Pre-Game Talk: Training Camp/Exhibition game talk (camp 7/13, exhibition games 7/28-7/30)

[The Mars Volchenkov]

I was under the impression the training camp rosters are play-in/play-off rosters, too. And the purpose of expanded rosters is to give teams bodies in the bubble in case of injuries/positive tests. Is this not the case and we expect cuts? Because if the bubble rosters are indeed 30 skaters then I see no advantage of not taking Byram. Do we really have 4-5 better defensemen* than him?

EDIT: *outside of our top 7

You can only take 31 players to the bubble, and that includes goalies, so there will be cuts.

 

[Richard88]

You can only take 31 players to the bubble, and that includes goalies, so there will be cuts.

I'd expect to see this 31 player roster:

Burakovsky ---- Mackinnon ------ Rantanen
Landeskog -------- Kadri ---------- Nichuskin
Namestnikov --- Compher ------- Donskoi
Nieto ------------ Bellemare ------- Calvert
Jost -------------- Kamenev -------- O'Connor
Tynan ------------- Dries

Graves --------- Makar
Girard --------- Johnson
Zadorov ------- Cole
Barberio ------ Timmins
Connauton --- Byram

Grubauer
Francouz
Werner
Hutchinson

Cuts: MacDonald, Lindholm, Bowers, Wilson (IR)

Lindholm vs Connauton is a close call and could go either way. Bowers isn't quite ready for the NHL so I think Bednar would go with Tynan and Dries for their experience.

 

[henchman21]

I think MacDonald enters the bubble, if only because he's shown he can play forward and defense this year and the Avs might need that flexibility.

 

[Richard88]

I think MacDonald enters the bubble, if only because he's shown he can play forward and defense this year and the Avs might need that flexibility.

At expense of Tynan presumably?

 

[Northern Avs Fan]

I think MacDonald enters the bubble, if only because he's shown he can play forward and defense this year and the Avs might need that flexibility.

Agreed.

I’d go heavy on defence, because MacDonald and Barberio can play forward and defence.

I’d rather cut a guy like Tynan, and keep all of Barbs, Timmins, Connauton, Byram, and MacDonald.

 

[Balthazar]

@AvsCOL you’ll appreciate this chart.

I notice Burakovsky is on the "bad" side a lot.

 

[The Mars Volchenkov]

Don’t count out Lindholm. I know he stinks, but he’s a different style of defensemen from the rest, so they may value that if looking for a 10th guy on the depth chart. Just saying.

 

[Northern Avs Fan]

I notice Burakovsky is on the "bad" side a lot.

I’m not sure how he comes to his conclusions, but it looks like it’s based off expected goal rates. Nichushkin is the fancy stat god, so it’s not surprising to see most of his lines ranked as the best.

I haven’t really looked at Burakovsky’s advanced stats, maybe they’re not very good. His production was certainly excellent though.

 

[henchman21]

At expense of Tynan presumably?

I'd say over Connauton.

 

[GoNordiquesGo]

Just how good was Valeri Nichushkin, you ask?

View attachment 354702

View attachment 354701

I don't know what that graph means but seeing McDavid, Draisaitl, Kane, Scheifele and Connor in the lower left corner doesn't give me a lot of confidence in its relevancy...

Edit... I see that I'm late to the parade...

 

[Avs_19]

Someone asked for this one too.

Perfect.

 

[BrickNHL]

Are they taking Wilson to the bubble? How will he join them for the on ice celebration then?

 

[Richard88]

Are they taking Wilson to the bubble? How will he join them for the on ice celebration then?

The team will bring a symbolic coffin with them to the bubble and bring it onto the ice for the Cup presentation...

 

[The Mars Volchenkov]

I'd say over Connauton.

Connauton is basically a lock, it would seem. Bednar may even have him as the #7, based off what he said yesterday.

 

[Foppa Frossa]

No Makar today either!

(yes I know there's no skating today)

 

[henchman21]

Connauton is basically a lock, it would seem. Bednar may even have him as the #7, based off what he said yesterday.

 

[Foppa Frossa]

How does he compare to other team's no. 7 defensemen? Seems like he'd be no worse.

 

[UncleRisto]

Are they taking Wilson to the bubble? How will he join them for the on ice celebration then?

Yeah, one of these bubbles:

 

[Foppa Frossa]

Oh, no I'm sorry, the correct answer is "The Moops"

 

[henchman21]

How does he compare to other team's no. 7 defensemen? Seems like he'd be no worse.

He's bad... real bad, but good at tipping in shots from the point for the other team.

 

[Ararana]

Connauton is basically a lock, it would seem. Bednar may even have him as the #7, based off what he said yesterday.

Here comes the Edmonton matchup

 

[UncleRisto]

Oh, no I'm sorry, the correct answer is "The Moops"

The card says Moops.

Right, @The Moops?

 

[AllAboutAvs]

No Makar today either!

(yes I know there's no skating today)

Yes and Byram is not having a bad day.....so no trade rumors today. Yay!!!

 

[AegonLeConqueror]

Someone asked for this one too.

I'm just gonna add to the praise this is getting. This is the greatest gif of all time.

 

[S3rkie]

It's not like Bednar had plenty of opportunity to watch him fall apart against bad teams in games that didn't mean much. Hope we dont have to see him against a good team with actual pressure.

In an ideal world he's just blowing smoke up the guy's ass to keep him working hard as a # 9 if it ever unfortunately came to that.