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

[AslanRH]

the holidays have clearly brought joy to this place.

toss my 2 cents on the different things.

• I like Middleton, but as a #7. Don't think I'd want him in an everyday JMFJ role.
• If PoolParty would commit to becoming an above average PKer, I'd gamble, but don't think that is in the cards.
• I too like Prischepov, but IMO, he and Innala would be fine getting another year of focused development with the Eagles.
• I want no part of JT Miller

 

[hockeyfish]

Because they are in a very tight contention window and they have a young guy who can contribute in the bottom six but chose to ignore him for the likes of Chris Wagner.

With the Avs getting healthy it's not as big of a deal...except when rehashing and trying to figure out what we can do better. For a team with Stanley Cup contention visions, but find themselves actually fighting for a wild-card spot to be dumping a dude like Prischepov in favor of a guy like Wagner tells me there is something rotten going on in the Avs.

You can't defend that move.

I like what Pris brings and all, but lets be realistic, he's not going to be the difference between winning and not winning the Cup. There is legit critisim to be had, but this really isn't it.

 

[expatriatedtexan]

I like what Pris brings and all, but lets be realistic, he's not going to be the difference between winning and not winning the Cup. There is legit critisim to be had, but this really isn't it.

Every single 4th and 3rd liner are the difference between a cup. There is a reason why some guys end up playing 30+ minutes and some guys play less than 6.

Prischepov was being trusted in all those bad situations you want a 4th liner to play in. He was doing it well to boot. The f*** did you scratch that from your team for?

 

[dahrougem2]

Because they are in a very tight contention window and they have a young guy who can contribute in the bottom six but chose to ignore him for the likes of Chris Wagner.

With the Avs getting healthy it's not as big of a deal...except when rehashing and trying to figure out what we can do better. For a team with Stanley Cup contention visions, but find themselves actually fighting for a wild-card spot to be dumping a dude like Prischepov in favor of a guy like Wagner tells me there is something rotten going on in the Avs.

You can't defend that move.

I just don't understand why Prischepov seems to be the hill you're willing to die on.

In his 10 games he produced 0 points, generated 3 scoring chances, 1 high danger chance, and had a xGF% of 47.61.

In what world is he the difference maker for a contending team?

 

[Pokecheque]

Every single 4th and 3rd liner are the difference between a cup. There is a reason why some guys end up playing 30+ minutes and some guys play less than 6.

Prischepov was being trusted in all those bad situations you want a 4th liner to play in. He was doing it well to boot. The f*** did you scratch that from your team for?

There may be something more there, if there is he won't realize it playing 6-8 minutes a night on the 4th line.

I think what they're doing right now is fine, and this is from someone who really doesn't love their drafting and development model. He gets some games at the NHL level and quality minutes and role at the AHL level. Rinse and repeat.

Now mind you, I'd much rather see Prischepov (hell, I'd rather see Danny DeVito) on that wing than Givani Smith, but I don't think they're really doing anything wrong with the kid at present.

 

[expatriatedtexan]

I just don't understand why Prischepov seems to be the hill you're willing to die on.

In his 10 games he produced 0 points, generated 3 scoring chances, 1 high danger chance, and had a xGF% of 47.61.

In what world is he the difference maker for a contending team?

It's almost like you've never seen a game where Chris Wagner, Jere Innala, Chase Bradley, Givani Smith, Jason Polin or TJ Tynan were playing hockey for the Avs.

Am I willing to die on this? Hell no!

There's just been a constant build up of decisions that Bednar makes that I have disagreed with and at some point (now), I feel the need to start questioning it. Prischepov was more my breaking point...rather than a hill I casually chose to fight for.

 

[dahrougem2]

Willing to die on?

It's kinda funny because he really isn't. But there's been a constant build up of decisions that Bednar makes that I disagree with that at some point, I feel I need to start questioning it. Prischepov is more my breaking point...rather than a hill I casually chose to fight for.

