Salary Cap: Chris MacFarland - Record as Avalanche GM (Updates In First Post)

[AllAboutAvs]

I don’t really understand the criticism of CMac. Again he’s not perfect and I’ve also criticized him at times, but when you stop and think about how deep the forward group would be if everyone was healthy, I’m not sure how much more could CMac do. It’s not his fault that the team can’t stay healthy. Also with that forward group, we have a solid d core and he just fixed both goaltending positions. This would be our healthy roster…..

Drouin-Mack-Mikko
Lehky-Mitts-Nuke
Landy-Colton-LOC
Wood-Kelly-Kiviranta
Ivan

Toews-Makar
Girard-Manson
de Haan-Malinski
Kylington

Blackwood
Wedgewood

I mean what more can CMac do? That’s a very solid deep roster, specially up front. Again it’s not his fault the team is always injured

I kind of agree with this. Considering the cap situation he inherited IMO he did pretty well so far. The problem has been and might still be drafting. At least now we are starting to hit on bottom-6 players. As for the top rounds players we drafted he at least turned them into very-to-great value. With better drafting we would have better depth. But I agree with @the_fan it is not his fault we have so many injuries all the time.

 

[CobraAcesS]

I don’t really understand the criticism of CMac. Again he’s not perfect and I’ve also criticized him at times, but when you stop and think about how deep the forward group would be if everyone was healthy, I’m not sure how much more could CMac do. It’s not his fault that the team can’t stay healthy. Also with that forward group, we have a solid d core and he just fixed both goaltending positions. This would be our healthy roster…..

Drouin-Mack-Mikko
Lehky-Mitts-Nuke
Landy-Colton-LOC
Wood-Kelly-Kiviranta
Ivan

Toews-Makar
Girard-Manson
de Haan-Malinski
Kylington

Blackwood
Wedgewood

I mean what more can CMac do? That’s a very solid deep roster, specially up front. Again it’s not his fault the team is always injured

The one fly with this.. I don't think that team is possible to ice in season. Still a strong roster even without Landeskog though.

His failure to address the 2C issue after the cup win, and then not using Landeskog's LTIR at the deadline stick out.

I would have kept Kadri over Manson, but I also understood why they didn't want to commit to him long term.

He is not to blame for the injuries or Nuke's issues.

Byram also had the chance to force them to trade Toews instead of him. He didn't. Toews is/was the better move for the window.

Definition of #3 IMO

 

[Pokecheque]

I don’t really understand the criticism of CMac. Again he’s not perfect and I’ve also criticized him at times, but when you stop and think about how deep the forward group would be if everyone was healthy, I’m not sure how much more could CMac do. It’s not his fault that the team can’t stay healthy. Also with that forward group, we have a solid d core and he just fixed both goaltending positions. This would be our healthy roster…..

Drouin-Mack-Mikko
Lehky-Mitts-Nuke
Landy-Colton-LOC
Wood-Kelly-Kiviranta
Ivan

Toews-Makar
Girard-Manson
de Haan-Malinski
Kylington

Blackwood
Wedgewood

I mean what more can CMac do? That’s a very solid deep roster, specially up front. Again it’s not his fault the team is always injured

Some of the injury stuff he couldn't have seen coming, but he also committed money and term to Manson, a guy who already had a lengthy injury history, so I'm faulting him there for sure.

Conversely, part of the reason Drouin was even available to begin with and at a discounted rate was his own injury history, so he most certainly could see that coming too but it's not something I can fault him for.

 

[the_fan]

Some of the injury stuff he couldn't have seen coming, but he also committed money and term to Manson, a guy who already had a lengthy injury history, so I'm faulting him there for sure.

Conversely, part of the reason Drouin was even available to begin with and at a discounted rate was his own injury history, so he most certainly could see that coming too but it's not something I can fault him for.

I won’t disagree with you on Manson. He didn’t have to re-sign him, but also if he let Manson go, he would have to find a 2nd pair right handed d-man with size, and had to give up assets again to get one so he probably figured it’s better to just re-sign Manson, so I understand why CMac did it

 

[CobraAcesS]

I won’t disagree with you on Manson. He didn’t have to re-sign him, but also if he let Manson go, he would have to find a 2nd pair right handed d-man with size, and had to give up assets again to get one so he probably figured it’s better to just re-sign Manson, so I understand why CMac did it

Manson wasn't requiring a really long contract either. I leaned towards Kadri anyway, but I get it.

 

[RoyIsALegend]

Of course, the plan was to keep both Manson and Kadri. EJ flip-flopping on waiving his NTC to go to Anaheim prevented that. Sure, we can say the Avs chose Manson over Kadri as they extended Manson and Kadri was contingent on the EJ trade, but ultimately the plan was to keep both.

