Midseason Report Card: Former Avs, Part 3
by David Driscoll-Carignan on Jan 9, 2009 11:04 AM MST
Email
PrintToday we close out our midseason report card on former Avs. We covered Jeff Finger, Kurt Sauer and Karlis Skrastins in Part 1 and yesterday we looked at Andrew Brunette, Brad Richardson and Jose Theodore. This entry, I believe, covers everyone else who appeared with the team at some point last year. Next week, we'll move on to current Avs.
Jaroslav Hlinka: After a season mostly spent in Joel Quenneville's dog house, Hlinka wasted no time escaping; he bolted for Linköpings HC in the Swedish Elite League as soon as the season was over. As of Sunday, his club was in first place and Hlinka, now wearing #71, was leading the SEL in scoring and assists.
Scott Parker: I've already covered the Parker story, so I won't repeat it here. I don't think anyone knows where Parker is, so I'm just going to assume he's living out the rest of his days in Key West, wearing a tacky floral shirt and a straw hat while motoring around on a moped. Or something.
Peter Forsberg: I don't really know a lot about this guy, other than the fact that he played with Daniel Tjarnqvist on Sweden's 2006 Gold Medal Olympic squad. Apparently, he's skating in Sweden. Other than that, who really knows?
Wyatt Smith: Smith is gone and mostly forgotten. He signed with the Tampa Bay Lightning this summer, and was later traded to Phoenix - the team that originally drafted him. To date, Smith has played for 5 NHL and 7 AHL teams. He's currently playing for Pheonix's AHL affiliate, the San Antonio Rampage. Through Tuesday, he has 17 points in 31 games with the Rampage and the Norfolk Admirals.
Johnny Boychuk: After four years in the AHL, Boychuk finally got a cup of coffee in the NHL with a call up last January. He played in four games - two at forward, two at his natural position (defense). He was surprisingly jettisoned this offseason to the Bruins for minor-league forward Matt Hendricks. Boychuk has just played one game with Boston this year, but he's put up good numbers with Providence - he is 3rd on the team in scoring and is the highest scoring defenseman in the AHL. And, for the first time in his career, he's been named to the AHL All-Star team. I'm on record as saying the Avs gave up on Boychuk too quickly, and I see no reason to change my position on the subject now.
Jeff Jillson: Jillson never played for the Avs last year, but he was around for a short time as a healthy scratch. Jillson signed this summer with HC MVD in the Russian KHL. It appears that he has left that team and is now playing in Finland for the delicious noodles of Rauman Lukko, which means he's a teammate of former Avalanche Antti Laaksonen.
Michael Wall: Wall, acquired at the 2007 trade deadline for Brad May, had just one brief call-up for the Avs last season, dressing as a backup for Peter Budaj on February 4th (coincidentally, that was Budaj's last game as a starter under Joel Quenneville). Wall left the Avs organization this summer (his wikipedia page says he turned down their contract offer) and appears to be done with professional hockey. He's currently playing defense for the Smithers Steelheads - an amateur team in the CIHL.
28 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
Hlinka
Good for him. Leading the SEL in points. Nice to know he is finding success again but you can’t help but feel a little let down by his performance on the Avs. Wither he couldn’t adjust to the NHL style of play, or Q sabotaged him, it seems like his potential was wasted.
and I am still bitter about it. Along with Wolski, and Richardson, etc.
Never trust the lunch lady.
by Hardshell_Taco_del_Lowayne on Jan 9, 2009 4:00 PM MST up reply actions
You know
With Wolski succeeding (again it’s 3 games. 3 very encouraging games, but three games nonetheless) and Boychuk playing well somewhere else. Does anyone wonder whether Q was some factor in Hlinka’s poor NHL stint. I know BiB thinks he was soft, but I thought he had some potential, but it seemed like he was in Q’s doghouse so much that he was never really given the right opportunity to really prove himself.
The problem, it seems, is this sentence:
but it seemed like he was in Q’s doghouse so much that he was never really given the right opportunity to really prove himself.
.
How many players does this apply to?
I believe in Peter Budaj
by Jibblescribbits on Jan 9, 2009 12:22 PM MST reply actions
How many players does this apply to?
pretty much everyone but Tyler Arnason
Hyphens cause writers more trouble than any other form of punctuation, except perhaps commas.
by David Driscoll-Carignan on Jan 9, 2009 12:25 PM MST up reply actions
Hlinka was definitely misused
but the guy had his chances, much like Arny and Hensick are getting theirs at center and showing nothing. Hlinka centered top wingers (Bruno and Hejduk, iirc) to zero effect for a long stretch last season.
the bottom line on him was that his game didn’t translate well to the NHL within the Avs’ system, and he wasn’t going to learn any new tricks at 31. Oh well. Another coach and he might have worked better, but I don’t think he was a revelation anywhere.