I don't disagree with regard to decisions Bednar makes that drive me insane, like overplaying his top stars to the point of exhaustion, refusing to adapt the special teams, and failing to fix the constant too many men penalties.

However, what they're doing with Prischepov is fine. I'd rather he play in the AHL and show that he can produce well and maybe there's a player who is more than a 4th liner at the NHL level in the future.

 

[expatriatedtexan]

There may be something more there, if there is he won't realize it playing 6-8 minutes a night on the 4th line.

I think what they're doing right now is fine, and this is from someone who really doesn't love their drafting and development model. He gets some games at the NHL level and quality minutes and role at the AHL level. Rinse and repeat.

Now mind you, I'd much rather see Prischepov (hell, I'd rather see Danny DeVito) on that wing than Givani Smith, but I don't think they're really doing anything wrong with the kid at present.

I just don't see it. I also do not see how the hell anyone would prefer Scheekloth and the Eagles to develop a prospect over Bednar and the Avs . I just simply don't think there is more than a third liner here and I think he'll generate chances regardless of time spent in the AHL. He's a bottom six forward, not a top six one.

The sooner we realize that, the sooner we start teaching him to lean into the qualities that make a good bottom six forward rather the selfish qualities that define a good top six forward the better off both the team and Nikita will be.

What have/are/will we pay to upgrade the bottom six? It's f***ing infuriating that we have one staring us in the face, but we are trying to make him into something else instead. If you want a top-six forward, draft one. If you want a bottom-six forward...f*** it ruin the one you have and spend assets on trading for older, slower versions your coach can actually remember playing against.

 

[LOFIN]

This is obviously, just one opinion. And I'm not advocating for claiming him. But for @RoyIsALegend

He was legitimately playing well in the games the he actually played in. Effort wasn't an issue, he was being physical, was creating chances, and was one of the faster players on the roster.

The only real negative was he doesn't penalty kill, and not teaching him to do so is a mistake given his mobility and reach.

He has looked better than most of the bottom sixers on the team. But, Sullivan is notorious for burying certain players over something minor while allowing other players to stay in the line up regardless of their mistakes. (See grzlyk, O'Connor, nieto and previously mcginn and Harkins)

Nieto is an empty jersey, beauviller (other than last night) has been an empty jersey, o'connor (sadly) has been an empty jersey.

But these guys, especially nieto and O'Connor, are Sullivan's boys. Boring white bread ham and eggers just like Sullivan. They are a hockey equivalent of a cup of black Dunkin donuts coffee. It ain't good but it gets the job done.

I hope Jesse gets picked up and plays well somewhere else.

 

[expatriatedtexan]

Okay... Just wanted to say I'm shutting up. I just realized how hard I've been pushing Prischepov. Didn't mean for it to come out like a hill I was willing to die on, but it did.

I'm just f***ing pissed that we have a viable homegrown bottom six talent and we are throwing away assets for players to cockblock him because... we want to turn him into a top six forward? Seriously? This is the reason to have a substandard player in the NHL roster... because we hope a 4th line forward can become a second line one if allowed a chance to play against inferrior players?

 

[Linds]

Feels like Miller for Mitts is going to happen anytime now.

Any thoughts on how to make the cap work for the Avs?

 

[JLo217]

Any thoughts on how to make the cap work for the Avs?

2.5 M retention?

 

[PAZ]

Okay... Just wanted to say I'm shutting up. I just realized how hard I've been pushing Prischepov. Didn't mean for it to come out like a hill I was willing to die on, but it did.

I'm just f***ing pissed that we have a viable homegrown bottom six talent and we are throwing away assets for players to cockblock him because... we want to turn him into a top six forward? Seriously? This is the reason to have a substandard player in the NHL roster... because we hope a 4th line forward can become a second line one if allowed a chance to play against inferrior players?

