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

[AslanRH]

Well does he get better if he never plays center? I think we should move him next season to center spot and keep him there, till forever. I'm sure there will be some growing pain, but It has to happen at some point. Duchene can face the worst opponents. Tanguay is decent defensively and Iggy.

Seguin did just fine waiting in the wings (pun intended) for a few years. He seems to have developed better all around as a center since he was first in Boston often centering the 3rd line.

We now have 2 lines tht can play the top lines. We never really had a shutdown line last year. It's just that the first line was so much of a scoring line the 2nd line was considered a shutdown line and we had to try and keep that first one away from opposing scoring lines. Last year it was more about sheltering the 1st line than the 2nd line being a shutdown line. RoR - Duchene - Iggy is a solid 2 way line. RoR - Duchene - PaP is a weak defensive line.

Swapping Tang for Staz really does not change much. Tang brings a lot of the same defensive capabilities and style that Staz did. He just isn't a C. Both are smart positionally. Both know where to position their sticks. Both are quick to react to rebounds and loose pucks. Both are quick at transitioning to offense and moving the puck the other direction. Neither are aggressive on the puck. Neither are physical. Neither one is dominate along the boards. Neither one gets a ton of blocks or steals. And I have a feeling MacK is going o take the game 7 loss personal because of the gtg he ignorantly gave up, which causes him to really work on his D and his defensive awareness turning him into quite a solid 2 way player.

There is no way that Landeskog-Stastny line was not considered a shut down line. Roy was using that in every matchup he could even on the road. They were effective by putting pressure offensively as well rather than your typical defensive 3rd line would be. Granted the Avs did not have many options to run out as a shut down line, and IMO look worse off this year in that regard, the Lando-Staz line was definitely the line used to limit the impact of the opponents top line.

 

[StayAtHomeAv]

I'm just having a hard time seeing Iginla with anyone other than Duchene. It gives us two right handed shots on the top two lines, and I think he'd do well with them.

I also think he'll be on the PP with Duchene and O'Reilly. Those two do a lot of good give and go work on that side of the ice, and it's set up perfect to have Iginla in the slot, set up for a one-timer.

Yeah, I am loving that PP potential. I loved that scheme last year with Duchene and RoR working that right side and corner with McGinn in the middle of the ice and Holden sneaking down the back side. But now it will be Iggy taking one timers and redirections from the slot/opposite side as opposed to McGinn. Can't freakin wait to see that.

 

[S E P H]

Solid line up Kento, I change a few things.


Tanguay - Duchene - Iginla
Landeskog - O'Reilly - Mackinnon
Mitchell - Briere - Mcginn
Mcleod - Winchester - Talbot

Stuart - Johnson
Hejda - Barrie
Holden - Redmond
Guenin/Elliott

Berra
Varlamov

I just think that losing Staz defensive game that ROR has to move back to centre to cover for him.
​

 

[StayAtHomeAv]

Seguin did just fine waiting in the wings (pun intended) for a few years. He seems to have developed better all around as a center since he was first in Boston often centering the 3rd line.



There is no way that Landeskog-Stastny line was not considered a shut down line. Roy was using that in every matchup he could even on the road. They were effective by putting pressure offensively as well rather than your typical defensive 3rd line would be. Granted the Avs did not have many options to run out as a shut down line, and IMO look worse off this year in that regard, the Lando-Staz line was definitely the line used to limit the impact of the opponents top line.

Seguin was quit a disappointment in Boston. Big reason they moved him. Who knows how that effected his development. He could have had that in I'm all along but just needed a change of scenery/style of play.

You missed my point. Yes we used Lando- Staz as the shutdown line, when we could. But that was more about the need to protect Duchene- PaP. With the group we have now neither of our top lines will need to be sheltered defensively, unless we put Duchene with MacK. Roy can now use the lines more freely instead of feeling the need to use that 1 line as a "shutdown line". RoR-Iggy, Lando-Staz, Lando-Tanguay. All look pretty equal to me.

