Alex Newhook on the Avs

[AvsFan29]

Byram is most certainly not being penciled into a spot over Cole and Graves....


Both guys will have the inside track on him.

If Byram is able to play in a 3rd line role, Cole will be out of a job. It makes no sense to keep Byram out of the line up for Cole.

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

If Byram is able to play in a 3rd line role, Cole will be out of a job. It makes no sense to keep Byram out of the line up for Cole.

Byram has yet to show he can play a 3rd pairing role in the NHL while Cole has been doing it for 10 years.

 

[henchman21]

With the condensed schedule, and how often our defensemen end up hurt... the Avs will probably have 7D that hit 25+ games and 9 or 10 that play games.

 

[AvsFan29]

Byram has yet to show he can play a 3rd pairing role in the NHL while Cole has been doing it for 10 years.

I don’t understand your point. This is Byrams first NHL season.

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

I don’t understand your point. This is Byrams first NHL season.

Obviously you didn't read the post I was responding to...

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

With the condensed schedule, and how often our defensemen end up hurt... the Avs will probably have 7D that hit 25+ games and 9 or 10 that play games.

My expectations as well.


Byram should and likely will start as the 7D but given the schedule, he likely plays quite a few games by years end, the hope being he can earn himself a permanent spot in the Top 6 over Cole by the playoffs. We'll see if he's that good or not.

 

[Northern Avs Fan]

With the condensed schedule, and how often our defensemen end up hurt... the Avs will probably have 7D that hit 25+ games and 9 or 10 that play games.

Yeah, this is exactly why I want to keep Cole even if he is beaten out by Byram. No reason to not have a solid depth piece available.

 

[henchman21]

Yeah, this is exactly why I want to keep Cole even if he is beaten out by Byram. No reason to not have a solid depth piece available.

Yup... purging Cole and an injury hits means you're spending a 2nd to shore up that depth.

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

And especially with the Avs not having our next 2 2nd rounders we really can't afford to be spending picks to help the Defense this year.

Fortunately we are quite deep on that front right now. Both Timmins and Byram probably start the year as scratches. That is some damn good depth to come in for injuries/rest nights.

 

[McMetal]

I don’t see it for the same reason they didn’t give Byram a game in the bubble. They’re gunning for a cup and injecting a green rookie isn’t going to happen unless there’s significant injuries.

If you’re not named Makar you probably have to wait for the beginning of the regular season to get NHL games.

That said putting him on the taxi squad for the experience and practices might not be a bad idea. Seemed to do a lot of good for Byram.

He'll either be a green rookie this year or the next one. It's not like expectations will be any lower next October. We'll either be defending the Cup or coming off a bitterly disappointing loss in the postseason.

At some point rookies need to play to become not-rookies-anymore. There's nothing to be gained by kicking his development can down the road.

 

[Ararana]

I think you’re all crazy if you don’t have Byram pencilled into your everyday lineup by the beginning of February.

Also, based on Bednar’s recent comments it looks like Toews is playing with Makar. So my assumption is that Girard/EJ stays a thing while Cole and Graves fight over who gets to be Byram’s partner by the time he settles in.

My new fav poster.

He'll either be a green rookie this year or the next one. It's not like expectations will be any lower next October. We'll either be defending the Cup or coming off a bitterly disappointing loss in the postseason.

At some point rookies need to play to become not-rookies-anymore. There's nothing to be gained by kicking his development can down the road.

Completely agree. But when in the season is a big point. There’s room for rookie errors early in the season as opposed to down the stretch when they’re fighting for seeding.

 

[Balthazar]

At some point rookies need to play to become not-rookies-anymore. There's nothing to be gained by kicking his development can down the road.

*Conor Timmins enters the chat*

 

[Balthazar]

It seems like there's still too much of the losing days mentality where we need to play rookies over vets "for development".

Avs want to win the cup and aren't in the business of developing rookies right now. Rookies and prospects will wait in line for an opportunity like they do with other top teams.

If Byram plays in front of Cole it's because he's more useful to the team than Cole.

 

[Cousin Eddie]

It seems like there's still too much of the losing days mentality where we need to play rookies over vets "for development".

Avs want to win the cup and aren't in the business of developing rookies right now. Rookies and prospects will wait in line for an opportunity like they do with other top teams.

If Byram plays in front of Cole it's because he's more useful to the team than Cole.

Or that he’ll be more useful than Cole by the playoffs.

I get what you’re saying but Byram isn’t some 22 year old 6th round pick who projects to be a long term bottom 6 forward that rebuilding teams put in their lineup to avoid waivers.

