I have to say, over the course of this lockout my opinion of Gary Bettman has changed completely. Im a big fan of his now, you can tell he's passionate about hockey from his pressers, and he wants the game to succeed.
I have to say, over the course of this lockout my opinion of Gary Bettman has changed completely. Im a big fan of his now, you can tell he's passionate about hockey from his pressers, and he wants the game to succeed.
Fehr on the other hand is another story.
Fehr is just a contrarian. The failure to elect a player to the Baseball HOF today should serve as further indictment of his legacy.
After 6 years, dater finally did something worthwhile
Might've also been the embarrassment stemming from the fact that the Cutthroats had an HD one at run-down Denver Coliseum and the Avs didn't at the Sparkly Can.
So Iginla only returned to training camp yesterday.
Vancouver is missing Booth and Kesler to start the season, Hamhuis and Kassian both have minor lingering issues.
Dallas is currently missing Derek Roy and Jamie Benn.
Los Angeles has Kopitar, Mitchell, and Quick as doubtful for Saturday.
Niklas Backstrom is doubtful for Saturday.
Brent Burns is currently hurt for San Jose.
Pietrangelo is questionable for the weekend.
That is a lot of key players in the West injured to start the season. This is just going off of what TSN has to say about the players, so their status could have changed. Regardless, that is 5 teams, who are all but guaranteed to make the playoffs, missing some of their best players. In a shortened season, a guy like Kopitar missing two weeks could really impact Los Angeles. I hope all these guys get back as soon as possible, as it is better for the league when its stars are healthy, and no one likes to see someone hurt, but you have to like how this helps the Avs. At least for the first week of the season.
So Iginla only returned to training camp yesterday.
Vancouver is missing Booth and Kesler to start the season, Hamhuis and Kassian both have minor lingering issues.
Dallas is currently missing Derek Roy and Jamie Benn.
Los Angeles has Kopitar, Mitchell, and Quick as doubtful for Saturday.
Niklas Backstrom is doubtful for Saturday.
Brent Burns is currently hurt for San Jose.
Pietrangelo is questionable for the weekend.
That is a lot of key players in the West injured to start the season. This is just going off of what TSN has to say about the players, so their status could have changed. Regardless, that is 5 teams, who are all but guaranteed to make the playoffs, missing some of their best players. In a shortened season, a guy like Kopitar missing two weeks could really impact Los Angeles. I hope all these guys get back as soon as possible, as it is better for the league when its stars are healthy, and no one likes to see someone hurt, but you have to like how this helps the Avs. At least for the first week of the season.
Of course the Avs have their best player in Russia, so...
You should mean let's hope so. For this team to be the team it's capable of, Stastny and Duchene (along with Varly) NEED to be the best players.
And I'm saying in those years in which Paul Stastny has been asked to be the best player, the Avalanche have sucked. Not meant as a dig on Paulie--hell, I even have a #26 Avs sweater at home--but he should ultimately not be our best center anymore than John-Michael Liles should ultimately have been our best defenseman.
As for Duchene, sure, I'm expecting a hell of a lot more maturation in his game...but IMO for the team to succeed it needs to be on the backs of O'Reilly, Landeskog, and Johnson. Management has made it clear they're building the very identity of the team around them.
And I'm saying in those years in which Paul Stastny has been asked to be the best player, the Avalanche have sucked. Not meant as a dig on Paulie--hell, I even have a #26 Avs sweater at home--but he should ultimately not be our best center anymore than John-Michael Liles should ultimately have been our best defenseman.
As for Duchene, sure, I'm expecting a hell of a lot more maturation in his game...but IMO for the team to succeed it needs to be on the backs of O'Reilly, Landeskog, and Johnson. Management has made it clear they're building the very identity of the team around them.
The 2 years Stastny has been the best player on the Avs are the only two years the Avs have made the playoffs in his career here.
worthy.
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