Confirmed with Link: COL trades Barrie(50% retained)/Kerfoot/2020 6th to TOR for Kadri/Rosen/2020 3rd Part 2

[Colorado Avalanche]

I disliked the trade when it was made, and I f***ing hate it now.

Me too. I was furious.

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

We obviously lost that trade. Anytime you give up a Selke-level player you are on the losing end of the deal.

ROR..

 

[AvsMakar08]

Kadri is gonna be a monster this playoffs, I can feel it.

If he does not get suspended at some point in these playoffs.

 

[Soedy]

When you have Marincin, Ceci and Barrie on your blue line...yeah you're screwed

It's kinda funny how the Leafs got from "OMG we fleeced Sakic" to this...

 

[Islay1989]

It's kinda funny how the Leafs got from "OMG we fleeced Sakic" to this...

It's also an absurd take. Their defense is left out to dry by their forwards. Avs haven't become a good defensive team because they upgraded their D, they became a better defensive team because their forwards do a marvelous job tracking back, doing a lot of work in transitioning D and on the forecheck.

 

[Northern Avs Fan]

It's also an absurd take. Their defense is left out to dry by their forwards. Avs haven't become a good defensive team because they upgraded their D, they became a better defensive team because their forwards do a marvelous job tracking back, doing a lot of work in transitioning D and on the forecheck.

It’s both. Their commitment to team defence is greater than it was before, but their actual defence is definitely the best it’s been in a long time.

 

[Islay1989]

It’s both. Their commitment to team defence is greater than it was before, but their actual defence is definitely the best it’s been in a long time.

Yes, of course. But my point was that you can have Foote, Blake and Bourque back and it won't matter if they are playing 2 on 3 most of the time.

 

[Northern Avs Fan]

Yes, of course. But my point was that you can have Foote, Blake and Bourque back and it won't matter if they are playing 2 on 3 most of the time.

Oh, team defence definitely matters, but unless you want to be a trap team you need the horses on the backend.

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

I honestly dont even think it is both.

I mean ya I guess our actual D roster is a little better... But it's still pretty average to me. 3/6 of our active guys are bottom pairing Defenders, one is a 25 year old rookie(Who did have a marvelous year). The other two are absolutely phenomenal hockey players and really carrying this defense a tonne. But overall the D we have as a group is pretty mediocre still, middle of the pack as a group.


What makes the Avs Defense so unbelievably shrewd and a Top 5 team in the league at goal suppression, is the forwards and the commitment to Defense that they have shown all year long. Those articles about our rush chances given up and our rush chances against is what really speaks volumes to the forward support and you can see it on display in these games as well.

The commitment to getting back on defense from forwards is why this team will go on a run this year.

 

[Northern Avs Fan]

I honestly dont even think it is both.

I mean ya I guess our actual D roster is a little better... But it's still pretty average to me. 3/6 of our active guys are bottom pairing Defenders, one is a 25 year old rookie(Who did have a marvelous year). The other two are absolutely phenomenal hockey players and really carrying this defense a tonne. But overall the D we have as a group is pretty mediocre still, middle of the pack as a group.


What makes the Avs Defense so unbelievably shrewd and a Top 5 team in the league at goal suppression, is the forwards and the commitment to Defense that they have shown all year long. Those articles about our rush chances given up and our rush chances against is what really speaks volumes to the forward support and you can see it on display in these games as well.

The commitment to getting back on defense from forwards is why this team will go on a run this year.

The forward support is huge, but I wouldn’t underrate how good our defence is at getting the puck out of the zone. Both Makar and Girard are excellent in that area.

The whole defensive core is just so much more sound than they were last season.

Makar and Girard are top-31 D (number one caliber defenceman)

Graves is a number 3. Cole is a 4/5. EJ is a 4-6 depending on how well he is playing and Zadorov is a 6.

That’s a good defence.

Colorado’s rush ability offensively and defensively are in part system, but more so because the Avs have MacKinnon, Makar, and Girard. Both MacK and Mak are top-5 at skating the puck into the zone and Girard is as good as any D in the transition game.

 

[Ararana]

It's kinda funny how the Leafs got from "OMG we fleeced Sakic" to this...

Karma man. Remember when Melnyk was talking shit on Sakic live on TV about a month before they made the worst trade of the decade?

 

[GirardSpinorama]

I honestly dont even think it is both.

