JT rolling his eyes at you.

The problem with Newhook in either one of those roles is deployment. It means one of the top 6 lines has to be the matchup and defensive line. The hope is with Eller as the 3C, they can put Cogs and LOC on his wings to make that the shutdown line and free up a top 6 line.

They really wanted to keep that Helm, Cogs, LOC line together.

Is Landy the straw that stirs the drink for the Avs?

They've been very up and down all year without him, and, if you recall, they went into the toilet to end the regular season last year without him, and then went on a historical run once he returned for the playoffs.

Yes

So this is the thread all of this went to not having the trade thread lol.

 

[Balthazar]

So long as we keep the numbers within context there's nothing dishonest about this. He's having a career season, that's just a fact. The question is what the Avs or any other team think he's worth this offseason.

Are you implying that they could bring him back?

 

[The Kingslayer]

As I've said many times now... I preemptively feel bad for whoever signs Compher. He's gonna get a ~5.5m AAV for 5/6 years and that team is going to hate that contract a month into the season. If Compher ends up in a place like Arizona (and I think the odds are high that happens), he might be passable during the times where they suck.

Matthews, Bedard and Compher down the middle aint the worst thing in the world

 

[StLAvsFan]

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It's a real shame that in a career season where he's finally been that legit 3rd liner/utility guy the Avs were always hoping he'd be (yes yes, I know, he's had better linemates and ton more ice time, but he's also had tougher defensive assignments and competition) he's had to play way above that as the 2C practically the entire year.

He'll cash in this summer and deserve it. Part of me wants to complain that he didn't do it sooner, but he also picked a great time to start making the transition (last year's playoffs).

Compher isn't the first, nor last, NHLer to have a career "break out" year in the last season of his contract. Ask Naz...or Bo Horvat how that works! It's funny actually--these guys FINALLY push themselves as hard as they can every game, hit career marks in points, cash-in with a bigger contract than they deserve, then predictably regress back to their normal work ethic level & production once the really big money starts rolling in. Compher will be no different wherever he goes. Hopefully he's not still in Denver, unless he's willing to sign a $4M x 4 yr. deal, which ain't happening. Ginger's gonna want way more than that!

 

[CobraAcesS]

Are you implying that they could bring him back?

We're all legit afraid of this shit lol. It was my first thought when they started publicly stating they were fine with their center depth. Then a legit fear when they didn't push him down the lineup.

Sometimes you can just see shit coming with this team, and you're like, nahhhh.. They're smarter.. fk!

Especially when it comes to this perpetual 2C crap lol.

 

[Metallo]

Let me quote you:

"Do some posters really think the players demand trades to the point that they get demoralized if they don't get them? That's insanity. "

Were you talking about puck shooters in that sentence or people running the team?

You can be both happy when trades happen and not demoralized when they don't.

If the Avs are demoralized then I don't know what to say... that would be very weak.

 

[CobraAcesS]

Are you implying that they could bring him back?

I'm f***ing seriously afraid of this shit.. Throwing away this year might have been the right choice with all of the injuries. I can actually wrap my brain around that perspective. I don't agree, but with what Nuke and Landy do for this team having both of them hobbled, they have to see the record and how those two drive this team in the trenches.

But.. if that is how they solve the 2C issue maybe even if he's good in the playoffs. It could be the death kiss. You can't take that chance. I'll trust that f***er when he signs for the 2m/yr he actually played for during the majority of his last contract.

This year really only makes it more glaring. Fool me once.. and all that. It wasn't a drop, and then recovery after half a season. It was an absolute shit f*** until he realized it was time to try, and try he did at just the right times.

 

[CobraAcesS]

Future ROR is right, but only as a greedy f***. At least ROR went out and proved his value after his contract demands.

 

[the_fan]

I can’t believe it

 

[Tutu to]

Whose Starting against the Coyotes?

 

[MacKaRant]

Hopefully he's not still in Denver, unless he's willing to sign a $4M x 4 yr. deal, which ain't happening. Ginger's gonna want way more than that!

What if we offer him the Nick Paul contract? Who says no?