GDT: G52: Avs @ Isles - 28/01/25 @ 5:30 PM MT - Stopping Saint Patrick on the Island

[Pokecheque]

Colton is really fkn cold right now. I don't know what's going on there, but he's skating a lot and doing nothing. One shot on goal in 14 minutes last night.

They've got no one who can actually go to the net hold up and clean up in the top six. They're definitely missing Nuke in this way.

There's just no snarl to his game. He's supposed to be the guy who gets in the other guys' faces and makes it really difficult for them to get anything going in their own zone. He's done nothing resembling that for quite a while--I was willing to forgive that when he was scoring at will of course, but not now.

And before anyone says Bednar is forcing him to play that way--he publicly defended Colton last season when he took a pretty dumb penalty and even said "That's the way we want him to play."

 

[The Kingslayer]

Woke up today feeling pretty down about my Avs.

This team looks like an average group whose window has closed and doesn’t really have a promising future ahead.

Pretty much yah. Everyone thinking CMac is "not done" hes done. He wont do shit. Lars Eller trade maybe.

 

[missionAvs]

Woke up today feeling pretty down about my Avs.

This team looks like an average group whose window has closed and doesn’t really have a promising future ahead.

 

[Ceremony]

Is this the most infuriating game of the year? I think it might be.

And I don't like Buccigross. Stop trying to be funny and stop eating on air, freak.

 

[shadow1]

Colton is really fkn cold right now. I don't know what's going on there, but he's skating a lot and doing nothing. One shot on goal in 14 minutes last night.

They've got no one who can actually go to the net hold up and clean up in the top six. They're definitely missing Nuke in this way.

Colton frustrates me. 3rd liners are going to be inconsistent, but it always feels like a bigger journey with Colton. You put him in the top-6 and he looks good... until he doesn't. You reduce him to proper 3rd line minutes and he wilts. It was the same last year; the Roaring 20's played a lot (#RyJo), eventually lost effectiveness, and Colton's production really tumbled after Mittelstadt bumped him down to 3rd line minutes. 1 point and 2 shots in the Dallas series isn't cutting it for a $4M player, nor is his current brutal stretch (7p in 25gp).

 

[the_fan]

Finnish 4th doesn't mean the Jets automatically. It could be the top of the Pacific, Oilers/VGK. Personally I would prefer finishing 2nd or 3rd and face Dallas/Minny.

Yeah that’s true, we have to finish 2nd wildcard to play the Jets if Jets win the division. I wouldn’t mind facing the Oilers though. Better them than Dallas or Vegas in the 1st round

 

[Pokecheque]

Colton frustrates me. 3rd liners are going to be inconsistent, but it always feels like a bigger journey with Colton. You put him in the top-6 and he looks good... until he doesn't. You reduce him to proper 3rd line minutes and he wilts. It was the same last year; the Roaring 20's played a lot (#RyJo), eventually lost effectiveness, and Colton's production really tumbled after Mittelstadt bumped him down to 3rd line minutes. 1 point and 2 shots in the Dallas series isn't cutting it for a $4M player, nor is his current brutal stretch (7p in 25gp).

He's just very one-dimensional. Unless he's going all-out and forechecking like a madman, he's not that effective. Both he and Wood are certainly fast enough skating-wise to fit Bednar's system but they're both so low-IQ they're constantly chasing the play, not to mention both of them are disastrous in the defensive zone. I think its telling that those two lost their way big-time when O'Connor went down last year, and despite Bednar's best efforts were just awful with Parise.

They've been a'ight with Drury on that third line but nothing special. And I think most of whatever makes them good is Drury.

 

[the_fan]

Woke up today feeling pretty down about my Avs.

This team looks like an average group whose window has closed and doesn’t really have a promising future ahead.

I said it before, I’ll say it again. We gonna win another cup in 2026-2027 season.

Book it

The cap will be 100 mill, Landy will fully be back to himself, we can finally figure out rest of the roster with higher cap.

 

[AegonLeConqueror]

He's just very one-dimensional. Unless he's going all-out and forechecking like a madman, he's not that effective. Both he and Wood are certainly fast enough skating-wise to fit Bednar's system but they're both so low-IQ they're constantly chasing the play, not to mention both of them are disastrous in the defensive zone. I think its telling that those two lost their way big-time when O'Connor went down last year, and despite Bednar's best efforts were just awful with Parise.

They've been a'ight with Drury on that third line but nothing special. And I think most of whatever makes them good is Drury.

I said it before somewhere yesterday, but I like to reiterate because it annoys me seeing what's happened with him. When he was in Tampa he was a hard-nosed, physical, forechecker who hit the opposition whenever he could. But since coming over to play with the Avs it seems as though Bednar neutered that part of his game out. Bednar is so afraid of taking penalties that he turns physical players into ineffective "checking" players. It's like he sees Dallas and Vegas destroy us physically and goes...we could use that...but with less physicality.

I'd also like to note that I have zero data to back this up...strictly the eye test

 

[avsfan2189]

I said it before, I’ll say it again. We gonna win another cup in 2026-2027 season.

Book it

The cap will be 100 mill, Landy will fully be back to himself, we can finally figure out rest of the roster with higher cap.

i agree, not sure if its that year but i feel it that the Avs will win at least one more cup in the Mackinnon era. Even though we're doom n gloom, i think we are SO CLOSE to putting it all together.

2C , 3rd RD, 3RD LD, and we are back

 

[Pokecheque]

I said it before somewhere yesterday, but I like to reiterate because it annoys me seeing what's happened with him. When he was in Tampa he was a hard-nosed, physical, forechecker who hit the opposition whenever he could. But since coming over to play with the Avs it seems as though Bednar neutered that part of his game out. Bednar is so afraid of taking penalties that he turns physical players into ineffective "checking" players. It's like he sees Dallas and Vegas destroy us physically and goes...we could use that...but with less physicality.

