GDT: Jets @ Avs | 7:30 pm MT | Hellebuyck Emergency

[LOFIN]

Landy just being in front of the net on the PP and defensively solid is worth more than Colton and Wood combined.

Or him just being on the bench as a leader, frankly.

 

[Pokecheque]

Of course it had to be the goddamn Pionk Panther. That guy is seriously turning into the blueline version of Colton Sissons.

 

[AllAboutAvs]

People here keeps ignoring how important Landy and Nuke are to this team. I've said it many times...the team can't afford to lose both at the same time because they have nothing to fill that huge hole. They can manage losing one but not both. They are the best two-way forwards on the team. They are both goal scorers. They are the best two board players. They win the most battles. The team loses at least 90% of their board battles which kills momentum. They are the best net-front presence on the team. They are the best at tipping pucks in front of the net and screening the goalie. You see where I am going with this?

The Avs absolutely need at least one of them in the top-6. Period.

With that said they just outplayed the 2nd best team in the NHL. One of the issues is secondary scoring. That comes with net-front presence and our 2C to get his head out of his ass. The other issue is stupid defensive mistake. Look at two of the goals against. Bad defensive mistakes by Malinski and Parsy on one and an absolute brain-dead mistake by Mack in OT. The 3rd goal was absolute bad luck.

I'll say it again....this is NOT a Bednar issue except maybe for the PP. The PP is certainly an issue as well but I very much doubt Bednar is telling them to overpass and forcing passes through the middle. I am sure he is telling them to shoot more. I do hope he is telling them to use the one-timer more often though. There is a reason why there are so many block shots on the PP. The other team's PK is not afraid to stand in front of our wrist shots.

 

[AnimalMother73]

People here keeps ignoring how important Landy and Nuke are to this team. I've said it many times...the team can't afford to lose both at the same time because they have nothing to fill that huge hole. They can manage losing one but not both. They are the best two-way forwards on the team. They are both goal scorers. They are the best two board players. They win the most battles. The team loses at least 90% of their board battles which kills momentum. They are the best net-front presence on the team. They are the best at tipping pucks in front of the net and screening the goalie. You see where I am going with this?

The Avs absolutely need at least one of them in the top-6. Period.

With that said they just outplayed the 2nd best team in the NHL. One of the issues is secondary scoring. That comes with net-front presence and our 2C to get his head out of his ass. The other issue is stupid defensive mistake. Look at two of the goals against. Bad defensive mistakes by Malinski and Parsy on one and an absolute brain-dead mistake by Mack in OT. The 3rd goal was absolute bad luck.

I'll say it again....this is NOT a Bednar issue except maybe for the PP. The PP is certainly an issue as well but I very much doubt Bednar is telling them to overpass and forcing passes through the middle. I am sure he is telling them to shoot more. I do hope he is telling them to use the one-timer more often though. There is a reason why there are so many block shots on the PP. The other team's PK is not afraid to stand in front of our wrist shots.

Not that he is anywhere close to Nuke and Landy but the one thing I've noticed during Mitts cold spell is how easy it is to knock him off the puck. I was impressed last season and the first ten games this year with how he could hold the puck, pivot and pass from behind the net or half wall with a player draped all over him. Now the player breathes in his general direction and he loses the puck...still wondering if he has some type of injury.

 

[Pokecheque]

People here keeps ignoring how important Landy and Nuke are to this team. I've said it many times...the team can't afford to lose both at the same time because they have nothing to fill that huge hole. They can manage losing one but not both. They are the best two-way forwards on the team. They are both goal scorers. They are the best two board players. They win the most battles. The team loses at least 90% of their board battles which kills momentum. They are the best net-front presence on the team. They are the best at tipping pucks in front of the net and screening the goalie. You see where I am going with this?

The Avs absolutely need at least one of them in the top-6. Period.

With that said they just outplayed the 2nd best team in the NHL. One of the issues is secondary scoring. That comes with net-front presence and our 2C to get his head out of his ass. The other issue is stupid defensive mistake. Look at two of the goals against. Bad defensive mistakes by Malinski and Parsy on one and an absolute brain-dead mistake by Mack in OT. The 3rd goal was absolute bad luck.

I'll say it again....this is NOT a Bednar issue except maybe for the PP. The PP is certainly an issue as well but I very much doubt Bednar is telling them to overpass and forcing passes through the middle. I am sure he is telling them to shoot more. I do hope he is telling them to use the one-timer more often though. There is a reason why there are so many block shots on the PP. The other team's PK is not afraid to stand in front of our wrist shots.

I mostly agree with you, I just don't think this team can find any sort of consistency when the third line center continues to be a guy who CANNOT generate offense. It's absolutely maddening to see Logan O'Connor speeding around and winning back the puck (and he's no offensive wizard either but compared to the rest of the bottom six, he's Milan Hejduk) and everything just dying off because Parker Kelly has effectively become the second coming of Jeff Shantz.

I'd also say the worst defensive mistake on that first goal was Middleton letting himself get caught completely flat-footed and therefore unable to stop the cross-ice feed. Dude, you're big and physical, you should be mashing that guy into the boards at your first opportunity. He's honestly the worst player the Avs have had on the roster this year and yes, I'm counting Kylington in that assessment. If he's not hitting anyone what the absolute F**K is he doing on the ice!?!?!?

