Opening Night Avalanche Roster Appears Set
by David Driscoll-Carignan on Sep 27, 2009 6:27 PM MDT
in NHL News
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PrintIf you scroll down one more story, you'll see that the Avalanche have appeared to make their final cuts before opening night. These last cuts went as we predicted, with Derek Peltier, Chris Durno and Tyler Weiman reassigned to Lake Erie (Durno and Weiman will need to clear waiver, but that isn't likely to be an issue). The Avalanche roster is still at 24, but Tom Preissing is expected to be placed on IR sometime before Thursday. The Avalanche will still have an opportunity to claim someone from waivers as other teams make their cuts, but I don't expect that to happen.
In light of that, it appears that both Matt Duchene and Ryan "Radar" O'Reilly have made the team out of juniors for the time being. Not having seen either player in camp, I have to make the next statement a little blind, but my feeling is that Duchene is here for the season while O'Reilly may just be here for a 9-game taste (a la Wolski). However, I would not at all be surprised to see Radar stick around beyond that. Note that Wolski scored 6 points in his 9 games in 2005 before being returned to Brampton, but that Avalanche squad was a better team; Duchene and Radar may just need to prove that they are capable of competing to be granted a season pass in Denver (the AHL is not an option for either player).
Overall, the Avalanche roster is an interesting mish-mash of experience vs inexperience. On one hand you have a squad of defensemen where 6 of the 8 blueliners have at least 300 NHL games played. On the other, you have a group of 14 forwards where only 2 have played in 300 games and a whopping 8 players have less than 100 career games. Hell, the forward with the 3rd most games played in his career is 27-year-old Marek Svatos. Behind him? Wolski. Yikes.
Of the 24 players currently on the roster, 13 where on last year's opening night roster. The other 11 were elsewhere when the puck dropped last October 9th although several were in the Avalanche system. 5 of the 11 players started last year in Lake Erie. Two others, of course, were in the OHL at this time last year. In all, it's a green team up front (and, to an extent, in net, where probably #1 Craig Anderson has a career NHL high of 31 games, set last year).
This is the place where I'd normally make some predictions about the line combos for opening night but, frankly, I don't have a clue. I'm going to have to sleep on that one a bit, I think.
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My Lines guess
Forwards:
Baron – Stastny – Duke
Galiardi – Boy Wonder – Svats
McL – Radar – Stewie
Tucker – Hensick – Jones I’d love to see Tucker replaced by Hendricks, just don’t see it happening.
I’m a sad panda cause of this.
Reservoir Dogs:
Hendricks – Koci
D-men:
Liles – Footer
Salei – Clark
Quincey – Hannan
Reservoir Dog:
Cumiskey
So long Super Joe. In a class of your own in every sense of the word.
I think O’Reilly really throws a wrench in the gears. I have no idea where he will play. 3rd line feels unlikely but who knows.
Joe Sakic. Captain forever.
I think that the team’s current depth chart at center goes: Stastny, Duchene, Galiardi, O’Reilly, Hendricks. Galiardi has been playing center and winning quite a bit of draws. I really see him as the team’s third line center. Despite the fact that he’s listed as a LW, he’s been playing center all throughout camp and pre-season. I really don’t see them moving him over now. I see Hensick more likely moving over to wing. They tried him at RW in some games.
Galiardi and Svatos seemed to have a bit of chemistry in the early going, from the recaps that I have read. And more recently, they’ve been trying Svatos out on the left side with Stastny and Hejduk.
As far as the depth chart goes, Wolski and Hejduk are the team’s top wingers. I just don’t know if we’ll see both of those guys consistently playing together on the top line with Stastny except for the power play. I think that it makes more sense to have at least one of those guys playing with Duchene.
Jones and Stewart are also both RW guys who they’ve used at LW. Stewart spent practically half of the games that he played for the Avs on the left side last season.
I’ll take a crack at it:
Wolski – Stastny – Jones
McLeod – Duchene – Hejduk
Stewart – Galiardi – Svatos
Tucker – O’Reilly – Hensick
I like the idea of one offensive guy and one defensive guy. My defense pairs are going to be the same. But, in a different order. Quincy has been one of the most talked about defenders on the team and has made his presence known.
