Avs re-sign Jones, 4 others and sign Darren Haydar

by c0nquistad0rian on Jul 6, 2009 11:51 AM MDT Comment 15 comments

The Colorado Avalanche Hockey Club announced today that it has signed forwards David Jones, Chris Durno, Darren Haydar, Matt Hendricks and Brian Willsie, along with goaltender Tyler Weiman.

http://avalanche.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=433537&navid=DL|COL|home

This confirms those rumors on Jones, Haydar and Willsie. Very happy to see Weiman back (He was actually a group VI UFA). Especially since Bacashihua was let go. Kudos to Jori for her early observations that most these players had been re-signed in addition to Kyle Cumiskey and Philippe Dupuis, both of whom we still have yet to receive official confirmation on.

Willsie needs to play just 24 NHL games to hit the magic number of 400 games played at which point he will be eligible to receive a pension.

No announcement on the numbers just yet. We'll wait to hear on those.

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Chances

What are the chances any of the forwards making the Avs out of the starting gate besides Jones?

I’d say Willsie and Haydar have the best chances, but it’s pretty slim for both.

2008-2009 Avalanche: It's like watching a car crash.

by Drakenlot on Jul 6, 2009 12:06 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

yeah, that’s how I’d put it too. Let’s just say I’m not adding any of these other guys to the spreadsheet

Hyphens cause writers more trouble than any other form of punctuation, except perhaps commas.

by David Driscoll-Carignan on Jul 6, 2009 1:04 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

wow, Weiman?

I’m glad to see this. Weiman – Cann is the duo in LE, looks like. Betcha Billy Sauer doesn’t get an offer now either.

Durno and Hendricks I’m glad to see back too. They looked like they cared, and one or both might make the team now, you never know.

Willsie better stay in LE until injuries hit, and hopefully after them too.

Haydar seems like a clone of the Sertich signing — an AHL scorer. Hopefully this one works out better.

by thedoctor on Jul 6, 2009 12:13 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Cann still does have a year of junior eligibility left. It’s possible that Sauer could be signed to back up Weiman in the AHL while Cann goes back to juniors. And, the Avs’ ECHL goalie Ian Keserich is a free agent and I don’t think that he could be back. It may also be possible that Cann and Sauer could battle it out for the second AHL spot behind Weiman, the loser of whom would end up with Johnstown.

by c0nquistad0rian on Jul 6, 2009 12:24 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

I’m really curious to see what Haydar can do. It seems like he put up some points throughout his career but was held back by his size and also buried in a deep Red Wings system. With his size, I would think that he would really only make the team if he can crack the top 6 as a scorer.

With Jones’s signing, there are basically 4 open spots at the forward position. The early consensus is that Ryan Stoa and T.J. Galiardi each have a good chance at a roster spot. Joe Sakic and Matt Duchene are both still question marks at this point. But, if neither of them make the roster, I could see a Brian Willsie or a Chris Durno making the team as a reserve or fourth line forward.

For what it’s worth, in addition to the team’s off season acquisitions of Craig Anderson, David Koci, Tom Pressing and Kyle Quincey thus far, mid-season callups T.J. Galiardi, Chris Steward and Kyle Cumiskey are all listed on the team’s official roster. Joe Sakic is no longer listed. Matt Duchene is listed on the team’s prospect page.

by c0nquistad0rian on Jul 6, 2009 12:17 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

makes sense Sakic isnt listed

He hasnt signed nor told anyone else his decision

and Duchene being on the prospects is simply cause exhibition games havent started, they dont know how well he’ll do in the nhl.

2008-2009 Avalanche: It's like watching a car crash.

by Drakenlot on Jul 6, 2009 6:54 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

I’m interested in Haydar too. Saw plenty of him in Milwaukee and Chicago in the AHL, he was terrific. Don’t know how he’ll translate to the big show though, if he makes it on a consistent basis

by chiavsfan on Jul 6, 2009 12:46 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

You would think with his background they would have to give him a shot. At least the Avs have shown in the past that they aren’t against letting the smaller guys play.

by mcarson01 on Jul 6, 2009 2:06 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Corey Locke

would have been another awesome guy to look at for smallish players with obvious offensive upside.

If you don't eat your meat, you can't have any pudding! HOW can you have any pudding if you don't eat your meat?!

by SlamDunkTheFunk on Jul 6, 2009 4:04 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Well his move to Detroit last year was a tad questionable…he had to have known he was going to be buried in Grand Rapids.

Before that he did get a couple of call-ups from Atlanta…but they always had forwards that they developed in Chicago (AHL) that were always before him…and most of the time Atlanta’s D needed the call-ups.

I don’t know why he never got a true shot at Nashville when he was with Milwaukee. We’ll see if he stays, or heads down to Lake Erie. If he does stay in the AHL this year, at least Lake Erie will score some goals

by chiavsfan on Jul 6, 2009 2:11 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Willsie had better get 24 games in this season. He’s been a hard worker, if not contributing on tthe score sheet. He deserves that pension.

softpillowcase

by Selanne on Jul 6, 2009 5:29 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Wasn’t he the leading scorer in Lake Erie before his call up last season? Maybe he can turn it around in the NHL under the same coach. If he does that, it will be by no charity on our part; he will have earned his pension thru and thru.

Sippin' PBR on a Colorado game day...

by mfured20 on Jul 6, 2009 10:04 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Haydar played in Grand Rapids last year…he had 31 goals and 49 assists (81 points) in 79 games.

On the other hand, he almost outscored the Monsters 2 top leading scorers by himself
Phillipe Dupuis had 46 points to lead the team
Chris Durno had 45 points.

Scary

by chiavsfan on Jul 7, 2009 5:27 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

i was talking about willsie, since that was what selanne was talking about, but I’m glad to know about Haydar too.

With all the recent news taken into account, I suspect he will make the team right away. there seems to be more room on the Avs than I was hoping…

Sippin' PBR on a Colorado game day...

by mfured20 on Jul 7, 2009 5:02 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Last year's team

I thought we had a glut of 3rd and 4th line forwards. Now I’m sort of longing for that glut. We have a few top-two line guys, maybe 4 max, a few 3rd liners, some 4ths, and then a whole lotta should be playing in Lake Erie.

Our 2009-2010 Avs: The towel has been thrown into the rink.

by Bob in Boulder on Jul 7, 2009 5:27 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs