HFAvs Ranks: The Worst Avalanche Player

[Pokecheque]

I think it’s hard to separate players that were truly bad from the token whipping boys of those truly dark times for the Avs. For example I really hated Chris Gratton in his short stint here.

Some names that come to mind over the years.

Greg Zanon
Marc Andre Cliche
Ben Guite
Reto Berra
Ben Street
Wyatt Smith
Michael Sgarbossa
Kevin Porter
Brett McLean
Per Ledin
Andre Mironov

Whoa, whoa, WHOA McLean should not be on this list. Dude was a perfectly good player, even managed to center a ramschackle scoring line between Ian Laperriere and Alex Tanguay. No way no how was he one of the "worst."

The rest of those guys were IIRC pretty awful, except I didn't think Guite was all that bad as a low-level grinder, maybe I'm remembering wrong.

 

[Pokecheque]

My all time worst Avs line -

RW - Theo Fleury
C - Joey Hishon
LW - Brad May
D - Patrice Brisebois
D - Martin Skoula
G - Phillipe Sauve

I know people will disagree but Brisebois was actually quite good the first year, QB'd the power play very well and took some of the burden off a still-young John-Michael Liles. Yes, I know he had one of the worst turnovers ever in the postseason against Joffrey Lupul, but Devon Toews has had as bad if not worse gaffes over the last couple years.

Injuries pretty much did him in the second year.

 

[UncleRisto]

Bordeleau.

He was kinda fun, but he couldn't play a lick.

Couldn't have been the worst enforcer. What about Bordangles?

 

[ABasin]

Couldn't have been the worst enforcer. What about Bordangles?

Koci was pretty bad also...

 

[expatriatedtexan]

I'm partial to Wade Belak when it comes to enforcers.

 

[Hasbro]

I know people will disagree but Brisebois was actually quite good the first year, QB'd the power play very well and took some of the burden off a still-young John-Michael Liles. Yes, I know he had one of the worst turnovers ever in the postseason against Joffrey Lupul, but Devon Toews has had as bad if not worse gaffes over the last couple years.

Injuries pretty much did him in the second year.

Quennvilles line up mismanagement didn't help. Also exacerbated the Brad May problem.

 

[Pokecheque]

Quennvilles line up mismanagement didn't help. Also exacerbated the Brad May problem.

Totally agreed on that.

 

[Gruyeriev]

Whoa, whoa, WHOA McLean should not be on this list. Dude was a perfectly good player, even managed to center a ramschackle scoring line between Ian Laperriere and Alex Tanguay. No way no how was he one of the "worst."

The rest of those guys were IIRC pretty awful, except I didn't think Guite was all that bad as a low-level grinder, maybe I'm remembering wrong.

It was the JT Compher effect. He ended up playing too high up the lineup than he should have. It was frustrating as hell to watch the offense die on his stick or the cycle stop with him but ultimately he wasn’t a top 6 player. Injuries forced him there. Maybe it is unfair that I put him there but 90% of HFAvs would have JTC on their list for the same reason.

Koci was pretty bad also...

6’6” but played like he was 5’10”

 

[RoyIsALegend]

I won’t count fighters since it’s expected they suck at hockey.

I think Greg Zanon is the worst Avalanche player I have ever watched try to take a consistent shift.

He was a pure abomination; the stinkiest, wettest turd among a pile of shitbiscuits. What a time that was.

 

[expatriatedtexan]

Quennvilles line up mismanagement didn't help. Also exacerbated the Brad May problem.

I'll be honest. I never thought Quenville was that great of a coach with us. Sure he was heaps better than Sacco or Granato, but he wasn't really all that. He constantly f***ed over goalie confidence and as much as people say that Bednar can't make in game adjustments, Q adjusted lines just for S&Gs. There were very few times where chemistry was allowed to develop under him.

 

[Sea Eagles]

None.

EDIT: And I'd like to burn this thread in the pits of hell, where it deserves to reside.

EDIT2: But I'll throw Claude Giroux in there because he had a CHANCE to be an AV, win a cup and go onto glory, but chose The Panthers baaaaaahahahahaha

 

[Bone Breaker]

more names that should be mentioned in such a topic, out of respect: Quincey, Cumiskey, Hannan, Comeau, Martinsen, Kobasew, Hahl, Rick Berry, DJ Smith, Megna, Helenius, Siemens, Brassard, Rendulic, Bryan Muir, Vaananen, Sauer...

 

[famicommander]

I know he was far from the worst in reality, but in my heart, Selanne.

 

[Chileiceman]

Joel Kiviranta - Peter Holland - Saku Mäenalanen
Andrej Meszaros - Curtis Glencross
Matt Carkner

Artem Anisimov healthy scratch

 

[The Kingslayer]

Im glad you asked.

