GDT: The Raising of the Stanley Cup Banner and the Return of Jack "MF" Johnson: CHI @ COL 9:30 EST

[LOFIN]

Gotta keep Lehky and Mikko together I think.

You roll

Landeskog-MacK-Nuke
Lehkonen-Newhook-Rantanen

The first line was dynamite in the playoffs, and Rantanen is one of the best offense driving wings in the league. Newhook should be fine there, since Lehky can cover up some of his defensive shortcomings and he doesn't have to take the burden of driving the line since Mikko can do that.

 

[Ceremony]

JMFJ on the bench on his own was nice.

 

[LOFIN]

I don’t want to be a Georgiev apologist, but seriously neither PP goal against was his fault.

Scrolled through the highlights quickly, and I agree with this statement. Frankly, Georgiev today was precisely as we expected realistically. Didn't lose us the game, didn't win it either. Didn't have to. His positioning in the first goal was bad, but with that amount of time and space there's probably only Vasilevsky or Shestyorkin who makes a save there. The second goal is also more on the D.

So yeah. He played adequately for us to win. That's what he was brought in for. Obviously we all hope (and I belive) we can develop him and he can become a better goalie with us. But as long as he's not losing us games it's all good.

 

[Rompane]

Rants needs that 100 points this season. He can very much do it and would have done it in few season without little injuries.

 

[AvsGuy]

Am I the only one that thought Newhook looked solid? Needs to drive play more but he looks several steps faster and harder to handle than last season, thought he was doing quite a few things right

 

[Avsfan1921]

Am I the only one that thought Newhook looked solid? Needs to drive play more but he looks several steps faster and harder to handle than last season, thought he was doing quite a few things right

He had two solid shifts in the third where he stood out a bit but overall imo, no, he did not look good. Lost all board/puck battles and did nothing to create offence.

It’s only one game and there’s no reason to claim it won’t work but I saw nothing there to be excited about in regards to a 2c in this game, much like last year.

 

[Balthazar]

Am I the only one that thought Newhook looked solid?

Kinda. He's going to need time and experience.

I think we all have Jost PTSD. We'll see how patient Bednar is with him.

 

[redacted]

Am I the only one that thought Newhook looked solid? Needs to drive play more but he looks several steps faster and harder to handle than last season, thought he was doing quite a few things right

Beyond the 4th line (which was terrible), nobody really looked bad. There were some rough moment for that line, but I wouldn't say they were bad. Pretty hard to judge though against the Hawks with how terrible they are.

 

[The Kingslayer]

Locked On Avalanche and milehighhockey both liked Newhook's performance.

f*** them both. He was cheeks last night and looked like Jost. 1 game but last night did not inspire any confidence he can play that role. Erod also sucked

I love how some people are already drawing conclusions on the makeup of this team after 1 game lol.

Great start. Keep rolling. Even if some pieces don’t look like they fit in their current role we’re able to give it most of the season to see if they adapt.

Super f***ing impressed with Mackinnon last night. He’s usually not buzzing this early.

Mackinnon looks slimmer or something. He looked faster than usual.

 

[nammerus]

Kinda. He's going to need time and experience.

I think we all have Jost PTSD. We'll see how patient Bednar is with him.

Watching him lose every battle for the puck is definitely bringing back Jost-like flashbacks.

 

[Balthazar]

Watching him lose every battle for the puck is definitely bringing back Jost-like flashbacks.

Jost did it for 5 years and never got any better.

Newhook is still brand new, that doesn't mean that he'll be like Jost and never take the next step.

 

[Chiarelli]

I haven’t watched him much in his career but ERod looks very low IQ

 

[The Kingslayer]

I haven’t watched him much in his career but ERod looks very low IQ

right handed bura without the flash, elite wrister and great zone entries. A poor mans Bura lol

 

[The Abusement Park]

I haven’t watched him much in his career but ERod looks very low IQ

Yeah the hype around him and his signing was… weird to me. Fine depth piece but he shouldn’t be anywhere near a 2nd line.

 

[SoftMittsHardSticks]

My god Newhook is bad playing C. xGF% of 24%. He played bad enough to bring Val (a f***ing xGF% GOD) down to his level. He’s like Jost..without all the scoring chance whiffs. And this was against basically an AHL team.

It would behoove the Avs to get some value from him this year while teams think he can play C

 

[Markster]

I want to believe that Rodrigues was nervous playing in his first ever Avs game on banner night and will settle down now. I want to believe!

 

[forsbergavs32]

ERod looked horrible last night, beyond his 2 penalties he just didn’t look good at all. That said, give him a bit of time. It seems like it takes players a bit of time to get used to the Avs system and he could have just been nervous in his first game. I think he’ll look better on the 3rd line once Lando is back, but we’ll see

 

[shadow1]

Who would've thought a year ago that one of the more sentimental moments in franchise history would involve Jack Johnson, who's no longer even with the team?

 

[Avaholic29]

Am I the only one that thought Newhook looked solid? Needs to drive play more but he looks several steps faster and harder to handle than last season, thought he was doing quite a few things right

He did look solid, a lot of this board is in pessimistic mode. He played just over 13 minutes and look solid, probably would’ve scored a nice one in tight had it not got blocked. He’s got two brand new linemates compared to last year and as his minutes increase I’d bet the production comes with it.

 

[Pokecheque]

Well, that was a fun night. Not much of a challenge considering the opponent but it was fun watching that top line and top pairing absolutely toy with the opposition whenever they got onto the ice.

And...what's this? MacDermid actually looked kinda good with the puck on his stick last night. Where did that come from!?

Anyway, obvious rust to shake off and what not, the team didn't look great at even strength when the top guys weren't out there, and Georgie was fine but was hardly challenged all night. All in all good start though.

 

[Balthazar]

MacDermid actually looked kinda good

It's so weird with him.

At the beginning of last season no one wanted him...then he played and everyone liked him.

This summer, same pattern: no one liked him and he was a waste of a roster spot. Now he plays and everyone likes him again.

 

[Pokecheque]

Am I the only one that thought Newhook looked solid? Needs to drive play more but he looks several steps faster and harder to handle than last season, thought he was doing quite a few things right

I thought he looked fine too, certainly worlds better than he did to finish last season.

He wasn't great and that line looked discombobulated all night except for Nuke, but it's waaaay early yet.

 

[McMetal]

I don't see either goal as being really Georgiev's fault. Especially the first one. EJ took himself way out of position with the belly slide, and that disrupted the PK formation and let the cross seam pass through. The other one was just a good play where LOC got beaten to the net for the tap-in.

Hell of an experience to be there live. My voice is going to be hoarse today at work.

 

[AvsFan29]

I love how some people are already drawing conclusions on the makeup of this team after 1 game lol.

Great start. Keep rolling. Even if some pieces don’t look like they fit in their current role we’re able to give it most of the season to see if they adapt.

Super f***ing impressed with Mackinnon last night. He’s usually not buzzing this early.

Well he needs to live up to that massive contract lol he's got more pressure on him now.

 

[Freudian]

It's so weird with him.

At the beginning of last season no one wanted him...then he played and everyone liked him.

This summer, same pattern: no one liked him and he was a waste of a roster spot. Now he plays and everyone likes him again.

He's a fine regular season player. Can't really play him in the playoff. Bednar showed he gets that, so I have no issue with MacDermid being here.