Confirmed with Link: Avs sign Kovalenko to 2-year deal

[willy702]

Or salary cap implications? Could we bring him over right now with the cap?

He's going to get injured walking off the plane but don't worry, he should be back at full strength right around mid-April.

 

[Bill Peckerskull]

Sounds like some confusion on if he's coming this year or next. Evan makes it pretty clear that the plan has always been for him to come over and join the Avs as soon as his current season in the KHL is over. Also, IMO, I don't think the Avs sign him and waste a year is he wasn't planning on coming over this year.

 

[AllAboutAvs]

Is this why Larionov is playing him at C? He sees a spot open in the top-6 at C and none on the wings so he is trying to prepare him for that role? I have problems believing the Avs would go for that. 4C I could see it though if they like what they see from him at C in the KHL.

 

[Bill Peckerskull]

Is this why Larionov is playing him at C? He sees a spot open in the top-6 at C and none on the wings so he is trying to prepare him for that role? I have problems believing the Avs would go for that. 4C I could see it though if they like what they see from him at C in the KHL.

IDK. I only follow him and his team thru Evan on Twitter. IDK if they have injuries and he has to play there, or if he and the team decided he should play there, or if the Avs dictated it. That would be a question for @The Mars Volchenkov

 

[Freaky Styley]

I feel like there's just some things lost in translation here. If he has plans to join the Avs next year anyway, I don't see any reason for him not to join the team when Torpedo is out of it. As Evan puts it, sounds like he's just wanting to secure a starting spot next year and knows nothing is guaranteed this season

 

[AllAboutAvs]

IDK. I only follow him and his team thru Evan on Twitter. IDK if they have injuries and he has to play there, or if he and the team decided he should play there, or if the Avs dictated it. That would be a question for @The Mars Volchenkov

Sorry the questions weren't directed at you. I was just thinking out loud (in writing).

 

[The Moops]

I feel like there's just some things lost in translation here. If he has plans to join the Avs next year anyway, I don't see any reason for him not to join the team when Torpedo is out of it. As Evan puts it, sounds like he's just wanting to secure a starting spot next year and knows nothing is guaranteed this season

CMac probably told him the roster was set - they don't need someone coming in ala Eller and messing up the room chemistry this year

 

[The Mars Volchenkov]

If there was no intention for him to join the team this year, the Avs wouldn’t have signed him last summer and burned a contract slot. They would have just waited for his KHL deal to expire this summer. Instead, they signed him and got the KHL to even rip up the last year of his deal.

I take the quote as nothing more than he plans to play in the NHL next year and isn’t thinking about the KHL.

 

[henchman21]

Is this why Larionov is playing him at C? He sees a spot open in the top-6 at C and none on the wings so he is trying to prepare him for that role? I have problems believing the Avs would go for that. 4C I could see it though if they like what they see from him at C in the KHL.

They’ve had injuries to centers… but as much as that, Torpedo is in a tailspin and looks terrible. Just trying to find any spark. It also looked like the plug was pulled on it too.

The quote here really is probably related to the out clause. Basically it is NHL or bust.

 

[willy702]

Is this why Larionov is playing him at C? He sees a spot open in the top-6 at C and none on the wings so he is trying to prepare him for that role? I have problems believing the Avs would go for that. 4C I could see it though if they like what they see from him at C in the KHL.

He's not a 4C though and I don't think it serves the Avs to put in guys whose skill sets are top 6 at some point to have them "prove" their worth on the 4th line. That's been the problem with a lot of the fringe guys who didn't make it. At least those guys were ready for the NHL game, Kovy isn't even playing that now so why would he be expected to be a positive in the playoffs in that role?

I think you bring him in and keep him as the emergency C on the roster and if it looks like he can handle the NHL game maybe you slot him in as a 3C or even 2C if that line is struggling. Bringing in unknown players or players filling different roles is a great weapon in the playoffs as they can do some damage for a few games before the opponent figures out how to handle them.

