Pre-Game Talk: 2023/24 Training Camp

[Bill Peckerskull]

 

[a mangy Meowth]

He admitted in several interviews that he didn't go back to Toronto (his choice) because of market pressure. Here's one:

https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/nashville-predators/preds-talk/ryan-oreilly-reveals-another-factor-in-decision-to-sign-with-nashville

At what size typically does a fanbase / market begin to culture a 'hostile' media environment? Our fanbase is in the hundreds of thousands or millions (I'm just inventing numbers tbh) which is plenty big enough to have swaths of aggressive idiots reaching out maliciously on social media. I'm glad that we, in large part, seem to be a little more reasonable as a fanbase and city. I'd actually say we have a top tier sports climate/culture - players seem to love it here being my only 'evidence'.

I never really understood why people writing bad stuff in articles or asking mean questions in post game pressers is so much more added pressure. Do players really take to heart what Steve Simmons writes scathingly in his next column when most ordinary readers don't think much of him? Or that the more numerous laypeople on the street or in stores in those cities might give them verbal grief or attention or whatever more frequently?

Plus, this is the NHL. If you do poorly, it's getting some coverage at some level even if you're the Coyotes so you can't hide. The failure vs. high expectations in Toronto is what should be most significantly painful for a competitor in that situation, right? Not that there's however million more disappointed fans and 250 more snide sports journalists writing 1000 more articles about how you suck as a player or coach or exec.


Maybe it's just an easy excuse to use IDK

 

[Foppa2118]

This might be the strongest endorsement I've ever heard from Bednar on a young player. I'm trying to think of what would even be close. Actually said he was rooting for him.

Pavel might just be a lock at this point.

Natural Center - check
Hard Worker - check
Good Skater - check
Good Faceoffs - check
PKer - check
Size - check
Pre-Season Goal - check
Bednar Endorsement - check

 

[RockLobster]

BUT HE'S GOOD IN THE LOCKER ROOM!!!


Avs are a loyal organization to a fault. People should just expect Dermy will be here and be happy when he isn't.

As I've told you privately, I've never expected MacDermid to NOT be here, but I do wonder if this was the first time since he's been an Av that his spot wasn't 100% secure?

I say that because of Bednar not wanting to use him at D this year, but also due to his continued low TOI. Bednar continues to (seemingly) go through great lengths to not play him.

At any rate, as you said he's here and we just have to deal with it as long as he is.

 

[henchman21]

I doubt Bednar plays Malinski over JJ, especially with Girard being the other guy on that bottom pairing. And the Avs won't let him sit in the press box.

IMO Malinski is pretty much guranteed to start with the Eagles unless a more serious injury pops up.

I can see Malinski sitting... he's pretty much a finished product. Sitting for a week or so won't do any harm. The reason to send him down over Hunt is more waivers than anything else.

 

[Pokecheque]

Hunt will play, like, 10 games for the Eagles. He's the captain so by default he won't be there any appreciable amount of time.

 

[henchman21]

As I've told you privately, I've never expected MacDermid to NOT be here, but I do wonder if this was the first time since he's been an Av that his spot wasn't 100% secure?

I say that because of Bednar not wanting to use him at D this year, but also due to his continued low TOI. Bednar continues to (seemingly) go through great lengths to not play him.

At any rate, as you said he's here and we just have to deal with it as long as he is.

Bednar has been making more and more comments over the last year like that, not just on Dermy. I think he's less than satisfied on a few positions and it is his way of sending a message.

I would be very happy to see Dermy go to Windsor and never come back. I just sadly don't see it happening.

 

[LOFIN]

Avs are a loyal organization to a fault.

Well I wouldn't say that. Plenty of players we've traded away or let go during the era of this core. One player sticking around isn't changing that.

 

[henchman21]

Well I wouldn't say that. Plenty of players we've traded away or let go during the era of this core. One player sticking around isn't changing that.

There are instances where contracts expiring have let players move on, but I really can't think of many instances of them moving a piece under contract without other factors at play, especially with good locker room guys. Jost asked for a trade. So did Kaut, but I wouldn't put him in this group. Graves was expansion draft issues.

When on the other side, if affordable, they will bring back guys they like, even if they have to claim or trade for them. And they won't really push hard to move on from bad contracts like EJ.

 

[Subzero]

I wonder if Meyers will eventually request a trade or just be traded outright. With Tufte and Olofsson having outplayed him this preseason, Holland having way more NHL experience and possibly going signing a 2 way contract, Kovy coming over at the end of the season and Bednar essentially penciling in Pavs as 4C next year, I don't know where Meyers will fit. OO may push for a spot in the middle 6 as well, and there is always the possibility of Landy coming back at some point too.

 

[Bill Peckerskull]

 

[GirardSpinorama]

I wonder if Meyers will eventually request a trade or just be traded outright. With Tufte and Olofsson having outplayed him this preseason, Holland having way more NHL experience and possibly going signing a 2 way contract, Kovy coming over at the end of the season and Bednar essentially penciling in Pavs as 4C next year, I don't know where Meyers will fit. OO may push for a spot in the middle 6 as well, and there is always the possibility of Landy coming back at some point too.

Last year was his chance but unfortunately he didnt make the most of it. Now we have colton.

 

[hoserthehorrible]

This might be the strongest endorsement I've ever heard from Bednar on a young player. I'm trying to think of what would even be close. Actually said he was rooting for him.

Pavel might just be a lock at this point.

Natural Center - check
Hard Worker - check
Good Skater - check
Good Faceoffs - check
PKer - check
Size - check
Pre-Season Goal - check
Bednar Endorsement - check

A lock for what? The Avs NHL roster to start the season? I thought he was already sent to the Eagles. camp.

