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Comparison of the Avs' Structure to Another Team's...

We seem to have some forward depth now. The top 9 are full of people that can produce yet full of no one that is superstar caliber. Duchene might get there one day, maybe, and maybe Landy or Radar do (although I don't think they do) but we are full of real solid talent. We are tough on the back end full with once again, no bonafide #1 defensemen (although EJ may be one, one day), we may never have a norris candidate, but we have a solid defensive core. This team is overall, very defensively responsible essentially from the top down. Our 4th line center is actually a 3rd line center on a team with less center depth. We hit hard and often and show that even if the opponent beats us, they will be hurting after the game. We have two solid goaltenders, and although Varly has been streaky, he seems to be coming around as of late, and Jiggy has been real good all year. Does this type of setup remind you of another team? It does for me...

The Boston Bruins. The Bruins top lines are full of very good players, but really no super stars. Krajci, Lucic, Horton, Marchand, Bergeron and Seguin are good to very good players, but I wouldn't put them in the same conversation as Crosby, Malkin, OV, Toews, Kov, Parise, etc. The closest they have probably had on the top end to a superstar was Marc Savard, who in case anyone has forgotten, was a better than a point per game player with the Bruins. On the back end, they have their annual Norris candidate in Chara but beyond that, they are filled with defenders that are very solid, but nothing spectacular. Seidenberg, Ference, Boychuk, Corvo and McQuaid are all solid with varying skill sets but you won't usually find any of them at the all star game. Their playing style is a very west coast style, forecheck, possess and score while being defensively responsible. In net they have an annual all-star in Thomas and a back-up who is a starter on many other teams in this league.

That being said, remember, I'm not comparing the skill, or saying that our team is a cup contender, because they aren't... yet. What I am saying is that I think Sherman (who has been getting a lot of love around here as of late) is molding our team to have a similar structure as the Boston Bruins. Lost in the conference finals in seven games 2 years ago, won the cup last year and is well on their way to the playoffs this year. Sherman has shown that he is determined to get players that he WANTS. He went out and got EJ, got Silent Jay, got Downie, got McGinn, drafted Landy instead of taking "more skilled" players with "higher ceilings". He has done this with a plan and I believe the plan is to mold our personnel and our playing style much like that of the Boston Bruins.

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