Pre-Game Talk: Week to Move (ANH, SJ, NYR)

[UncleRisto]

Have you ever been on Meigray? That's still not bad for game worn jerseys lol.

Yeah, no of course it isn't. There's still a cheaper MacKinnon jersey though.

 

[tigervixxxen]

Yeah, I was thinking about that too.

I'd like to see Greer marinate in AHL. He needs to work his skating a lot and I'd be happy to see him in an offensive role down there for at least rest of this season. Maybe even next one too. We're in no rush with him.

He needs to play in the NHL now, that's where his next step in development is going to come from. He took the next step in the AHL already. His ELC doesn't last forever, guys need to establish before the waiver exemption ends.

 

[dahrougem2]

Greer doesn't need to play in the NHL now. Kid just turned 21 and has one AHL season under his belt. He's hardly done with that league.

He needs to go back and work in an offensive role, not play here in a 4th line grinder role. Once the season is over, he needs to work on his skating through and through. That's what is stopping him from being a full time NHLer.

 

[henchman21]

Greer won't take the next step playing like he is now in the NHL. Bednar obviously doesn't want to play him in bigger roles and Greer isn't playing well enough to earn the bigger roles. Send him down the the AHL to continue to work on his game. A little extra time won't hurt him at all, and will likely benefit him. He has a full year and a half to establish himself before waivers becomes an issue... there is plenty of time and if waivers is an issues and he hasn't taken the next step, then you accept him as a bottom 6/4th line grinder.

 

[S E P H]

He needs to play in the NHL now, that's where his next step in development is going to come from. He took the next step in the AHL already. His ELC doesn't last forever, guys need to establish before the waiver exemption ends.

Lets be honest, playing 8 minutes per game in the NHL is not development.

 

[The Mars Volchenkov]

He needs to play in the NHL now, that's where his next step in development is going to come from. He took the next step in the AHL already. His ELC doesn't last forever, guys need to establish before the waiver exemption ends.

I don’t think Greer has done anything that says he needs to be in the NHL with his play. Maybe he’s done well in the AHL but in the NHL he’s been very blah this year, although he’s had his moments.

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

Yeah, if Greer is in the NHL for good now, then he's going to be a really bad player.


The kid is clearly not ready for the NHL. Skating, decision making, puck skills. None of it is NHL quality right now outside of his effort level.

 

[Pokecheque]

I think if indeed Greer belongs in the NHL, the room needs to be made for him.

 

[henchman21]

I think if indeed Greer belongs in the NHL, the room needs to be made for him.

With the way this team is playing, I think that would be a large mistake. There is no rush to having him produce in the NHL now, so why force it?

 

[Cousin Eddie]

He needs to play in the NHL now, that's where his next step in development is going to come from. He took the next step in the AHL already. His ELC doesn't last forever, guys need to establish before the waiver exemption ends.

His next step in development is figuring out how to play offense. He hasn't even really figured that out in the AHL. His game needs a lot of polish and that's going to develop a lot more in the AHL than it would in the NHL. At least down there he can get some top 6 minutes, play with other skilled players and even get some PP time.

Greer scored 4 points in his final 17 AHL games last year. He suffered greatly without Compher. I mean he only had 38 points total in 63 games. He isn't exactly an offensive juggernaut in that league. He has rebounded slightly from his finish to last year but still has just 10 points in 17 games. I know the team is bad, but that's not good AHL production. Especially for a guy we hope can translate some offense to the NHL in the future.

I don't think Greer will have any issue carving out a bottom 6 role in the NHL for a long time. But if we keep him in the NHL now that pretty much assures that a bottom 6 role will be all he carves out. Aside from his skating which is very bad but is more of an offseason thing, he needs to work on the game when the puck is on his stick. It's very raw. It makes much more sense for him to work on that at a level he can actually accomplish some of those things. In the NHL he's simply far worse than everybody on the ice in that regard. He isn't going to improve because he isn't going to get the puck on his stick.

I get the waiver thing and all that but waiver exemption is still some time away. As for the ELC, you don't worry about contract issues for players who simply aren't good enough to play in the NHL. If his ELC runs out while he's in the AHL that's ok. He can be signed again.

You have a great sight for our prospects. Your more knowledgeable than anyone I know and I trust your opinion deeply. But I have a feeling you think Greer is better than what he actually is right now.

