MacFarland/Landeskog press conference

[The Moops]

The Avs always need that one particular motivation to put in the work and commitment and have the drive to win the cup.

1996 the relocation along with Roy trade

2001 win it for Bourque

2022 Nate pissed off saying I haven’t won shit


I’m not sure where and when the next motivation is gonna come from.

The boys tell nuke that the conn Smythe has a secret stash of nose candy

 

[the_fan]

The boys tell nuke that the conn Smythe has a secret stash of nose candy

Or they tell him they will fill the cup with grade A uncut cocaine and he’ll be the first to bury his face in it if he comes back and helps the Avs win it.

 

[RockLobster]

Because I'm calling out the obvious, I hold an axe??? Simply not the case, I'm just over it with his injury.

This organization has been extremely patient and supportive with Landy and his recovery. Year 1 we didn't LTIR because we thought he'd be back mid to late regular season, never came back, we were f***ed and couldn't use 7M all year. Year 2 we LTIRed it, so fine that's whatever. Now year 3, we are about to do the same we did year 1, risk it, and hope he's able to play. Can't wait for the inevitable press conference in December where they state he won't play. And once again will be screwed.

I get he can't predict his health but at some point he needs to do what's best for the team, he can't keep putting them in limbo, it's selfish. The guys that are able to play need him in the lineup or the team needs to be able to use his cap for someone that can help them.

Yes, you have an axe to grind, no what you’re calling out isn’t “obvious”. As we’ve repeated, a lot, Gabe is still at the front end of his rehabilitation window/timeframe.

Everything after this is just irrelevant.

 

[SirLoinOfCloth]

The Avs always need that one particular motivation to put in the work and commitment and have the drive to win the cup.

1996 the relocation along with Roy trade

2001 win it for Bourque

2022 Nate pissed off saying I haven’t won shit


I’m not sure where and when the next motivation is gonna come from.

2025 LANDY IS BACK!

 

[expatriatedtexan]

When Landy does come back and fulfills the prophecy by becomes a third line grinder... I'm also fully expecting him to flip the switch and revert to 100% viking mode like in his first season or so.

 

[the_fan]

2025 LANDY IS BACK!

So it will be…

Win it for one legged Landy!!!!

 

[katfude]

Man all those landy-hating weirdos on the mains must be hate-humping their waifu pillows when they found out he isn't hanging them up yet

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

My perception of the thing was:

1. Landy will be at training camp and giving it a go.
2. Val will be back unless he f***s up during the program.
3. Drouin unfortunately may be a cap casualty
4. They want Ritchie to play but they won't rush him, they will target bottom-6 at first
5. Foudy and Kovalenko are being given an opportunity at camp, and they need to make the most of it.
6. If JJ and Cogs want to go again they'll go again
7. Avs are struggling cap wise and need some low AAV contracts to fill some spots

Basically we screwed eh?

No way to improve the team.

 

[Foppa2118]

It sounded to me like he has no interest in giving Ritchie a shot next season and the only way it happens is if Ritchie blows the doors off of training camp and forces it.

I hope they bring Drouin back. They badly need his speed and skill.

I didn't get that impression, that he had no interest. He'll have to play well, but I'm not sure he has to blow the doors off. Whether it happens or not, I don't know, but I think he's definitely open to it.

I went into that presser thinking Ritchie most likely would be sent back no matter what, but I came away with a strong impression that the door is very much open for him, if he plays well enough to earn it.

One potential avenue to him making the team I can see happening, is if they can't bring back Drouin, and weren't able to find a cheap UFA/PTO, or maybe the PTO's didn't have a good enough camp, and they give him his 9 games on the 3rd line or 2nd line wing, and he meshes with Mitts and continues playing well so they keep him.

Something about the way CMac opened his eyes wide and said, "we'll see what he can do" didn't come across like a throw comment to me, it came across as genuine, like he was open to it.

 

[Bill Peckerskull]

It's not pointless. They aren't spending Landy's cap hit and Nuke may come back if he behaves well.

That's enough informations to know that this summer will f***ing suck.

And Lehky need surgery and may be back in time for camp.

 

[chet1926]

Yes, you have an axe to grind, no what you’re calling out isn’t “obvious”. As we’ve repeated, a lot, Gabe is still at the front end of his rehabilitation window/timeframe.

Everything after this is just irrelevant.

