Gabriel Landeskog: A+. No further explanation needed.
Ryan O'Reilly: A+. Ditto.
Jamie McGinn: A. This guy is awesome. 8 goals in 16 games and makes Stastny look like a 1st line center again. Awesome trade.
Jay McClement: B+. What was the last defensive forward the Avs have had who is as good as McClement? Quality penalty killer and great at controlling the play against impact forwards.
David Jones: B-. Overall a solid season for a depth scorer. Would like to see him back, won't cry much if he leaves for another team.
Steve Downie: C. Good for ten games, terrible for ten games. Not sure what to expect of him for next season.
Cody McLeod: C. Does what he does. First season he hasn't been a minus player, for whatever it's worth.
Mark Olver: C. Really like watching Olver play, even though he struggles to produce offense. Don't know what his future is with this team if he can't find a place on a scoring line.
Peter Mueller: C. Scoring goals again is a positive sign but Mueller isn't adding much to the team when he isn't scoring. Next season may define Mueller's career as a pro hockey player.
Paul Stastny: C-. A strong end to the season contrasts how crummy he looked for most of the year. 82 players had more assists this year than Stastny. If he can't turn it around next season, it wouldn't surprise me to see him traded with one year left on his contract.
Milan Hejduk: C-. Never really looked bad but only briefly looked good. It's sad to think that this was his last game in an Avs sweater, but it's time.
Matt Duchene: D+. If anyone on this team needs a reset button, it's him.
Kevin Porter: D+. If Porter collects an NHL pension, I'll be surprised.
Chuck Kobasew: D. It's hard to believe that Kobasew was a 20 goal scorer three years ago.
Defensemen
Ryan Wilson: A-. I'll probably catch flack for this but Wilson has been the Avs best defenseman this year. Only him and Elliott have a positive 5on5 rating, he's 3rd in points with barely any PP time, he's by far the team's best hitter, and he took only eight minor penalties all season. Really interested to see how he plays next season.
Ryan O'Byrne: B. Big without being particularly menacing, ROB is easily the team's best PKer and probably the best defender along the boards and in front of the net. Leads team in hits and blocked shots and got the toughest minutes of any player after McClement.
Matt Hunwick: B-. I can't believe I just typed that.
Erik Johnson: C+. There are games when EJ looks awesome and there are games when every opposition goal is scored when he's on the ice. I'm willing to be patient with a player who just turned 24, but I watch Johnson play and it just leaves me wanting more.
Stefan Elliott: C. Started great and wore down as the season progressed. Glad he could step in and produce, hope he plays all 82 with the Avs next year.
Tyson Barrie: C. Looked solid even if he never notched a point. Good speed, good instincts. Always seemed to know when to jump into the play. Needs to work on shot accuracy for next year.
Jan Hejda: D+. Ok on the penalty kill, bad at even strength. Three more years of this? Ugh.
Shane O'Brien: D. Physical but mediocre at both offense and defense. Everyone on the team says he's a great dude, but I won't be sad to see him gone.
Goalies
JS Giguere: A-. Great signing, great season. Hope he returns for at least one more year.
Semyon Varlamov: B-. Three superb months of play combined with three terrible months of play sums up his season. Love watching the guy play, by far the most athletic goaltender Colorado has ever had.
Duchene should get the lowest grade for a forward ( based on expectations). Jones too. He played well for 35 games. He was BAD for the first half.
Wilson is too high. If he had kept up his pre injury play the whole year than for sure he'd get an A. He was tremendous to start but slowed down considerably post injury.
I agree about Downie, but lets not forget he was clearly playing hurt since that Pittsburgh game where Engelland slammed his shoulder on the ice.
Gabriel Landeskog: A+. No further explanation needed. Agree
Ryan O'Reilly: A+. Ditto. Agree
Jamie McGinn: A. This guy is awesome. 8 goals in 16 games and makes Stastny look like a 1st line center again. Awesome trade. Agree
Jay McClement: B+. What was the last defensive forward the Avs have had who is as good as McClement? Quality penalty killer and great at controlling the play against impact forwards. Yes
David Jones: B-. Overall a solid season for a depth scorer. Would like to see him back, won't cry much if he leaves for another team. I was disappointed with his first half, but he did show up down the stretch,
Steve Downie: C. Good for ten games, terrible for ten games. Not sure what to expect of him for next season. B His shoulder really affected his game, great play otherwise
Cody McLeod: C. Does what he does. First season he hasn't been a minus player, for whatever it's worth. Nah, he sucks.