The OT f***up IMO is more on Makar, and he admitted as such after the game. They won the frickin' faceoff, a miracle in and of itself, I have NO idea what Makar was thinking forcing that pass right away to Drouin when he had all the time and space to organize an attack.

 

[Ceremony]

If this team genuinely misses Landeskog - misses him to the point where we're playing a style where a player of his ability is what's missing from us being better than we are, we may as well all get on the Fire Bednar trail. He's been out for two and a half years. At some point, you have to adjust.

 

[AllAboutAvs]

I mostly agree with you, I just don't think this team can find any sort of consistency when the third line center continues to be a guy who CANNOT generate offense. It's absolutely maddening to see Logan O'Connor speeding around and winning back the puck (and he's no offensive wizard either but compared to the rest of the bottom six, he's Milan Hejduk) and everything just dying off because Parker Kelly has effectively become the second coming of Jeff Shantz.

I'd also say the worst defensive mistake on that first goal was Middleton letting himself get caught completely flat-footed and therefore unable to stop the cross-ice feed. Dude, you're big and physical, you should be mashing that guy into the boards at your first opportunity. He's honestly the worst player the Avs have had on the roster this year and yes, I'm counting Kylington in that assessment. If he's not hitting anyone what the absolute F**K is he doing on the ice!?!?!?

The OT f***up IMO is more on Makar, and he admitted as such after the game. They won the frickin' faceoff, a miracle in and of itself, I have NO idea what Makar was thinking forcing that pass right away to Drouin when he had all the time and space to organize an attack.

Agree on your first comment and mostly agree on Middleton. However mistakes like that will happen with a dman that should be a 7th dman at best. The other two played it really bad as a duo.

As for your last comment I disagree. Makar made a mistake for sure. You never want to give up the puck in OT but it will happen. Guys lose the puck in every OT but it doesn't always result in a goal. If you defend properly you will get it back and that bad pass from Makar is forgotten. The play by Mack on the other hand....Ouf!. How can you forget about a guy like that when there are only 3 players on the ice. And then there is the effort or lack thereof trying to backcheck. It was just pathetic IMO.

 

[Pokecheque]

Agree on your first comment and mostly agree on Middleton. However mistakes like that will happen with a dman that should be a 7th dman at best. The other two played it really bad as a duo.

As for your last comment I disagree. Makar made a mistake for sure. You never want to give up the puck in OT but it will happen. Guys lose the puck in every OT but it doesn't always result in a goal. If you defend properly you will get it back and that bad pass from Makar is forgotten. The play by Mack on the other hand....Ouf!. How can you forget about a guy like that when there are only 3 players on the ice. And then there is the effort or lack thereof trying to backcheck. It was just pathetic IMO.

MacKinnon screwed up for sure but Makar didn't "lose" the puck, he gave it away, and he did it with a mistake I usually attribute to MacKinnon in OT--forcing a play that wasn't there when he didn't have to. Again, even he admitted in the locker room he f***ed up.

Doesn't matter if he's the 7th or 20th defenseman (I don't even think he should be the 7th BTW) that's Defense101 right there. You HAVE to be aware of the guys on your side of the ice. Didn't like how Parssinen and Malinski played that either but that pass doesn't happen at all if Middleton isn't totally asleep and puck-watching when the outlet pass is made.

I could also fault Ivan on that one for not doing what he needed to do on the forecheck to secure the puck, but that might be a tad nitpicky.

 

[NOTENOUGHRYJOTHINGS]

This team is mid. Wildcard level. Maybe if healthy they're a third in the division type of team that's a tough out in the first round.

But the top guys will be too burnt out by the playoffs to be difference makers.

They're cooked and need to retool for the next two or three years.

 

[Foppa2118]

I personally wouldn't measure against the Jets. Sure they are having another great regular season but they simply aren't that great outside of Hellebuyck. He covers up a lot. If he isn't in net last night we win probably 5-2. He made at least 3 saves that most goalies in the league don't. If he has an elite postseason they will be dangerous but if he's even a .910 goalie in the playoffs they'll experience an early exit again.

The two teams to measure against IMO are Edmonton, who after we ran out to a 3 goal lead took us to the woodshed. And the other is Dallas, not this version of Dallas, but the version after they use the 9M Seguin LTIR. If they add a solid piece or two at the deadline and they are really tough. Great goalie, solid defense, and a well rounded 4 line offense.

Perhaps, but Winnipeg is still 2nd in the NHL, and 1st in the West.

I also thought the Jets played a very good defensive game, and capitalized on their offensive chances with good skill plays. Avs played them well, and outplayed them at times, with only 1 scoring line, and one offensive D pair. They didn't have Lowry though, so they can be better too.

Edmonton, I think the Avs always match up well against, if they have a semi healthy roster.

Not sure what Dallas does at the deadline, but in general I think this Avs team can beat them with a semi healthy roster, if they play to their capability, and limit the defensive mistakes they had against them in the playoffs. We've also seen Oettenger be very beatable too. Georgiev arguably outplayed him last year.