Quincy – Hannan
Liles – Foote
Clark – Salei
Has anyone heard a status update on David Jones’s bruised chest? Or on Matt Hendricks’s bloodied up face from that fight last night? They both must be well enough that they’re at least considered day-to-day, or the team wouldn’t have cut Durno.
by c0nquistad0rian on Sep 27, 2009 10:24 PM MDT up reply actions
This looks like a pretty good guess. I would swap Stewart and McLeod though. I really think that Stewie could break out this year.
To answer my own question: Hendricks was back at practice while Jones is out indefinitely. This definitely shakes the line combinations up a bit.
by c0nquistad0rian on Sep 28, 2009 6:43 PM MDT up reply actions
If Tucker plays like last year, then I agree fully. But maybe he’ll get better? Although I still have nightmares about him on the first/second line this year like Granato would do with him at times last year shudder
by Mike, (Avs Fan) on Sep 27, 2009 10:30 PM MDT up reply actions
Well that’s odd… asterisks make words appear in bold?
by Mike, (Avs Fan) on Sep 27, 2009 10:32 PM MDT up reply actions
On the other, you have a group of 14 forwards where only 2 have played in 300 games…
…and one is Darcy Tucker
The 2009-10 Colorado Avalanche: Aiming for the Charity Point
Jibblescribbits: C'mon over and waste some time
by Jibblescribbits on Sep 27, 2009 9:14 PM MDT reply actions
Which only goes to show that “play” is broadly construed in this particular quote.
2009-2010 Colorado Avalanche - "Hey Brother, can you spare a Left Winger?"
by Hopfenkopf on Sep 28, 2009 9:25 AM MDT up reply actions 1 recs
I just can’t help but think that whatever forward line combo we see, it will be woefully short on defensive/grinding oriented players. I like Drakenlot’s lines, but I just don’t think that Jones and Hensick are 4th line material. They’re more offense-oriented players that should play on higher lines. Same can be said for Svatos/Jones/Stewart. Not criticizing Draken’s lines, just saying that our entire forward line setup, no matter how you slice it, will be somewhat awkward.
On the other hand, does this mean we have 4 offensively-gifted lines that will run and gun opponents into submission? Now that would be sick!
by Mike, (Avs Fan) on Sep 27, 2009 10:28 PM MDT reply actions
On your last part...
I’ve actually that about that.. haha.
by toothandnailer777 on Sep 27, 2009 11:09 PM MDT up reply actions
Last year we had a roster full of defensive/grinder type players. Too many in fact, how’d that work out for the boys in blue?
I had a problem with that.
All three deserve a spot on the line with Duchene, only because I think the WiSH line is pretty much set.
(WiSH as in i WISH they succeed as much as they seem to be capable of)
I think the RW will change depending on who is doing well and which combos click.
So long Super Joe. In a class of your own in every sense of the word.
by Drakenlot on Sep 28, 2009 8:19 AM MDT up reply actions 1 recs
If we had a little different name for Staz we’d really have to think of a poker hand name.
But I was thinking since the “W” in Polish is pronounced as a “V” we have the MVP line (MIlan, Wojtec, Paul) but maybe we’ll have to see if it fits first.
MHH: Like the Avs organization, we’ve now officially lost our minds.
I'm The Canary - but I'm not cute nor cuddly, and I don't sing.
by Americanario on Sep 28, 2009 6:38 PM MDT up reply actions
I’m not even going to try and order lines. Way too many variables in play.
I am with c0nquistad0rian that Wolski and Hejduk won’t be on the same line. Most likely Duke with Duchene to add some experience to that line. Wolski with Stastny at the top.
But I don’t see JML and Foote as a regular D-Pair. I think they split them up. Also, are we 100% sure of Salei’s status? Where the hell’s he been?
~Billy
Conspiracy Theory
O’Reilly gets sent down when #21 comes to town…at least that’s the way it’s working out in my dream world.