Mark Olver: C. Really like watching Olver play, even though he struggles to produce offense. Don't know what his future is with this team if he can't find a place on a scoring line. Agree
Peter Mueller: C. Scoring goals again is a positive sign but Mueller isn't adding much to the team when he isn't scoring. Next season may define Mueller's career as a pro hockey player. Agree
Paul Stastny: C-. A strong end to the season contrasts how crummy he looked for most of the year. 82 players had more assists this year than Stastny. If he can't turn it around next season, it wouldn't surprise me to see him traded with one year left on his contract. I give him a C+
Milan Hejduk: C-. Never really looked bad but only briefly looked good. It's sad to think that this was his last game in an Avs sweater, but it's time. Agree
Matt Duchene: D+. If anyone on this team needs a reset button, it's him. Agree
Kevin Porter: D+. If Porter collects an NHL pension, I'll be surprised. C-
Chuck Kobasew: D. It's hard to believe that Kobasew was a 20 goal scorer three years ago. C he was good as a bottom 6er
Defensemen
Ryan Wilson: A-. I'll probably catch flack for this but Wilson has been the Avs best defenseman this year. Only him and Elliott have a positive 5on5 rating, he's 3rd in points with barely any PP time, he's by far the team's best hitter, and he took only eight minor penalties all season. Really interested to see how he plays next season. C- He was horrible after coming back from his concussion, in no way was he our best defenseman
Ryan O'Byrne: B. Big without being particularly menacing, ROB is easily the team's best PKer and probably the best defender along the boards and in front of the net. Leads team in hits and blocked shots and got the toughest minutes of any player after McClement. Agree
Matt Hunwick: B-. I can't believe I just typed that. Yeah
Erik Johnson: C+. There are games when EJ looks awesome and there are games when every opposition goal is scored when he's on the ice. I'm willing to be patient with a player who just turned 24, but I watch Johnson play and it just leaves me wanting more. B+ Best defenseman for us by far
Stefan Elliott: C. Started great and wore down as the season progressed. Glad he could step in and produce, hope he plays all 82 with the Avs next year. I hope he doesn't play all 82 next year.
Tyson Barrie: C. Looked solid even if he never notched a point. Good speed, good instincts. Always seemed to know when to jump into the play. Needs to work on shot accuracy for next year. Agree
Jan Hejda: D+. Ok on the penalty kill, bad at even strength. Three more years of this? Ugh. Disagree, played great during the second half B-
Shane O'Brien: D. Physical but mediocre at both offense and defense. Everyone says he's a great dude, but I won't be sad to see him gone. C He was fine for the first half
Goalies
JS Giguere: A-. Great signing, great season. Hope he returns for at least one more year. Agree
Semyon Varlamov: B-. Three superb months of play combined with three terrible months of play sums up his season. Love watching the guy play, by far the most athletic goaltender Colorado has ever had Agree.
Agree with every grade except Hejda.I thought Hejda and SOB really fortified the defense for us this year (as compared to last- we still need a lot of help admittedly)
Agree with every grade except Hejda.I thought Hejda and SOB really fortified the defense for us this year (as compared to last- we still need a lot of help admittedly)
Agree with that--Hejda, like EJ, started out horribly but got better as the year went on.
SOB should not be judged on his last game alone, or even much post-deadline. He's a bottom-pairing guy who was forced to play a top-four role because Quincey was moved out. It shouldn't be surprising the many flaws in his game were exposed. That being said, he was a nice rental, but it's time to move on. The Avs have enough depth defenders. They need more mainstays.
Olver's grade should be higher than a C, Jones wasn't good enough for me to be even a B-. Wilson wasn't bad but I'd say B- or B....I know he sticks out more for his defense but he isn't as steady as you'd hope.
Gabriel Landeskog: A+
Ryan O'Reilly: A+
Jamie McGinn: A-
Jay McClement: B
David Jones: B-
Steve Downie: C
Cody McLeod: C
Mark Olver: C+
Peter Mueller: C-
Paul Stastny: C
Milan Hejduk: D
Matt Duchene: D-
Kevin Porter: D
Chuck Kobasew: C-
Defensemen
Ryan Wilson: C
Ryan O'Byrne: C+
Matt Hunwick: B
Erik Johnson:B-
Stefan Elliott: C-
Tyson Barrie: C
Jan Hejda: C
Shane O'Brien: D
Why is Downie so much lower than McGinn? Downie had the same amount of points with the Avs as McGinn did and had a much better +/-.. just because McGinn had more goals as opposed to assists he gets a C instead of an A? Not to mention playing through that shoulder injury and maintained a high intensity level. McGinn helped get Stastny going which may be why he seemed better but downie went in and played with guys who were already doing well so it wasn't as notable. Downie was on par with McGinn.
