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

[Richard88]

View attachment 996846

I see you're a big fan of Drury and Vesey

 

[RoyIsALegend]

I see you're a big fan of Drury and Vesey

I really like Drury! I didn’t make it lol

 

[AllAboutAvs]

I think this team is now better built than the 2022 team...and that is before Landy comes back. Come @ me.

I feel really comfortable with this team as long as Mack, Necas, Val, Makar, Toews and one of our goalies stay healthy. IMO we now have the depth to sustain some injuries.

 

[Richard88]

I think this team is now better built than the 2022 team...and that is before Landy comes back. Come @ me.

I feel really comfortable with this team as long as Mack, Necas, Val, Makar, Toews and one of our goalies stay healthy. IMO we now have the depth to sustain some injuries.

I think 2022 still has the advantage if you go line by line. But one thing I will say is that the 2025 roster has better center depth. I'd trust Coyle and Drury to play 2C and 3C more than I would have trust Compher and Helm/Sturm to do it in 2022. Colton and Kelly can also play C which gives the 2025 team more lineup options too.

Overall there's a lot of similarities in how the teams are constructed. 2022 provided a template and the 2025 roster isn't far off.

	2022	2025	Comments
Line 1	Landeskog - Mackinnon - Rantanen	Landeskog? - Mackinnon - Necas	Mackinnon in 2025 is better than he was then, but Landeskog is a question mark and the 2022 top line was the best in the league. Necas is also a bit unproven in the playoffs, certainly compared to Rantanen. Edge 2022.
Line 2	Lehkonen - Kadri - Nichushkin	Lehkonen - Nelson - Nichushkin	Kadri was playing at a PPG pace so 2022 edges it over Nelson.
Line 3	Burakovsky - Compher - NAK	Drouin - Coyle - Colton	Burakovsky's ability to score clutch goals was huge. I'd trust Coyle to bump up to 2C more than Compher though, and Colton>NAK. Edge 2025.
Line 4	Cogliano - Helm - O'Connor	Kelly - Drury - O'Connor	2022 was an awesome 4th line, but this years line is pretty solid too albeit less experienced. Tie.
Depth F	Sturm, Newhook, MacDermid	*Kiviranta, Wood, Vesey	Probably a wash. Sturm was a decent 4C but Newhook was a bit of a non-factor. Kiviranta is the best of the bunch here for me. But it's probably a wash overall. Tie.

Top pair	Toews - Makar	Toews - Makar	Makar is playing even better but Toews has regressed slightly. Tie.
2nd pair	Girard - Manson	Girard - Manson	Manson is older. Edge 2022.
3rd pair	Byram - EJ	Lindgren - EJ	Lindgren is better defensively than Byram, but Byram was great in the SCF. EJ was 3 years younger. Edge 2022.
Depth	JJ	Middleton - Malinski	JJ was a really good no.6 in that playoffs, but Malinski has more skill. Edge 2025.

Goalies

Kuemper Francouz

Blackwood Wedgewood

Kuemper's sv% was bad so it's hard to give 2022 the edge. But on the flipside Blackwood is unproven in the playoffs. Time will tell. Tie for now.

 

[AllAboutAvs]

I think 2022 still has the advantage if you go line by line. But one thing I will say is that the 2025 roster has better center depth. I'd trust Coyle and Drury to play 2C and 3C more than I would have trust Compher and Helm/Sturm to do it in 2022. Colton and Kelly can also play C which gives the 2025 team more lineup options too.

Overall there's a lot of similarities in how the teams are constructed. 2022 provided a template and the 2025 roster isn't far off.

	2022	2025	Comments
Line 1	Landeskog - Mackinnon - Rantanen	Landeskog? - Mackinnon - Necas	Mackinnon in 2025 is better than he was then, but Landeskog is a question mark and the 2022 top line was the best in the league. Necas is also a bit unproven in the playoffs, certainly compared to Rantanen. Edge 2022.
Line 2	Lehkonen - Kadri - Nichushkin	Lehkonen - Nelson - Nichushkin	Kadri was playing at a PPG pace so 2022 edges it over Nelson.
Line 3	Burakovsky - Compher - NAK	Drouin - Coyle - Colton	Burakovsky's ability to score clutch goals was huge. I'd trust Coyle to bump up to 2C more than Compher though, and Colton>NAK. Edge 2025.
Line 4	Cogliano - Helm - O'Connor	Kelly - Drury - O'Connor	2022 was an awesome 4th line, but this years line is pretty solid too albeit less experienced. Tie.
Depth F	Sturm, Newhook, MacDermid	*Kiviranta, Wood, Vesey	Probably a wash. Sturm was a decent 4C but Newhook was a bit of a non-factor. Kiviranta is the best of the bunch here for me. But it's probably a wash overall. Tie.

Top pair	Toews - Makar	Toews - Makar	Makar is playing even better but Toews has regressed slightly. Tie.
2nd pair	Girard - Manson	Girard - Manson	Manson is older. Edge 2022.
3rd pair	Byram - EJ	Lindgren - EJ	Lindgren is better defensively than Byram, but Byram was great in the SCF. EJ was 3 years younger. Edge 2022.
Depth	JJ	Middleton - Malinski	JJ was a really good no.6 in that playoffs, but Malinski has more skill. Edge 2025.

