Rumor: 2024-2025 Trade Rumors and Free Agency Talk | The Slow Crawl to the Season

Foppa2118

Registered User
Oct 3, 2003
52,678
32,070
Moved this response here:
Like @henchman21 said earlier, Avs are looking for the best value contracts for dmen and the best bang for the buck is in the small bottom pair puck movers.

Problem is these dmen don't PK and don't usually do well in the playoffs.

The regular season style with all the rule changes, has drastically changed what style is successful. It's almost a new brand of hockey IMO.

The bigger D men can't interfere in the neutral zone, they can't clear the front of the net effectively, and a lot of the defensive plays they relied on in the past below the goal line, aren't allowed any more.

So you need quick transition D men to skate the puck out of the D zone, to help you defensively, even if the D men aren't that good defensively, in the traditional sense.

But the playoffs are still close to what NHL hockey always has been. Defenseman can take more liberties with interference, cross checks, roughing, etc. This slows down the skill forwards, especially the smaller ones, which there's more of then there used to be.

This not only means that the bigger, stronger, less mobile defenseman, become more important in the playoffs, but since forwards are also allowed more liberties with roughing, cross checking, etc (e.g shoving a D man away from you in front of the net or borderline hits on dump ins), then the smaller puck moving D men that have limitations on their strength and reach, become less important, unless they're elite.

You almost need to build two different teams now. One that's successful enough to get you into the playoffs, and then one with a different style, that can make a deep run IN the playoffs.

Because of that, I'm expecting two way D men with some grit or size, to be the main focus of the Avs deadline. It needs improvement in that area for the playoffs and I think Joe and CMac know that.
 

expatriatedtexan

Habitual Line Stepper
Aug 17, 2005
18,738
15,176
I love PEB and it's only a PTO. Can't say I'm upset in anyway. Not sure how he's going to look though, but that's why it's a PTO and not a 1 way deal.
 
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RockLobster

King in the North
Jul 5, 2003
27,546
8,110
Kansas
1726150747012.jpeg
 

UnkleKraker

Registered User
May 31, 2007
3,506
1,009
Washington State
I just don't think he's that good. No offense whatsoever and he's hardly an elite shutdown defender. He's just...really big. That's a lot to be paying a middle-pairing guy who's merely "good" on his best day.

Building around guys like this is a huge reason why Seattle remains inept offensively.

Agree. I think Francis is just bad at this point. I can't get behind the team every though I live in Washington.
 

The Abusement Park

Registered User
Jan 18, 2016
35,140
26,336
Avs wanted Tyler Johnson, but he saw more opportunities in Boston and I don't blame him.

PEB is awesome, probably isn't an amazing NHLer anymore, but seems like a beast in the lockerroom.
I don't think the Avs wanted Johnson. And if they did want Johnson for the 4C role he'd be a horrible fit considering he hasn't been a C since like 2019.
 

Avs9296

Registered User
Jul 1, 2019
3,114
4,748
Hahaha leave it to Nate to give injury updates on his teammates.

So no Nuke and no Lehky game 1. Landy probably not either.

What's the lines?

Drouin-Mack-LOC?
Colton-Mittelstadt-Rantanen
Wood-Ritchie?-Kelly
Kiviranta-Bellemare-Wagner

Am I missing people? It's been so long since we've played.

Hahaha leave it to Nate to give injury updates on his teammates.

So no Nuke and no Lehky game 1. Landy probably not either.

What's the lines?

Drouin-Mack-LOC?
Colton-Mittelstadt-Rantanen
Wood-Ritchie?-Kelly
Kiviranta-Bellemare-Wagner

Am I missing people? It's been so long since we've played.


Edit: Kovalenko probably gets a 3rd or 4th line spot actually. Forgot about him.
 
Nov 29, 2003
53,694
39,098
Screw You Blaster
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Hahaha leave it to Nate to give injury updates on his teammates.

So no Nuke and no Lehky game 1. Landy probably not either.

What's the lines?

Drouin-Mack-LOC?
Colton-Mittelstadt-Rantanen
Wood-Ritchie?-Kelly
Kiviranta-Bellemare-Wagner

Am I missing people? It's been so long since we've played.




