- Aug 25, 2006
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We now have RyJo who plays better in the playoffs than the RS and Tatar who plays better in the RS than the playoffs.
Balance has been restored in the universe.
Balance has been restored in the universe.
He is also a goalie killer! Well… at least an eye killerWe now have RyJo who plays better in the playoffs than the RS and Tatar who plays better in the RS than the playoffs.
Balance has been restored in the universe.
If Landy comes back in the playoffs, absolutely not. Avs will have a 3rd line which would be a 2nd line on many teams.Is there any roster better than this Avs team? I guess there's VGK, Leafs, Panthers in the conversation
If Landy comes back in the playoffs, absolutely not. Avs will have a 3rd line which would be a 2nd line on many teams.
Lehky-Colton-Tatar
This would be the Avs 3rd line if Drouin produces on top 6
I'd rather have the high quality of our top 5 D than greater D depth. D was not our main issue last year. Playing a lot of AHL-quality forwards down there and moving guys from the bottom six who have no business playing top six on a team expecting to go deep in the playoffs was definitely an issue.Manson's health is a question mark, Byram is Byram, Makar misses a bunch of games every year and JJ is 36 (turning 37 mid season).
MacDermid, who should never play another shift at D in the NHL, is our #7.
We need defense depth, it's not true that every team is the same. We have the high end guys but our depth is well below average while our injury history is well above average.
D depth is the only weak link left on the roster IMO. If we could find a way to trade MacDermid++ for a cheap NHL caliber right handed defenseman it would be perfect. Ideally one that can PK.
But it looks like a 3rd line, and it might kick ass and be the best. That wasn't happening at all last year.Wood being on the 3rd line isn't exactly a good thing.... It isn't even the best 3rd line in our own division.
I agreeEven without Landy. The defense is tops in the league already, then you have Mack and Rantanen surrounded by a deep squad
Paging Dr. Freud...Who wouldn't want Stanley Cup full of hot dogs though? Sign me up
It is nice, we will actually have a 3rd line this season. I'm still only willing to be cautiously optimistic that all the moves made this summer will pay off. There is no doubt though that this is an upgrade, last season our third line was just a cast of spare parts, all that was required was a pulse and the trainers to tell Bednar they were available. Everyone that was capable of playing in the top six was, even those that weren't capable of playing in the top six were.I'd rather have the high quality of our top 5 D than greater D depth. D was not our main issue last year. Playing a lot of AHL-quality forwards down there and moving guys from the bottom six who have no business playing top six on a team expecting to go deep in the playoffs was definitely an issue.
This year's forward group, no matter how it sorts out, will find us with a 4th line comprised of actual useful 4th line players in appropriate roles, not some bizarre puzzle mixture of minor leaguers and out of place lower tier NHL guys. Some of these grinders are going to also help out the D by playing heavy and responsibly. Essentially we grew a 3rd line out of nowhere and got our 4th line back -- their are many question marks but you can see how it should work out well.
But it looks like a 3rd line, and it might kick ass and be the best. That wasn't happening at all last year.
That's been the main thing missing since Kadri left, so I like our chances this year.He is also a goalie killer! Well… at least an eye killer
Great post, and exactly mate. Also don't forget that competition for spots is also a very healthy place and space to be, because it lifts everyone's effort (even in training).Significant improvements in the forward group.
Last year:
Lekhonen - MacKinnon - Nichushkin
Rodrigues - Compher - Rantanen
Malgin - Newhook - LOC
Hunt - Meyers - Cogliano
This season:
Drouin - MacKinnon - Nichushkin
Lehkonen - Johansen - Rantanen
Tatar - Colton - Wood
Cogs - Meyers - OC/Kovalenko
Out: Rodrigues, Compher, Newhook
In: Johansen, Colton, Wood, Drouin, Tatar, (Kovalenko)
Last year, the stars on this team didn’t have any support. This season they’ve got a squad with them. Excited for the season.
Significant improvements in the forward group.
Last year:
Lekhonen - MacKinnon - Nichushkin
Rodrigues - Compher - Rantanen
Malgin - Newhook - LOC
Hunt - Meyers - Cogliano
This season:
Drouin - MacKinnon - Nichushkin
Lehkonen - Johansen - Rantanen
Tatar - Colton - Wood
Cogs - Meyers - OC/Kovalenko
Out: Rodrigues, Compher, Newhook
In: Johansen, Colton, Wood, Drouin, Tatar, (Kovalenko)
Last year, the stars on this team didn’t have any support. This season they’ve got a squad with them. Excited for the season.
This is not a problem. He has been a good bottom pairing D-man for us. I have no problem having him in our opening line up (even for playoffs). But the options are not great after that.I'm kinda glad we spent the money now instead of at the deadline. We got a player that can help during the whole season for 0 asset.
Still wish we could find a way to get another reliable bottom RHD though, especially with Manson health situation and JJ being in the top 6.
Depends on RyJo. If we get 2C RyJo it’s a top tier lineup, if we get dogshit RyJo it’s a decent lineup.Is there any roster better than this Avs team? I guess there's VGK, Leafs, Panthers in the conversation
Quite a few still.Is there any roster better than this Avs team? I guess there's VGK, Leafs, Panthers in the conversation
Why do people think LA is good?Quite a few still.
It's not like Tatar completely changes the roster. We still have Drouin playing 1st line LW. We still have Johansen at 2C. We still have Wood in the Top 9. JJ is still the #6D and MacDermid is still gonna play 50+ games.
Tatar makes things a lot better for sure, but there's still some clear weaknesses on the roster.
I'd say today New Jersey and Toronto are definitely ahead of us. We're about on par with teams like Carolina, Vegas, Los Angeles.
Quite a few still.
It's not like Tatar completely changes the roster. We still have Drouin playing 1st line LW. We still have Johansen at 2C. We still have Wood in the Top 9. JJ is still the #6D and MacDermid is still gonna play 50+ games.
Tatar makes things a lot better for sure, but there's still some clear weaknesses on the roster.
I'd say today New Jersey and Toronto are definitely ahead of us. We're about on par with teams like Carolina, Vegas, Los Angeles.
Why do people think LA is good?
@Richard88 ?? Did I accidentally have you on ignore for the past year and a half ??If Landeskog returns it may still be feasible to keep the team intact next summer simply by moving Manson.
The cap is projected to rise to $87.5m in 2024, so there's an additional $4m which basically covers Toews' raise. It might be on the low side but in the AGM below I used $7.5m X 8 years (the 8th year being what keeps the AAV down a bit), and that allows just enough capspace to fill out a 22 man roster by simply moving Manson off the roster (his NTC becomes a limited NTC so it is possible and may even actually be the plan by CMac).
The 4th liners, 5/6D, and backup G would all need to be $1m but that shouldn't be an issue if the Avs can continue to be an attractive destination for players (as we've already seen with ERod, Tatar, Drouin, Cogliano, Jack Johnson, and college free agents Meyers, Pavel, Malinski, etc).
How could you possibly think they're not?
They're ridiculously deep down the middle and have a strong Defense. Only weakness is Goaltending but I expect them to solve that by the deadline.
And we still have Wood and Drouin in our Top 9. I'd much rather have those wingers on our team versus Wood and Drouin.Yes, Kopitar, Dubois and Danault is the best group of centers in the league but they still have Byfield, Kaliyev and Moore in their top 9.