Pre-Game Talk: WEEK 27: Missing Moose, vs. Stars, vs. Green Filth, vs. 'Peg

[Chiarelli]

Duhaime - A: Really couldn't ask for much more. Tenacious on the forecheck, underrated hands, ability to move up and down the lineup by displaying he can play alongside talented players.

Walker - B: Some big time offensive contributions, some bad turnovers and penalties, there's good and bad.

Parise - C We couldn't have expected too much out of him, he's been alright. Started off better and I'd say this rating keeps going down.

Trenin - C: Some decent shifts where he manhandles people, but definitely doesn't look like a 15 goal scorer.

Mittelstadt - C/D: Flame me, but I haven't been impressed. Thinks the game well and has some nice defensive plays, but we expected him to drive offense and he certainly doesn't do that. Another passenger player. He is also slow. I won't even say average, he's downright slow. Not sure if he's a great fit for this team.

Might just be a bad fit. I agree he hasn't done much to impress. Given his contract status and our cap situation I wonder if we re-evaluate in the summer, see who's available, and package him with another asset to upgrade or get someone different?

 

[Pokecheque]

I think the issue with Mittelstadt is that he's not only not used to the pace of play the Avs play at, he's just plain not in good enough physical condition to handle it. And that is NOT a diss on Mitts, it happens with bad teams, especially bad teams with bad coaches. Players just get into bad habits both on and off the ice, and in practice, and they're just no longer in prime shape. Yes, I know, insert combine pull-up image HERE, but I think he'd be doing a lot better if he had come aboard a lot earlier.

Give him a full offseason to acclimate and I think he'll be fine. At this point of the year there's just not much practice time with the new teams, and I still say he hasn't been given great linemates for the most part. Bednar is the best coach he's ever had by far and probably the first one who's had anything remotely resembling proper structure. There will be a learning period.

Personally I've been okay with his play under the circumstances. Regardless of how he's done recently, even at his worst he's been far, far better than Johansen, and that guy had NO excuse to be out of shape, unlike Mitts.

 

[cinchronicity]

Duhaime - A: Really couldn't ask for much more. Tenacious on the forecheck, underrated hands, ability to move up and down the lineup by displaying he can play alongside talented players.

Walker - B: Some big time offensive contributions, some bad turnovers and penalties, there's good and bad.

Parise - C We couldn't have expected too much out of him, he's been alright. Started off better and I'd say this rating keeps going down.

Trenin - C: Some decent shifts where he manhandles people, but definitely doesn't look like a 15 goal scorer.

Mittelstadt - C/D: Flame me, but I haven't been impressed. Thinks the game well and has some nice defensive plays, but we expected him to drive offense and he certainly doesn't do that. Another passenger player. He is also slow. I won't even say average, he's downright slow. Not sure if he's a great fit for this team.

I think Mitts is more in the 'I' category, as in Incomplete. I do not think he has had the same primary wingers for more than one game. Several - Duhaime and Parise - belong on 4th lines, not 2nd lines.

I would like to see him with Nuke and Mikko. That line is not as speedy as Drouin - Mac - Lehky. Mitts would not so much have to 'drive' the line as he would 'facilitate' the line. He has great vision and makes stellar passes. He already has proven an effective back-checker. IMHO, he merely needs time to gel with two scoring wings.

 

[MacKaRant]

Kuch deserves it as much as Nate does. That's just a fact. He's dragging the Lightning Corpse through the season, you know, the same shit Nate is doing since November. If he wins it, he wins it. And at least i won't complain. Both deserve it, but only one will get it. Maybe the "loser" will win the cup instead ...

Absolutely no way Canadian and American sportswriters will vote a Russian winger who doesn't play defense and blew off the All-Star game and whose country is banned from IIHF competition instead of a Canadian centre with a complete game, eye catching highlights, and the best scoring season of his so far Hart-less career. If you put any money on Kucherov winning the Hart, you might as well have invested it in 2024-2025 Arizona Coyotes Cup champions T-shirts.