Why is Downie so much lower than McGinn? Downie had the same amount of points with the Avs as McGinn did and had a much better +/-.. just because McGinn had more goals as opposed to assists he gets a C instead of an A? Not to mention playing through that shoulder injury and maintained a high intensity level. McGinn helped get Stastny going which may be why he seemed better but downie went in and played with guys who were already doing well so it wasn't as notable. Downie was on par with McGinn.
Never in all my years would I have ever thought that I would see Hunwick listed as our best defenseman.
It's misleading since Hunwick didn't get as much time as everyone else. However, in the games he did play, he was not bad. It would have been EJ by a mile if he hadn't been completely awful to begin the year.
Gabriel Landeskog: A
Ryan O'Reilly: A+
Jamie McGinn: A-
Jay McClement: B+
David Jones: B-
Steve Downie: B+
Cody McLeod: B-
Mark Olver: B
Peter Mueller: C-
Paul Stastny: C+
Milan Hejduk: D
Matt Duchene: D-
Kevin Porter: F
Chuck Kobasew: B-
Defensemen
Ryan Wilson: C+
Ryan O'Byrne: C+
Matt Hunwick: B
Erik Johnson:B
Stefan Elliott: C-
Tyson Barrie: B-
Jan Hejda: B-
Shane O'Brien: D-
Goalies
JS Giguere: B
Semyon Varlamov: A-
Giguere was stellar when he played. He had maybe 1-2 bad games and was a liability in the shootout and on breakaways which is why I gave him a B.
Varly struggled to start the year because of all the new responsibilities and the Russian airplane crash as a distraction but when he came on the 2nd half of the year he was one of the best in the league earning him extra credit.
Gabriel Landeskog: A+
Ryan O'Reilly: A-
Jamie McGinn: A
Jay McClement: B
David Jones: B
Steve Downie: B
Cody McLeod: C-
Mark Olver: C
Peter Mueller: C
Paul Stastny: D+
Milan Hejduk: C-
Matt Duchene: D
Kevin Porter: D-
Chuck Kobasew: D-
Defensemen
Ryan Wilson: B-
Ryan O'Byrne: B+
Matt Hunwick: B-
Erik Johnson:B-
Stefan Elliott: C-
Tyson Barrie: C-
Jan Hejda: D+
Shane O'Brien: C-
Gabriel Landeskog: (A+) Exceeded expectations and more importantly, was consistent.
Ryan O'Reilly: (A) O'Reilly had a fantastic season but I still think his offensive production is inconsistent. I think going forward, he is a guy that can step up and make something happen when you need it or help out if Duchene/Stastny go down... but unlike many here I don't feel comfortable going with just O'Reilly and one of Stastny/Duchene.
Jamie McGinn: (B) McGinn really solidified the top line. However given the small sample size and the fact that he was coming off a trade, I think Avs fans might over-rate him a bit this off-season. Truth is we'll need more time to see where he will fit in moving forward. I feel he was more consistent then Downie... hence the higher grade (injuries aside).
Jay McClement: (B) Solid, SMART plays from him all year round. Perhaps one of the more under-rated players, but then again, so is everybody whose main job doesn't entail putting the puck in the back of the net.
David Jones: (C+) Slightly above average grade because I think Jones's season would have been different had he been paired with Stastny right from the starting gate (and remained together). I think you can expect a MINIMUM of 20 goals from him next year and you won't get better value for his skill-set via an off-season pickup making re-signing him a top priority. The bottom line is this team needs more people who can score - you can't afford to let Jones walk.
Paul Stastny: (C+) So in addition to what was said about Jones above, I think Stastny gets criminally under-rated around here. Yes, his assists were low. And how many wide open shots did Kobasew whiff on? I mean literally... wide open shots. His skating and faceoffs have really improved way beyond what I had projected - however his shot accuracy is ROFL bad. His winger situation in the beginning of the year was horrible, which I think has more to do with Duchene then Stastny. Once he and Jones settled in and then they added McGinn, Stastny was our number 1 center again. So I think a C+ is fair considering his performance trends and surrounding cast.
Steve Downie: (C) Great before the shoulder injury - didn't look the same since. There are just too many variables in too small of a sample to make any reasonable judgments about Downie. That said I am optimistic about his future. So an 'average' grade this year I think is about right.