 

[ThatAvsGamer]

If I were the coach...

Tanguay - Duchy - MacKinnon
Landeskog - ROR - Iginla
McGinn - Briere - Talbot
McLeod - Winchester - Bordeleau
Mitchell, Cliche

Barrie - EJ
Hejda - Redmond
Stuart - Elliott
Holden, Guenin

------
In reality Mitchell will be 3C (sigh), Holden will be playing regularly (I really hate we're not going to give Elliott a shot) and MacKinnon plays center (ugh).

What's so bad about Mackinnon playing center? he should be playing center, now that stastny is gone.

This team is going to be much slower than last years team. We went from one of the fastest teams in the NHL to one of the slower teams.

 

[Stonewall]

Some people are agreeing with this and some are disagreeing, but I think Briere's best position to thrive is third line center.

 

[Cousin Eddie]

Seguin was quit a disappointment in Boston. Big reason they moved him. Who knows how that effected his development. He could have had that in I'm all along but just needed a change of scenery/style of play.

You missed my point. Yes we used Lando- Staz as the shutdown line, when we could. But that was more about the need to protect Duchene- PaP. With the group we have now neither of our top lines will need to be sheltered defensively, unless we put Duchene with MacK. Roy can now use the lines more freely instead of feeling the need to use that 1 line as a "shutdown line". RoR-Iggy, Lando-Staz, Lando-Tanguay. All look pretty equal to me.

The same Seguin who lead the Bruins in scoring in 11/12 and 4 points shy of leading them in 13? What do you expect from a 19/20 year old? I think the fact that he wasn't forced on centre duties helped his game more than anything.

 

[Cousin Eddie]

What's so bad about Mackinnon playing center? he should be playing center, now that stastny is gone.

This team is going to be much slower than last years team. We went from one of the fastest teams in the NHL to one of the slower teams.

I'm not sure if you're being sarcastic so I wont comment on your speed comment but a lot of people think Mackinnon should be slowly worked in as a centre. Letting him split duties with a defensively responsible Ryan O'Reilly isn't a bad idea for a 19 year old kid.

 

[henchman21]

Seguin was quit a disappointment in Boston. Big reason they moved him. Who knows how that effected his development. He could have had that in I'm all along but just needed a change of scenery/style of play.

The reason Boston moved Seguin was off the ice issues, not on the ice.

 

[AslanRH]

What's so bad about Mackinnon playing center? he should be playing center, now that stastny is gone.

This team is going to be much slower than last years team. We went from one of the fastest teams in the NHL to one of the slower teams.

If the Avs got rid of Stastny over a few 100k and were not planning on MacKinnon playing center I will definitely give up on Sakic and Roy as personell managers. Their trading habits already have me wishing they could find another advisor just for that.

 

[Flanagan]

I still don't know how I feel about Briere being on the team. I've really never been much of a fan.

Hopefully he can change my opinion though

 

[Foppa2118]

Wonder what this years motto will be.

"Sorry Varly!"

 

[HockeyFan100]

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

Hejda - Johnson
Stuart - Barrie
Holden - Redmond/Guenin

 

[Foppa2118]

I'm just having a hard time seeing Iginla with anyone other than Duchene. It gives us two right handed shots on the top two lines, and I think he'd do well with them.

I also think he'll be on the PP with Duchene and O'Reilly. Those two do a lot of good give and go work on that side of the ice, and it's set up perfect to have Iginla in the slot, set up for a one-timer.

I agree. I have two preferred top 6's, and they depend on how well Mack is doing at center.

O'Reilly - Dutchy - Iginla
Landy - MacK - Tangs

or

Tangs - Dutchy - Iginla
Landy - O'Reilly - MacK

I actually really prefer both lines in the second option, but I don't think Roy wants to keep Nate on the wing.

 

[StayAtHomeAv]

The same Seguin who lead the Bruins in scoring in 11/12 and 4 points shy of leading them in 13? What do you expect from a 19/20 year old? I think the fact that he wasn't forced on centre duties helped his game more than anything.