I mean ya I guess our actual D roster is a little better... But it's still pretty average to me. 3/6 of our active guys are bottom pairing Defenders, one is a 25 year old rookie(Who did have a marvelous year). The other two are absolutely phenomenal hockey players and really carrying this defense a tonne. But overall the D we have as a group is pretty mediocre still, middle of the pack as a group.


What makes the Avs Defense so unbelievably shrewd and a Top 5 team in the league at goal suppression, is the forwards and the commitment to Defense that they have shown all year long. Those articles about our rush chances given up and our rush chances against is what really speaks volumes to the forward support and you can see it on display in these games as well.

The commitment to getting back on defense from forwards is why this team will go on a run this year.

I would say our defense is above average in talent but the type of players are perfectly suited for our team and there's no glaring holes.

On D;

We have size; shot blocking; net front d; hitting; smooth passing ; hockey sense and some spinoramas for good measure. Not every player have every aspect but we have all of them in our group. The only thing we miss might be a sick slapper but even graves is pretty good at that. With that pool; a coaching staff just has to put them in the right situations to succeed. They are better than the sum of their parts is what I'm saying. Also the forwards are committed to a two way game.

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

Karma man. Remember when Melnyk was talking shit on Sakic live on TV about a month before they made the worst trade of the decade?

I think everyone was getting annoyed by Sakics lack of action

 

[Ararana]

I think everyone was getting annoyed by Sakics lack of action

Sure, we were all getting annoyed. But to be in the business and go out on national tv and bash quote-less Joe, that deserves a karmic bitchslap.

 

[Foppa2118]

The Avs defense has been VASTLY improved. I'm surprised anyone would downplay that. It's by far the biggest reason they've gone from a bad team to a good one.

It was the one thing they couldn't improve for over a decade, and they sucked for over a decade. Then they improved it, and they're one of the best teams, if not the best in the league.

The difference in trying to win games with the previous defensive cores compared to what they have now, is like night and day. EJ is the only mainstay, and literally every other spot in the top six is improved. In some cases significantly.

2011-12

Quincey - EJ
Hejda - O'Brien
Wilson - O'Byrne

x - Hunwick, Elliott

2013-14

Hejda - EJ
Holden - Barrie
Benoit - Guenin

x - Sarich, Wilson, Hunwick

2019-20

Girard - EJ
Graves - Makar
Zadorov - Cole

x - Barberio, Timmins, Rosen

 

[rmthomson21]

The Avs defense has been VASTLY improved. I'm surprised anyone would downplay that. It's by far the biggest reason they've gone from a bad team to a good one.

It was the one thing they couldn't improve for over a decade, and they sucked for over a decade. Then they improved it, and they're one of the best teams, if not the best in the league.

The difference in trying to win games with the previous defensive cores compared to what they have now, is like night and day. EJ is the only mainstay, and literally every other spot in the top six is improved. In some cases significantly.

2011-12

Quincey - EJ
Hejda - O'Brien
Wilson - O'Byrne

x - Hunwick, Elliott

2013-14

Hejda - EJ
Holden - Barrie
Benoit - Guenin

x - Sarich, Wilson, Hunwick

2019-20

Girard - EJ
Graves - Makar
Zadorov - Cole

x - Barberio, Timmins, Rosen

EJ has been a warrior for us

That's a damn good reason to bring it home this year

 

[JoeSakic13]

2011-12

Quincey - EJ
Hejda - O'Brien
Wilson - O'Byrne

x - Hunwick, Elliott

Man what kinda curse does this team have on the Wilson family? That was the last season he played more than 28 games.

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

The forward support is huge, but I wouldn’t underrate how good our defence is at getting the puck out of the zone. Both Makar and Girard are excellent in that area.

The whole defensive core is just so much more sound than they were last season.

Makar and Girard are top-31 D (number one caliber defenceman)

Graves is a number 3. Cole is a 4/5. EJ is a 4-6 depending on how well he is playing and Zadorov is a 6.

That’s a good defence.

Colorado’s rush ability offensively and defensively are in part system, but more so because the Avs have MacKinnon, Makar, and Girard. Both MacK and Mak are top-5 at skating the puck into the zone and Girard is as good as any D in the transition game.

Safe to say none of that is true(Aside from Zads being a 6), but I dont care enough to debate that.


Makar and G are fantastic, Graves had a really good year. The rest is a tonne of meh guys or guys you cant wait to get rid of.


