Line Combos: 2019-2020 Colorado Avalanche

[SoundwaveIsCharisma]

Cale and EJ our only RD at this point?

Unless one of Meloche or Timmins kills it during camp, yes

 

[CobraAcesS]

Cale and EJ our only RD at this point?

Makar unless I'm missing something?

 

[Foppa Frossa]

Makar unless I'm missing something?

Yes, you're missing the fact that Makar's first name is Cale

And maybe your glasses

 

[CobraAcesS]

Yes, you're missing the fact that Makar's first name is Cale

And maybe your glasses

My god.. I read that as Cole, and not once either lol.


I did not sleep at a f***ing holiday INN last night apparently.

 

[Bill Peckerskull]

My god.. I read that as Cole, and not once either lol.


I did not sleep at a ****ing holiday INN last night apparently.

Good thing he didn't say a Cole/Cale pairing...

 

[CobraAcesS]

Good thing he didn't say a Cole/Cale pairing...

I mean I'm fully expecting Cole to come back with Jax level Mortal Kombat legs so..

Also with Barrie here I fully expected Cole could end up his partner. I actually like Cole myself. He may have been over used at times, but the dude is a warrior, Cup winner, and is a legitimately good team mate and leader based on all accounts everywhere.

Hopefully he recovers well from his surgeries.

The dude is not Stuart or Greg Zannon.. More Hedja for me.

 

[McMetal]

How do we feel about Graves vs Connauton?

Connauton > Graves pretty easy. I like Graves a lot but Connauton is a proven NHL bottom pair D, and Graves is promising but has no track record.

 

[Wintersun]

I mean I'm fully expecting Cole to come back with Jax level Mortal Kombat legs so..

Also with Barrie here I fully expected Cole could end up his partner. I actually like Cole myself. He may have been over used at times, but the dude is a warrior, Cup winner, and is a legitimately good team mate and leader based on all accounts everywhere.

Hopefully he recovers well from his surgeries.

The dude is not Stuart or Greg Zannon.. More Hedja for me.

Needs to cut on penalties but otherwise he's a fine player who knows his role.

 

[John Eichel da GOAT]

Forwards

Landeskog-MacKinnon-Rantanen
Jost-Kadri-Burkovsky
Compher-Wilson-Donskoi
Calvert-Bellemare-Nieto


Kamanev
Kaut
Greer
Dries
Bowers
O’Connor

 

[Avaholic29]

Landeskog - Mack - Burakovsky
Jost - Kadri - Rantanen
Calvert - Compher - Donskoi
Wilson - Bellemare - Nieto

Girard - Makar
Zadorov - EJ
Rosen - Timmins

 

[FreshFitted67]

Personally I'd have:

Landeskog-Mackinnon-Burakovsky
Jost-Kadri-Rantanen
Wilson-Compher-Donskoi
Nieto-Kamenev-Calvert
Bellemare

Girard-Makar
Zadorov-Johnson
Connauton-Timmins/Meloche
Rosen

I want to see what we have in these young players. Let them play a little bit before Cole comes back.

 

[CobraAcesS]

Connauton > Graves pretty easy. I like Graves a lot but Connauton is a proven NHL bottom pair D, and Graves is promising but has no track record.

Yeah.. I.. If Graves plays anywhere near what hes done in pretty much every NHL game hes given us I like him more. He will push the play, has a legit shot, a legit first pass, is physical, and will skate the puck out before icing it.

I think people are legit afraid to give Graves full credit for his play, and even have resulted in calling him lucky in order to scapegoat their unwillingness to give him credit because he came out of nowhere.

Whatever.. Not that uncommon for these guys to show well for a while and then fall flat on their face, but what we have seen so far I really freaking like.

 

[McMetal]

Yeah.. I.. If Graves plays anywhere near what hes does in pretty much every NHL game hes given us I like him more. He will push the play, has a legit shot, a legit first pass, is physical, and will skate the puck out before icing it.

I think people are legit afraid to give Graves full credit for his play, and even have resulted in calling him lucky in order to scapegoat their unwillingness to give him credit because he came out of nowhere.

Whatever.. Not that uncommon for these guys to show well for a while and then fall flat on their face, but what we have seen so far I really freaking like.

I do legit like Graves, I'm just being cautious. He was given a pretty sheltered role and nobody had any tape on him yet. I'm optimistic though.

Still, it's hard to say Graves > Connauton right now. Maybe Graves forces his way over Connauton over the course of the season, that would only be good for the team. I could see Connauton being waived once Cole is healthy and/or if Byram or Graves prove ready. But as of right now Graves is still just hopes and dreams.

 

[Ivan13]

I want them to get Gardiner. Overpay on a short term deal.

 

[CobraAcesS]

I do legit like Graves, I'm just being cautious. He was given a pretty sheltered role and nobody had any tape on him yet. I'm optimistic though.

Still, it's hard to say Graves > Connauton right now. Maybe Graves forces his way over Connauton over the course of the season, that would only be good for the team. I could see Connauton being waived once Cole is healthy and/or if Byram or Graves prove ready. But as of right now Graves is still just hopes and dreams.

