Keep forgetting that we have Paranteau on our team now. Im really excited to see what he and Duchene do together.
Also excited to see how Landeskog plays after his amazing year last year.
Wonder if we'll have any 20 goal scorers in the 48 game season, would mean a 30-35 goal pace over 82 games. Only players I see potentially doing that would be Landeskog and Duchene.
I love Landy but i'd rather he play with Factor or Staz than Dutchy. Both of those guys are better at setting up and utilizing their wingers while Dutchy's always been best with creative guys who can set him up, that's why I want PAP and Downie on his side.
Then you take Staz and Jones and stick them with McGinn or landy, while the other joins Radar and Duke on the other top line.
That way all 3 lines can carry our team at different times, Gabriel/McGinn-Staz-Jones as the the most established top line. PAP-Dutchy-Downie as the most offensively explosive line, set up to get Matt to flourish. And Gabe/McG-O'Reilly-Duke as the tough to play against leadership line.
BTW anyone else feel like Varly just going to have an awesome year with the shorter season? Especially coming in confident and in form from his KHL time. It's crazy to expect a whole season at this point I think that with the compressed schedule he could maintain that post ASG level for the whole thing.
BTW anyone else feel like Varly just going to have an awesome year with the shorter season? Especially coming in confident and in form from his KHL time. It's crazy to expect a whole season at this point I think that with the compressed schedule he could maintain that post ASG level for the whole thing.
His groin will fall off in the first period of the first game and then he'll go into a depression where the only thing he will utter is "Filip Forsberg".
At the same time O'Reilly will be so hooked on borscht that he'll never leave Russia no matter what Avs pay him.
His groin will fall off in the first period of the first game and then he'll go into a depression where the only thing he will utter is "Filip Forsberg".
At the same time O'Reilly will be so hooked on borscht that he'll never leave Russia no matter what Avs pay him.
We're screwed.
Stop being so ridiculous, Varly isn't coming back from Russia.
Stastny essentially replaces O'Reilly, and really wouldn't surprise me if that line was even better than with ROR on it. Stastny and Landeskog together just seems too good to be true. McGinn will give PAP and Duchene a shooting option, as well as some toughness. The third line will easily receive the least amount of minutes, but their is still enough skill that it won't a burden on the team.
Hejda-Johnson
Zanon-O'Byrne
Wilson-O'Brien
Give Hejda and Johnson another chance together. If they show the same chemistry they had last season, then switch it up. But that's as close as this team can get to a top pairing, at least on paper. If Johnson is quicker this season, then he could make up for the lack of speed between the two. Zanon-O'Byrne still gives Sacco that "shutdown pair." Wilson-O'Brien is a pretty versatile pair, that could do really well against 3rd and 4th lines.
Stastny essentially replaces O'Reilly, and really wouldn't surprise me if that line was even better than with ROR on it. Stastny and Landeskog together just seems too good to be true. McGinn will give PAP and Duchene a shooting option, as well as some toughness. The third line will easily receive the least amount of minutes, but their is still enough skill that it won't a burden on the team.
Hejda-Johnson
Zanon-O'Byrne
Wilson-O'Brien
Give Hejda and Johnson another chance together. If they show the same chemistry they had last season, then switch it up. But that's as close as this team can get to a top pairing, at least on paper. If Johnson is quicker this season, then he could make up for the lack of speed between the two. Zanon-O'Byrne still gives Sacco that "shutdown pair." Wilson-O'Brien is a pretty versatile pair, that could do really well against 3rd and 4th lines.
Varly should be looking at ~40 games.
Like I said in the main board thread about goalie playing time, I really doubt that.
In a 48 game season that will have a very compressed schedule, there will be many back to back games.
If his previous season wasn't an indicator, Varly had durability issues and should not be counted on to play that many games.
Hell he is just coming off an injury playing in the KHL.
Edit: 25-28 is more realistic, 30 being the cap, imo. Take it for what you will.
If Hejduk does look himself I'd be ok with trying a pure offensive first line, it worked with Mueller for a stint
Hejduk-Duchene-Parenteau
McGinn-Stastny-Jones
Landeskog-O'Reilly-Downie
McLeod-Mitchell-Kobasew
If this doesn't work out then they should try some pretty major changes
Landeskog-Stastny-Jones
Downie-Duchene-Parenteau
McGinn-O'Reilly-Hejduk/Olver
McLeod/Olver-Mitchell/Olver-Kobasew/Hejduk/Olver
And as far as the D goes, Wilson looked pretty great pre-concussion, so I think he should be in the top 4.