 

[Foppa2118]

A lock for what? The Avs NHL roster to start the season? I thought he was already sent to the Eagles. camp.

I must have missed that. There goes that theory.

 

[Vaslof]

As I've told you privately, I've never expected MacDermid to NOT be here, but I do wonder if this was the first time since he's been an Av that his spot wasn't 100% secure?

I say that because of Bednar not wanting to use him at D this year, but also due to his continued low TOI. Bednar continues to (seemingly) go through great lengths to not play him.

At any rate, as you said he's here and we just have to deal with it as long as he is.

I feel like a professional would not be passive aggressive like this and he'd just talk to the GM if he wanted to get rid of MacDermid.

 

[RockLobster]

I feel like a professional would not be passive aggressive like this and he'd just talk to the GM if he wanted to get rid of MacDermid.

I mean I'm sure that he's made it known already, but he keeps getting asked questions and he does his best to be diplomatic (in my view). He was asked recently if he would consider using MacDermid on D if he had to and he answered something to the effect of "I'd rather not, he's had a good camp at Forward". But...I mean his usage tells us that he'd really rather not play him at all.

 

[Foppa2118]

I don't think Bednar wants to get rid of MacDermid. He just wants to play him as a depth forward.

The criticsm is a little over the top IMO for his role. He's a 13/14F. Probably the 14F if Tufte and Olofsson make the team. We've seen countless players on the Avs that are worse in that role than him.

 

[Avs9296]

I don't think Bednar wants to get rid of MacDermid. He just wants to play him as a depth forward.

The criticsm is a little over the top IMO for his role. He's a 13/14F. Probably the 14F if Tufte makes the team. We've seen countless players on the Avs that are worse in that role than him.

He should be on league minimum tho.

 

[Foppa2118]

He should be on league minimum tho.

Maybe that's fair. I think he earned a couple hundred thousand more when he signed it though. He wasn't really the whipping boy he is now after 2021-22. That was a decent year for him.

Reeves had just signed for $1.75M with 5 points in 37 games the season prior too.

 

[Richard88]

There are instances where contracts expiring have let players move on, but I really can't think of many instances of them moving a piece under contract without other factors at play, especially with good locker room guys. Jost asked for a trade. So did Kaut, but I wouldn't put him in this group. Graves was expansion draft issues.

When on the other side, if affordable, they will bring back guys they like, even if they have to claim or trade for them. And they won't really push hard to move on from bad contracts like EJ.

Donskoi - lost to ExD
Graves - trade forced by ExD
Zadorov - traded as an RFA when he would have priced himself out
Kerfoot - traded as an RFA
Cole - trade forced because of cap reasons due to EJ and Francouz being on IR.
Jost - traded with one year and a bit left, had previously requested trade
Kaut - had requested trades
Barrie - traded with one year left to UFA as he (i.e. Newport) priced himself out and Makar was clearly taking his place

So yeah, unless trades are forced the Avs are actually pretty loyal to their guys. The Cole trade in particular does give some hope that the front office can be ruthless when they need to be though, as will likely need to happen next off-season.

 

[John Mandalorian]

Maybe that's fair. I think he earned a couple hundred thousand more when he signed it though. He wasn't really the whipping boy he is now after 2021-22. That was a decent year for him.

Reeves had just signed for $1.75M with 5 points in 37 games the season prior too.

He can’t be relied on too much. It seems like he’s less effective as a fighter if he also feels like he needs to be available for actually playing.

 

[Foppa2118]

He can’t be relied on too much. It seems like he’s less effective as a fighter if he also feels like he needs to be available for actually playing.

I'm curious if that changes playing forward. You only have 6D. You lose one for 5 minutes and that's not ideal. Also not many are willing to fight him.

 

[avsfan9]

Must be tough to play defense for the Avs when the coach watches Makar Toews and Byram every game and practice and then you have to try and measure up.

 

[Pokecheque]

Maybe that's fair. I think he earned a couple hundred thousand more when he signed it though. He wasn't really the whipping boy he is now after 2021-22. That was a decent year for him.

Reeves had just signed for $1.75M with 5 points in 37 games the season prior too.

I don't know if it was so much a decent year so much as the team was better able to cover for him, last year's team had depth issues even before injuries struck and I believe he played a lot more defense, which also left him exposed a ton more.

I suppose the silver lining in all this is that the Avs scratched the proverbial itch all NHL teams get and got their requisite tough guy for a very low price (it's close to a million but I'll take that any day over what Reaves got) so it could be worse.

 

[Richard88]

I don't know if it was so much a decent year so much as the team was better able to cover for him, last year's team had depth issues even before injuries struck and I believe he played a lot more defense, which also left him exposed a ton more.

I suppose the silver lining in all this is that the Avs scratched the proverbial itch all NHL teams get and got their requisite tough guy for a very low price (it's close to a million but I'll take that any day over what Reaves got) so it could be worse.

The Avs 22 man roster including Francouz and with Hunt as 7D and MacDermid as 13F has $537.5k in capspace.

If MacDermid was making league minimum ($775k) the Avs would have an extra $212.5k, giving them $750k in capspace.

That's just $25k short of being able to keep a 23rd guy with a league minimum $775k caphit (eg.Tufte) on the roster when Francouz returns.

Kinda makes it a shame they couldn't sign MacDermid for under $962.5k instead of $987.5k, because right now if Francouz was healthy MacDermid would effectively be taking up two roster spots as his csphit precludes you from having a 23rd guy (whereas if you had someone with a caphit of $962.k or less in his place you could actually go with a 23 man roster).

All of which is a moot point right now though since Francouz is out, but it might be something that becomes annoying later in the season when Francouz returns and they are forced to waive one of Tufte, Hunt, or Olofsson...