Pre-Game Talk: Week of Hello Rock Bottom [vsCBJ | @WSH | @NYI | @BOS]

[sethro109]

I'd rather play Zads and EJ together. Cole and Barrie both haven't looked right for a while now, but were playing better together earlier this season. I'm hoping a trial by fire will help Zads. Also think Graves and G might make a weird good combo. Sadly Nemeth will most likely get that 6th spot again.

The refusal to call up a goalie still mystifies me. Varly and Grubs have been terrible and I'm purely speculating here, but I don't think the team appreciated Grubs statement after his last start. So unless Varly can heal up, get his head on straight or fix whatever the hell is wrong with him. I don't think we'll be winning without putting up 5+ goals a game.

The top line has to remain together. Splitting them up only hurts us. Wilson - Soda - Compher should be the second line and need to remain together for longer than one game before we start changing out line mates again. I know the players haven't been good, but I think it's also partly because they don't have any time to build chemistry before Bednar changes things up again. Let em ride for a few games. I'd also like to run a 3rd line of Ghetto - Kerfy - Calvert. LBN probably deserves Ghettos spot, but Ghetto should hopefully add some scoring to that line. LBN - Dries - Bourque 4th line looks and will be terrible. I'd rather call some guys up, but Joe want's the youngens to develop I guess. Bourque is the biggest blight on this roster of already shallow forward depth. I would love almost anyone else in his place. The roster is so small even a enforcer would server this team better. Then if we're down I could see worse things than double shifting Mack with LBN and Dries.

 

[Cousin Eddie]

My favorite time to watch the Avs play is on a Saturday night. Just had a look at the schedule and the Avs don’t have any Saturday night games left this season. Every Saturday game is a daytime game.

 

[AvsFan29]

My favorite time to watch the Avs play is on a Saturday night. Just had a look at the schedule and the Avs don’t have any Saturday night games left this season. Every Saturday game is a daytime game.

If I remember correctly, we have a great day time record. I don't believe that stat has any bearing on the outcome of the game whatsoever, but it is a stat.

 

[Freudian]

Avs have been able to outscore their depth issues up front, so it hasn't been killing them.

Two main reasons for not being higher is goaltending and being atrocious in OT.

 

[CobraAcesS]

The Athletic Denver Podcast: Avalanche still in playoff...

I'm sorry if you don't have an Athletic sub, but man is Clark well spoken. I don't really agree with everything they talk about, but Clark has taken a deep dive on this team since taking that job and really seems to be getting situated in and around the organization. I think fairly soon if not already the guy is probably going to be able to break some stuff. He just seems like a very likable guy, and hes been able to get some great stuff for more in depth pieces hes done. I think when Clark first started the hockey rust, and him being an outsider kind of stood out in how much real substance some of his stuff had, but his access is growing, and so is his knowledge of the team in general.

 

[BoxOfChocolates]

The Athletic Denver Podcast: Avalanche still in playoff...

I'm sorry if you don't have an Athletic sub, but man is Clark well spoken. I don't really agree with everything they talk about, but Clark has taken a deep dive on this team since taking that job and really seems to be getting situated in and around the organization. I think fairly soon if not already the guy is probably going to be able to break some stuff. He just seems like a very likable guy, and hes been able to get some great stuff for more in depth pieces hes done. I think when Clark first started the hockey rust, and him being an outsider kind of stood out in how much real substance some of his stuff had, but his access is growing, and so is his knowledge of the team in general.

He has the consistent hustle that the BSN boys severely lack.

 

[CobraAcesS]

He has the consistent hustle that the BSN boys severely lack.

Not be contradictory just for the sake of it, but I'd actually point to a level of professionalism he has that they lack. The BSN guys don't lack hustle or effort, but they either come off as fan boys (AJ), or have a history of writing in a hyperbolic inflammatory click bait style (Dater). So much of what Dater writes is off the cuff opinionated shit based on uneducated analysis and gut feeling. Then for as long as Dater has been around and built up his contacts. You can almost never separate his speculation from what hes told by his sources because hes too focused on fluffing up his writing.