Hejda/Wilson-EJ
Hejda/Wilson-O'Byrne
Zanon-O'Brien/Hunwick
I would be ok with Hejda being given another shot at being EJs partner atleast until we can acquire a true top pairing defender.
Before last year his most games played (in an 82 game schedule) was 27.
Last year he played in 53 games (64% give or take). Say he stays on course for that percentage, still only 31 games.
Add in all the back to back games in a compressed schedule.
The only reason he only played 27 before last year was because of injuries.. Varly has been relatively healthy for the better part of 2 years now. KHL injury wasn't all that serious.
If Varly is hot, Sacco will ride him for as long as possible and play him as much as possible. Back to Back are really not a huge issue. Varly will start the first one, Giggy the 2nd one, then Varly the next game.
2/3 games played will go to Varly, so long as he's playing well.
I said it right when we signed Parenteau and I still feel the same way, I want to see Landeskog-Duchene-Parenteau together. O'Reilly missing a couple of days of training camp might be a good thing because Sacco will have to try some different line combinations instead of just going with Landeskog-O'Reilly-Downie.
I think a line of Hejduk-Duchene-Parenteau would get physically dominated and they would be a disaster in the defensive zone.
I completely agree, having a strong backup goalie this year is gonna be a huge factor all across the league
This ,
Idk how many games Varly will be in the net , but our goalie situation is not a concern. We have Gigučre , and i think we are all comfortable with him in the net. It's gonna a short season with a lot of back to back games , the playoffs will be there very quickly and it will be very important to have Varly focus , ready to play and most important not exhausted , come playoff time .
I said it right when we signed Parenteau and I still feel the same way, I want to see Landeskog-Duchene-Parenteau together. O'Reilly missing a couple of days of training camp might be a good thing because Sacco will have to try some different line combinations instead of just going with Landeskog-O'Reilly-Downie.
I think a line of Hejduk-Duchene-Parenteau would get physically dominated and they would be a disaster in the defensive zone.
EXACTLY...
Landeskog - Duchene - Parenteau
McGinn - Stastny - Jones
Downie - O'Reilly - Hejduk
is my pick for our top 9...
If Hejduk falters then : Sgarbossa - O'Reilly - Downie is something I wouldn't mind seeing. If/when Boss gets a shot it should be next to our best defensive center. Just the same way Landeskog started out...
I'm sure late in games up by one goal we might see Landeskog & O'Reilly, and maybe on the penalty kill but i'd like to see the above lines rolled for most of the games.
Idk how many games Varly will be in the net , but our goalie situation is not a concern. We have Gigučre , and i think we are all comfortable with him in the net. It's gonna a short season with a lot of back to back games , the playoffs will be there very quickly and it will be very important to have Varly focus , ready to play and most important not exhausted , come playoff time .
My only concern regarding our goalie situation is Giguere in shootouts. He is really poor at it and all these extra points will be very important especially in a short season like this one.
My only concern regarding our goalie situation is Giguere in shootouts. He is really poor at it and all these extra points will be very important especially in a short season like this one.
Oh yes Gigučre is awful in shootouts no one will deny it, well maybe not awful, but you know what i mean . I hope he had time or he will find the time to work on this aspect of his game. Other than that Gigučre will give a lot of good games, with all the experience he has , i'm pretty sure he got a lot of gas left in the tank.
But hey, not all our games will be decided in shootouts and the one that are , we'll just have to hope Varly is in the net .
Oh yes Gigučre is awful in shootouts no one will deny it, well maybe not awful, but you know what i mean . I hope he had time or he will find the time to work on this aspect of his game. Other than that Gigučre will give a lot of good games, with all the experience he has , i'm pretty sure he got a lot of gas left in the tank.
But hey, not all our games will be decided in shootouts and the one that are , we'll just have to hope Varly is in the net .
Don't get me wrong, I'm still very happy we have him. What he brings to this team (on and off the ice) is so important when considering the average age the team. I'm just saying that I wish he would be a bit better in shootouts because of the length of the season.
I don't really know where to put this but it's from Dater's Avs preview for this season:
Lack of size, toughness. The book the last few seasons on the Avs has been: Put bodies on their small forwards in front of the net and they won't get to the puck. The Avs acquired a nice power forward in P.A. Parenteau, but they still have more finesse than brawn up front.
and this is our beat writer... Does he know something about hockey after more than 15 yrs covering the team?
and this is our beat writer... Does he know something about hockey after more than 15 yrs covering the team?
