Day 6 was the last full day of our MHH staff retreat to beautiful Tenerife and the group split up to take advantage of various fun activities. Prof and I took a bike ride through the hills outside of town, tracing a route used by some of the pro cycling teams when they train in the area. Fish and SteveHouse took paragliding lessons, SH just missed taking out a group of pasty British tourists on his way to a perfect 4-point landing and hilarity ensued. Mike and Ryan grabbed a sportfishing charter and got a gigantic Wahoo that the chef back at the hotel grilled and made into delicious empenadas for everybody.
We all met up back in the billiard room to recap the days events and contemplate Avs RW Dennis Everberg.
Statement #6:
True or False: Dennis Everberg has the upside to be a very solid 3rd liner who could do spot duty in the top-6 when needed.
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ProfessorOak:
True(ish): Does he have that upside? Sure. It mean's it's possible to reach that. Is it likely? I doubt it. I see him as a solid third liner and nothing more. He can drive possession, but offensively, he just doesn't have the skill to produce in a top six role (at least we haven't seen it yet). If he does have it, I can't wait to see it, but only time will tell.
Mike@MHH:
False. He's a broke man's Landeskog. I don't see him as much more than depth filler on the bottom 6 and I can't imagine him higher unless it's a gimmick line or weird PP situation.
misterfish1:
True. It surprised me when I was reading comments on Everberg's "Bet the House" article that some think differently and don't see much in Evs. Well, I know the guy isn't going to break NHL records, but he's a solid player and one of the few bright spots from last season for Colorado. The game that stands out to me is the one from last November when the Ducks came to Denver and Foreverberg took it to Anaheim. He had a gazillion chances to score in the 1st period before finally getting his first NHL goal late in that period. He truly looked like the best player on the ice for either team. Better than Duchene, Mack, Landy, as well as Ducks like Perry, Getzlav, and Kesler.
I would so much rather see someone like Dennis playing than Cliche or McLeod. If I saw him and Hishon in the lineup rather than those two cardboard boxes with the numbers 24 and 55 painted on them, I'd be so happy. Top 6 is asking a little, but I definitely see Everberg as a 3rd line player for Colorado, and one who can be effective in that position.
Ryan Murphy:
True-ish.
We don't have a very large sample with which to make evaluations on Dennis Everberg. The 23-year old only played 55 games last year and put up a really meager 12 points, but I -- along with many watching the Avalanche last season -- saw a player that looked considerably more effective than that. The forecheck, the hustle, and the hockey smarts all appeared to be there, but he just wasn't putting the puck in the net. Then you look and see he only took 66 shots and scored an abysmal 4.8% of them. A couple things: One, I think that shooting percentage normalizes; and two, I think he gains the confidence to shoot more than 1.2 times per game. Add up that math mumbo-jumbo and I think Everberg can turn into a ten-goal goal scorer as soon as next year, which is certainly passable for a 6'4" bottom-six wing and a penalty killer. To project any more than that right now is difficult, but I think he could be a good 3rd-liner. A 2nd-line player for long stretches, though? I don't see it right now, but next year could tell us quite a bit.
Steven Page:
True and then False.
Sorry, Dennis. You may be a solid third-liner, but if you are seeing any top-six time on a team with as much forward talent as the Avalanche, a number of guys must be in the doghouse or the Avs are leading the league in man games lost. Everberg is a solid player and a great hidden gem for the Avs. He reminds a lot of the Shjon Podein type, just a bit bigger. He puts in a lot of effort and can keep up with the guys defensively. But like Podein, Everberg doesn't show a lot of offensive upside and if he's playing on one of the top two lines, you know something is up.
SteveHouse:
False, no, he's too much of a drag on producing actual points to do spot duty in the top six. There isn't anything wrong with him being a strong mover of the puck to get a faceoff for the top lines in the right zone. If he grows into anything more than that guy I'll be really surprised. competent bum lyfe dawg.
earl06:
I'm going to say True as long as spot duty means a couple games here or there and not "until further notice". I think he can surpass Smooth Johnny's offensive output and ultimately end up being a bigger, but slower, version of what Mitchell brings.
There's a lot to like about Evs' skills on the forecheck, for puck retrieval and general defensive zone/PK play. Everyone seems really concerned about bricking shots and poor finishing ability but he had a chronic shoulder issue for most of last year. He also had 5 goals in 12 games in Lake Erie so I still hold out hope there's some offensive upside there.
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What do you think, dear reader? True or False?