The same one. Never said he got a fair wrap. But all anyone could talk about around that time was how disappointed Boston was with his development and they did not think he would be a legit top line C.

Personally, I was thinking Boston was just being stupid with that thought process.

 

[CobraAcesS]

Solid line up Kento, I change a few things.


Tanguay - Duchene - Iginla
Landeskog - O'Reilly - Mackinnon
Mitchell - Briere - Mcginn
Mcleod - Winchester - Talbot

Stuart - Johnson
Hejda - Barrie
Holden - Redmond
Guenin/Elliott

Berra
Varlamov

I just think that losing Staz defensive game that ROR has to move back to centre to cover for him.
​

I like this, and it's probably the most likely, but I'd put Talbot on the third line wing, and move Mitchell to the 4C spot. Winchester plays RW and center.

With that said I could easily see MacKinnon at center most of the time, and then being used on the wing for spot duty and on the power play.

Tanguay - Duchene - Iginla

Landeskog - O'Reilly - Talbot/MacK**

McGinn - MacK - Briere

McLeod - Mitchell - Winchester

Bordeleau

**The shutdown line w/Talbot, and a more offensive version w/MacK when were down a goal or two.

Stuart - Johnson

Hejda - Barrie

Holden - Redmond

Wilson/Elliott​

Guenin is sent down IMO, and Wilson comes into camp in better shape. He didn't look bad in the playoffs.

---

I know everyone is going to scream **MacK will not be a third line center!!!**, but setting the forwards up this way gives you a shutdown line, and continues MacK's development at center.

Maybe later in the year you see Landeskog - MacK / O'Reilly - Duchene, but for the first half MacK gets his extra ice time on the wing and on the power play while continuing to develop defensively.

Honestly if you don't give MacKinnon time at center ice, he won't develop the two-way side of his game. So that is a way to do that without hurting the team every night defensively. I also think the team realizes how important it is to start the year strong. It makes the second half of the season far easier and less stressful.

McGinn - MacK - Briere is actually a lot like McGinn - MacK - PA that we started with last season. They got fairly easy match-ups and produced because of it. However Briere is faster than PA, and battles much harder all over the ice. He will also be able to take draws when MacK is kicked out of the F/O circle.

y'all know I have to be different

 

[The Mars Volchenkov]

Seguin did just fine waiting in the wings (pun intended) for a few years. He seems to have developed better all around as a center since he was first in Boston often centering the 3rd line.

He was dynamite offensively, but defensively and in the faceoff circle (41%), had issues. I would want MacKinnon to be a better all around center by his 4th year.

 

[Shaggy88]

Mark me as another guy who doesn't understand the RoR back to center love affair. Today's NHL lines seem more to be about finding pairs that have great chemistry than trio's. One does not simply split up the best offensive pairing on the team.

RoR-Duchene-Iginla
Landeskog-MacKinnon-Tanguay
McGinn-Briere-Mitchell/Hishon
McLeod-Winchester-Talbot

To start the season at least. If MacK struggles that badly at center, then put RoR as 2C, move MacK to his RW and Tangs up to Duchene's LW.

Hejda - EJ
Stuart - Barrie
Holden - Redmond
Elliot
Guenin

 

[tigervixxxen]

The entire point about letting Stastny go is because MacKinnon is the future at center and the future is now. I like the idea of this initially where someone said a PF on each line. Depends on how chemistry goes of course. Duchene can play anywhere and with anyone but its true that he has difficult time finding chemistry with someone. Hopefully he can with Iggy. I could see giving Tangs-center-Iggy a whirl when they need offense but probably not as a main line. I can't believe Bordy won't play every night after playing 82 games but it doesn't make sense to take anyone else out as a regular.