I'd also like to note that I have zero data to back this up...strictly the eye test

See, I don't want to bet anything on it but Bednar has been quite vocal in the past about liking the edge that Colton usually brings. I really don't think he's the reason Colton is playing such a meh game at present. I just don't think he's telling his guys not to hit. Now...he insists they do it within the system, but he has no issue with physical play (the times he gets pissed about dumb penalties is usually when it's a lazy hook or hold, especially in the attacking zone). That's why I don't understand what Colton is trying to do out there, he's one of the guys who was brought on specifically because he had the speed to be able to do exactly that. So was Wood.

 

[Balthazar]

Woke up today feeling pretty down about my Avs.

This team looks like an average group whose window has closed and doesn’t really have a promising future ahead.

They have played like a team that should be fighting for a wildcard spot all season so they are exactly where they should be in the rankings.

What I dislike the most is how they are competing hard against middle of the road teams like the Islanders and can't get it done. The kind of competition that we used to beat without breaking a sweat.

 

[S E P H]

Woke up today feeling pretty down about my Avs.

This team looks like an average group whose window has closed and doesn’t really have a promising future ahead.

We have a lot of dumb hockey players on this team. They can't create offence for themselves or for other people. I still feel like I got spoiled food in my stomach from this game.

Is this the most infuriating game of the year? I think it might be.

And I don't like Buccigross. Stop trying to be funny and stop eating on air, freak.

Edmonton Oilers a week ago.

 

[Pokecheque]

They have played like a team that should be fighting for a wildcard spot all season so they are exactly where they should be in the rankings.

What I dislike the most is how they are competing hard against middle of the road teams like the Islanders and can't get it done. The kind of competition that we used to beat without breaking a sweat.

I didn't think they actually played them all that hard TBH. Too often this year they rack up all these shots which looks good, but then you look at those shots and it's unscreened from distance, hardly any second-chance opportunities off rebounds, etc. They continually lose puck battles and get outskated in their own zone. More often than not I see an Avs player pulling a de Haan and "defending" with an outstretched stick.

 

[a mangy Meowth]

Woke up today feeling pretty down about my Avs.

This team looks like an average group whose window has closed and doesn’t really have a promising future ahead.

Damn. Gonna need you to go back to sleep and try again

There's just no snarl to his game. He's supposed to be the guy who gets in the other guys' faces and makes it really difficult for them to get anything going in their own zone. He's done nothing resembling that for quite a while--I was willing to forgive that when he was scoring at will of course, but not now.

Honestly, you're right. The dude used to fight people! He fought LOC!

 

[Balthazar]

I didn't think they actually played them all that hard TBH. Too often this year they rack up all these shots which looks good, but then you look at those shots and it's unscreened from distance, hardly any second-chance opportunities off rebounds, etc. They continually lose puck battles and get outskated in their own zone. More often than not I see an Avs player pulling a de Haan and "defending" with an outstretched stick.

What I'm saying is they are losing because they aren't that good and not because they don't care.

 

[dahrougem2]

What I'm saying is they are losing because they aren't that good and not because they don't care.

Yeah, even though they played better vs Boston and NYI they ran into the same issues that have plagued them for months. Getting hemmed in, losing control of the game in 3rd periods, giving up GLORIOUS chances routinely.

Even if the quantity of HDCA is down recently, not all are created equal and the Avs are giving up some insanely glorious chances to teams while struggling to generate their own.

Far, far cry from a contender.

 

[Pokecheque]

What I'm saying is they are losing because they aren't that good and not because they don't care.

Oh. Yeah I can’t really argue that.

 

[Metallo]

Woke up today feeling pretty down about my Avs.

This team looks like an average group whose window has closed and doesn’t really have a promising future ahead.

It will take for *all* the pieces to come together to compete: Mitts figures it out, Landy comes back as a top6 W, Nuke is a beast, close to perfect health, Necas is a perfect Mikko replacement, Drury is the long awaited 3C, CMac finds a D bottom pair, the lumberyard is rock solid. Paper thin margin for error.

 

[Freaky Styley]

They have played like a team that should be fighting for a wildcard spot all season so they are exactly where they should be in the rankings.

What I dislike the most is how they are competing hard against middle of the road teams like the Islanders and can't get it done. The kind of competition that we used to beat without breaking a sweat.

Isles are the hottest team in the league. It was a disappointing loss but I think people are taking it too much to heart. There was clear progress vs. how they've played lately.

I think the coaching staff more than the roster is the most worrying part. CMac has some assets and flexibility to improve the roster but the coaching staff hasn't shown any creativity or willingness to change they status quo.

Either way, I don't think we are winning anything this year. I'll still root for them and it will be exciting, and there's no real clear favourite in the West so who knows. But next year we have about ~7M savings in Necas from Rants, clarity on Landeskog, clarity on Nichuskin's commitment, and a summer to fix the obvious needs.

 

[The Kingslayer]

What I'm saying is they are losing because they aren't that good and not because they don't care.

Yup especially on defense and team defense as a whole. Been this way since after the Cup. I just dont see a way out of this especially if CMac is leading the way.

 

[Alienblood]

He's just very one-dimensional. Unless he's going all-out and forechecking like a madman, he's not that effective. Both he and Wood are certainly fast enough skating-wise to fit Bednar's system but they're both so low-IQ they're constantly chasing the play, not to mention both of them are disastrous in the defensive zone. I think its telling that those two lost their way big-time when O'Connor went down last year, and despite Bednar's best efforts were just awful with Parise.

They've been a'ight with Drury on that third line but nothing special. And I think most of whatever makes them good is Drury.

I'd like to see the roaring 20's again