Byram is high end and needs NHL experience to reach his ceiling. Him being an every day NHL’er for the next 5 months will be instrumental in his development and while he may or may not be better than Ian Cole on January 13th, he could be substantially better by the time the playoffs comes but that won’t happen without playing time.

 

[tigervixxxen]

I'm interested in this. Was he interviewed?

Some random podcast I’ve never heard before, blue line hockey club. Audio isn’t fantastic but it’s recent.

 

[tigervixxxen]

Or that he’ll be more useful than Cole by the playoffs.

I get what you’re saying but Byram isn’t some 22 year old 6th round pick who projects to be a long term bottom 6 forward that rebuilding teams put in their lineup to avoid waivers.

Byram is high end and needs NHL experience to reach his ceiling. Him being an every day NHL’er for the next 5 months will be instrumental in his development and while he may or may not be better than Ian Cole on January 13th, he could be substantially better by the time the playoffs comes but that won’t happen without playing time.

So much this, which is exactly what I mean when I say commitment. I’m also not sure why it’s always assumed the vet gives the team a better chance to win. It’s obviously a balance but we are talking about top echelon talent here with Byram and Newhook. Good teams find a way to use good players, period.

 

[AvsFan29]

It seems like there's still too much of the losing days mentality where we need to play rookies over vets "for development".

Avs want to win the cup and aren't in the business of developing rookies right now. Rookies and prospects will wait in line for an opportunity like they do with other top teams.

If Byram plays in front of Cole it's because he's more useful to the team than Cole.

He is more useful to the team than Cole. I’m glad that’s settled

 

[henchman21]

I'd like to see how Byram continues to play here and at camp before any definitives. It was widely thought he was already too good for the Dub and NHL ready before training camp last year where a dose of reality set in. If Byram is good, but not great the rest of the way in this tournament and then struggles in camp... it isn't the worst thing to see what options there are. I tend to believe that more often than not players can find their way eventually, but you certainly can set back a player a couple years. If Byram struggles in camp it shouldn't be ignored. What the Dub and AHL eventually do certainly plays a part here. If the Dub has a season, Byram is with the Avs or in Vancouver. In that case, he should be given a longer leash and maybe some NHL games before any decision to send him down. If the Dub doesn't play, and Byram has a rough camp... sending him to Loveland for a bit shouldn't be looked down upon of like a lack of commitment.

 

[tigervixxxen]

Failing to get guys ready is how you end up playing Dries and Connauton in a game 7.

 

[MaKarter]

Is fun watching Newhook when he is on the ice. I just watch him the whole time.

The way he moves without the puck, he is always in great positions in all zones.

 

[Belgican]

Creativity and positioning is there, I feel he lacks some power yet to really dominate

 

[Bill Peckerskull]

 

[John Mandalorian]

It seems like there's still too much of the losing days mentality where we need to play rookies over vets "for development".

Avs want to win the cup and aren't in the business of developing rookies right now. Rookies and prospects will wait in line for an opportunity like they do with other top teams.

If Byram plays in front of Cole it's because he's more useful to the team than Cole.

Right. But at the same time, Cole is a very low bar. With Byram you might have highs and lows, whereas with Cole it’s very few highs and mostly lows.

 

[McMetal]

Right. But at the same time, Cole is a very low bar. With Byram you might have highs and lows, whereas with Cole it’s very few highs and mostly lows.

Right. In the playoffs, I can see the argument for playing the reliably mediocre vet over the unpredictable rookie. A rookie mistake that leads to a goal against could swing the momentum of a whole series when it's win or go home. The regular season is a whole different animal. You have a game tomorrow no matter what, so that's when you want to turn your rookies into NHL players. Losing a game to a rookie mistake might suck temporarily, but we know that seeding is pretty much irrelevant and there's relatively few consequences for losing a heartbreaker.

Things are magnified in the playoffs. I get going with Connauton over Byram against Dallas and taking the "safe" play there as a coach, but for this season we should be giving the kids a role ASAP so that when the playoffs come they're less green. We're making the show in this division no matter what, so let's play the rookies now so we can take advantage of the talent differential between Byram and Cole when it REALLY matters.

 

[The Kingslayer]

Creativity and positioning is there, I feel he lacks some power yet to really dominate

He just needs to be faster and smarter. Brett Hull lost almost all his speed in his latter years but he was so smart and knew how to find the quiet ice....also helped he was playing with brainiacs Datsyuk and Zetterberg aswell.