Prishchepov needs to develop more, period. Part of that is developing his offense - I don't think anyone expects him to become a top 6 forward. But he needs to bury scoring opportunities when he gets them and not be a black hole offensively.

Similar to LOC where having 2 seasons in the AHL was beneficial. We would care about LOC a lot less if he was 10-15 pt bottom 6er rather than a 25-30 pt bottom 6er.

 

[Mighty Makar]

2.5 M retention?

Would have to get another team to retain. Not sure who? Nucks won’t do that.

 

[BobRossColton]

Okay... Just wanted to say I'm shutting up. I just realized how hard I've been pushing Prischepov. Didn't mean for it to come out like a hill I was willing to die on, but it did.

I'm just f***ing pissed that we have a viable homegrown bottom six talent and we are throwing away assets for players to cockblock him because... we want to turn him into a top six forward? Seriously? This is the reason to have a substandard player in the NHL roster... because we hope a 4th line forward can become a second line one if allowed a chance to play against inferrior players?

I think we really need to find a way to get rid of Wood, prishchepov and steinburg seemed like they both could do what he does at a fraction of the cost.

 

[expatriatedtexan]

Prishchepov needs to develop more, period. Part of that is developing his offense - I don't think anyone expects him to become a top 6 forward. But he needs to bury scoring opportunities when he gets them and not be a black hole offensively.

Similar to LOC where having 2 seasons in the AHL was beneficial. We would care about LOC a lot less if he was 10-15 pt bottom 6er rather than a 25-30 pt bottom 6er.

I'm sorry, I think you are wasting a couple years of an ELC looking for a few goals that will never come. |

Develop the qualities that make a good bottom six forward. Reward those qualities with more minutes.

This is not rocket science. You have two players. One is good, one is not quite as good. You play the good, and continue to train it to be better.

It's the optics. Prischepov did everything anyone could have possibly expected from him. What was his reward? F*** off...we've got Givani Smith.

 

[expatriatedtexan]

I think we really need to find a way to get rid of Wood, prishchepov and steinburg seemed like they both could do what he does at a fraction of the cost.

I get why people are saying we need to get rid of Wood. I would say you are all being extremely stupid except for the fact that he's been injured so much this year.

I have no problems with Wood when he is playing healthy. I really thought he put injuries behind him last season. At this point, he has to go. You can't have 2.5M in the bottom six moving in and out of IR/LTIR.

Gotta get a healthier solution... which would kind of bring me back to Prischepov, but f*** him... we are determined to turn him into 4th line version of Wolski.

 

[Pokecheque]

I just don't see it. I also do not see how the hell anyone would prefer Scheekloth and the Eagles to develop a prospect over Bednar and the Avs . I just simply don't think there is more than a third liner here and I think he'll generate chances regardless of time spent in the AHL. He's a bottom six forward, not a top six one.

The sooner we realize that, the sooner we start teaching him to lean into the qualities that make a good bottom six forward rather the selfish qualities that define a good top six forward the better off both the team and Nikita will be.

What have/are/will we pay to upgrade the bottom six? It's f***ing infuriating that we have one staring us in the face, but we are trying to make him into something else instead. If you want a top-six forward, draft one. If you want a bottom-six forward...f*** it ruin the one you have and spend assets on trading for older, slower versions your coach can actually remember playing against.

To put it bluntly, it's Schneekloth's job to develop talent. Obviously the Eagles would prefer for him to win first, but the AHL is a developmental league, so much so that they have to occasionally scratch veteran talent as per the rules in place there. It's most assuredly NOT Bednar's job to do that, and while plenty of young players have developed while in Colorado, a 20-year-old playing scant 4th line minutes ain't gonna help his game as opposed to allowing those

Also, all due respect, I think you're being just a tad too stodgy when it comes to a top six and bottom six role. I have reasonable confidence that Prischepov knows the difference. A guy that doesn't would be someone like T.J. Tynan, who gets put in a 4th line role any time he's in the NHL and still tries to force plays that aren't there instead of just focusing on puck management and defense. Playing a top six role in the AHL is not going to teach him to be "selfish."