 

[Foppberg]

Yup, I love Clark's work. Very well spoken and continues to turn out quality stuff.

I appreciate what BSN has, or is trying to do, but I still see them as fan bloggy. Especially when you see Dater or AJ have an outburst or a Twitter spout with a fan, and then toot their own horn about how they're always hustling.

Stuff like that is really magnified when you bring in a solid professional like Clark who just does his thing, no BS, just constant quality work.

 

[the_fan]

Yeah those games look real tough the way this team has been playing. I'd say all L's

 

[CobraAcesS]

I never make predictions in these threads because I'm always wrong. I also never bet on sports..

That said, all losses

 

[The Merchant]

Don't look now, boys! Only three games away from the pity party with Ottawa in the basement!

 

[klozge]

Avs have been able to outscore their depth issues up front, so it hasn't been killing them.

Two main reasons for not being higher is goaltending and being atrocious in OT.

This was true a while ago. Now both primary and secondary scoring is a problem (primary scoring is more a slump but it's easy to see how the top guys have given up a little) just like basically inviting opponents to score is. And being bad in OT is probably the least of their worries because they don't even come close to making it to OT anymore. You can preach it's all goaltending and you can pray it's all goaltending... unfortunately, it's not only goaltending.

 

[CB Joe]

There more than one area that needs improvement but stabilizing the goaltending makes this team competitive again. I don't think spending time/money/assets on any of the other issue would be as beneficial as spending them on goaltending.

 

[Raucherhusten]

For me it's pretty simple. The horrendous goaltending managed, over time, to drag the rest of the team down as well. Now nobody is playing with confidence because they know that pretty much every mistake they make end up in their own net. And by trying HARD to prevent them they make even more.

As soon as they get "decent" goaltending their confidence level (as a team) will rise and they will win again. But, unfortunatly, i can't see that happening with those 2 clowns in net. Play Franc as soon as he's healthy or trade for a stopgap like Howard. If not we finish the season as a bottom 5 team. And that's not funny anymore.

And no, Bednar is not the issue. At least not the main one.

 

[AvsFan29]

Grubauer starts tonight

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

Good. Hopefully that game against Vancouver was Varlys final game in the Oppositions sweater for us.

 

[AvsFan29]

Good. Hopefully that game against Vancouver was Varlys final game in the Oppositions sweater for us.

Could be

 

[dahrougem2]

I'm not even remotely interested in watching tonight's game

 

[RockyMtnRedhawk]

I'm not even remotely interested in watching tonight's game

I'll be there, and I kinda feel the same way...

 

[The Abusement Park]

First game my roommate and I will be going to since the Rangers game. First one I’ll be going to since smacking the Kings. Here’s to hoping.

 

[Tralfamadore]

For me it's pretty simple. The horrendous goaltending managed, over time, to drag the rest of the team down as well. Now nobody is playing with confidence because they know that pretty much every mistake they make end up in their own net. And by trying HARD to prevent them they make even more.

As soon as they get "decent" goaltending their confidence level (as a team) will rise and they will win again. But, unfortunatly, i can't see that happening with those 2 clowns in net. Play Franc as soon as he's healthy or trade for a stopgap like Howard. If not we finish the season as a bottom 5 team. And that's not funny anymore.

And no, Bednar is not the issue. At least not the main one.

If the top line is truly the best line in hockey then they should be great regardless of the goaltending.

 

[Bill Peckerskull]

Avs will out shoot Jackets 17-4 in 1st but trail 2-0 after a Jackets PPG, followed by a weak goal less than a minute later, about 14 minutes in.

 

[LieutenantDangle]

Let the pain continue! There are just way too many small mistakes being made throughout this roster right now. The team has zero resilience atm. That 48 point season is still haunting these core players I’d be willing to assume. There’s always that shadow of a doubt that they’re just a group of losers. Who will right the ship?

 

[LieutenantDangle]

If the top line is truly the best line in hockey then they should be great regardless of the goaltending.

They have been?

 

[Tralfamadore]

They have been?

I disagree. They've been good but not great and not nearly at the level they're capable of.