Chicks and their Polls: Depth at D
by Cheryl Bradley on Jan 17, 2012 7:00 AM MST
in Avalanche News & Notes
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Unlike previous years when injuries slammed the blueliners, the Avalanche have a solid corps of replacements ready and waiting. In fact, guys like Cameron Gaunce and Tyson Barrie haven't even been utilized yet the depth is so deep. The most recent injuries to top d-men Erik Johnson and Shane O'Brien left a pretty big hole, but at least Johnson came back quickly. O'Brien, on the other hand, just started skating with the team on Monday. He's projected to be back against the Panthers on Wednesday. Meanwhile, his replacement, Ryan Wilson--who was arguably the Avs' best defenseman before his injury in December--has had solid games since his first night back. So what happens when the blue line is back to full strength?
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I think Elliott is a no-brainer. He’s playing the worst of the bunch defensively and isn’t exactly lighting it up at the other end of the ice. Obviously, I’d send him back to LEM not the pressbox, but he’s my choice.
DDC is deeply embedded throughout this blog. For better or worse, his taint taints us all.
by David Driscoll-Carignan on Jan 17, 2012 7:43 AM MST reply actions
where the hell is everyone today?
DDC is deeply embedded throughout this blog. For better or worse, his taint taints us all.
by David Driscoll-Carignan on Jan 17, 2012 8:24 AM MST reply actions
Still laying on the road. Since it was MLK yesterday, all of the road kill is still on the road as the road crews had the day off from work.
Datsyuk may have done it first, but he learned it from Peter Forsberg.
Thanks for everything Foppa!
Footer: We'll miss seeing you clear the riff raff off your lawn.
by Americanario on Jan 17, 2012 8:38 AM MST up reply actions
ask a question, get an answer
DDC is deeply embedded throughout this blog. For better or worse, his taint taints us all.
by David Driscoll-Carignan on Jan 17, 2012 8:45 AM MST up reply actions
Happily chatting up all the broncos fans this morning.
Laughter and tears are both responses to frustration and exhaustion. I myself prefer to laugh, since there is less cleaning up to do afterward. - Kv
by MalachiConstant on Jan 17, 2012 8:56 AM MST up reply actions
I’m here between classes, but I was wondering the same thing. Awful quiet here today. I got through all the new comments in under 15 minutes. Now what am I going to do until my 10 o’clock?
Just a Colorado girl in Montana who ♥s the Avs and writes for Mile High Hockey.
by andidee15 on Jan 17, 2012 9:33 AM MST via iPhone app up reply actions
photoshops, of course
DDC is deeply embedded throughout this blog. For better or worse, his taint taints us all.
by David Driscoll-Carignan on Jan 17, 2012 9:38 AM MST up reply actions 2 recs
How could it have imploded? It’s sooooo humangous big!
Just a Colorado girl in Montana who ♥s the Avs and writes for Mile High Hockey.
by andidee15 on Jan 17, 2012 9:56 AM MST via iPhone app up reply actions
Little hard to do on an iPod though. I popped over to the hawks site instead. It’s a lot like here, but they complain about Kane’s lack of production instead of Stastny’s. I wonder if they have a game tonight…
Just a Colorado girl in Montana who ♥s the Avs and writes for Mile High Hockey.
by andidee15 on Jan 17, 2012 9:54 AM MST via iPhone app up reply actions
Any chance we can poach someone from the Sabres or the Ducks with a defenseman? Or do you think the Sabres go into the offseason next year and look at their GM/Coach?
Paul Stastny did, what Paul Stastny does. Score big goals.
Buffalo has had some defense-men on the IR, but they are starting to get healthy again….maybe.
Myers just returned to the line up…
Datsyuk may have done it first, but he learned it from Peter Forsberg.
Thanks for everything Foppa!
Footer: We'll miss seeing you clear the riff raff off your lawn.
by Americanario on Jan 17, 2012 10:52 AM MST up reply actions
Couple of questions
Do you spend two weeks where everyone gets one game off for rest recovery of the small bumps and bruises?
Does Quincey get a game or two or three off since he has had some problems with turnovers in the last couple of games?
Do we trade 2 or possibly even 3 D-men for 1 D-man with a team with injury/depth problems to try and get a slightly better D-man? Say trading a #4 and #5 for #3?
