GDT: Game 14: Bruins @ Avs | Sunday, Nov. 13, 5pm MT | The Bear Went Over The Mountain

[JoemAvs]

I don't have a problem with top guys PKing. It's not a shot block above all else system. They are there to use their speed and puck skills to clear the puck and get short handed chances. I don't really believe by playing 20 minutes they are too tired to play offense but at 18 minutes they are fine. Maybe old guys this is a consideration but these forwards should be able to handle playing 20 minutes.

Well I disagree.
Your top offensive forwards are basically spending 10 % of their ice time per game in the defensive zone by design as a tradeoff for the odd short-handed chance (Avs have 0 shorthanded goals so far).

Also out of the top 20 scoring leaders right now only Hossa, Foligno, Marchand, Miller and Simmons are seeing more than 1 min / game shorthanded and aside from Hossa no one even close to as much as MacKinnon.
None in the top10 even PKs much. Don't think that is a coincidence.


All in all I just don't think it is a winning approach for guys with average defensive games like Duchene or MacKinnon to spend so much time on the PK instead of letting them focus on different things.

Especially if you are already struggling mightily offensively.

But yeah there are probably worse problems on the Avs right now than this one.

 

[tigervixxxen]

When they do get that shorthanded goal they'll probably win that game.

The narrative is always so and so doesn't get special teams play, he's not well-rounded. Yada yada. It's a good thing to use your good players as much as possible, that's what they are there for and get paid for. No Avs is in the top 50 of SH TOI/GP other than Landy at 49 and just over 2 minutes a game.

 

[JoemAvs]

When they do get that shorthanded goal they'll probably win that game.

The narrative is always so and so doesn't get special teams play, he's not well-rounded. Yada yada. It's a good thing to use your good players as much as possible, that's what they are there for and get paid for. No Avs is in the top 50 of SH TOI/GP other than Landy at 49 and just over 2 minutes a game.

Avs scored 7 SH goals last year and are sitting at 0 right now with Duchene and Mac logging heavy minutes.

I think those narratives are stupid. If you look at the list, aside from maybe Filip Forsberg (who is no slouch either), the only top tier guys playing heavier minutes on the PK are the absolute top tier two-way guys that can make a real impact on the PK when it comes to digging out or clearing pucks. The OReillys, Bergerons and Toews of this world.

I don't think playing Mac or Dutchy that many minutes does anything to help them in any significant way.

I'd rather have them potentially in the offensive zone for those extra 1.5-2 minutes instead of watching Mitchell and Comeau trying their luck there.

But not a huge problem but one I will keep an eye on and something that certainly does not help us with our putrid offense.

I also forgot about Marchand on the post above. He gets to play with Bergeron but that guy seems like a beast...

 

[hoserthehorrible]

Avs scored 7 SH goals last year and are sitting at 0 right now with Duchene and Mac logging heavy minutes.

I think those narratives are stupid. If you look at the list, aside from maybe Filip Forsberg (who is no slouch either), the only top tier guys playing heavier minutes on the PK are the absolute top tier two-way guys that can make a real impact on the PK when it comes to digging out or clearing pucks. The OReillys, Bergerons and Toews of this world.

I don't think playing Mac or Dutchy that many minutes does anything to help them in any significant way.

I'd rather have them potentially in the offensive zone for those extra 1.5-2 minutes instead of watching Mitchell and Comeau trying their luck there.

But not a huge problem but one I will keep an eye on and something that certainly does not help us with our putrid offense.

I also forgot about Marchand on the post above. He gets to play with Bergeron but that guy seems like a beast...

So your argument is that MacKinnon isn't scoring because he's playing 1-2 minutes of PK time per game? I definitely disagree with that.

 

[hoserthehorrible]

That's all fair, can't disagree there. What I'm saying if they split Duchene and Mack up so they could have two lines with a smidge better depth they'd be better off. But I agree having better pure 3rd and 4th liners doesn't really get the job done either.

Splitting Mac and Dutch up would certainly be preferable if they had Landeskog, Rantanen, and two other forwards that were legitimate 1st or 2nd line forwards. Unfortunately they have had an over the hill Iginla, a timid Grigorenko, an uninterested Soderberg, and other poor quality players playing on their top lines with them.

The Avs need more top end talent to get more out of the talent they currently have.

 

[JoemAvs]

So your argument is that MacKinnon isn't scoring because he's playing 1-2 minutes of PK time per game? I definitely disagree with that.

No that is not my argument at all.

But I think it definitely makes a (negative) difference.

Lets say Mac has about 18-20 shifts a game of about 1 minute each to make the math easier.

Having to spend 2 of those running around in your own zone penalty killing instead of in the offensive zone certainly will have a negative impact on his overall production.

Again I am not saying that it is the reason for anything. Mac is struggling badly.

But it certainly is not helping either and a small thing that should be looked at.