Pre-Game Talk: Week of California (@SJ x2, ANH x2)

[Foppa2118]

Not sure why Keefe and Rycroft were looking for pirate nicknames for G.

What's wrong with Girarrrrrrrrd?

 

[Bill Peckerskull]

 

[Foppa2118]

Good news for Nate? Maybe Calvert too if they need to make room?

Sounded like it might be good news for Frankie too, but looks like they're just swapping Werner with Jones on the taxi squad.

 

[Bill Peckerskull]

2 games

 

[Foppa2118]

I definitely don't agree. He's let off a few rocket wristers lately. You saw that look he was giving at the beginning of last game? He's a man on a mission to improve and to win. Team MVP this year.

Girard is definitely the Avs MVP so far. He's come through in a lot of big moments offensively too, when the rest of the team was kind of floundering. Definitely the most consistent guy this year as well.

Hard to tell how much he improved his shot (seems more consistent at least), but he's definitely a lot more aggressive in his approach, and has a shooting mentality a lot more than he used to.

He's scoring at an 18 goal 68 point pace over 82 games, a little over a third into the season. So he didn't just talk the talk to become more of an offensive presence, he clearly put in the work and followed through on it.

He's showing that commitment to not just rest on his laurels being a "good" player after signing a long term deal. He wants to be even better, so he can help this team win. Underrated leadership qualities in this young man.

 

[Ararana]

yay!



nooooo!

 

[Bill Peckerskull]

 

[Ceremony]

There's a new Landeskog junior so he's probably going to play like ass for a few months again, fantastic.

 

[tshack]

Damn Jost getting big minutes tonight

 

[SirLoinOfCloth]

Graves on the top pairing makes me want to punch a goat.

 

[Ararana]

Apparently Byram and Calvert are close to being back. Makar is progressing but not ready yet and won't play this weekend. All according to Peter Baugh.

Apparently Byram skated before morning skate.

 

[Bill Peckerskull]

Damn Jost getting big minutes tonight

 

[Belgican]

Graves on the top pairing makes me want to punch a goat.

He’s usually better when paired with a good guy

 

[Bill Peckerskull]

 

[Pokecheque]

He’s usually better when paired with a good guy

Yeah, not this year for whatever reason.

 

[Cousin Eddie]

Girard and Graves played a full game together earlier this season and they played amazing together. The discussion following the game was that Girard should play on the right side full time. Then a few weeks later they played together against the Wild and got torched.

Could go either way.

 

[Cousin Eddie]

Safe to say we won’t get to see this Gibson tonight...

Also have no idea why they have 0 shutouts listed for both lol.

 

[Belgican]

Yeah, not this year for whatever reason.

He was paired with Makar the whole year and was fantastic.

This year he has his ups and downs, but when paired with Girard, he had some very good games. He was sometimes terrible when paired with Timmins or the AHL guys

 

[Northern Avs Fan]

Apparently Byram and Calvert are close to being back. Makar is progressing but not ready yet and won't play this weekend. All according to Peter Baugh.

Apparently Byram skated before morning skate.

Pretty good news.

Hopefully they get Byram/Calvert back for game 2 against the Ducks and Makar by Monday/Wednesday against the Yotes.

 

[Avsboy]

Avs will make Gibson look like John f***ing Gibson tonight. Gonna need 40 shots.

 

[Mighty Makar]

Ducks won’t have Lindholm for awhile.

 

[Ararana]

Really wanted a Byram/Zegras showdown. Damn you injuries.

 

[Pokecheque]

He was paired with Makar the whole year and was fantastic.

This year he has his ups and downs, but when paired with Girard, he had some very good games. He was sometimes terrible when paired with Timmins or the AHL guys

I'm aware of how good he was with Makar on the top pair last year. I would not ever characterize him as "fantastic" though. He did well enough in a role that was well beyond his abilities, and Makar did an even better job of doing the heavy lifting on that pairing. And this is coming from someone who likes Graves for the most part.

The game he was paired with Girard he had undoubtedly the worst game he's ever had in an Avs uniform. There's something else going on--this is way more than just "ups and downs." His game has run aground for some reason. I hope he fixes it because he's much more capable than what he's shown so far this season. But right now with everyone healthy he is the seventh-best defenseman on this roster behind Makar, Girard, Toews, Byram, Johnson, and MacDonald.

And before anyone says anything, yes, MacDonald has been better than Graves AINEC.

 

[Pokecheque]

Ducks won’t have Lindholm for awhile.

Evergreen post.

 

[SaltySkywalker]

Graves on the top pairing makes me want to punch a goat.

Not today, let him mourn his late father.