Avalanche Hockey: egressing to the mean
I say Elliott is sent back to Lake Erie, he’s been the weakest defensively and hasn’t really been producing.
"They called tripping!? Where did THAT happen?"
"On the ice."
".........my...brain hurts...."
by StoneCutter013 on Jan 17, 2012 10:10 AM MST reply actions
Actually I think if anyone has an excuse for inconsistancy in our D core it’s Elliott. I don’t see why Hejda’s mistakes don’t get talked about more. He is our highest paid defender. I didn’t see the yotes game but Ive seen just about every other game this year. “overall” I would say Ive seen the most blatant turnovers or defensive blunders leading to scoring chances come as a result of him fumbling the puck or getting cought flat footed in his own zone.
I realize him being benched probably won’t happen but I thought for sure he was brought in to support EJ and be a solid presence. That pair did not last very long… I would say of all of our D hes the most passive. He does not hit that much for his size and does not have anything special for a shot. So far he really has not been much of a shut down guy either. So what is he? I could make a case for every other defender.
EJ.. Uh not much to say there hes our No.1 right now. Solid and is actually starting to put point’s as of late. Unfortunatly the team is not..
Quincey.. A bit inconsistant but scores, hits, and “usually” brings energy. BAMF
Wilson.. Younger BAMF
Wilson.. Younger BAMFO’Brien.. Suprisingly more active witht he puck than we all expected and brings a mean physical game. Usually a good shut down guy when hes firing,
Wilson.. Younger BAMFO’Brien.. Suprisingly more active witht he puck than we all expected and brings a mean physical game. Usually a good shut down guy when hes firing,O’Byrne.. Good shut down guy..
Elliott.. Hes our rookie, yeah his scoring has fallen off but so has the entire team. Especially since Duchene went down. He is just to much of an asset on the PP and when it comes to moving the puck at the point. If he goes down I think Barrie needs to be brought up and given a shot but we need one of our puck movers in the line up.
Hejda.. Yeah someone else can do this one because I don’t see him carry the puck.. I don’t see him hit that much.. and I really don’t see him shutting guys down on a consistant enough basis. Maybe I just don’t notice what he does and someone else can prove me wrong.
Wow that entire section got jacked up..
O’Brien.. Suprisingly more active witht he puck than we all expected and brings a mean physical game. Usually a good shut down guy when hes firing,
O’Byrne.. Good shut down guy..
Hejda was pretty much responsible for at least one of the goals last night with a really, really badly timed pinch with no one behind him.
Yeah I have noticed comments like that all year. Sometimes I seen it myself.. Sometimes in comments on the recaps and in the recaps themselves when I didn’t notice it directly durring the game. His name has definitly been linked to more bad than good over the course of the whole year. Not just lately..
Nah, you’re wrong. Rough start for both he and Johnson, but Hejda’s been a big part of the improved PK and the overall improvement on defense. Leads all Avs in ice time, leads all defensemen in shorthanded time, and he’s taken more shifts than any other Avs player, by far. He starts in his own end alot, and he faces the other teams’ best players.
He’s not perfect by any means, but he’s been really good for a team that has taken great pains to improve defensively. He’s what Hannan was supposed to be but never was.
I believe he was also the D that shut down OV when he had starting warming up and we beat the Caps
I'm not questioning your powers of observation; I'm merely remarking upon the paradox of asking a masked man who he is.
by ProfessorOak on Jan 17, 2012 1:04 PM MST up reply actions
I think Hejda was responsible for the second PHX goal. He turned the puck over at the attacking blueline after carrying through the neutral zone during a line change.
OK Shermie, time to be the shepherd
by Busted Twigg on Jan 17, 2012 1:35 PM MST up reply actions
no way, FIRE HEJDA
I'm not questioning your powers of observation; I'm merely remarking upon the paradox of asking a masked man who he is.
by ProfessorOak on Jan 17, 2012 1:58 PM MST up reply actions
Indeed
OK Shermie, time to be the shepherd
by Busted Twigg on Jan 17, 2012 3:11 PM MST up reply actions
I’m with the masses. Elliot’s growing pains are killing us right now.
