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

[Lemonlimey]

Lets give Dater some credit. Dude does put in the miles.

 

[Foppa2118]

Lindholm is unimpressive but he's not nearly as bad as people here seem to remember him. He isn't a trainwreck, he's probably the safest 10th dman you can have.

Yeah, I don't really have a problem with Lindholm going, especially since he'll be the 10D like you say.

I don't think he's quite as bad as being portrayed. He's not quite an NHL regular, but he isn't really a terrible call up either. We've seen much worse over the years.

He can be solid in spurts if he stays within his role, and he has decent mobility for a stay at home D man. He's the prototypical "safe' choice for a coach. Bednar knows his limitations and what he can and can't do, and if he keeps him within those limitation, he knows he won't hurt him too much.

 

[Balthazar]

Getting a regular job as a small defensive defenseman with no offense is a really tough task, but if you need a last minute replacement Lindholm isn't going to hurt you.

He doesn't have Barbs' puck carrying abilities but I'd still trust him more than Barberio.

That said we don't even know yet who Bednar decided to keep.

 

[Foppa2118]

That said we don't even know yet who Bednar decided to keep.

I think we know all of them except two right? And I think we may be able to piece together who the two are.

They can only bring 31 players. Below was the most recent lines at practice, consisting of 25 players. Add Hutchinson, Lindholm, Dries and LOC and that's 29.

My guess is the other two have to be forwards since they have plenty of extra D, and I would bet they're Tynan and Megna since those are the only other two forwards to get called up and play for the Avs this year.

 

[Avsboy]

Tynan and Byram

 

[Foppa2118]

Tynan and Byram

Bednar talked about how he liked the futures of Byram and Bowers today, so the assumption is both got cut.

 

[Avsboy]

Bednar talked about how he liked the futures of Byram and Bowers today, so the assumption is both got cut.

No one make the Megna joke. Please God, No.

 

[Hennessy]

Wilson's still dead?

 

[Balthazar]

They can only bring 31 players. Below was the most recent lines at practice, consisting of 25 players. Add Hutchinson, Lindholm, Dries and LOC and that's 29.

Hutch was reportedly by far the worst goalie at camp so he might not be there. Lindholm we have no clue. Dries and LOC are probably going.

 

[AvsCOL]

 

[Foppa2118]

Hutch was reportedly by far the worst goalie at camp so he might not be there. Lindholm we have no clue. Dries and LOC are probably going.

Ok so Werner probably then? Thought I heard something about Hutchinson having the inside track due to his experience.

They'll want one more D, and I would think Lindholm would have the inside track on MacDonald. Bednar/Pratt know him a lot more, and they called him up to play 4 games for the Avs this year.

 

[Richard88]

I think we know all of them except two right? And I think we may be able to piece together who the two are.

They can only bring 31 players. Below was the most recent lines at practice, consisting of 25 players. Add Hutchinson, Lindholm, Dries and LOC and that's 29.

My guess is the other two have to be forwards since they have plenty of extra D, and I would bet they're Tynan and Megna since those are the only other two forwards to get called up and play for the Avs this year.

On top of the 25 players mentioned by Clark I think the 6 that get included will be the ones in bold below. Bednar mentioned that Timmins is "in consideration" and that Bowers and Byram are part of the future, and reading between the lines that suggests that they'll both get cut.

Vegas took 3 goalies but personally I'd err on the side of caution and take a 4th goalie since being short by a forward would be far more manageable than being short a goalie.

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

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

Grubauer
Francouz
Hutchinson
Werner

Cuts: MacDonald, Byram, Bowers, Wilson

 

[McJedi]

Hutchinson is trash. He’s played like trash this year. Several reports from camp were that he was the clearly the 4th goalie.

seems these black ace decisions are being made not based on merit.

 

[McJedi]

On top of the 25 players mentioned by Clark I think the 6 that get included will be the ones in bold below. Bednar mentioned that Timmins is "in consideration" and that Bowers and Byram are part of the future, and reading between the lines that suggests that they'll both get cut.

Vegas took 3 goalies but personally I'd err on the side of caution and take a 4th goalie since being short by a forward would be by far more manageable than being short a goalie.

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

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

Grubauer
Francouz
Hutchinson
Werner

Cuts: MacDonald, Byram, Bowers, Wilson

Good grief. Would be so easy to cut Hutchinson and keep Bowers. So easy to cut Lindholm and keep Byram and not have anything to worry about.