 

[Pokecheque]

With the way this team is playing, I think that would be a large mistake. There is no rush to having him produce in the NHL now, so why force it?

I agree. Just saying if the decision is to keep him, then someone should go.

Personally I think he should go back, even if maybe the AHL is under him at this point.

 

[GeniusSuperior]

I think Greer is a bottom 6 player in the NHL no matter how much more AHL development he gets, so I’m ok keeping him in the big league for now.

 

[UncleRisto]

I think Greer is a bottom 6 player in the NHL no matter how much more AHL development he gets, so I’m ok keeping him in the big league for now.

I think so too, but I think he should probably go down for a while still.

 

[Cousin Eddie]

I think Greer is a bottom 6 player in the NHL no matter how much more AHL development he gets, so I’m ok keeping him in the big league for now.

Even if that is the case (I think you're probably right) why risk it? It's not like he's improving the team right now. We have more than enough options to play in the bottom 6. So even if it's likely he doesn't polish his offensive game enough to turn into more, isn't it worth the chance by sending him back down and hoping it improves?

 

[UncleRisto]

I see Kekäläinen claimed Jussi Jokinen. I could see him being a decent depth guy there, but man I never cared for Jokinen all that much.

 

[henchman21]

I think Greer is a bottom 6 player in the NHL no matter how much more AHL development he gets, so I’m ok keeping him in the big league for now.

That is a fair opinion to have, but it has been known since the start that Greer is very raw... to pigeonhole him during the 2nd year on his ELC seems a pretty quick trigger to me. But even if he only ends up a bottom 6 guy in the NHL, extra time in the AHL gave him the best shot at finding the scoring talent and that Avs will not be hurt at all right now with him out of the lineup. Greer is adding nothing, so why not take the chance in the AHL?

 

[Vaslof]

Greer is even less ready than Jost. If Greer isn't going to develop in the AHL anymore then it's time to trade him and hope we can salvage something.

 

[dahrougem2]

Greer is even less ready than Jost. If Greer isn't going to develop in the AHL anymore then it's time to trade him and hope we can salvage something.

Lol no. You don't trade everyone for the sake of salvation.

 

[RoyIsALegend]

Is it really a bad thing if Greer only develops into a disruptive, defensively responsible, bottom 6 forward with some jam? You need these guys.

 

[CobraAcesS]

Is it really a bad thing if Greer only develops into a disruptive, defensively responsible, bottom 6 forward with some jam? You need these guys.

Regardless of what role it is. He still needs to take his skating to another level.

 

[Pokecheque]

It's near-impossible to gauge Greer's play right now, and that's because the "2nd" and 4th lines are a continual hodgepodge of youngsters. He doesn't have a role and hasn't had consistent ice time or linemates. He does more or less have that in San Antonio. Either give him that role in Colorado or send him down.

 

[Pokecheque]

If he's another utility guy with size who can forecheck with abandon and pot a few goals that makes him similar IMO to Jamie McGinn, albeit probably less talented. I'll take that.

 

[Cousin Eddie]

Is it really a bad thing if Greer only develops into a disruptive, defensively responsible, bottom 6 forward with some jam? You need these guys.

Not at all. I think that's exactly what he will be and will play that role well for some time. But that shouldn't mean the Avs should just give up on him trying to improve his offensive game which would obviously be better worked on in the AHL. Especially when he isn't adding any real value to our bottom 6 currently that somebody like Bourque/Toninato/Compher cant supply.

 

[henchman21]

Is it really a bad thing if Greer only develops into a disruptive, defensively responsible, bottom 6 forward with some jam? You need these guys.

Not at all, but I believe he should be allowed time to develop out of that if possible.

It's near-impossible to gauge Greer's play right now, and that's because the "2nd" and 4th lines are a continual hodgepodge of youngsters. He doesn't have a role and hasn't had consistent ice time or linemates. He does more or less have that in San Antonio. Either give him that role in Colorado or send him down.

I fundamentally don't agree with giving roles... roles should be earned and Greer isn't doing that right now.

 

[Freudian]

It's hard to figure out where Greer is because he has almost no puck touches. He does hound the puck, hit, try to block shots and then get the hell of the ice.

I don't think he's been bad or good. He's just there, in a way. For those that hope he could be a middle six type of guy, the lack of ability to do anything constructive is a bit troubling. Perhaps getting a pure grind line with Totinos, him and someone like Wilson might yield better results. Let him find some steady ground at the NHL level.