I'm normally not a praying man, but if you're up there, please save me Superman---the official slogan of the 2009'-10' Colorado Avalanche. (and Homer Simpson).
by An Unmitigated Disaster on Sep 28, 2009 2:25 PM MDT reply actions
Not to water down your conspiracy theory with too much optimism and all, but if Foppa comes back, howsabout we waive Tucker or Hensick instead, whichever of them has exhibited a higher douchebag quotient to date.
2009-2010 Colorado Avalanche - "Hey Brother, can you spare a Left Winger?"
but if Foppa comes back
It’s not gonna be in an Avs uni.
Foppa, although he likes to think he’s a knight in shining armor, will only come back for a cup-run.
Avalanche don’t want any old veterans back, otherwise they would’ve signed Tanguay for about 1M, I’m sure Tangs would’ve preferred that to 1,5M @ TB.
To add substance to my argument in the shape of conjecture and bandwagoning
The 36-year-old forward is hoping to resume his NHL career, but it appears doubtful the Avs would be interested in re-signing him. The team is going in a new direction, and Forsberg’s health could be a liability in that vein. – Dater
I won’t argue that you (and AD) have a strong point. That being the case, I think that Foppa will find the free agent market as thin as many others (including Tanguay especially) have.
Remember that Tanguay, although highly skilled (and not 1/3 the player Foppa is/was) had to settle for roughly 30% of his initial asking price and was forced to sign with one of the league’s bottomdwellers.
Foppa, though certainly a far superior player to Tanguay, has had his health issues publicized much more highly and is, in point of fact some 6 years older than Tanguay. He also had performances with two teams (the Preds and the Flyers) which were distinguished much more by their failure to reach potential than otherwise. I believe that if Foppa does truly want to play in the NHL this year, he may have to choose from less than a handful of teams willing to throw those dice.
That being the case and any potestations of no interest on the part of Avs management to the contrary, any failure on the part of the team to pursue diligently conversations with the one guy, who simply by stepping onto the ice could increase attendance by a full 25%, would be proof positive that there is no hope for the organ-I-zation as a whole. If Foppa does give us the Heisman initially, perhaps we should give him a call in a month or so, when his only other suitor is Phoenix and clearance of paychecks is not particularly a guaranteed element of the deal.
2009-2010 Colorado Avalanche - "Hey Brother, can you spare a Left Winger?"
When the season is underway there will be teams (teams fighting for the #8 spot) highly interested in Foppa. Look at what the ‘Nucks did with Sundin, who isn’t as good a player as Foppa is.
If the Avs really thought they could sign Foppa this season, they would/could/should’ve signed Tanguay for some good ol’ chemistry.
Even though Foppa’s teams failed to reach their potential, it never was due to Foppa himself. He was steady with the Preds and kicking it Avs-style with the Flyers (ignoring injuries). Foppa is also widely known as a player who won’t make a rash decision, so if he decides to return to the NHL, he’ll be coming over to play. Not to sit in a suit, injured.
There's room for reasonable parties to disagree,
though if you ask those that know me, they’ll tell you that I’m neither reasonable, nor much of a party.
That being said, I fear that given Foppa’s busted foot, this will remain a hypothetical discussion. :-(
2009-2010 Colorado Avalanche - "Hey Brother, can you spare a Left Winger?"
OMG
a real fan would never question signing Forsberg, ever. A real fan know how much he would mean to this team, even if he wasn’t healthy. You should stop listening to the bloggers and actually try watching the games.
…Sorry about that, but I figured since we’re throwing every point of view out there someone would have to drop 25% of their brain cells and add that one…
The 2009-10 Colorado Avalanche: Aiming for the Charity Point
Jibblescribbits: C'mon over and waste some time
by Jibblescribbits on Sep 29, 2009 4:40 PM MDT up reply actions
YOu only had to drop 25%, maybe we’ve been giving you too much credit. :)
MHH: Like the Avs organization, we’ve now officially lost our minds.
I'm The Canary - but I'm not cute nor cuddly, and I don't sing.
by Americanario on Sep 29, 2009 8:24 PM MDT up reply actions
Darcy Tucker, Darcy Tucker, Darcy Tucker!
Sorry, just a reflex when confronted with that sort of “reasoning”
2009-2010 Colorado Avalanche - "Hey Brother, can you spare a Left Winger?"
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