Tyson Barrie is our best player

[Iceberg]

I don't think we have a clear cut "best player" right now. MacKinnon obviously has the biggest upside but i belive Duchene deserves the MVP for the season, so far.

 

[Foppa2118]

Now imagine if he learns to run a PP and/or pass...terrifying. Love watching him play; but I also love that we have EJ to, as well as partners for both.

I think he's drastically improved on the PP in the last couple years. He's really learned how to move laterally, and find shooting lanes on wristers and even the occasional slapper. He's moving the puck well too inside the zone.

I'd like to see him swoop down into the slot more often, because I think that could be incredibly dangerous, but that's not really how they have the PP setup right now, and it's been working pretty well for the most part lately.

One thing he's really become good at is holding the puck in at the blueline on clearing attempts, or handling a hard or bouncing pass from a teammate downlow.

 

[PAZ]

We have to keep Barrie. Honestly, i'd sign him to a 7 mil/yr contract if needed. We already lost Stastny and ROR to contract demands, we can't afford to lose another core player. Obviously would be nicer if we could sign him around the 6 mil mark, but if he won't budge i'd rather overpay him by a mil than gamble on finding a suitable replacement. Who would that be?

It's a gamble when replacing these types of players. The ROR > Soderberg swap worked out well, but the Stastny > Iggy swap didn't.

 

[22FUTON9]

He could be if he didn't have his weekly brainfarts in the defensive zone. I still don't wanna pay him over 6 million.

 

[Burnaby_Joe*]

I wouldn't be mad if he signed for $6M. I bet he could get at least $7M on the open market.

 

[Lonewolfe2015]

Call me crazy, but I would say Beauchemin has been better this season. He's an absolute rock defensively, contributed offensively and is oozing veteran leadership for our defensive core. That's without even saying EJ is clearly better than Barrie.

Barrie is really really really good. But he's not our best player by a healthy margin.

 

[Ensane]

He's the team's hottest player right now, but this year it's been a game of "best player of the moment." First it was MacKinnon, then Duchene, then Varlamov...now it's Barrie's turn, after a slow start of his own.

That's more a reflection on the team's lack of consistency than anything else. Not a single one of them has been unable to avoid a significant slump.

 

[JLo217]

Tyson Barrie, game in and game out, is the most influential player(skater) for the Colorado Avalanche. He is the most noticeable, creates the most offense, and is the most dynamic player we have. He has more of an impact on games than Duchene and MacKinnon.

Refute my statements.

I wouldn't have agreed at the start of the year. He was garbage the first few games.

However i'd say the impact that he and Duchene have had night in, night out is pretty similar. Overall it'd be hard to pick the better one, but i'd agree that he's stepped up and been amazing especially with EJ out.

To me in some way what Duchene is doing is more impressive. He's almost about to tie his highest goal scoring season just a shade over half way through the year.

 

[cgf]

I wouldn't have agreed at the start of the year. He was garbage the first few games.

However i'd say the impact that he and Duchene have had night in, night out is pretty similar. Overall it'd be hard to pick the better one, but i'd agree that he's stepped up and been amazing especially with EJ out.

To me in some way what Duchene is doing is more impressive. He's almost about to tie his highest goal scoring season just a shade over half way through the year.

The only players with more goals than Duchene this season are Kane, Ovi, Tarasenko and the Dallas-duo. With the slow start he had that's pretty damn incredible.

 

[JLo217]

The only players with more goals than Duchene this season are Kane, Ovi, Tarasenko and the Dallas-duo. With the slow start he had that's pretty damn incredible.

Thats my point. Look at last game, he drew two penalties just cycling. He's gotten his shot under control, and his puck control is top notch again. If Mack can learn from Duchene, he's gonna explode one of these years. He's already got the speed and shot, just needs to get his decision making on point.

Regardless of who the best player on the team is they're all extremely exciting and fun to watch right now. I've even liked Comeau of late.

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

I'm starting to think TPS works for Newport.

Duchene has been the best player this year but the answer is always varly for today and tomorrow.

This happens every time someone gets hot.

 

[Spender]

He's been amazing since EJ went down with his injury. Same thing happened last season when we lost EJ, seems like he thrives when he is relied on more to be "the guy".

 

[Balthazar]

Now imagine if he learns to run a PP and/or pass...terrifying

This is very true. He needs to learn how to be a "real" offensive dman and it starts with being a proper quarterback from the point during the PP. People worry about his defense but he needs to worry about his offense now. Once (if) he learns that, he could become the 2nd best offensive dman in the NHL..and then he can become more responsible defensively.