Cody McLeod: (C) Meh... he does his job. He even added a few nice goals which I think is increasingly necessary if you are going to occupy a roster spot in the NHL. Occasionally makes some gaffs but brings 'unique dimensions' to the team. I still think teams need players like McLeod, especially the Avs who are still IMO too easy to play against.
Mark Olver: (C) This kid is a sparkplug... he's just a ball of energy. That being said, his offensive production was a non-factor and he will get suspended for one of his jumping hits eventually.
Peter Mueller: (C) Mueller is tough to grade... his shot is awesome, but his conditioning is not lol. You can also tell he is aware of entering into contact situations. I see him in a similar light as Downie - we just don't know yet because there are too many variables.
Milan Hejduk: (C-) Goalscorers need to score goals... he's one of my favorite players but it is what it is. I think he gave 110% every night and you can tell his hockey IQ is off the charts still... I think if he wants to come back with the understanding that it's possible he starts on the 4th line, that's fine because there is always the chance that he just had a down year. But at the same time, I have to think retirement is more likely.
Chuck Kobasew: (D) First, I think Kobasew was put in a position where he was going to fail. Unfortunately, the team needed him to play roles he shouldn't be playing. That said, if Stastny slips you the puck past the goalie and all you have is an open net, a 0% scoring percentage should not get you an 'average' grade.
Matt Duchene: (F) Injuries aside, this was a horrible season for Duchene. I don't think he is a horrible player, or a horrible person, or even that he doesn't care. I do think he really tried most nights. But this season was about as successful as his spin moves.
Kevin Porter: (F) Again, not saying the effort wasn't there (Wolski and #39)... but what good did Porter do?
Defensemen
Erik Johnson: (B+) Bad start, great finish. Statistically his season is meh, but just watching to see where his play is trending makes me very optimistic. Out of all the Dman we have the only one who I am terrified of losing to injury is EJ. With him out for an extended period of time I doubt we even go .500. His 2-way ability is just phenomenal and is the reason for the above average grade.
Ryan Wilson: (B) Wilson has top 4 potential... and I'm sure no one wishes he would stop getting injured more then Wilson himself. I really want to see him play a full year so at least we know what we have. As for this year, his big hits on a team that has a tendency to get pushed around is nice... and he doesn't take too many bad penalties so I think a B is fair. I also think that this might be one of the more variable grades.
Ryan O'Byrne: (B) As with Wilson, it's nice having some physical/larger Dman. O'Byrne may play a bit soft but he also doesn't take an ton of penalties and he takes people to the boards well for how the NHL was called the games this season. He did pretty well this year and would be a player that I wouldn't mind sticking around. Most importantly, he knows his place (more on this later...)
Matt Hunwick: (B-) He was ready to go when asked and really put in the work. He is still prone to some major gaffs though. However, overall - above average.
Jan Hejda: (B-) Took some time to settle in but was very effective once he did. I think a big thing to takeaway from both him and O'Byrne is to look at who kills the Avs... it's usually the grinders/secondary scorers. I think at least some credit has to go to Hejda/O'Byrne for being a reliable pair.
Tyson Barrie: (C-) Not ready for the NHL. Not sure why we didn't see Gaunce. Barrie was better than Elliot but was clearly still in over his head. Hopefully he learned a bit and will continue to improve - he is still an exciting prospect. However, the keyword is prospect.
Stefan Elliott: (D) Was a flash in the pan... not his fault. Simply was not ready for the NHL and again, I don't understand why he was up so long and we didn't see Gaunce. I still think he one of our top prospects and projects very high, but it's clear he needs more time. In terms of NHL defense, below average seems appropriate.
Shane O'Brien: (F) Maybe he brings a ton of important aspects to the locker room... but sitting here watching games, not so much. Just a bad penalty parade combined with major defensive gaffes. If it was one or the other, I would grant him some slack and say that he was just overused... but he was consistently bad at crucial times. He also does not seem to know his place. His shot isn't that great but unlike Hejda, he seems to shoot more than EJ... he also tries to puck handle and skate like EJ with a 'noticeable' difference. Bad decision making, bad penalties... bad grade.
Goalies
JS Giguere: (A) Everything you could want from a back-up and more. No A+ because he is terrible in shootouts... and while that may seem trivial, I'm a big believer in the 'every point matters' mantra.