 

[henchman21]

He's not a 4C though and I don't think it serves the Avs to put in guys whose skill sets are top 6 at some point to have them "prove" their worth on the 4th line. That's been the problem with a lot of the fringe guys who didn't make it. At least those guys were ready for the NHL game, Kovy isn't even playing that now so why would he be expected to be a positive in the playoffs in that role?

I think you bring him in and keep him as the emergency C on the roster and if it looks like he can handle the NHL game maybe you slot him in as a 3C or even 2C if that line is struggling. Bringing in unknown players or players filling different roles is a great weapon in the playoffs as they can do some damage for a few games before the opponent figures out how to handle them.

I think the expectations might be a bit out of whack if we think Kovalenko is a top 6 type.

 

[AllAboutAvs]

He's not a 4C though and I don't think it serves the Avs to put in guys whose skill sets are top 6 at some point to have them "prove" their worth on the 4th line. That's been the problem with a lot of the fringe guys who didn't make it. At least those guys were ready for the NHL game, Kovy isn't even playing that now so why would he be expected to be a positive in the playoffs in that role?

I think you bring him in and keep him as the emergency C on the roster and if it looks like he can handle the NHL game maybe you slot him in as a 3C or even 2C if that line is struggling. Bringing in unknown players or players filling different roles is a great weapon in the playoffs as they can do some damage for a few games before the opponent figures out how to handle them.

I just don't see it with Bednar as coach. Bednar always want his new guys to prove themselves first. That's why I don't see Kovy anywhere but 4th line if he ever gets a spot. He does have a chance to win Bednar's trust by the playoffs though if there are injuries but even then I doubt he uses him on the top-6 this season. Next season could be another story if Kovy has a great TC.

 

[henchman21]

I just don't see it with Bednar as coach. Bednar always want his new guys to prove themselves first. That's why I don't see Kovy anywhere but 4th line if he ever gets a spot. He does have a chance to win Bednar's trust by the playoffs though if there are injuries but even then I doubt he uses him on the top-6 this season. Next season could be another story if Kovy has a great TC.

Bednar has shown that he will throw guys in right away to roles.

 

[AllAboutAvs]

Bednar has shown that he will throw guys in right away to roles.

To roles yes but top-6 I don't believe he would do this so close to the playoffs unless like I said there were some injuries forcing him to do so.

 

[henchman21]

To roles yes but top-6 I don't believe he would do this so close to the playoffs unless like I said there were some injuries forcing him to do so.

He put Makar in the top 4 immediately. If a player is good enough for a spot, he will play them there. He’s shown this with a lot of young players. The idea that Bednar makes players claw for spots just doesn’t fit with the usage he’s shown.

Kovalenko won’t get a top 6 spot because he’s not a top 6 sort of player. I can see him getting a run on the third line (though I have major doubts he will stick).

 

[AllAboutAvs]

He put Makar in the top 4 immediately. If a player is good enough for a spot, he will play them there. He’s shown this with a lot of young players. The idea that Bednar makes players claw for spots just doesn’t fit with the usage he’s shown.

Kovalenko won’t get a top 6 spot because he’s not a top 6 sort of player. I can see him getting a run on the third line (though I have major doubts he will stick).

Well Makar is a very special case.

As I said he will when force to do so. If the team is relatively healthy they will be given a chance on the bottom two lines first.

 

[Pokecheque]

I just don't see it with Bednar as coach. Bednar always want his new guys to prove themselves first. That's why I don't see Kovy anywhere but 4th line if he ever gets a spot. He does have a chance to win Bednar's trust by the playoffs though if there are injuries but even then I doubt he uses him on the top-6 this season. Next season could be another story if Kovy has a great TC.

I gotta be honest, I'm not sure why people continue to believe Bednar operates this way when he has never operated this way.

Literally one of his very first moves as head coach of the Avs was to throw a then-21-year-old Nikita Zadorov on the top pairing with Erik Johnson.

 

[AllAboutAvs]

I gotta be honest, I'm not sure why people continue to believe Bednar operates this way when he has never operated this way.

Again I am saying he does when there are injuries. Otherwise guys prove themselves on lower lines first.

 

[Pokecheque]

Again I am saying he does when there are injuries. Otherwise guys prove themselves on lower lines first.

