GDT: Utah Hockey Club vs Colorado Avalanche Preseason GDT 9/29/24..... Emergency?

[the_fan]

So based on performance and what Bednar is saying, Malinski needs to make the team for sure, then probably Kovy and Ritchie should as well, but Malinski has been the Avs best player so far out of those who have played in this 3 games

 

[Freaky Styley]

I think they’re keeping 8 defensemen.

My thoughts exactly, and obviously you have much more insight on the team.

But they didn't sign Kylington late and acquire so much depth just to lose it on waivers. The depth was in case Malinski wasn't ready, but clearly he's earned a shot.

It seems to take guys some time to our system. They are going to give Brannstrom and Kylington all the rope they can, and send a guy like Kivi through waivers probably which shouldn't be an issue. I know we are light on Fs to start the year but this makes the most sense barring some trade.

 

[AllAboutAvs]

Who is Bednar talking about at minute 2:07 of the video? I couldn't pick up the name.

 

[GirardSpinorama]

So based on performance and what Bednar is saying, Malinski needs to make the team for sure, then probably Kovy and Ritchie should as well, but Malinski has been the Avs best player so far out of those who have played in this 3 games

I think he mentioned Ivan as well. Hopefully he gets games.

 

[The Merchant]

Wait, there's still THREE MORE preseason games?! Has it always been this hellacious?

 

[henchman21]

Sped through the game this morning... first thought, how does anybody watch these over ~3 hours?

Annunen - he was really, really bad. Soft goals and his weaknesses were very evident. Hopefully just a bad game. I'd argue he shouldn't have given up 3 of the 5, but at minimum 2 of the 5 should have been saved. It becomes very hard, near impossible, to win when a goalie gives up 2 soft goals.

Malinski - I think people are a little too hyped on the offensive flash. That's always been there and it wasn't different last night. His PP time will pretty much be nonexistent in the NHL... so I don't think that means much. His 5v5 play is still weak and soft in the defensive zone. The Brannstrom and Malinski pairing were abused in their own zone last night, and I think against a full NHL roster and with the effort ratcheted up that could be a disaster. In this game, their offensive and transition abilities outweighed their shortcomings.

Roaring 20s line - They looked horrific... and it was purely an effort thing. You could tell they were going through the motions. No big deal, but just goes to show how much effort really matters.

G/Kylington - Also a terrible pairing. Kylington needs to find his game quickly if he's going to play every night.

Ivan/Poulin/Kelly - I thought these three were the best line for the Avs last night. Ivan is showing what he did last camp and the first part of last season in the AHL. He faded down the stretch, so him keeping it up will be the bar for this year. Kelly looked pretty comfortable at center. Still think PEB wins that job, but some encouragement there. I thought Kelly was the best Av last night.

Ritchie - Outside of the goal, which is a move that I loved, I thought he was very bad. He looked completely lost out there and behind the play. Also didn't look engaged physically or wanting to play in the dirty areas. It is just one random preseason game, but he can't play like that and even get a 9 game tryout.

Behrens - he's not winning a NHL job out of camp. Partially due to numbers, but partially due to not flashing. I don't think it will be long though. He's as rock solid as they come. Him and Rosen were very good. I think no matter who Behrens plays with in Windsor, he's going to do well and quickly be a top pairing guy there.

Innala - He's not a NHLer, but I think he could have a very good season in the AHL. I like his pace and brain.... he's just small and not skilled enough to overcome it.

Overall... it is a meaningless preseason game. Grain of salt all of this.

 

[AvBuff]

Considering what happened to Laine and Drew Doughty in meaningless games . . . I don't care if the Avs send out the Ice Patrol and lose 25-0 in the pre-season games.

Just don't get hurt.

 

[Pokecheque]

Only concern I have coming out of a game like that is between the pipes. Anything outside of that is

In the end, there are just way too f***ing many of these exhibition contests.

 

[S E P H]

Wait, there's still THREE MORE preseason games?! Has it always been this hellacious?

Remember we had a random preseason game and then an entire week off for some reason until our next one.

Annunen - he was really, really bad. Soft goals and his weaknesses were very evident. Hopefully just a bad game. I'd argue he shouldn't have given up 3 of the 5, but at minimum 2 of the 5 should have been saved.

Four of the goals were really bad IMHO. For example, in the fourth one he didn't catch it, causing a huge rebound in front of his net and an easy tap-in. He has to be catching those shots.

 

[AvBuff]

Remember we had a random preseason game and then an entire week off for some reason until our next one.


Four of the goals were really bad IMHO. For example, in the fourth one he didn't catch it, causing a huge rebound in front of his net and an easy tap-in. He has to be catching those shots.

I dunno. The guy has a roster spot based on regular season performance. Can we reasonably expect Annunen to go all out playing behind Bednar's Bad News Pre-Season Bears?

 

[S E P H]

I dunno. The guy has a roster spot based on regular season performance. Can we reasonably expect Annunen to go all out playing behind Bednar's Bad News Pre-Season Bears?

Don't think I am writing him off from one preseason game because it is meaningless in hindsight. However, we seriously need to reduce Georgiev's workload and games like yesterday do not inspire much confidence that is possible. You want to see improvement, even if it is just a little in these younger players.

 

[henchman21]

The calling card to Annunen's NHL play last year is that he just didn't give up many bad goals. There were a few, but all goalies have some. Largely, he made the saves he should and held up well enough on the tougher ones. That gave him a high floor and the Avs could work with that. That has not been his MO through his AHL player. Last night was certainly on the extreme side, but he's typically been a guy who has given up a soft goal in the AHL.

Given his physical skill set and how he's not a dynamic athlete... his games is going to have to be centered around not giving up soft goals. That's because he's simply going to get beat fairly often when things breakdown and he has to move a lot. No matter how good a team is, there will be those moments in the NHL. So he has to be rock solid on medium and low danger shots. We're talking 97-98+% on low and 90.5-91+% on medium danger... simply because he's unlikely to be a guy who can sustain over 82% on high danger.

This is simply one preseason game, so pure grain of salt. Just as we are watching him progress this season... he can't have the soft goals and stay as a reliable backup.

 

[The Mars Volchenkov]

I'm with Henchy on Ritchie. It was an ugly game other than the goal. At one point he tried a drop pass 5 feet in front of his own goalie. I bet Bednar had an aneurysm on the bench with that one. He also tried multiple drop passes in his own end. That won't fly.

The situation the Avs are in gives them the leeway to give him a test run at the NHL level, but he has to play way better than that to get it.

Behrens has looked very comfortable, Kylington has been bad, Brannstrom has been up and down, and Malinski has been solid. I think they keep 8 to start the year but if Kylington doesn't get it together, maybe they can trade him.

 

[henchman21]

I'm with Henchy on Ritchie. It was an ugly game other than the goal. At one point he tried a drop pass 5 feet in front of his own goalie. I bet Bednar had an aneurysm on the bench with that one. He also tried multiple drop passes in his own end. That won't fly.

The situation the Avs are in gives them the leeway to give him a test run at the NHL level, but he has to play way better than that to get it.

Behrens has looked very comfortable, Kylington has been bad, Brannstrom has been up and down, and Malinski has been solid. I think they keep 8 to start the year but if Kylington doesn't get it together, maybe they can trade him.

The drop passes are straight junior shit. I don't think people watch enough lower level hockey to see what NHL level talent (even bottom 6 types) can get away with. Against a hard forechecking team, those types of plays will cause goals against and no shifts in the 3rd.