He's handicapped the team for 3 seasons. Take the name out of the equation and look at objectively. If his name wasn't Landeskog, I guarantee there would be a different tune being sung.

 

[RockLobster]

He's handicapped the team for 3 seasons. Take the name out of the equation and look at objectively. If his name wasn't Landeskog, I guarantee there would be a different tune being sung.

You’re trying to make this a black & white situation, and it’s just not.

The facts are that he was recommended 1 surgery, and it didn’t work. That’s why the first year we didn’t use LTIR, because the thought was he’d be back.

After the second surgery he was told 12-16 months, which meant they definitively knew he wouldn’t play this last regular season, with a shot at him coming back if they made a deep playoff run. It didn’t happen.

But the fact remains, that he’s still within the *same recovery window as before*.

You have this thing where you jump to wild conclusions, that most of the time have no grounding within the world that we live in.

And we can’t remove the name from the equation. He’s Gabe Landeskog, he captained the team to their 3rd Cup in franchise history. He sacrificed his knee to do it. If he’s been told he has whatever the % is chance to resume his career (85%? 90%?), then he’s not selfish for exhausting those options. He’s certainly not selfish when he’s 13 days removed from the very front end of that timeline (12months).

 

[Foppa2118]

He's handicapped the team for 3 seasons. Take the name out of the equation and look at objectively. If his name wasn't Landeskog, I guarantee there would be a different tune being sung.

His name is Landeskog though.

And that comes with everything the best captain in the league, as well as previously one of the best combinations of high end offense, defense, and physicality in the league, has to offer

That has to change things. It's also 2 seasons. He played great and helped them win the Cup three seasons ago, and we don't know what's going to happen next season. Maybe he's back in September?

 

[Balthazar]

And Lehky need surgery and may be back in time for camp.

Yea this explains why he had a couple of games where he wasn't as good as usual, which was very surprising.

At least we won't hear about Makar needing an imaginary surgery anymore.

 

[Foppa2118]

When Landy does come back and fulfills the prophecy by becomes a third line grinder... I'm also fully expecting him to flip the switch and revert to 100% viking mode like in his first season or so.

One thing to keep an eye on when he returns, is that he said the drills he was doing were, "laying the foundation to skating....my new kind of skating...technique, with a new piece of my knee."

So it sounds like he needs to develop a knew skating technique to play on his new knee, to mitigate damage, which may mean he needs to play a different style. Perhaps much less physical. Though he had started to dial that back a bit in the regular season anyway.

 

[AllAboutAvs]

There was a lot of lawyer speak in that presser. They were both always saying the right thing but there was also a lot being said. reading between the lines it was obvious to me that the other players are pissed at Nuke and that he is no longer welcome.. IMO they truly expect him to fail this stage and then look at termination. The way CMac brought up that Nuke signed a contract and that it needs to be adhered to I wonder if there is something special in his contract that would give them an out if he fails this stage. We'll see I guess. But I truly believe he is gone and he NEEDS to be gone for the sake of the team.

I also believe they will do everything they can to bring back Drouin. CMac mentioned the 10% over cap they can used. I think they will used that until Nuke "fails" which would then allow them to fit him within the cap.

As for Ritchie the way I read it is he has a shot. Yes they said that because they now have Mitts they do not need to rush him. However he also said something about not having to put him in a pressure situation to produce but that if he could find a role to allow himself a slower path then he could maybe make it but he needs to brake a door down meaning he needs to beat the other guys. It sounded to me that they would look into a bottom lines role or maybe on the wing.

Funny how people interpret comments completely different sometimes.

 

[Foppa2118]

There was a lot of lawyer speak in that presser. They were both always saying the right thing but there was also a lot being said. reading between the lines it was obvious to me that the other players are pissed at Nuke and that he is no longer welcome.. IMO they truly expect him to fail this stage and then look at termination. The way CMac brought up that Nuke signed a contract and that it needs to be adhered to I wonder if there is something special in his contract that would give them an out if he fails this stage. We'll see I guess. But I truly believe he is gone and he NEEDS to be gone for the sake of the team.

I've seen that mentioned a few times, but I'm not sure why they would need to talk about welcoming him back if that were the case. That doesn't really serve much purpose for them does it?

They can just say he's in the program, we can't terminate his contract right now, and we'll see what happens later.

I'm not sure it's necessary for them to say things like the bolded below. They may think it's unlikely he adheres to the program, but I don't see the extra benefit in saying this, if they've totally closed the door on him returning.