 

[expatriatedtexan]

To put it bluntly, it's Schneekloth's job to develop talent. Obviously the Eagles would prefer for him to win first, but the AHL is a developmental league, so much so that they have to occasionally scratch veteran talent as per the rules in place there. It's most assuredly NOT Bednar's job to do that, and while plenty of young players have developed while in Colorado, a 20-year-old playing scant 4th line minutes ain't gonna help his game as opposed to allowing those

Also, all due respect, I think you're being just a tad too stodgy when it comes to a top six and bottom six role. I have reasonable confidence that Prischepov knows the difference. A guy that doesn't would be someone like T.J. Tynan, who gets put in a 4th line role any time he's in the NHL and still tries to force plays that aren't there instead of just focusing on puck management and defense. Playing a top six role in the AHL is not going to teach him to be "selfish."

But how in the hell does playing a top-six role in the AHL prepare a player for a career in the bottom six for an NHL team?

I've said all along, that Nikita has development runway still. I've always mentioned how impressed I am that he's played the game at the level he has while only being 20 years old.

I just feel we've handed off what could be a great piece of our bottom six to an unproven, shakey coach to develop. Meanwhile, the player was actually in the NHL and playing well.

All these extra goals in the AHL are not going to help the Avs in the least. But...him having to go one on one against some of the top players in the league...those are the things that force players to ge better.

To be challeneged in the AHL, he almost has to play in the top six. But the AHL will never have the kind of balance the NHL does. Top six/bottom six blend shift to shift in the AHL. If he's going to be a bottom six version of Nuke/lLehky he will have to get there playing against top talent, not the spotty crap int he AHL.

 

[LTCPain75]

To put it bluntly, it's Schneekloth's job to develop talent. Obviously the Eagles would prefer for him to win first, but the AHL is a developmental league, so much so that they have to occasionally scratch veteran talent as per the rules in place there. It's most assuredly NOT Bednar's job to do that, and while plenty of young players have developed while in Colorado, a 20-year-old playing scant 4th line minutes ain't gonna help his game as opposed to allowing those

Also, all due respect, I think you're being just a tad too stodgy when it comes to a top six and bottom six role. I have reasonable confidence that Prischepov knows the difference. A guy that doesn't would be someone like T.J. Tynan, who gets put in a 4th line role any time he's in the NHL and still tries to force plays that aren't there instead of just focusing on puck management and defense. Playing a top six role in the AHL is not going to teach him to be "selfish."

Stodgy

adjective

1. 1.
   dull and uninspired.
   "some of the material is rather stodgy and top-heavy with facts"

 

[BobRossColton]

I get why people are saying we need to get rid of Wood. I would say you are all being extremely stupid except for the fact that he's been injured so much this year.

I have no problems with Wood when he is playing healthy. I really thought he put injuries behind him last season. At this point, he has to go. You can't have 2.5M in the bottom six moving in and out of IR/LTIR.

Gotta get a healthier solution... which would kind of bring me back to Prischepov, but f*** him... we are determined to turn him into 4th line version of Wolski.

I guess I could've clarified, if Wood was less injured I'd really have no issues, it's that 2.5m.

 

[MacKaRant]

Because they are in a very tight contention window and they have a young guy who can contribute in the bottom six but chose to ignore him for the likes of Chris Wagner.

With the Avs getting healthy it's not as big of a deal...except when rehashing and trying to figure out what we can do better. For a team with Stanley Cup contention visions, but find themselves actually fighting for a wild-card spot to be dumping a dude like Prischepov in favor of a guy like Wagner tells me there is something rotten going on in the Avs.

You can't defend that move.