 

[tigervixxxen]

I wouldn't even really say Barrie has been hot

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

I like how there's a running theme here, people actually think he can't shoot, nor run a pp or pass... how does he get his points?

 

[cgf]

Thats my point. Look at last game, he drew two penalties just cycling. He's gotten his shot under control, and his puck control is top notch again. If Mack can learn from Duchene, he's gonna explode one of these years. He's already got the speed and shot, just needs to get his decision making on point.

Regardless of who the best player on the team is they're all extremely exciting and fun to watch right now. I've even liked Comeau of late.

Oh I was agreeing with you. Matt is playing the best hockey of his career and just dominates the action.

I get playing Matt with MacK if we're not using Duchene down the middle...but whenever Rantanen is called up I'd love to see us put Matt on Soderberg's RW with Rantanen/Landeskog/Comeau on the left. I know he's doing great as is, but we could get even more out of Dutchy if he had a C like the Yeti feeding him and MacK was on a separate line.

 

[Tweaky]

I like how there's a running theme here, people actually think he can't shoot, nor run a pp or pass... how does he get his points?

I don't think it is that he cannot do those things. But more like how would it be if he did those things at the level he does everything else. The way he slips checks, gets to the right spots, makes the little plays in transition, etc. If he brings his passing, PPQB and defense to those levels...he will be beyond elite. Not saying that those skill are non-existent, just that they are not at the level of his other skills.

And I did not see anyone mention his shot. He may not have the booming slapshot of a Weber, but his wrister is solid, his one-timer has plenty of pace, and both are plenty accurate.

 

[CobraAcesS]

I don't think it is that he cannot do those things. But more like how would it be if he did those things at the level he does everything else. The way he slips checks, gets to the right spots, makes the little plays in transition, etc. If he brings his passing, PPQB and defense to those levels...he will be beyond elite. Not saying that those skill are non-existent, just that they are not at the level of his other skills.

And I did not see anyone mention his shot. He may not have the booming slapshot of a Weber, but his wrister is solid, his one-timer has plenty of pace, and both are plenty accurate.

The interesting thing is, his passing is something that should be able to be corrected IMO.

 

[Tweaky]

I agree. With his talent and brains, it will come around.

 

[tigervixxxen]

I like how there's a running theme here, people actually think he can't shoot, nor run a pp or pass... how does he get his points?

Same way Landeskog or MacKinnon get points while they supposedly play like crap.

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

I don't think it is that he cannot do those things. But more like how would it be if he did those things at the level he does everything else. The way he slips checks, gets to the right spots, makes the little plays in transition, etc. If he brings his passing, PPQB and defense to those levels...he will be beyond elite. Not saying that those skill are non-existent, just that they are not at the level of his other skills.

And I did not see anyone mention his shot. He may not have the booming slapshot of a Weber, but his wrister is solid, his one-timer has plenty of pace, and both are plenty accurate.

You don't get 50 points by slipping checks and and making little plays in transition... JMO

Same way Landeskog or MacKinnon get points while they supposedly play like crap.

The former is a grinder, he gets points by hard work, grit and an above average shot. The latter just isn't true.

 

[Tweaky]

You don't get 50 points by slipping checks and and making little plays in transition... JMO

Hence the "etc."

 

[Trinstin]

I'd trade him straight up for Drouin but thats not because of how lowly I think of Barrie but rather how highly I think of Drouin. Without getting into anymore of that, I still remember when Barrie was playing second fiddle to Elliott in terms of his position among fans/org. Never did I imagine he'd make it here which goes to show that expectations aren't something to set but move when it comes to potential.

 

[Avsboy]

Tyson Barrie and some lucky lady will have a son. His name? Norris Newport Barrie, or "7 million dollar baby"

 

[McMetal]

He's a critical piece of the team right now, especially with our forward roster not being the best, having somebody to chip in 50 points from the blue line is extremely important. But best? I'm not sure I see that. Right now he's hot and that's good, but he's not a Norris trophy kind of player, at least not yet. I think he could have that potential in him, but not for a few years if he continues to improve (which is an if, not a certainty). He's still not a #1 shutdown kind of defenseman, and that's really where I draw the line between "good defenseman" and "great defenseman". His #1 job is to play defense, and while the points are awesome and increasingly important in today's NHL, he's not there yet.