 

[Pokecheque]

Of course, the plan was to keep both Manson and Kadri. EJ flip-flopping on waiving his NTC to go to Anaheim prevented that. Sure, we can say the Avs chose Manson over Kadri as they extended Manson and Kadri was contingent on the EJ trade, but ultimately the plan was to keep both.

That’s perfectly fine but then there needed to be a better Plan B. To just throw their hands up and think they could just get by with a combination of JTC and Newhook and maybe address it at the deadline in a title defense year is just unacceptable.

 

[John Mandalorian]

The one fly with this.. I don't think that team is possible to ice in season. Still a strong roster even without Landeskog though.

His failure to address the 2C issue after the cup win, and then not using Landeskog's LTIR at the deadline stick out.

I would have kept Kadri over Manson, but I also understood why they didn't want to commit to him long term.

He is not to blame for the injuries or Nuke's issues.

Byram also had the chance to force them to trade Toews instead of him. He didn't. Toews is/was the better move for the window.

Definition of #3 IMO

Back in 2022, and people seem to forget, the way the Avs D were able to activate was like having an extra forward. So you can see some logic in their choice. The problem is, that model requires depth in your D and Manson missing 75% of the following season hurt a lot. Helms and Byram missed several games too.

That year, MacFarland seemed to try to measure exactly what it would take to be there at the finish line with no room for cushion. Nichushkin having his issues in the playoffs wasn’t factored in to MacFarland’s precise fuel rationing that season.

Eller that TDL was a big L for MacFarland. Both that year and the next, MacFarland undermined the team identity by bargain bin shopping. The 2022 Avs were one of the functionally fastest teams in the history of the NHL. Eller and Johanson undermined that. MacFarland seems like he learns from his mistakes but is he improving by inches when he needs to improve by yards is the open question.

 

[CobraAcesS]

Back in 2022, and people seem to forget, the way the Avs D were able to activate was like having an extra forward. So you can see some logic in their choice. The problem is, that model requires depth in your D and Manson missing 75% of the following season hurt a lot. Helms and Byram missed several games too.

That year, MacFarland seemed to try to measure exactly what it would take to be there at the finish line with no room for cushion. Nichushkin having his issues in the playoffs wasn’t factored in to MacFarland’s precise fuel rationing that season.

Eller that TDL was a big L for MacFarland. Both that year and the next, MacFarland undermined the team identity by bargain bin shopping. The 2022 Avs were one of the functionally fastest teams in the history of the NHL. Eller and Johanson undermined that. MacFarland seems like he learns from his mistakes but is he improving by inches when he needs to improve by yards is the open question.

I still would take him over quite a few GMs in the league. Same with Bednar too, and he deserves the frustration we have with him.

I still think the assistants should have been changed this off season. Even if just to bring new ideas for special teams.

Bednar is a very good coach, but he needs some new material.

If you want to be loyal, expand the coaching staff then. I still dream of Guy Boucher as a power play coach lol.

I know as a head coach he's all defense, but he's got a rep as a wizard with the power play.

 

[John Mandalorian]

I still would take him over quite a few GMs in the league. Same with Bednar too, and he deserves the frustration we have with him.

I still think the assistants should have been changed this off season. Even if just to bring new ideas for special teams.

Bednar is a very good coach, but he needs some new material.

If you want to be loyal, expand the coaching staff then. I still dream of Guy Boucher as a power play coach lol.

I know as a head coach he's all defense, but he's got a rep as a wizard with the power play.

I sometimes think the Avs PP would be more effective by being low to high instead of vice versa. Use MacKinnon and Rantanen down low orchestrating behind the net. Make Makar the PP wide receiver more than the QB. Change the eye level of the D. It seems kind of formulaic now. It’s not terrible but it lends itself to ruts.

 

[The Moops]

I still would take him over quite a few GMs in the league. Same with Bednar too, and he deserves the frustration we have with him.

I still think the assistants should have been changed this off season. Even if just to bring new ideas for special teams.

Bednar is a very good coach, but he needs some new material.

If you want to be loyal, expand the coaching staff then. I still dream of Guy Boucher as a power play coach lol.

I know as a head coach he's all defense, but he's got a rep as a wizard with the power play.

He looks like a Bond villain too

 

[CobraAcesS]

I sometimes think the Avs PP would be more effective by being low to high instead of vice versa. Use MacKinnon and Rantanen down low orchestrating behind the net. Make Makar the PP wide receiver more than the QB. Change the eye level of the D. It seems kind of formulaic now. It’s not terrible but it lends itself to ruts.

The best power play I've seen is when Pittsburgh had the personel to constantly rotate causing mass confusion for the PK unit. It was pretty impressive for a time.

They should be able to transition to different setups often depending on the team they're playing.