Sometimes the organization needs to take a longer view on things versus winning the next game. Giving Prishchepov 20 minutes of ice time a night in a competitive pro league will do more for his development than whatever scraps he gets with the parent club. It's true that the AHL isn't as fast as the NHL, but it's faster and more physical than the QMJHL, and gaining the reps to make plays at speed will serve him well no matter which line he ends up on in the NHL

If he is continually the best player on the ice for the Eagles, I'm sure he'll get recalled for the stretch run and the playoffs if there are spots open in the lineup due to injuries or whatever

 

[Metallo]

I understand what you are saying. I even mentioned it might be in his best interest to play more minutes in the AHL to get whatever he can out of his development runway as he's only 20.

Here are a few questions I'd like answered from those still advising more development for Nikita:
1. What line do you see him playing on in the NHL?
2. What prevents him from developing in that role while playing in the NHL?
3. What happens if you try to take an offensive bottom six forward and convince him he's a top six offensive forward only to put him where he belongs (4th line) when he finally makes the NHL?
4. What makes you think Aaron can untap his potential while Jared can't? Why does he have to go to an AHL coach to be developed? Look out how our last AHL coach is doing in the NHL. Is this really the development plan/path that is the best for us to use? I think we could do better and this is a whole other conversation but for the time being, I'd rather have our better prospects actually in the NHL and getting trained on NHL play, rather than in the AHL learning how to dominate AHL play. I just think playing the majority of the season as a bottom sixer with actual NHL coaching and then becoming a wildcard for the playoffs after being bumped out at the deadline would provide much greater experience and development than going to the AHL, learning how to dominate the AHL according to Schneekloth.

I think the Avs should've kept him up longer. He was clearly better than others that were playing. How can you say you are trying to win, when you aren't icing your best possible team? And yes...for the Avs, a team that is CONSTANTLY bitching about lack of depth production, sending Prischepov down over others was weakened the team considerably.


Because those 20 minutes in the AHL does nothing for this current NHL team where he was better than others that were getting ice time ahead of him.

Also...do you really believe Nikita is an NHL top six forward? If so, then I get it. But if you are like me, and believe he is a bottom six forward, you are wasting time trying to develop him into something he isn't while also robbing yourself of the player he actually is.

Sorry but I don't get the fascination with Prish. He's clearly not ready to play in the NHL for a winning team. We need much better than him to win, let him develop in the AHL where he belongs.

 

[AllAboutAvs]

I like Prischy a lot too but I agree with those that say he is better off right now in the AHL. He needs to work on his offense and top-6 AHL role is best for him for that. I don't think the Avs wish for him to play top-6 in the NHL. I think they want him to get more offense so he can maybe one day end up on the 3rd line like LOC did. You start on the 4th line and your offense gets you up onto the 3rd line. Without offense you get stuck on the 4th line at best. Look at Pavel as an example. Bednar liked him a lot but he couldn't develop offense so he is now gone.

 

[dahrougem2]

But how in the hell does playing a top-six role in the AHL prepare a player for a career in the bottom six for an NHL team?

I've said all along, that Nikita has development runway still. I've always mentioned how impressed I am that he's played the game at the level he has while only being 20 years old.

I just feel we've handed off what could be a great piece of our bottom six to an unproven, shakey coach to develop. Meanwhile, the player was actually in the NHL and playing well.

All these extra goals in the AHL are not going to help the Avs in the least. But...him having to go one on one against some of the top players in the league...those are the things that force players to ge better.

To be challeneged in the AHL, he almost has to play in the top six. But the AHL will never have the kind of balance the NHL does. Top six/bottom six blend shift to shift in the AHL. If he's going to be a bottom six version of Nuke/lLehky he will have to get there playing against top talent, not the spotty crap int he AHL.

You are of the opinion that Prischepov is a bottom six player and *only* a bottom six player.

The Avs may disagree with you there. He has impressed them so much since getting drafted to where he got his ELC and an NHL call up at age 20. They might be thinking there's a potential Lehkonen replacement down the line here instead of just a plug and play 4th liner.