O'Reilly - Duchene - Iginla
Landeskog - MacKinnon - Tanguay
McGinn - Mitchell - Briere
McLeod - Winchester - Talbot
Bordy/Cliche

Hejda - Johnson
Stuart - Barrie
Holden - Redmond
Guenin/Elliott

 

[Cousin Eddie]

The entire point about letting Stastny go is because MacKinnon is the future at center and the future is now. I like the idea of this initially where someone said a PF on each line. Depends on how chemistry goes of course. Duchene can play anywhere and with anyone but its true that he has difficult time finding chemistry with someone. Hopefully he can with Iggy. I could see giving Tangs-center-Iggy a whirl when they need offense but probably not as a main line. I can't believe Bordy won't play every night after playing 82 games but it doesn't make sense to take anyone else out as a regular.

O'Reilly - Duchene - Iginla
Landeskog - MacKinnon - Tanguay
McGinn - Mitchell - Briere
McLeod - Winchester - Talbot
Bordy/Cliche
Hejda - Johnson
Stuart - Barrie
Holden - Redmond
Guenin/Elliott

I just want to quote you to talk about our forwards. I know nobody knows the exact reason why Briere was brought in. I'm up and down on how I feel about him in our lineup last year but if we didn't have him we could slot Talbot up a line and stick Bordeleau into our 4th line while saving ourselves 4 million on the cap. That doesn't make our team much worse at all and as somebody who was a Bordy hater I have to admit he was good late in the season and in the playoffs.
Of course there's no reason to shed Briere's salary if we aren't making any moves but hypothetically thinking, do we need him at all?

 

[henchman21]

I just want to quote you to talk about our forwards. I know nobody knows the exact reason why Briere was brought in. I'm up and down on how I feel about him in our lineup last year but if we didn't have him we could slot Talbot up a line and stick Bordeleau into our 4th line while saving ourselves 4 million on the cap. That doesn't make our team much worse at all and as somebody who was a Bordy hater I have to admit he was good late in the season and in the playoffs.
Of course there's no reason to shed Briere's salary if we aren't making any moves but hypothetically thinking, do we need him at all?

IMO Briere was brought in for 3 main reasons... first and most importantly, to shed 1 year of PAP's salary, he can play in the bottom 6 without complaining about it, and he adds some offensive depth on the right side of the forwards. He can play any forward position, but being one of the few right shots he will get slotted on RW on either the 3rd or 4th line (likely the 3rd). When injuries eventually hit, McGinn will be the first option in the top 6, but Briere will likely be the 2nd.

 

[InjuredChoker]

The reason Boston moved Seguin was off the ice issues, not on the ice.

and media and cap going down. and overreaction to final loss.

but that was probably the main reason.

 

[AslanRH]

I just want to quote you to talk about our forwards. I know nobody knows the exact reason why Briere was brought in. I'm up and down on how I feel about him in our lineup last year but if we didn't have him we could slot Talbot up a line and stick Bordeleau into our 4th line while saving ourselves 4 million on the cap. That doesn't make our team much worse at all and as somebody who was a Bordy hater I have to admit he was good late in the season and in the playoffs.
Of course there's no reason to shed Briere's salary if we aren't making any moves but hypothetically thinking, do we need him at all?

No, I'd have rather seen them dump PAP for nothing (future 7th) to a cap floor team which I think if they were patient they could have managed, than try to get perceived value in Briere.

 

[Jeff_Dyck_#1]

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

Hejda-Johnson
Stuart-Barrie
Holden-Redmond
Guenin
Wilson

Varlamov
Berra

First call-ups: Hishon, Cliche, Elliott, Roman Will.

 

[Barklez]

Not going to say too much because I'm still waffling quite a bit on how I'd put the lines but...

MacK centering with O'Reilly on his wing makes a whole lot of sense to me. It allows MacK to split defensive duties with O'R the same way that Duchene did last year. I'm with a lot of other posters here in thinking that the plan is to have MacK at center this year. Then why not ease that transition by allowing O'Reilly help cover for him defensively as needed? IMO that backup is what allowed Dutchy up his game again last year.