Lake Como
Matt Hunwick
Phillipe Sauve
Pascal Trepanier
Jonos Holos
Anton Lindholm
Karl Stollery
Ray Macias
Joe Colbourne
Nate Guenin
Brad Stuart
Peter Budaj
Brad May
Bates Battaglia
Jeff Shantz
Ryan Graves
Kevin Porter

 

[Chileiceman]

It doesn't get worse than 08-09 Arnason. Laziest hockey player of all time.

Good call to whoever said Eric Gelinas. The last couple years of Brett Clark in an Avs uniform were a nightmare.

I'm surprised Joe Colborne has not been mentioned more. Scored a hat trick in his first game and then I think scored once more the whole year.

Patrice Brisebois was another gem.

 

[The Kingslayer]

Jordan Caron - Bates Battaglia - David Jones
David Koçi - Karl Stollery
Hunter Miska

Hunter Miska is actually the worst player thats ever suited up for the Avs. You win . If the puck was anywhere around 50 feet from him it had a legit chance of going in. I really thought Sauve was the worst goalie the Avs have ever suited up but that changed when Miska showed up.

It doesn't get worse than 08-09 Arnason. Laziest hockey player of all time.

Good call to whoever said Eric Gelinas. The last couple years of Brett Clark in an Avs uniform were a nightmare.

I'm surprised Joe Colborne has not been mentioned more. Scored a hat trick in his first game and then I think scored once more the whole year.

Patrice Brisebois was another gem.

He gets a pass from others (not me) because he had an injury which I guess led to his retirement. Still sucked before that.

more names that should be mentioned in such a topic, out of respect: Quincey, Cumiskey, Hannan, Comeau, Martinsen, Kobasew, Hahl, Rick Berry, DJ Smith, Megna, Helenius, Siemens, Brassard, Rendulic, Bryan Muir, Vaananen, Sauer...

You trying to provoke me?

 

[Chileiceman]

Im glad you asked.

Lake Como
Matt Hunwick
Phillipe Sauve
Pascal Trepanier
Jonos Holos
Anton Lindholm
Karl Stollery
Ray Macias
Joe Colbourne
Nate Guenin
Brad Stuart
Peter Budaj
Brad May
Bates Battaglia
Jeff Shantz
Ryan Graves
Kevin Porter

I totally forgot about Kevin Porter. Blake Comeau was the most frustrating Av ever for me. All he would do is shoot from literally anywhere, except if he was on a breakaway.

 

[Pokecheque]

It was the JT Compher effect. He ended up playing too high up the lineup than he should have. It was frustrating as hell to watch the offense die on his stick or the cycle stop with him but ultimately he wasn’t a top 6 player. Injuries forced him there. Maybe it is unfair that I put him there but 90% of HFAvs would have JTC on their list for the same reason.

I remember him quite differently. Yes, he was forced into a tougher role than what he was accustomed to but I don’t recall the offense “dying” on his stick. Again, the Tangs/McLean/Lappy line was surprisingly effective and a repeated go-to for Q at the time.

The one thing, ironically, I recall him being bad at was the primary thing he was brought in for—winning faceoffs.

The scene when Lappy scored his milestone goal and hugged McLean (who set it up) like he had saved Lappy’s puppy from a fire will forever remain a favorite Avs moment.

 

[CobraAcesS]

I won’t count fighters since it’s expected they suck at hockey.

I think Greg Zanon is the worst Avalanche player I have ever watched try to take a consistent shift.

He was a pure abomination; the stinkiest, wettest turd among a pile of shitbiscuits. What a time that was.

Yes!!

And this dude is yelling at people for walking on the logo.. I'm yelling at him for wearing it. He could barely skate. Fkn Pilon of worthlessness if I've ever seen it. He was the pinical example of how dog shit our defense was at one point.

Didn't even seem that tough lmao. It's like when the nerd grows a beard and thinks he should join an MMA league. Fkn Greg Zannon..

 

[tigervixxxen]

I also think Anton Lindholm was one of the worst to ever play more than half the games in a season.

 

[Bone Breaker]

Lindholm had basically zero ability with the puck but still I think he was kinda decent for his role. which is better already imo than many other names thrown here. the three very low end Ds that the Avs have employed through recent years that imo were "okay" are Lindholm, Barberio and Redmond. the others though, complete trash.


now that more names appeared, one that I think still wasnt mentioned but deserves a nod is Ian Cole. his highlight with the team was when he got his face turned into smashed potatoes by Tom Wilson. lol

 

[CobraAcesS]

I also think Anton Lindholm was one of the worst to ever play more than half the games in a season.

That was impressive lol

 

[SirLoinOfCloth]

If we're counting players who never even laced up for the Avs I'd like to send a courteous f*** You to our 5th round pick Will Butcher for shunning us when the times were bad. Will Bitcher, show us yer cup rings.

 

[The Moops]

Has no one mentioned Shane O'Brien?