Agree with the assessment of the Ducks. Yes that top line is perhaps the most frightening in the NHL but beyond that, especially with the potential loss of Selanne and question marks over Hiller I think that we can assume they might be on the brink. Will Perry be a 50 goal scorer again? Even 40+? Think he'l make 40, don't see him hitting 50 again.
Nashville have struggled mightily for offense, lack of scorers, plus they lost a potential breakout scorer in Ward, who was still a good 3rd liner. If they get the offense they could make it. Also, with Rinne, Suter and Weber all headed to arbitration potentially, do they keep Weber? Or trade him at the deadline for some shiny offensive pieces?
Last edited by ScotAv: 08-08-2011 at 04:25 PM.
Reason: missed out a 50
Agree with the assessment of the Ducks. Yes that top line is perhaps the most frightening in the NHL but beyond that, especially with the potential loss of Selanne and question marks over Hiller I think that we can assume they might be on the brink. Will Perry be a 50 goal scorer again? Even 40+? Think he'l make 40, don't see him hitting 50 again.
Nashville have struggled mightily for offense, lack of scorers, plus they lost a potential breakout scorer in Ward, who was still a good 3rd liner. If they get the offense they could make it. Also, with Rinne, Suter and Weber all headed to arbitration potentially, do they keep Weber? Or trade him at the deadline for some shiny offensive pieces?
I saw him make a beautiful no-look backhand pass to Teemu Selanne and Selanne roofed it
I got to see him play live, and besides that poor decision, he was hands down the best D-man for the Avs. I hope will flourish playing with the Avs. We have a VERY young team and I can see EJ growing well together with the rest of the team. Can't wait for this season to start
He sounds like he's getting right into his offseason workout too. Hopefully he comes back even stronger, and grows into the leadership role hes adopting. Very exciting times ahead with him. Liked Shattenirk, love Johnson.
Basically talking about how Shattenkirk was only given offensive zone starts in order to protect him. Interesting to see if that continues or if he is expected to play more situations. Interesting to see if his numbers take a hit. I know who i'd rather have in all situations and it's Johnson. Every night.
He sounds like he's getting right into his offseason workout too. Hopefully he comes back even stronger, and grows into the leadership role hes adopting. Very exciting times ahead with him. Liked Shattenirk, love Johnson.
Basically talking about how Shattenkirk was only given offensive zone starts in order to protect him. Interesting to see if that continues or if he is expected to play more situations. Interesting to see if his numbers take a hit. I know who i'd rather have in all situations and it's Johnson. Every night.
Captain Kirk's such a smart and cerebral player out there that he'll put up numbers no matter what. The only question is whether he's ready to carry more of the defensive load or whether he's a liability in his own end like he was at times last year. If that's the case I could see them trying to protect him again rather than let him get beaten up on.
I can see Shatty becoming very much like Boyle. Offensive D who isn't a liability in his own end, but at the same time definitely does not give the defensive presence other D do.
6 years down the road I can see Shatty in the #1 PMD role and on the second PK.
^^Yeah, that is definitely not the most flattering picture of him. Now that I think of it, not many of the photos of him since arriving in Colorado have been that great, just take my old profile photo of him for instance! Not sure what the Denver Post (or whoever took it) was thinking. Hahaha... whatever. EJ is awesome. And that's that.
Nah, for his offseason training, the Avalanche staff locked him in a cage and proceeded to hack and slash him with hockey sticks. They also showed him pictures of Stewart and Shattenkirk and told him "Can't believe we gave up them for you. You're a schmuck. Wade Redden would do a better job than you. Sheldon Souray would give us better offense."
Getting him right riled up, angry, motivated for the new season ready to release deadly slap shots, massive bone crushing hits, unnervingly accurate passes. All with the C on his chest as a reward for the torment of this offseason.
I saw him make a beautiful no-look backhand pass to Teemu Selanne and Selanne roofed it
I got to see him play live, and besides that poor decision, he was hands down the best D-man for the Avs. I hope will flourish playing with the Avs. We have a VERY young team and I can see EJ growing well together with the rest of the team. Can't wait for this season to start
Go and watch that goal again. The reason Selanne scored was that Olver left him wide open. EJ had no play to make other than the one he did. If Olver hadn't let Selanne walk right into the faceoff circle, the goal doesn't happen.
Go and watch that goal again. The reason Selanne scored was that Olver left him wide open. EJ had no play to make other than the one he did. If Olver hadn't let Selanne walk right into the faceoff circle, the goal doesn't happen.
He had no play other than to pass it right to one of the worst people in the world to pass it to?
Hell, laying down on the ice in front of the puck in the fetal position screaming "I don't know what to do!" and crying would have been a better play.
He had no play other than to pass it right to one of the worst people in the world to pass it to?
Hell, laying down on the ice in front of the puck in the fetal position screaming "I don't know what to do!" and crying would have been a better play.
Watch the video of it again.
