Pre-Game Talk: Week of Returning Players? (Sea, @Wpg, Car)

[CobraAcesS]

IMO it comes down to teams knowing that if you simply contain the top line and don't give them 2-3 goals at even strength. Odds are you'll win the game. So they simply focus on that and the key is extremely limiting MacK.

It's very early, but Mikko isn't on track to prove he should make as much as Mack, especially if containing Mack kills the top line entirely.

 

[henchman21]

It's very early, but Mikko isn't on track to prove he should make as much as Mack, especially if containing Mack kills the top line entirely.

Problem is... Mikko doesn't have to prove anything for that. If he absolutely wants that, all he has to do is just has to wait.

 

[sethro109]

Avalanche your mission should they choose to accept it. Is to survive the next 5 games with at least 2 wins. Where at that time you should be able to reunite with much needed reinforcements. Sacrifices in the bottom of the lineup is acceptable, but should anymore high value players sustain an injury, the mission will be deemed a failure. This message will not self-destruct in 5 seconds to avoid any further injuries.

-Mission impossible Avalanche.

 

[Vaslof]

Problem is... Mikko doesn't have to prove anything for that. If he absolutely wants that, all he has to do is just has to wait.

He'll get the bag from someone by waiting, but maybe not from us. If he continues to look bad out there, and Nuke comes back and performs like a 1st liner and doesn't get caught in a coke bender, then at that point it might be realistic to consider moving on from Rantanen. Even if he fell off and scored half the points he usually does, he'd still be our best RW if those conditions on Nuke don't come true. That's why we're in a pretty shitty situation.

I admit I also get nervous watching him have bad games, but I tell myself it's important not to judge based on a limited amount of games.

 

[dahrougem2]

I don't know about that... Kivi produces a lot more individual chances. Kovalenko works hard and can pass, but doesn't shoot and can't finish. Kivi actually shoots the puck. Given Mitts' natural hesitance to shoot himself, you can't have two guys like that on a line and expect a lot of offensive production.

I thought 51/37/25 was doing fantastic before he put Ivan there

 

[henchman21]

He'll get the bag from someone by waiting, but maybe not from us. If he continues to look bad out there, and Nuke comes back and performs like a 1st liner and doesn't get caught in a coke bender, then at that point it might be realistic to consider moving on from Rantanen. Even if he fell off and scored half the points he usually does, he'd still be our best RW if those conditions on Nuke don't come true. That's why we're in a pretty shitty situation.

I admit I also get nervous watching him have bad games, but I tell myself it's important not to judge based on a limited amount of games.

I just don't see the Avs letting him walk. Worst case they'd do the same as they did with Landy and Nuke. Wait until the last minute and cave. Though given the complexities moving forward, I doubt they want to wait this deal out. Too many moving pieces to wait until the last minute.

Even as bad as Mikko has looked (and I think he always has these stretches), he's still at over 100 point pace. In a league where offense tends to get you paid, he provides and awful lot of it.

 

[henchman21]

I thought 51/37/25 was doing fantastic before he put Ivan there

It is a small sample (around 50 minutes), so tough to derive too much from it. The analytics point to a line that controls the puck, but does nothing of substance with it. A perfect Hurricanes sort of line.

 

[dahrougem2]

It is a small sample (around 50 minutes), so tough to derive too much from it. The analytics point to a line that controls the puck, but does nothing of substance with it. A perfect Hurricanes sort of line.

For what this lineup is at present, a Hurricanes sort of line is very much welcomed.

 

[the_fan]

Can we have the Avs forfeit the Jets game on Thursday? We are not gonna be healthy enough and gonna get annihilated. The game is in Winnipeg, they’re the best team in the NHL right now, and they gonna remember what we did to them in the playoffs. Let’s just skip this one because it’s not gonna be pretty. We gonna get crashed badly

 

[MaKarter]

Can we have the Avs forfeit the Jets game on Thursday? We are not gonna be healthy enough and gonna get annihilated. The game is in Winnipeg, they’re the best team in the NHL right now, and they gonna remember what we did to them in the playoffs. Let’s just skip this one because it’s not gonna be pretty. We gonna get crashed badly

You don't even care about Makar points anymore? If we win all the games Makar chooses no points. When we lose, he has to score.

 

[the_fan]

You don't even care about Makar points anymore? If we win all the games Makar chooses no points. When we lose, he has to score.

That’s true. The one bright side of this season has been Cale. Need to keep his scoring going