Q wanted him to play the cycle game with those two. Are we surprised at the outcome?
Never trust the lunch lady.
by Hardshell_Taco_del_Lowayne on Jan 9, 2009 4:01 PM MST up reply actions
Speaking of Quenneville...
Chicago has improved from 24th on the PP last year to 4th. Discuss.
Hyphens cause writers more trouble than any other form of punctuation, except perhaps commas.
by David Driscoll-Carignan on Jan 9, 2009 12:28 PM MST reply actions
Kane and Toews hit puberty
I believe in Peter Budaj
by Jibblescribbits on Jan 9, 2009 12:35 PM MST up reply actions
I thought
that TG was in charge of the PP last year. Is that correct? It would seem to be as the numbers are only slightly better this year. Perhaps we got rid of the wrong coach? No, I don’t think that, I think we didn’t get rid of ENOUGH coaches.
And Chicago has a great team, including a pretty damn good blueliner named Brian Campbell. Of course, we can’t afford him, but I’d love to have someone with that caliber of talent on the avs. Not to mention Sharp, Kane, Toews, etc…..
I blame it all on my goalie
From what I remember, there was a lot of “work ethics” questions with Johnny B in both Hershey and Lowell. Looks like he remains stuck in that AAAA status though. Too good for the minors, not good enough for the NHL
Bad Work Ethic
I heard that about Boychuk too. But the same was said about Stewart and so far I’ve seen the opposite out of him. Makes you wonder who is judging players work ethic.
Peter Forsberg: I don’t really know a lot about this guy, other than the fact that he played with Daniel Tjarnqvist on Sweden’s 2006 Gold Medal Olympic squad. Apparently, he’s skating in Sweden. Other than that, who really knows?
I know that he’s totally hot.
It's so hot. Milk was a bad choice.
by JonHaven on Jan 9, 2009 4:43 PM MST reply actions
I’m not getting made fun of for the blatant display of my man crush. What an awesome web site this is!
It's so hot. Milk was a bad choice.
by JonHaven on Jan 9, 2009 9:46 PM MST up reply actions
Well
you can’t argue or even tease someone when it’s an obvious truth
When hell freezes over, I'll play hockey there too!
by BeachNSnowGirl on Jan 9, 2009 10:12 PM MST up reply actions
I have a pretty obvious mancrush on Wolski
so I’m not one to judge.
My comment is reference to the fact that Tex and I constantly argue about Forsberg returning or not.
I am Jack's unbridled optimism.
by A.J. Haefele on Jan 10, 2009 12:22 AM MST up reply actions
Why did we trade...?
Jaroslav Hlinka was the loss that hurt me the most. If we could have had him work out well for us it could have led to a few more great Avs games on the TV!! The kid was fast and Joel Q. didn’t give him enough ice time in his natural position. But that is all in the past. Grade summary of the former players. I think you gave each one the time they deserved. Can’t wait to read more.
Tre’
Go Budaj!
I liked Hlinka a ton. I think he struggled a little bit with the NHL style hockey, but mostly Q didn’t like him (see also Wolski). I’ll miss him, but he’s better off leading the SEL in scoring than being a 2nd liner here in the NHL… or at least that’s what I tell myself.
It's so hot. Milk was a bad choice.
by JonHaven on Jan 9, 2009 9:48 PM MST up reply actions
Can't believe I missed this post
And all of the Hlinka hloving references. The SEL must be a no-checking league, because Hlinka was definitely Czech for “softer than hell.” Q gave him too many opportunities, imo. I remember one opportunity in particular, against the hated wheel in game 2 of the playoff series when the game and series were still in balance, when Hlinka floated a real softie back towards the point that was taken the other way by the Wings for a short-handed back breaking goal.
He was horrible. Imo, you can bash Q for quite a few things, but under utilizing the softest player I’ve ever seen wearing the glacial A isn’t one of them.
MHH: Shagging Dater one contributor at a time.
However...
Hlinka, like Wolski was also used as a winger when his natural position was a center. We’ve seen how much more at ease Wolski seems since moving to center, might Hlinka have had a hard time adjusting to the position?
I'm The Canary - but I'm not cute nor cuddly, and I don't sing.
Now and then we had the hope that if we lived and were good, God would permit us to be PIRATES.
-Mark Twain-
by Americanario on Jan 13, 2009 10:14 PM MST up reply actions
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Certain photos copyright © 2012 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