The puck bounces to EJ in the slot. Koivu is lurking to his forehand side, removing both the option of hesitating and the option of clearing the puck to the boards on his forehand. That leaves clearing the puck on his backhand. It's not a great option, but it's the best he has. Again, if Olver doesn't let Selanne walk right by him, the Ducks probably don't score. I should add that McLeod is doing absolutely nothing, as well.
Did EJ's play lead to a goal? Yes. But he had no options that wouldn't have led to dangerous scoring chances. And the play he did make would have been a heck of a lot less dangerous if the Avs forwards on the ice were doing anything at all. Their lack of defense was more to blame than EJ's giveaway.
The puck bounces to EJ in the slot. Koivu is lurking to his forehand side, removing both the option of hesitating and the option of clearing the puck to the boards on his forehand. That leaves clearing the puck on his backhand. It's not a great option, but it's the best he has. Again, if Olver doesn't let Selanne walk right by him, the Ducks probably don't score. I should add that McLeod is doing absolutely nothing, as well.
Did EJ's play lead to a goal? Yes. But he had no options that wouldn't have led to dangerous scoring chances. And the play he did make would have been a heck of a lot less dangerous if the Avs forwards on the ice were doing anything at all. Their lack of defense was more to blame than EJ's giveaway.
EJ's giveaway was still the biggest error on the ice, like it or not. Am I damning him for one stupid play? Hell no I'm not, but you can be sure that he knows it was a stupid play on his part, and everyone else knows it as well. I am seriously not kidding when I'm saying that laying down on the ice in the fetal position would've been a better choice than throwing the puck in to Selanne's hands.
Yea I cant wait till Mid December next year when were sitting in the 4-7 range in the West and still right there with the Canucks, and then People are like wow the Avs are actually good and Varlamov is actually a good goalie, so annoying right now that for some reason everyone thinks a teams that improves by 200% in EVERY position is going to finish the same way we did last year!
My predictions for next year:
1. LAK
2. Vancouver
3. Chicago
4. San Jose
5. Detroit
6. Anaheim
7. Colorado
8. St Louis/Nashville
EJ's giveaway was still the biggest error on the ice, like it or not. Am I damning him for one stupid play? Hell no I'm not, but you can be sure that he knows it was a stupid play on his part, and everyone else knows it as well. I am seriously not kidding when I'm saying that laying down on the ice in the fetal position would've been a better choice than throwing the puck in to Selanne's hands.
That's where we disagree. I don't think he had time to lay down on the ice; Koivu was close enough to him that he could have stolen the puck fairly easily before EJ had a chance to freeze the puck.
I realize that you're not damning him for the one play, but I think all of the heat he takes/took for that play is a little unfair without context. The context, in my opinion, was that he was put in a bad position by the placement of the rebound, and that bad position meant that he really didn't have any good options about what to do with the puck. Any play he could have made there could easily have led to a goal, and in that case, no matter what play he chose he would have been criticized for it. And I don't think that's entirely fair.
Yea I cant wait till Mid December next year when were sitting in the 4-7 range in the West and still right there with the Canucks, and then People are like wow the Avs are actually good and Varlamov is actually a good goalie, so annoying right now that for some reason everyone thinks a teams that improves by 200% in EVERY position is going to finish the same way we did last year!
My predictions for next year:
1. LAK
2. Vancouver
3. Chicago
4. San Jose
5. Detroit
6. Anaheim
7. Colorado
8. St Louis/Nashville
There is no question in my mind that Avs are a playoff team next year. But looking back the last two seasons, i can't help to worry about all the damn injuries this team has had, and are they going to be able to stay healthier next year or not.
People who pick the Avs to finish at the bottom again, base their assumption on last year. The team has improved greatly on paper, but the fact remains, there are some "ifs" and questions surrounding the team.
Is Mueller healthy and ready to play, and if so will he stay healthy for the majority of the season?
Will Varlamov stay healthy?
Will EJ be the player he is suppose to be and carry the blue line?
Will Quincey stay healthy and bounce back from a bad season?
I think those are the key questions for next year. And if the answer to all this questions is "yes" then the Avs will make the playoffs.
There is no question in my mind that Avs are a playoff team next year. But looking back the last two seasons, i can't help to worry about all the damn injuries this team has had, and are they going to be able to stay healthier next year or not.
People who pick the Avs to finish at the bottom again, base their assumption on last year. The team has improved greatly on paper, but the fact remains, there are some "ifs" and questions surrounding the team.
Is Mueller healthy and ready to play, and if so will he stay healthy for the majority of the season?
Will Varlamov stay healthy?
Will EJ be the player he is suppose to be and carry the blue line?
Will Quincey stay healthy and bounce back from a bad season?
I think those are the key questions for next year. And if the answer to all this questions is "yes" then the Avs will make the playoffs.
Hell, if just the middle two are a "yes" the Avs will make the playoffs easily. Those are huge "ifs" though.
