Pre-Game Talk: Week #7: Avs Fans in the Stands? (VGK, MIN, @AZ, @AZ)

[Balthazar]

 

[forsbergavs32]

Not sure I can really say the team looks amazing on paper. It’s good but there are too many inconsistent players, center depth is terrible (which is getting magnified with Mack not playing at the top of his game). Defensively it looks a bit better but Makar is struggling and as we’ve already seen that depth can disappear in a hurry.

When I think of teams stacked on paper that would be the current Bolts or the 03-04 Avs (who looked good on paper but weren’t good).

I think our core is fine for the most part (I am a bit concerned with Landeskog tho). What this team needs is another line that can produce when the top line isn’t clicking.

 

[Muffin]

Team is struggling to score goals right now...

 

[TruePowerSlave]

I don't mind it, this is a good time to suck if that has to happen. Hopefully it will wake up the roster as many have not been giving their best effort. The forwards especially are having a hard time.

 

[Foppa2118]

I don't mind it, this is a good time to suck if that has to happen. Hopefully it will wake up the roster as many have not been giving their best effort. The forwards especially are having are hard time.

Exactly. Every team is guaranteed to have at least one of these stretches of poor play during a season. Even the best teams.

If the Avs get it out of the way now, maybe they can start to gel and fire on all cylinders right in time for the playoffs to start.

 

[The Kingslayer]

I remember last season when the Avs walked all over the Bolts and thinking ," Damn. Tampa window might be closed." Fast forward 6 months later and they are hoisting the cup a few blocks away from me.

 

[Ceremony]

I remember last season when the Avs walked all over the Bolts and thinking ," Damn. Tampa window might be closed." Fast forward 6 months later and they are hoisting the cup a few blocks away from me.

Location:
Siem Reap, Cambodia

 

[Northern Avs Fan]

Have to give some credit to the opposition too.

Minnesota is a quality team. Their depth up front is among the best in the league and they have a solid defence.

LA looks pretty good too considering Doughty and Kopitar have turned back the clock. Arizona isn’t a cupcake either.

The much maligned West Division is better than people anticipated and perhaps is even sneaking up on the Avs. They’ll have to raise their level of play.

 

[Richard88]

Have to give some credit to the opposition too.

Minnesota is a quality team. Their depth up front is among the best in the league and they have a solid defence.

LA looks pretty good too considering Doughty and Kopitar have turned back the clock. Arizona isn’t a cupcake either.

The much maligned West Division is better than people anticipated and perhaps is even sneaking up on the Avs. They’ll have to raise their level of play.

Minnesota have had an easy start on paper. They're yet to play St Louis, Vegas, or Arizona. They'll win a few of course, but those 3 are a tougher challenge than walking all over SJ and Anaheim.

 

[Northern Avs Fan]

Changing my avatar until Mikko starts moving his feet again lol

 

[The Kingslayer]

Location:
Siem Reap, Cambodia

Haha yah. Sadly I live in Edmonton.

 

[IceNeophyte]

(21) Emerald Nuts - Encouraging Norwegians (2006, USA) - YouTube

Complimentary or complementary?

A poster on HF, you maybe don't point this out. But a paid journalist?

"You look delicious today, Gabe!"
"Why thank you, Pierre-Eduard! I'm trying out a new hair gel!"

 

[Balthazar]

Forwards since the return from the the Covid break:

Good:
Donskoi

OK:
Calvert
Saad
Nuke

Bad:
Jost
Mackinnon

Ugly:
Rantanen
Landeskog
Burakovsky
Kadri
Compher
Bellemare

 

[Northern Avs Fan]

Forwards since the return from the the Covid break:

Good:
Donskoi

OK:
Calvert
Saad
Nuke

Bad:
Jost
Mackinnon

Ugly:
Rantanen
Landeskog
Burakovsky
Kadri
Compher
Bellemare

Agreed.

My only change would be dropping Calvert to bad. He’s been on the puck a bit, but ultimately hasn’t had any production at all this season.

 

[Balthazar]

Agreed.

My only change would be dropping Calvert to bad. He’s been on the puck a bit, but ultimately hasn’t had any production at all this season.

Yea those in "ok" I couldn't put them anywhere else. They havent been good that's for sure...but not as bad as the others.

You know it's bad when Donskoi is pretty much your only forward who doesn't play below expectations.

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

I thought Nuke was excellent last night. Best forward on the ice. He got just flat out robbed on the one opportunity in the first(Of course he did though, it's Nichushkin we are talking about), then drew a key penalty while on the PK due to the secondary effort breaking up the zone entry attempt. He was engaged in all 3 areas of the ice and really trying to bring energy to the team when he was on the ice.


I would have him in the good section. Unless you're putting that much stock into his production.

 

[The Abusement Park]

I thought Nuke was excellent last night. Best forward on the ice. He got just flat out robbed on the one opportunity in the first(Of course he did though, it's Nichushkin we are talking about), then drew a key penalty while on the PK due to the secondary effort breaking up the zone entry attempt. He was engaged in all 3 areas of the ice and really trying to bring energy to the team when he was on the ice.


I would have him in the good section. Unless you're putting that much stock into his production.

I mean production definitely matters. He's been good defensively this year but he has 3 points in 16 games which is 4th liner level.

 

[Northern Avs Fan]

Random thought, but I wouldn’t mind going back to Graves/Makar.

The Toews/Girard pairing had a great rush that led to the Compher goal last night. I’d be interested to see what they look like together for an extended period of time.

Let Timmins sit for a game:

Graves - Makar
Toews - Girard
Byram - Pateryn

 

[SoundwaveIsCharisma]

Random thought, but I wouldn’t mind going back to Graves/Makar.

The Toews/Girard pairing had a great rush that led to the Compher goal last night. I’d be interested to see what they look like together for an extended period of time.

Let Timmins sit for a game:

Graves - Makar
Toews - Girard
Byram - Pateryn

Bednar just needs to play actual defensive pairings, he's gone full Bednar blender with his defensemen and it's going to be hard to build any type of chemistry with that.

 

[Northern Avs Fan]

Bednar just needs to play actual defensive pairings, he's gone full Bednar blender with his defensemen and it's going to be hard to build any type of chemistry with that.

I don’t think he believes in pairings.

This season more than ever it’s a constant rotation. In his defence though, sometimes the shuffling is it out of necessity. It’s brought on by either an in-game injury, or one of the depth D is playing so bad Bednar benches them.

 

[Belgican]

Bednar needs to stop playing with the pairings through the games. Don’t play the rookies together, especially if one (or both) of them struggles.

If you don’t like Timmins enough sit him. Otherwise let him play with someone like Graves.

Toews - Makar
Byram - Girard
Graves - Timmins

 

[The Kingslayer]

Bednar needs to stop playing with the pairings through the games. Don’t play the rookies together, especially if one (or both) of them struggles.

If you don’t like Timmins enough sit him. Otherwise let him play with someone like Graves.

Toews - Makar
Byram - Girard
Graves - Timmins

Timmins can benefit from sitting a game or two. Reset. Come back refreshed.

 

[Belgican]

Timmins can benefit from sitting a game or two. Reset. Come back refreshed.

That’s fine, who should play then ?

 

[henchman21]

That’s fine, who should play then ?

MacDonald... then if Byram sucks again, Timmins can spell him. Both need a quick reset.

 

[The Kingslayer]

That’s fine, who should play then ?

Jacob Macdonald