Semyon Varlamov: (B) We paid a heavy price... I think above average is fair. He was inconsistent for awhile but showed serious skill. Then, he put it together at the end of the year. He stole more games then he may get credit for... and kept others from looking like a landslide. He projects to be elite and hopefully continued defensive improvements will help his stats.
Jamie McGinn: B (Solid showing but coming off of a trade could be part of it, we'll see next season)
Jay McClement: B+ (Must re-sign J-Mac, best defensive center we've had since prime Yelle)
David Jones: B- (Inconsistent, won't be upset if we re-sign him or if we don't cause he can contribute)
Steve Downie: B (Like McGinn, a small sample, but his play only tailed off because of the injury IMO)
Cody McLeod: C (had a much better year, would be ok with him coming back)
Mark Olver: C+
Peter Mueller: C (With a full summer of working out Mueller will be back with a vengeance
Paul Stastny: B- (Getting back to his old self, he'll be back with 70+ points next season IMO)
Milan Hejduk: C-
Matt Duchene: D (Had a rough year, he'll be healthy and ready to go next season)
Kevin Porter: F
Chuck Kobasew: D (Good on the PK, but thats about it)
Defensemen
Ryan Wilson: B
Ryan O'Byrne: B
Matt Hunwick: B (I think we need to look at re-signing him, played well when he played, and great team guy)
Erik Johnson:B (Started off slow, but has improved majorly, he's figuring it out)
Stefan Elliott: C- (Needs another year or 2 in the LEM)
Tyson Barrie: C- (Looked good when he played, needs a bit of work, but I think he should start the season with the Avs)
Jan Hejda: C-
Shane O'Brien: C- (He started well, then started doing worse, but wasn't completely horrible, I think people are basing their ratings off of the Columbus game.)
Forwards
Gabriel Landeskog: A
Ryan O'Reilly: A
Jamie McGinn: B
Jay McClement: B-
Steve Downie: B-
Paul Stastny: C+
David Jones: C
Mark Olver: C
Cody McLeod: C-
Peter Mueller: C-
Milan Hejduk: C-
Chuck Kobasew: D
Matt Duchene: D
Kevin Porter: D-
Defensemen
Erik Johnson:B+
Ryan O'Byrne: C
Jan Hejda: C
Shane O'Brien: C
Matt Hunwick: C-
Stefan Elliott: C-
Tyson Barrie: C-
Ryan Wilson: C-
I feel like McGinn should get a bad grade for the sole reason that he probably has Avs' management thinking they don't need to upgrade at wing anymore. Next season he probably gets eight goals again...in 82 games.
my vote for most improved player is Cody Mc, he has actually shown some good hands and feet, as oposed to last season.. note I am comparing him to himself, not saying he is something he is not..
I will go through the team later, but I am surprised with the grades Johnson is getting. He was given sheltered minutes since him and Hejda were split up. He was given lots of opportunities to take the #1 job, and didn't. I do think he will be able to turn it around, he has all the tools, and has shown it in games. But as far as this season goes, I would hope he didn't live up to anyone's expectations. C+ at most IMO.
Why is Downie so much lower than McGinn? Downie had the same amount of points with the Avs as McGinn did and had a much better +/-.. just because McGinn had more goals as opposed to assists he gets a C instead of an A? Not to mention playing through that shoulder injury and maintained a high intensity level. McGinn helped get Stastny going which may be why he seemed better but downie went in and played with guys who were already doing well so it wasn't as notable. Downie was on par with McGinn.
McGinn was consistent in every game he played in an Avs uniform. Always went to the front of the net, always put himself in good scoring position. Downie was great for ten games, when he injured his shoulder he just played awful -- wasn't contributing to the forecheck, was taking penalties left and right, couldn't execute on passes.
McGinn was consistent in every game he played in an Avs uniform. Always went to the front of the net, always put himself in good scoring position. Downie was great for ten games, when he injured his shoulder he just played awful -- wasn't contributing to the forecheck, was taking penalties left and right, couldn't execute on passes.
If Downie was not able to make a positive contribution to the team after his injury, which Dater indicated was a nearly separated shoulder, then perhaps the coach should have sat him down.
I don't really get anyone rating Olver higher than Stastny. Stastny is, even in a down year, better at every single facet of the game, except perhaps when it comes to hustle. Olver is fun to watch, but rather limited and ineffective.
EJ has been our best defender, even with the rough start he had with Hejda.
O'Brien has been much better than a F. He held up better than expected, even if he had a few very bad games down the stretch.
Overall, the team gets a C- from me. There are a lot of players that can, as Sacco likes to say, give us more out there.