Goalies

Kuemper Francouz

Blackwood Wedgewood

Kuemper's sv% was bad so it's hard to give 2022 the edge. But on the flipside Blackwood is unproven in the playoffs. Time will tell. Tie for now.

To me the center depth, the 3rd line being better, adding Coyle defensively/PK and being much better in net are key here. The first two I mentioned give Bednar the ability to roll 4 lines a lot more which keeps our top guys more fresh and would be extremely important when having to go to OT. It helps sustaining the way we play through the full 60 minutes. Bednar's system is so taxing on players that I always felt the end of periods , especially the end of the 3rd, were always very difficult for the team because players are very tired by then.

 

[RoyIsALegend]

Centers: 2022

Kadri, in 2021-22, was literally playing at a 1C caliber. Even though Coyle is better than JTC, the difference between Kadri to Nelson(who I like) is still significant. Kadri was a monster that year.

Wingers: 2022

Healthy Landeskog and playoff Rantanen were animals. Both better than what we have today.

Defense: 2022

No debate required. Toews was better than he is now. Byram is better than Lindgren. EJ was younger. Malinski improving isn't enough and I'd argue JJ was super solid in 2022 anyways.

Goaltending: Wash

Blackwood is unproven in the playoffs. Kuemper was alright. Francouz was UNBELIEVABLE and that can't be understated. No guarantee we get that level of goaltending

--

The 2022 team were a bunch of unicorns.

Young, healthy, low AAVs, everybody playing at their absolute best.

Unlikely to ever be repeated, but that's not to say we can't win a Stanley Cup without reaching that level. The 2022 team is the most dominant Cup champion of the past 25 years.

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

I think this team is now better built than the 2022 team...and that is before Landy comes back. Come @ me.

I feel really comfortable with this team as long as Mack, Necas, Val, Makar, Toews and one of our goalies stay healthy. IMO we now have the depth to sustain some injuries.

Goaltending pushes this team over the top for me. Such a huge difference.

 

[RoyIsALegend]

Goaltending pushes this team over the top for me. Such a huge difference.

Kuemper had a .921 save percentage in 2021-22.

For comparison, there are only two goalies this season with a .920 sv% or better; Helly at .924 and Vasi at .920.

Francouz was also an absolute freak.

We don't know how Blackwood or Wedgewood will do in their first ever playoff adventure.

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

Kuemper had a .921 save percentage in 2021-22.

For comparison, there are only two goalies this season with a .920 sv% or better; Helly at .924 and Vasi at .920.

Francouz was also an absolute freak.

We don't know Blackwood or Wedgewood will do in their first ever playoff adventure.

That's why I hate this comparison. Avalanche won the Stanley Cup with historically bad goaltending. Kuemper in the playoffs was terrible. ***†** terrible. Injured Kuemper couldn't catch anything.

95% Woods will be better than historically bad goaltending. No matter if they played before or not. That's how shit Kuemper was.

We are talking about playoffs here, not regular season. Regular season Kuemper was good.

 

[Pokecheque]

It was weird because each goalie in the 2022 Cup run had separate weaknesses. Frankie struggled to stop shots from distance, Kuemper was perfectly fine with those but anything up close was bad news, since his eyesight was compromised and he literally couldn't see pucks in front of him on the ice.

Damn good thing that never came out, otherwise the Bolts would've tried for rebounds every chance they got. Instead they were taking shots to try and beat Kuemper clean and he stopped those.

All things considered, and hey, I was very critical of Darcy's playoff performance too so I'm not exempting myself here, Kuemper was a trooper and then some for playing the best he could with one frickin' eye.

Anyway, I digress, RIAL is right--we have no idea what to expect from the Woodshed this playoffs. I'm hoping they'll be at least marginally better than frickin' Georgiev, who was awful both years.

 

[expatriatedtexan]

Is Stienburg playing again in the AHL?

Honestly, I'd like to see him brought up to get his two game suspension out of the way as soon as practical. I have a feeling he'd be a better option on the 4th line in the playoffs than Vesey or even maybe Wood at this point.

 

[Pokecheque]

Is Stienburg playing again in the AHL?

Honestly, I'd like to see him brought up to get his two game suspension out of the way as soon as practical. I have a feeling he'd be a better option on the 4th line in the playoffs than Vesey or even maybe Wood at this point.

Isn't there a time when teams can expand their rosters?

That said...I dunno, I feel like we ain't ever gonna see him in an Avs jersey again.

 

[expatriatedtexan]

Isn't there a time when teams can expand their rosters?

That said...I dunno, I feel like we ain't ever gonna see him in an Avs jersey again.

Yeah, you might be right about him not being in an Avs jersey again if Bednar has his way. But that's a shame because he made one terrible play but outside of that was looking fairly decent.