Edit: Kovalenko probably gets a 3rd or 4th line spot actually. Forgot about him.
You just know that Beds is going to load up that first line, Mitts-Mack-Rants 40 minutes a night
 

shadow1

Registered User
Nov 29, 2008
16,732
5,538
Hahaha leave it to Nate to give injury updates on his teammates.

So no Nuke and no Lehky game 1. Landy probably not either.

What's the lines?

Drouin-Mack-LOC?
Colton-Mittelstadt-Rantanen
Wood-Ritchie?-Kelly
Kiviranta-Bellemare-Wagner

Am I missing people? It's been so long since we've played.




Edit: Kovalenko probably gets a 3rd or 4th line spot actually. Forgot about him.

I predict...

Drouin-MacKinnon-Rantanen
Kovalenko-Mittelstadt-Ritchie
Wood-Colton-O'Connor
Kelly-Bellemare-Kiviranta
 

Avs9296

Registered User
Jul 1, 2019
3,114
4,748
I predict...

Drouin-MacKinnon-Rantanen
Kovalenko-Mittelstadt-Ritchie
Wood-Colton-O'Connor
Kelly-Bellemare-Kiviranta
I know Bednar is Bednar, but with 3 top six wingers out I don't think he can afford to load up the top line. Leaves very, very little for the 2nd line.
 

Pokecheque

I’ve been told it’s spelled “Pokecheck”
Sponsor
Aug 5, 2003
48,042
31,307
The Flatlands
www.armoredheadspace.com
I know Bednar is Bednar, but with 3 top six wingers out I don't think he can afford to load up the top line. Leaves very, very little for the 2nd line.
Bob Hartley had a similar problem some 20+ years ago, and he tried "balancing" the lines. I can remember that first game of the season clear as day, when they trotted out Steve Brule in one of his only three NHL career games and he promptly fired his only shot on goal point-blank...on Patrick Roy.

If anything, this lineup screams "top-heavy" more than ever. Trying to spread the wealth will more than likely lead to zero effective lines instead of one effective line and three lines of crap.
 

Bender

Registered User
Sep 25, 2002
17,809
9,517
Kinda hoping the Avs can make some sort of deal. Not sure Malinski makes the team and he probably doesn't make it through waivers.

Make a deal for a Jonatan Berggren or Nik Robertson or someone who's 'apparently' on the 'outs' with their respective teams.

If we get a couple injuries, we really have nobody that we can plug into the Top-6.
 
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GoNordiquesGo

Registered User
Oct 1, 2016
783
723
Montreal, Quebec
We'll get a plug from the waiver wire... which will provide a spark for one week, then will suck badly for the rest of the mandatory up time, and will be lost on the waiver wire once we get our players back...
 

Avs9296

Registered User
Jul 1, 2019
3,114
4,748
Im
Bob Hartley had a similar problem some 20+ years ago, and he tried "balancing" the lines. I can remember that first game of the season clear as day, when they trotted out Steve Brule in one of his only three NHL career games and he promptly fired his only shot on goal point-blank...on Patrick Roy.

If anything, this lineup screams "top-heavy" more than ever. Trying to spread the wealth will more than likely lead to zero effective lines instead of one effective line and three lines of crap.
Not talking about spreading the wealth thru 3 or 4 lines. But at least make the top six competitive.

Jo and Mack can easily create offense on a line on their own, say with an LOC or whoever to create some chaos.

Mitts and Rants should be a good combo in theory as well.
 

Nzap

lunaR Pad
Jul 19, 2011
7,476
265
Parma
Kinda hoping the Avs can make some sort of deal. Not sure Malinski makes the team and he probably doesn't make it through waivers.

Make a deal for a Jonatan Berggren or Nik Robertson or someone who's 'apparently' on the 'outs' with their respective teams.

If we get a couple injuries, we really have nobody that we can plug into the Top-6.
I think Malinski flies through waivers this year. Unless there's a team absolutely ravaged with injuries.
Better D-men will be on waivers not getting claimed.
 

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