We see a wonderful sun-soaked city nestled at the foot of the Rocky Mountains. Enos sees nickels and dimes.
by Bob in Boulder on Jan 17, 2012 10:37 AM MST reply actions
And honestly, there’s no reason to rush him. There’s still plenty he can learn back in the AHL, and we have the luxury of giving him that time. We KNOW he’s NHL ready, just as we know Gaunce can play up here too. I think if Barrie’s given a shot, he can join that group as well.
I like Elliott and think he’ll be great for us. And if he had been called up instead of Shattenkirk last year, he would have been able to stay in the big leagues for the entire season as well. But since our blueline somehow became actually good over the summer, why push it? Why not give the 21-year-old a bit more time to refine his game before putting the full-time NHL pressure on him?
Part of me wonders what EJ could be right now if he had been in Elliott’s position. He was rushed into the league and is only just now starting to tap into his potential. Granted, there’s a bit more pressure on a 1st overall than someone taken 49th, but a few more months (maybe even years) of seasoning for Elliott probably wouldn’t be a bad thing.
Just a Colorado girl in Montana who ♥s the Avs and writes for Mile High Hockey.
I would be curious to see what Barrie could do though. We usually gain a little energy all be it seemingly temporary when we bring up guys. Swap out Elliot and Barrie and let Hejda sit would be my call.
Barrie is just as inexperienced as Elliott. Skillwise, it would be a lateral move swapping one for the other, so why would you pay for the plane tickets when it won’t really help the team? The best solution would be to put Hejda on the bottom pair and let Elliott go back to Erie where he can get a crapton of minutes each night. Hejda doesn’t need the experience like Barriott does, and those two youngsters aren’t going to get enough TOI if they’re playing on the bottom pair or in a 7D rotation (which is where they fall in the depth chart right now).
However, when we need another defensive callup, I’d like to see Barrie get the call. I’m really curious to see what exactly the other Oh-Niner brings. I just don’t think now is the right time.
Just a Colorado girl in Montana who ♥s the Avs and writes for Mile High Hockey.
I think what he is saying is that when we call up someone new they usually have a 5 game hot streak and bring some much needed energy. So swap Elliot and Barrie and pray the trend continues and brings some goals and energy.
Avalanche Hockey: egressing to the mean
I think the kids come from the AHL with a ton of confidence. They play with confidence for a few games until it’s beaten out of them, then they decline.
I voted for Elliott because I think he needs to go back to the AHL to find his game and his confidence. My guess is that his next trip to Denver will be permanent as he now has the experience.
OK Shermie, time to be the shepherd
by Busted Twigg on Jan 17, 2012 1:40 PM MST up reply actions
Ususally new call ups bring a little energy to the lineup. So I think now is exactly the right time. Our team is so dependant on their emotional state the boost of energy and the message sent to Hejda might be the right combination.
I see what you’re saying though. I guess I just don’t think it would hurt to give him a few games. If it did not work no harm in sending him back down. My desire to see Hejda sit drives my opinion more than it should maybe.
Who knows it’s just speculation..
Anyone else
Wish that Gaunce was up instead of Elliott right now? Sure he’s not much of an offensive threat, but I think that Gaunce could really help this team, I may even go as far to say that you could put Gaunce in instead of ROB.
I'm not questioning your powers of observation; I'm merely remarking upon the paradox of asking a masked man who he is.
Well if Gaunce came up and played that well then it would really allow us to use our depth at D as trade chips for picks or wingers. So anything in the way of new energy in the lineup would probably do the team some good and prove we do have an area to trade from which is in demand.
Sweet Mother of GOD!!!!
Unlike previous years when injuries slammed the blueliners, the Avalanche have a solid corps of replacements ready and waiting.
Are you trying to get our defense killed?
Watch……. by the end of this month, 3 dmen are going down.
Sorry. Burn me at the stake if it happens. I will accept my fate.
Duchene may be the face of this franchise, but O’Reilly is the heart. - Guitarpick8120
Mile High Hockey - Asst. Editor
The Hockey Writers - Avalanche Correspondent
by Cheryl Bradley on Jan 17, 2012 1:39 PM MST up reply actions
A witch! Burn her!
OK Shermie, time to be the shepherd
by Busted Twigg on Jan 17, 2012 1:42 PM MST up reply actions
First you have to prove she is a witch before you can burn her. Throw her in a lake, if she floats then you burn her, if she drowns then she is okay.
Avalanche Hockey: egressing to the mean
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