 

[Foppa2118]

I'm ok with just bringing 3 goalies. If they lose all three, they're screwed anyway. Just play the whole game 6 on 5.

 

[Northern Avs Fan]

On top of the 25 players mentioned by Clark I think the 6 that get included will be the ones in bold below. Bednar mentioned that Timmins is "in consideration" and that Bowers and Byram are part of the future, and reading between the lines that suggests that they'll both get cut.

Vegas took 3 goalies but personally I'd err on the side of caution and take a 4th goalie since being short by a forward would be far more manageable than being short a goalie.

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

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

Grubauer
Francouz
Hutchinson
Werner

Cuts: MacDonald, Byram, Bowers, Wilson

I think that list is pretty likely.

I honestly don’t think it’s even an option to not bring at least one of Timmins, or Byram.

You need someone with puck-moving ability if Makar/Girard go down. Also, if they were to lose two of Makar/Girard/Johnson they would need someone to QB the second power play unit.

 

[UncleRisto]

I thought you could carry goalies all you want?

Wilson's still dead?

Oh he's done.

 

[McJedi]

I'm ok with just bringing 3 goalies. If they lose all three, they're screwed anyway. Just play the whole game 6 on 5.

But that’s the same thing as bringing 10 D. If we’re playing Connauton and Byram, things went so wrong it wasn’t our year anyway.
Ditto Bowers and Dries. no cup for us if injuries are that bad. I’d rather lose with Byram and Bowers than Lindholm and Hutchinson. Can’t fathom why the front office doesn’t feel the same way. If your “experience” is watching the Oil skate circles around your lousy a#%, then what good is that experience?

 

[Foppa2118]

I think they’re restricting media access inside the bubble to strictly NHL people. So, like NHL.com writers.

Unfortunately for Dater, I think they made that decision after he got to Edmonton.

Sadowski's still with NHL.com I believe, but I'm not sure he travels with the team during normal times, so he might not go.

 

[5280]

I don't see what Dater can do to redeem himself. Will he suddenly ask smart questions, and report accurate facts? Will he get to the bottom of certain stories, like injuries or on-ice rivalries? I doubt it. I'm not even sure how being in Edmonton enhances his reporting ability. If Dater can manage to get in despite not writing for NHL.com, then he may redeem himself.

Hey, I was trying to cut him some slack. I have been bitching about him on here for years. Everybody deserves a second chance, maybe he figured out what he was doing wrong. I do agree his analysis probably won’t improve. It’s better than Chambers going, that’s for sure, though.

 

[Foppa2118]

But that’s the same thing as bringing 10 D. If we’re playing Connauton and Byram, things went so wrong it wasn’t our year anyway.
Ditto Bowers and Dries. no cup for us if injuries are that bad. I’d rather lose with Byram and Bowers than Lindholm and Hutchinson. Can’t fathom why the front office doesn’t feel the same way. If your “experience” is watching the Oil skate circles around your lousy a#%, then what good is that experience?

Yeah, but injuries and poor play are more likely to make a defenseman sit, than a goalie.

Plus the COVID threat which would apply to both, but may be more of a risk for the skaters since goalies tend to keep their distance from teammates and don't sit next to each other on the bench for the most part.

At least that's how I would look at it. I can see the argument for taking 4 goalies though.

 

[5280]

Sadowski's still with NHL.com I believe, but I'm not sure he travels with the team during normal times, so he might not go.

Would be great if Sadowski went. He might be my favorite out of everybody.

 

[Lemonlimey]

Would be great if Sadowski went. He might be my favorite out of everybody.

He's one of the best contributors on Hockeybuzz. Not many Avs posters over there anymore though.

 

[Foppa2118]

I thought you could carry goalies all you want?

I believe that was just for Phase 3 of the mini camp.

In Phase 4 at the bubble, they're limited to bringing 52 people, which includes 31 players.

 

[Avsboy]

From Sadowski:

Cole: "“It’s definitely good to have him back,” defenseman Ian Cole said of Makar. “No one in our room was concerned that it was a long term thing or (that) he wasn’t going to get back. Everyone knew it takes time (to) make sure that he gets right, gets whatever it is fixed and then go from there. He’s a great player and we’re certainly a better team with him than without him.”

Sounds like Makar is not seriously injured, though I wonder what happened to him with so little recent play.