Speculation: Your 2014-15 Colorado Avalanche! (Roster, lines, Surprises)

[tigervixxxen]

I would not take anything from that. It's not like Roy and Sakic are playing webmasters by filling in the roster themselves. It's just some random person working for nhl.com. They are guessing just like the rest of us. There are 16 forwards listed as nhl players, including Carey. 9 Dmen as well. 1 will not be on the team.

Seems pretty weird to sign the guy to a 1 way contract if the plan is to start him in LE. I don't see his situation any different than Redmond. All these guys will have a chance. Then figure out what to do with the odd men out. They probably have an idea of who those guys will be, but I highly doubt they are planning on any particular person being in LE right now.

Hishon, Carey and Elliott were up with the team at the time the season ended so it makes sense they are still on the main roster. Everything else is correct, it's just something I noticed. Of course anything can happen in camp, I said I feel like it's going to be a camp battle. Three people on one way contracts will have to get sent down. I know I was originally thinking why bring in Noreau just to send him down and I've heard a few interviews from him and he's especially chatty so he explained the situation well. He always wanted to go back to the NHL but he was happy in Switzerland so he told his agent he didn't even want to hear if teams were interested unless they were offering something. So no, he wouldn't come back just to be in LE. How it's different than Redmond, with Redmond he was signed hours into it on July 1 and wouldn't make it through waivers surely, his signing was announced, the Avs acknowledge he exists and Roy already said he has a role for him.

 

[Gigantor The Goalie]

By season's end, Berra will not be on this team. Aitto will be the backup.

Bold guess.

Really bold guess.

 

[the_fan]

One of the things that goes underrated around this boards when talking about Avs off season moves is how the bottom 6 is improved over last season.


McGinn - Mitchell - Briere
McLeod - Winchester - Talbot

I think that's a very solid bottom 6

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

One of the things that goes underrated around this boards when talking about Avs off season moves is how the bottom 6 is improved over last season.


McGinn - Mitchell - Briere
McLeod - Winchester - Talbot

I think that's a very solid bottom 6

I think our 4th line upgraded, but I prefer our 3rd line from last season(beginning of the season). 4th line kicks ass compared to last season though.

 

[henchman21]

I think our 4th line upgraded, but I prefer our 3rd line from last season(beginning of the season). 4th line kicks ass compared to last season though.

I don't think a comparision to the beginning of the last season should be made. Those lines didn't even last for 15% of the season. 3rd line for the majority of the season was McGinn/Random fill in-Mitchell-Talbot, and that is what should be compared.

The only team that would have MacKinnon as a #3C at this point would be team Canada.

 

[Hans Landaskog]

I don't think a comparision to the beginning of the last season should be made. Those lines didn't even last for 15% of the season. 3rd line for the majority of the season was McGinn/Random fill in-Mitchell-Talbot, and that is what should be compared.

The only team that would have MacKinnon as a #3C at this point would be team Canada.

Penguins

 

[tigervixxxen]

Penguins

And continue to throw Kobasew level talent on Sid's wing.

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

I don't think a comparision to the beginning of the last season should be made. Those lines didn't even last for 15% of the season. 3rd line for the majority of the season was McGinn/Random fill in-Mitchell-Talbot, and that is what should be compared.

The only team that would have MacKinnon as a #3C at this point would be team Canada.

True, but that's why I liked our #3 line more.

Depth wise we are looking better, but I think losing Stastny is gonna hurt us more than we think, unless ROR goes back to center. I think he could play Stastny's role no problem.

 

[Avs_19]

Nice to see Duchene and MacKinnon training with Crosby and Andy O'Brien once again. MacKinnon said the main thing he wanted to improve on was his lower body strength and Duchene was able to do that the last few years training with those guys.

Duchene and MacKinnon aren't that big but teams will still have a lot of trouble pushing them off the puck. Even Weber had some trouble with Duchene downlow last season. They can both really hurt teams with their elite speed and they'll also be a handful when they start cycling the puck. Good times.

 

[Frenchy]

True, but that's why I liked our #3 line more.

Depth wise we are looking better, but I think losing Stastny is gonna hurt us more than we think, unless ROR goes back to center. I think he could play Stastny's role no problem.

Yeah but doing so you're creating a huge hole on first line's LW. With the kind of success that Radar had playing with Duchene , I think it's safe to say that he's gonna play LW from now on ... at least he should from my POV.

 

[the_fan]

People think that having MacKinnon as 3rd line center last year or if they kept Stastny and had him play 3rd line center would be better? I don't think so, because neither Mac or Stastny are 3rd line centers and their production wouldn't have impact on the team at that role.

That's why i like the current bottom 6 better than last year.

 

[Foppa2118]

I think our 4th line upgraded, but I prefer our 3rd line from last season(beginning of the season). 4th line kicks ass compared to last season though.

It's kind of interesting to see how the forward lineup has changed from the beginning of last season, to the end of last season with all the injuries, to what it projects as going into next year.

Start of 13-14

O'Reilly- Duchene - Downie
Landy - Stastny - Tanguay
McGinn - MacKinnon - PAP
McLeod - Mitchell - Bordeleau

End of 13-14

Landy - Stastny - MacKinnon
McGinn - O'Reilly - PAP
McLeod - Cliche - Talbot
Malone - Hishon - Bordy

Start of 14-15

O'Reilly - Duchene - Iginla
Landy - MacKinnon - Tanguay
McGinn - Mitchell - Briere
McLeod - Winchester - Talbot

 

[Barklez]

It's kind of interesting to see how the forward lineup has changed from the beginning of last season, to the end of last season with all the injuries, to what it projects as going into next year.