I don't think that's true. I believe he tried Newhook in a scoring line role almost right away. He rotated the "Roommates" through the 2nd line continually, even iced an entire line of all three guys in clutch situations. Burakovsky played in the top six nearly his entire tenure in Colorado. And the newest guy, Zach Parise, was thrust into a 2nd line role right away.

And injuries had nothing to do with him trying out Zadorov on the top pairing right away or a lot of the other guys getting top four or top six roles without "proving themselves" first.

He simply doesn't do that. The only "young" player he started out in a 4th line role was Logan O'Connor, because that's the exact kind of role he's suited for.

Bednar might have come from old-school roots, but he is simply not old-school in his approach. I don't know why people continue to insist that he is.

 

[henchman21]

Again I am saying he does when there are injuries. Otherwise guys prove themselves on lower lines first.

Byram was top 4 immediately. Newhook stepped in right away on a line with Kadri and Burkie. Even Tufte was on the '2nd' line immediately this year.

Bednar can have a short leash and will change lines too quickly when struggles hit... but he will certainly give guys a shot.

 

[The Kingslayer]

I think we will see Kovalenko in a top 6 role off the jump especially if Nuke remains out. If he doesnt fit they move him down.

 

[Gumballhead]

Imagine him on a line with Wood and Colton?

 

[AllAboutAvs]

I don't think that's true. I believe he tried Newhook in a scoring line role almost right away. He rotated the "Roommates" through the 2nd line continually, even iced an entire line of all three guys in clutch situations. Burakovsky played in the top six nearly his entire tenure in Colorado. And the newest guy, Zach Parise, was thrust into a 2nd line role right away.

And injuries had nothing to do with him trying out Zadorov on the top pairing right away or a lot of the other guys getting top four or top six roles without "proving themselves" first.

He simply doesn't do that. The only "young" player he started out in a 4th line role was Logan O'Connor, because that's the exact kind of role he's suited for.

Bednar might have come from old-school roots, but he is simply not old-school in his approach. I don't know why people continue to insist that he is.

I'm not talking about older guys like Bura and Parise, etc. I'm talking about young guys. He is not afraid to try them but I don't remember any of them getting a shot on the top-6 right away unless, again there were quite a few injuries. I'm pretty sure Newhook had his first shot on the 3rd line before he was tried on the 2nd. And I'm also pretty sure Z started out on the 3rd pairing for a few games. But I never said he was not willing to try young guys. He is. In fact I agree that he is better at doing this than a lot of coaches out there.

Maybe I'm just remembering wrong.

 

[The Abusement Park]

I'm not talking about older guys like Bura and Parise, etc. I'm talking about young guys. He is not afraid to try them but I don't remember any of them getting a shot on the top-6 right away unless, again there were quite a few injuries. I'm pretty sure Newhook had his first shot on the 3rd line before he was tried on the 2nd. And I'm also pretty sure Z started out on the 3rd pairing for a few games. But I never said he was not willing to try young guys. He is. In fact I agree that he is better at doing this than a lot of coaches out there.

Maybe I'm just remembering wrong.

Byram, Newhook, Makar, Jost, Z, Kerfoot, Compher all got pretty prominent roles immediately got pretty big roles under Bednar. Hell Sampo Ranta got his NHL debut in the playoffs. I have no clue why Bednar has this rep that young players are never given a chance with him because he always gives them a chance. If they don’t earn it they lose the privilege, but they always get a shot at least.

 

[AllAboutAvs]

Byram, Newhook, Makar, Jost, Z, Kerfoot, Compher all got pretty prominent roles immediately got pretty big roles under Bednar. Hell Sampo Ranta got his NHL debut in the playoffs. I have no clue why Bednar has this rep that young players are never given a chance with him because he always gives them a chance. If they don’t earn it they lose the privilege, but they always get a shot at least.

I must be losing my mind then because I don't remember those guys (except Makar) getting prominent roles unless there were quite a few injuries. As I said I do agree that he is not afraid to put kids in the lineup though. I'm talking top-6 F and top-4 D roles here.