 

[The Pwnerer]

Mittlestadt's game kind of reminds me of Stastny aka Casper. Doesn't really do anything that makes you go wow but will still find ways to get points on the board all while playing solid two way play. I'm going to hold my opinion until he finally finds linemates he can gel with. Been a lot of moving parts so far.

Kadri didn't look all too well when he first arrived either. Once Mittlestadt gets used to the pace, he should be a fine 2C.

 

[Balthazar]

I think the issue with Mittelstadt is that he's not only not used to the pace of play the Avs play at, he's just plain not in good enough physical condition to handle it. And that is NOT a diss on Mitts, it happens with bad teams, especially bad teams with bad coaches. Players just get into bad habits both on and off the ice, and in practice, and they're just no longer in prime shape. Yes, I know, insert combine pull-up image HERE, but I think he'd be doing a lot better if he had come aboard a lot earlier.

Give him a full offseason to acclimate and I think he'll be fine. At this point of the year there's just not much practice time with the new teams, and I still say he hasn't been given great linemates for the most part. Bednar is the best coach he's ever had by far and probably the first one who's had anything remotely resembling proper structure. There will be a learning period.

Personally I've been okay with his play under the circumstances. Regardless of how he's done recently, even at his worst he's been far, far better than Johansen, and that guy had NO excuse to be out of shape, unlike Mitts.

This is subject to change obviously but I initially thought the Avs would offer him 6+ years this summer.

Now I'm thinking 2-3 years with a low AAV. At the risk of losing him to UFA after that short contract.

 

[expatriatedtexan]

Mittlestadt's game kind of reminds me of Stastny aka Casper. Doesn't really do anything that makes you go wow but will still find ways to get points on the board all while playing solid two way play. I'm going to hold my opinion until he finally finds linemates he can gel with. Been a lot of moving parts so far.

Kadri didn't look all too well when he first arrived either. Once Mittlestadt gets used to the pace, he should be a fine 2C.

I actually find the Stastny comparison pretty good for what we've seen so far. He's definitely better defensively than I initially gave him credit for. Some of his passes though... I think there's potentially more playmaking there than what even Pauly Walnuts brought. We just gotta get the top of the lineup healthy enough so he doesn't have 4th liners for his wingers.

 

[avsfan2189]

this board is insanely bipolar week to week. I could have sworn over a week ago we were literally praising Mitts as a new ROR and 'we havent had a player with this much puck poise in years plus his elite defense' and NOWWWW we're like this guy isnt a good fit?

are we kidding here? give the guy a full season. Nuke's first year he barely produced albeit with great defense. look at him now.

Mitts hasnt even played consistently with caliber wingers. We truly are spoiled.

Georgiev's 4 goal reputation and Rants' upcoming raise screwing over the team's competitive window (in combo with landy's cap hit returning) should be the only major painpoints tbh

 

[NorthernAvsFan]

Mittelstadt’s been solid.

He hasn’t done a whole lot recently, but the whole team sucked for a few games and that makes everybody look bad.

To me, Walker has been the worst of the deadline pickups, but I like the effort he plays with and I think it’ll turn around.

 

[Bender]

I feel we always have a stupid schedule.

I kind of like the way our last 2 weeks are scheduled. We get two separate 3 day breaks to give some guys time to heal up/rest up a bit before the playoffs.

Much better than what the loilers have to deal with with two separate stretches of 3 games in 4 nights over their last 9 days of the regular season.

 

[Avs9296]

Bednar even mentioned that Mittelstadts game/learning curve is similar to Drouins at the beginning of the year.

I'm confident Bednar will get Mitts playing better and more like the Avs style. I just don't know if it will be in time for this year's playoffs or not.