Start of 13-14

O'Reilly- Duchene - Downie
Landy - Stastny - Tanguay
McGinn - MacKinnon - PAP
McLeod - Mitchell - Bordeleau

End of 13-14

Landy - Stastny - MacKinnon
McGinn - O'Reilly - PAP
McLeod - Cliche - Talbot
Malone - Hishon - Bordy

Start of 14-15

O'Reilly - Duchene - Iginla
Landy - MacKinnon - Tanguay
McGinn - Mitchell - Briere
McLeod - Winchester - Talbot

After seeing it laid out like this does it not seem likely that they locked up Mitchell early, half-expecting to lose Stastny? It's like they were a little concerned about the Stastny situation so they re-upped Mitchell and then promptly signed Winchester to bump Mitchell up into the 3rd line center spot (of which he is perfectly capable of managing).

IMO they were either half-expecting him to leave or managed to do a great job of covering up the hole that he left.

 

[Spirits]

I have to disagree with you. IT seems like people always say Duchene has trouble creating chemistry but I think it's the opposite. He's had very good chemistry with Flash, PAP, Mcginn and O'Reilly. I think Mueller found some success with him too but I may be wrong so don't nail me for it . Just because he failed to find success on the 3rd line in Sacco's system doesn't mean he cant find chemistry. When Duchene is playing his best, he seems to work anywhere.

This. I may be in the minority here, but I firmly believe Duchene made ROR. O'Reilly is a bonafide rising star, but lets not pretend he didn't score a ton of goals off Duchene assists/playmaking ability. Imho, O'Reilly is an 18-20 goal scorer without Duchene.

 

[Spirits]

Also, leave Duchene/O'Money together. Too much chemistry to mess with here.

 

[tigervixxxen]

I've argued that it's difficult for Duchene to find chemistry but I think how it depends how you look at it. Duchene is a great player and can play with anyone and make them better. It's not that he is incapable of it is the issue because of course he can. It's that few players make HIM better. It's those players that can read the play just like Duchene and give him those little passes that help him be so electric and also stay out of the way because of how Duchene likes to carry the puck. O'Reilly and PA were two that could. I'm hoping Duchene can connect with either Iggy or Tangs. If not it's ok because he still can play with anyone.

I believe they always knew Stastny leaving was going to be plan A. I don't know that Mitchell was a result of that thinking but more an execution of the master plan and locking up as many guys as possible, but in a grand sense yeah they wanted their top 3 centers set.

 

[Foppa2118]

I've argued that it's difficult for Duchene to find chemistry but I think how it depends how you look at it. Duchene is a great player and can play with anyone and make them better. It's not that he is incapable of it is the issue because of course he can. It's that few players make HIM better. It's those players that can read the play just like Duchene and give him those little passes that help him be so electric and also stay out of the way because of how Duchene likes to carry the puck. O'Reilly and PA were two that could. I'm hoping Duchene can connect with either Iggy or Tangs. If not it's ok because he still can play with anyone.

I believe they always knew Stastny leaving was going to be plan A. I don't know that Mitchell was a result of that thinking but more an execution of the master plan and locking up as many guys as possible, but in a grand sense yeah they wanted their top 3 centers set.

I think early in Dutchy's NHL career he had an issue finding chemistry with some guys, but he seems to have matured enough to figure out how to adjust.

At this point he's had good chemistry with more than a few. Mueller, Fleischman, PAP, and now O'Reilly. McGinn has looked good on his wing as well, and while MacKinnon didn't seem to click with him early last year, there were a few shifts late in the season where it looked like Nate made an adjustment to hang back and wait in the weeds and let Duchene carry the play, and they had some pretty good chemistry.

I actually think if Iggy keeps it simple and plays a simple drive the net/sniper game like he did in Boston, and let's Dutchy's and O'Reilly do most of the puck work, that could be one of the best lines in the league. I think we're starting to see the birth of the playmaker Duchene. Him and O'Reilly will make some great plays to set up Iggy.

 

[InjuredChoker]

 

[Gigantor The Goalie]

Booo didn't even score
Was that Talbot on the bench with him?

 

[Hans Landaskog]

That goalie was better than Berra.

 

[StayAtHomeAv]

This. I may be in the minority here, but I firmly believe Duchene made ROR. O'Reilly is a bonafide rising star, but lets not pretend he didn't score a ton of goals off Duchene assists/playmaking ability. Imho, O'Reilly is an 18-20 goal scorer without Duchene.

Not at all. Yes he got a ton of assists from Duchene. That's the primary playmakers role- pick up assists. But it's not like RoR got a bunch of open net tip ins. He was still needing to make good shots. Holden and Staz on the other hand, they had a ton of open net tip ins.

 

[Foppa2118]

#12? What they couldn't have got him 29 or 22?

BTW Nate, can you maybe try to play a bit more on the perimeter in these charity games?

 

[Foppa Frossa]

This scouting video shows that Nate just coasts around and is very lazy on defense. Not cut out to be Center

 

[tigervixxxen]

Haha, I was bored this weekend and watched some of that on live stream. I still can't figure out the #12 thing. The NHL players all wore something from their team in an earlier game but Nate's was his black Avs practice jersey so for the main event that wouldn't work. I do like how they made the two teams jerseys Avs and Bruins (for Marchand). No Talbot wasn't there, Nate and Marchand were the headliners with a couple depth NHL/AHL guys. Nate got a breakaway and Marchand dragged him down so he got a penalty shot but totally tried some easy to save 5 hole shot.

 

[Avs_19]

BTW Nate, can you maybe try to play a bit more on the perimeter in these charity games?

Maybe avoid playing/practicing all together when Marchand is around. Why is this fool hooking him and dragging him down like that in a charity game?