On paper we have an average defense.

 

[AvsCOL]

The Leafs could use some heart right now... doesn’t seem like they’re even concerned about being down one, facing elimination. Kadri wouldn’t be content

 

[Northern Avs Fan]

Safe to say none of that is true(Aside from Zads being a 6), but I dont care enough to debate that.


Makar and G are fantastic, Graves had a really good year. The rest is a tonne of meh guys or guys you cant wait to get rid of.


On paper we have an average defense.

Fair enough. I liked Cole this year, but I can understand if you thought he didn’t have many good moments.

 

[Hasbro]

I think everyone was getting annoyed by Sakics lack of action

So was I, which I wholeheartedly and unreservedly retract.

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

The Avs defense has been VASTLY improved. I'm surprised anyone would downplay that. It's by far the biggest reason they've gone from a bad team to a good one.

It was the one thing they couldn't improve for over a decade, and they sucked for over a decade. Then they improved it, and they're one of the best teams, if not the best in the league.

The difference in trying to win games with the previous defensive cores compared to what they have now, is like night and day. EJ is the only mainstay, and literally every other spot in the top six is improved. In some cases significantly.

2011-12

Quincey - EJ
Hejda - O'Brien
Wilson - O'Byrne

x - Hunwick, Elliott

2013-14

Hejda - EJ
Holden - Barrie
Benoit - Guenin

x - Sarich, Wilson, Hunwick

2019-20

Girard - EJ
Graves - Makar
Zadorov - Cole

x - Barberio, Timmins, Rosen

Please never post those old lineups again. Tough to watch without throwing up. Haha.

 

[The Kingslayer]

I honestly dont even think it is both.

I mean ya I guess our actual D roster is a little better... But it's still pretty average to me. 3/6 of our active guys are bottom pairing Defenders, one is a 25 year old rookie(Who did have a marvelous year). The other two are absolutely phenomenal hockey players and really carrying this defense a tonne. But overall the D we have as a group is pretty mediocre still, middle of the pack as a group.


What makes the Avs Defense so unbelievably shrewd and a Top 5 team in the league at goal suppression, is the forwards and the commitment to Defense that they have shown all year long. Those articles about our rush chances given up and our rush chances against is what really speaks volumes to the forward support and you can see it on display in these games as well.

The commitment to getting back on defense from forwards is why this team will go on a run this year.

Bingo. When people say the Avs defense is suspect I normally agree to a point but I also mention that the Avs forwards are all committed defensively short of Burakovsky.

 

[UnkleKraker]

Please never post those old lineups again. Tough to watch without throwing up. Haha.

 

[5280]

I honestly dont even think it is both.

I mean ya I guess our actual D roster is a little better... But it's still pretty average to me. 3/6 of our active guys are bottom pairing Defenders, one is a 25 year old rookie(Who did have a marvelous year). The other two are absolutely phenomenal hockey players and really carrying this defense a tonne. But overall the D we have as a group is pretty mediocre still, middle of the pack as a group.


What makes the Avs Defense so unbelievably shrewd and a Top 5 team in the league at goal suppression, is the forwards and the commitment to Defense that they have shown all year long. Those articles about our rush chances given up and our rush chances against is what really speaks volumes to the forward support and you can see it on display in these games as well.

The commitment to getting back on defense from forwards is why this team will go on a run this year.

A ***LITTLE***? Come on Pierce.
I do agree that Bednar has the whole team committing to defense more, but saying they are a LITTLE better is selling them a bit short in my estimation, shoot a lot short. Sure there is room for growth- I think EJ is on his last legs, Z obviously has his problems, Cole isn’t getting any younger and who knows about Graves. It’s not perfect, but the fact that it was so bad before says to me we are quite a bit better.

This is the first time in forever we can actually put our D in the slots they should naturally be playing in forever. We have playmakers, role players, possession players, size, experience. It might not be the perfect specimen, but in today’s cap world I’ll take it.

The only thing I am worried about at the moment is weather or not EJ can figure out his new role and adapt his game to it so he can minimize his mistakes.

Makar and G are fantastic, Graves had a really good year. The rest is a tonne of meh guys or guys you cant wait to get rid of.

Also, I think you are selling Cole a bit short, here. I’m OK with Z in his role, too. Like I said the only guy I seem to worry about these days is EJ.