I go back to some stuff I read about a scout wondering why Graves wasn't already in the NHL after viewing him in the AHL.

The guy has more than one plus talents that a lot of bottom pairing guys do not. His skating/agility for his size, his shot, and a solid first pass. His tools are seriously well above a lot of what we get with regular bottom pairing guys let alone 6/7s IMO.

God of all the guys that we have seen make it for a little bit and stick like Holden and Guenin, and that other dude NY liked. Graves first impression has blown them out of the water. Especially in the modern NHL.

I don't mind being a little glass half full with some of these guys. Graves is supposed to be sheltered like any other bottom pairing D.

It is funny because I've hated on Mitchell while everyone loved him and defended him. I've supported Calvert while everyone crapped on him. I've got some against the grain opinions on some of these depth guys, but sometimes I don't really get why.

 

[dahrougem2]

I can't stress enough how much of a mistake I think Joe Sakic and Jared Bednar would be making by penciling in Tyson Jost to the 2LW slot beside Nazem Kadri.

Personally speaking, Jost is a centre to me, and J.T. Compher is a winger through and through. I don't want Jost on the wing and Compher down the middle.

 

[Asinine]

Landeskog-MacKinnon-Rantanen
Compher-Kadri-Burakovsky

Or

Landeskog-MacKinnon-Burakovsky
Compher-Kadri-Rantanen

If the top line gets split up I think it'd be more beneficial to get Rantanen with 2 shooters in Kadri and Compher. Plus Burakovsky-Mack-Rantanen feels like it would have the same results as Kerfoot with those 2 did.

 

[Freaky Styley]

Landeskog-MacKinnon-Burakovsky
Jost-Kadri-Rantanen
Wilson-Compher-Donskoi
Nieto-Bellamere-Calvert

This is the answer IMO. With Kamenec and Greer battling for a spot. Really happy with the Bellemare signing he will be a fan favourite like Calvert before long.
Need to put Burakovsky next to Mack if you want to extract full potential. The guy has confidence issues apparently and this is the best way to eliminate that. We have 4 lines to compete with anyone in the league now.

 

[Boulder Avalanche]

I think Greer sticks this year. Not sure who he pushes out but I think the sandpaper in his game along with Kadri’s is something that Bednar is going to like. Splitting up Rantanen and MacKinnon at least to start makes some sense. The Bellamere signing might be my favorite move. A 4th line player like him is one of their highly under appreciated assets and he is the best 4th line player we have had since McClement left.

 

[TruePowerSlave]

I think Greer sticks this year. Not sure who he pushes out but I think the sandpaper in his game along with Kadri’s is something that Bednar is going to like. Splitting up Rantanen and MacKinnon at least to start makes some sense. The Bellamere signing might be my favorite move. A 4th line player like him is one of their highly under appreciated assets and he is the best 4th line player we have had since McClement left.

I don't see how Greer pushes anyone out of the lineup, when healthy every forward is at least a solid 4th line guy.

 

[obZen]

Landeskog-Mackinnon-Rantanen
Burakovsky-Kadri-Compher
Wilson-Jost-Donskoi
Nieto-Bellemare-Calvert

Girard-Makar
Zadorov-Johnson
Connauton-Graves/Barberio--Cole will be here around Christmas

20-21 defense should be stacked.
Girard-Makar
Byram-Timmins
Zadorov-Johnson
Hopefully Meloche is in the picture by then.

 

[Richard88]

FWIW, I would roll:

Burakovsky - MacKinnon - Rantanen
Landeskog - Kadri - Compher
Wilson - Jost - Donskoi
Nieto - Bellemare - Calvert

I like the shutdown 2nd line, having Jost at center, Compher NOT at center, and giving Burakovsky a chance to score lots of goals.

Burakovsky is a player who needs to have space to be most effective due to his slow release, so putting him with Mackinnon and Rantanen (who will undoubtedly draw most attention from opposing D's) could be a really good move.

The only concern with that line combo though is that there wouldn't be anyone doing the defensive work otherwise done by Landeskog.

 

[Patagonia]

There is some many options after the changes in just the last few years.

Landeskog - MacKinnon - Rantanen
Burakovsky - Kadri - Compher
Calvert - Jost - Donskoi
Wilson - Kamenev - Nieto
Bellemare/Greer (Call Ups)

Zadorov - Johnson
Girard - Makar
Connauton - Cole

Grubuaer
Francouz

 

[Richard88]

I don't think he starts the year there but who knows.




I'd go :

MacKinnon
Rantanen
Landeskog
Kadri
Jost
Compher
Donskoi

Girard
Makar
X

Gruby

Looks like it'll come down to a choice between protecting Timmins or Zadorov, assuming of course there's a way for Johnson to wave (and that Timmins becomes what we hope he can become).

 

[klozge]

Kaut and Timmins will be on the team when the playoffs start and possibly much sooner. (Both might make the team right out of camp but I doubt it now thanks to the waiver situation.) Kamenev and Greer better work hard this summer.