 

[Pokecheque]

Yeah, you might be right no him not being in an Avs jersey again if Bednar has his way. But that's a shame because he made one terrible play but outside of that was looking fairly decent.

I wasn't even mad about that hit, he just got a little carried away (and I have no sympathy whatsoever for that cheap shot piece of shit Churn-Ack). It's a real shame because he was finally starting to do the things that would've made him an effective NHL player. And then that happens.

 

[shadow1]

Is Stienburg playing again in the AHL?

Honestly, I'd like to see him brought up to get his two game suspension out of the way as soon as practical. I have a feeling he'd be a better option on the 4th line in the playoffs than Vesey or even maybe Wood at this point.

He hasn't played since November 1st, he was injured his first game back with the Eagles.

 

[expatriatedtexan]

He hasn't played since November 1st, he was injured his first game back with the Eagles.

Damn... what exactly did he break? We're getting close to 5 months since he's played a game.

 

[shadow1]

IMO, the only thing the '25 Avs have over the '22 Champs is the 3rd line and (likely) goaltending.

I straight up think Kiviranta/Coyle/Colton > Burakovsky/Compher/NAK. Even if you disagree, the Cup group only played 63 minutes together. Burakovsky missed time (12/20), Compher got bumped up when Kadri was hurt, and Cogliano below them missed some time. Newhook/Sturm/NAK was a thing, Sturm/Helm/O'Connor was briefly a thing, etc. The 3rd line was a hodgepodge the entire post-season.

For the goaltending, Keumper/Francouz combined for a .901 SV%, mostly due to Darcy's eye. The only Cup Winner lower than that in the last 15 years was Florida last year (0.897).

 

[shadow1]

Damn... what exactly did he break? We're getting close to 5 months since he's played a game.

I'm not sure. I've been trying to look it up for a long time. The AHL site has very little information, and Google always takes me to articles about his suspension.

 

[expatriatedtexan]

IMO, the only thing the '25 Avs have over the '22 Champs is the 3rd line and (likely) goaltending.

I straight up think Kiviranta/Coyle/Colton > Burakovsky/Compher/NAK. Even if you disagree, the Cup group only played 63 minutes together. Burakovsky missed time (12/20), Compher got bumped up when Kadri was hurt, and Cogliano below them missed some time. Newhook/Sturm/NAK was a thing, Sturm/Helm/O'Connor was briefly a thing, etc. The 3rd line was a hodgepodge the entire post-season.

For the goaltending, Keumper/Francouz combined for a .901 SV%, mostly due to Darcy's eye. The only Cup Winner lower than that in the last 15 years was Florida last year (0.897).

I actually think we potentially have a better second line as well. I know everyone is hella bent out of shape over Nelson's quiet start and given our nature... I doubt his two goal output changed the overall view that much for many here. That's just how we are sometimes.

I could be wrong, but I "feel" like Nelson is better at using linemates.. which should lead to a strong line.

 

[Foppa2118]

Centers: 2022

Kadri, in 2021-22, was literally playing at a 1C caliber. Even though Coyle is better than JTC, the difference between Kadri to Nelson(who I like) is still significant. Kadri was a monster that year.

Wingers: 2022

Healthy Landeskog and playoff Rantanen were animals. Both better than what we have today.

Defense: 2022

No debate required. Toews was better than he is now. Byram is better than Lindgren. EJ was younger. Malinski improving isn't enough and I'd argue JJ was super solid in 2022 anyways.

Goaltending: Wash

Blackwood is unproven in the playoffs. Kuemper was alright. Francouz was UNBELIEVABLE and that can't be understated. No guarantee we get that level of goaltending

--

The 2022 team were a bunch of unicorns.

Young, healthy, low AAVs, everybody playing at their absolute best.

Unlikely to ever be repeated, but that's not to say we can't win a Stanley Cup without reaching that level. The 2022 team is the most dominant Cup champion of the past 25 years.

Agree with all of this.

Though, similar to Blackwood, we should probably wait to see how Brock plays for a comparison to Kadri. He might be able to get close to Kadri's contribution.

Naz had 9 goals, 18 pts with 5 GWG's in 15 games. That will be tough to match. But Brock's had a couple good runs before too. 9 goals 18 pts and 3 GWG's in 22 games in 19-20 on a more defensive minded Isles team. If he can get close to pt/gm on a more offensive Avs, with some big goals, it would be huge for this team's chances at a Cup.

Also that 4th line in 22' was dominant for their role. LOC's been playing great again lately, I love Drury's game, Kivi's looked great all year, and Kelly has looked like a mini Cogs at times on wing (I wonder who sits when Landy gets back? I'm guessing Kelly.), but it will be tough to match what Cogs-Helm-LOC did in that run. So much speed, tenacity, and grit on the forecheck.

If they can stay relatively healthy, get three lines playing well, including the top line, even if both the D core and goaltending just play at a "good" level, I think they've got a chance to win again.

I think a lot will come down to whether they bury their chances. They'll get them, they just need to bury them. They'll need to bring back that clutch ability to score in tight games or come back when down.