 

[Balthazar]

 

[Puckstop40]

this board is insanely bipolar week to week. I could have sworn over a week ago we were literally praising Mitts as a new ROR and 'we havent had a player with this much puck poise in years plus his elite defense' and NOWWWW we're like this guy isnt a good fit?

are we kidding here? give the guy a full season. Nuke's first year he barely produced albeit with great defense. look at him now.

Mitts hasnt even played consistently with caliber wingers. We truly are spoiled.

Georgiev's 4 goal reputation and Rants' upcoming raise screwing over the team's competitive window (in combo with landy's cap hit returning) should be the only major painpoints tbh

We are extremely bi-polar and always have been lol

 

[NorthernAvsFan]

Yeah, I’m gonna need them to win that Winnipeg game for sure. Better start Annunen.

 

[Puckstop40]

Yeah, I’m gonna need them to win that Winnipeg game for sure. Better start Annunen.

Great. That means I have to watch Fourguev against the Knights

 

[Flanagan]

Absolutely no way Canadian and American sportswriters will vote a Russian winger who doesn't play defense and blew off the All-Star game and whose country is banned from IIHF competition instead of a Canadian centre with a complete game, eye catching highlights, and the best scoring season of his so far Hart-less career. If you put any money on Kucherov winning the Hart, you might as well have invested it in 2024-2025 Arizona Coyotes Cup champions T-shirts.

MacKinnon is going to go the Sakic route - win the Hart & Lindsay/Pearson without ever picking up an Art Ross or Rocket.

Maybe he'll match a Conn Smythe too. Only Sakic award he'll never sniff is the Sheraton Road Performer of the Year Award.

 

[Puckstop40]

MacKinnon is going to go the Sakic route - win the Hart & Lindsay/Pearson without ever picking up an Art Ross or Rocket.

Maybe he'll match a Conn Smythe too. Only Sakic award he'll never sniff is the Sheraton Road Performer of the Year Award.

Or hit a hole in one on a golf course.

 

[Drury_Sakic]

This is subject to change obviously but I initially thought the Avs would offer him 6+ years this summer.

Now I'm thinking 2-3 years with a low AAV. At the risk of losing him to UFA after that short contract.

I have said all along, the play is a 2-3 year deal for him so you can keep the band together in the now, risking him walking or maybe even trading him if a prospect develops. If you can get him on a show me 4.5-5.5 3 year deal, you do it.

 

[henchman21]

Mitts has arbitration rights and is one year away from UFA. If you push it, he simply goes to arbitration, gets a ~5.5m (high is probably a bit over 6 and low is basically 5) deal for a year and can walk. The dream of a low dollar 3 year deal just isn't there.

 

[The Abusement Park]

This is subject to change obviously but I initially thought the Avs would offer him 6+ years this summer.

Now I'm thinking 2-3 years with a low AAV. At the risk of losing him to UFA after that short contract.

Why would Mitts agree to that? He’s either going long term or for a 1 year deal.

 

[BobRossColton]

5x5.75-6.1

 

[littletonhockeycoach]

Might just be a bad fit. I agree he hasn't done much to impress. Given his contract status and our cap situation I wonder if we re-evaluate in the summer, see who's available, and package him with another asset to upgrade or get someone different?

Casey is slow. Not as slow as Ry-Jo but anyone who has watched him over the years had to know this. (I certainly did.)

With the correct wingers, he WILL drive offense. But Bednar has his ways and MacKinnon's exploits really deflect any examination of why Jared gets away with the lineup decisions he makes.

 

[wayninja]

I'm not sure the avs even make the playoffs at this point

 

[missionAvs]

I'm not sure the avs even make the playoffs at this point

Classic case of people putting the cart before the horse. Last time everyone thought we won something or made the playoffs was when Sleepy Joe walked up to the podium and selected Bowen Byram.

 

[The Moops]

These 3 day breaks are killing me. Too long between games and we have another one next week

Though it's better than the wait we'll have after losing in the first round I guess