CMac:

"We've got to look at all options to that. This time, priority one is for Val to get the help he needs, and you know, assuming he does, and after the six months, we'll have to read, and react on that, but it is very plausible that he will be back with the Avalanche."

Landy:

"Like Chris said, it's kinda up to Val now how he handles this. And obviously...once he comes back, and hoping everything goes well, and you know, he's ready to be a part of this team, we obviously will be ready to have him back, and be ready to battle out there on the ice, but yeah, we hope Val gets right, and we hope he gets what he needs, and he's able to come back and help us."

 

[AllAboutAvs]

I've seen that mentioned a few times, but I'm not sure why they would need to talk about welcoming him back if that were the case. That doesn't really serve much purpose for them does it?

They can just say he's in the program, we can't terminate his contract right now, and we'll see what happens later.

I'm not sure it's necessary for them to say things like the bolded below. They may think it's unlikely he adheres to the program, but I don't see the extra benefit in saying this, if they've totally closed the door on him returning.

CMac:

"We've got to look at all options to that. This time, priority one is for Val to get the help he needs, and you know, assuming he does, and after the six months, we'll have to read, and react on that, but it is very plausible that he will be back with the Avalanche."

Landy:

"Like Chris said, it's kinda up to Val now how he handles this. And obviously...once he comes back, and hoping everything goes well, and you know, he's ready to be a part of this team, we obviously will be ready to have him back, and be ready to battle out there on the ice, but yeah, we hope Val gets right, and we hope he gets what he needs, and he's able to come back and help us."

Like I said IMO they are just saying what needs to be said at this moment. They need to let the process runs out right now. It doesn't help anyone to just say he is not coming back while they are looking at all their options. The last options IMO is that they would need to take him back but reading between the lines they don't want to get to that point (with reason obviously) but they need to keep that door open.

 

[Foppa2118]

Like I said IMO they are just saying what needs to be said at this moment. They need to let the process runs out right now. It doesn't help anyone to just say he is not coming back while they are looking at all their options. The last options IMO is that they would need to take him back but reading between the lines they don't want to get to that point (with reason obviously) but they need to keep that door open.

Oh maybe I misunderstood. I thought you were saying they've decided he's gone either way.

I agree that the door may be left open just an inch or two.

 

[AllAboutAvs]

Oh maybe I misunderstood. I thought you were saying they've decided he's gone either way.

I agree that the door may be left open just an inch or two.

I think they have already decided he NEEDS to go but they need to leave that door open just in case. I would probably say 1/4", not an inch or two.

 

[Foppa2118]

I think they have already decided he NEEDS to go but they need to leave that door open just in case. I would probably say 1/4", not an inch or two.

Yeah I think by far the most determining factor it will come down to, are their other options. They may not have a better one come November or whenever he's cleared.

 

[Avsfan1921]

He's handicapped the team for 3 seasons. Take the name out of the equation and look at objectively. If his name wasn't Landeskog, I guarantee there would be a different tune being sung.

Should all players that get injured, do the recommended treatment, and stay on track with their recommended timeframes just retire? Or are they selfish as well?

 

[chet1926]

Should all players that get injured, do the recommended treatment, and stay on track with their recommended timeframes just retire? Or are they selfish as well?

How many players in the NHL have been injured going on a 3rd straight season?

It's one thing to be out for a year, it's a completely different thing to be out possibly 3. I'd argue he is way off track, he was supposed to be back at end of year one and now we are moving onto year 3. I get he wants to play and is doing the right things to try and make it happen, but there is still a good chance it doesn't happen.

At some point he is going to have to make a tough decision if he can't go. I hope that if he isn't right by December he does the right thing of either LTIR retires or straight up retire. We can't continue to play the maybe game with 7M. You can't put yourself at that disadvantage in today's NHL. 7M goes a long way towards some much needed players.

 

[lionsDen]

It’s a conference, they’re not gonna show their hand to the other 31 teams that’d be dumb.

My gut says they’ll try and get rid of nuke without killing themselves long term. If not he’ll be back

 

[dahrougem2]

Nuke is gone. There is no way that locker room accepts him back in. He cost them two contending seasons because of his own stupidity. Landeskog has been dying to play for two years. Val doesn't have to have knee cartilage transplanted into his f***ing knee and rehab for 12 months but he goes on his cocaine binge. I cannot see any way this core allows him to set foot in that locker room again.