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Post by HoneyBee (Avs GM) on Mar 23, 2013 10:35:38 GMT -5
2013-2014 Season Preview
The Avalanche finished a dismal 20th in the NHL last season as they continued the rebuild, however this season looks more optimistic for the Avalanche. The Avs parted with Ryan O'Reilly who was sent to Dallas, and starting goaltender Simeon Varlamov, but gained crucial pieces in continuing the rebuild. New additions to the Avalanche roster this year are 7th overall draft pick Hudson Fasching, newly acquired Andrew Cogliano in the trade that sent O'Reilly to Dallas, and the 20 year old rookie defenseman Duncan Siemens. Late season call-ups Cameron Gaunce and Matt Donovan will have their shots at becoming regulars on the blueline this season.
The Offense:
Little has changed about the offense in Colorado. Ryan O'Reilly, the leading scorer from the Avalanche roster last season will not be returning and in his place will be Hudson Fasching. Though just a rookie, he will be expected to play 2nd line minutes with Matt Duchene and Chris Krieder. Paul Stastny will be looked upon to recover from his awful season last year, which he finished with a career low in points. He will do so with new linemates, captain Gabriel Landeskog and right wing David Jones. The bottom two lines for Colorado look solid on paper, Cogliano will center defensive forwards Downie and McGinn to form a shutdown line. The 4th line will consist of John Mitchell, Brad Malone, and Matt Martin, this will be one of the hardest hitting energy lines in hockey if these players can work together well.
The Defense:
The biggest change to this team is defense. Shane O'Brien was shipped away for a 3rd round pick and the young guns will have their opportunity to prove themselves at the NHL level. Erik Johnson will be expected to be solid night in and night out to help recover mistakes made by rookies and help them learn. Bruising defenseman Duncan Siemens was solid in the pre-season and will have the chance to play with Johnson during the year. Cameron Gaunce and Matt Donovan will be competing for the coveted 6th spot on defense, and depending on their play could force head coach Joe Sacco to scratch Wilson, Hejda, or Elliott.
The Goaltending:
With Varlamov shipped to Calgary, this is the year Sami Aittokalio learns how to become an effective starting goaltender. Luckily in the deal, veteran Miikka Kiprusoff was sent Colorado's way and will be an excellent mentor to the 21 year old goalie. Should Aittokalio prove he cannot stand the rigor of an NHL season, Kiprusoff could take the reins along with two promising goaltenders in the system in Kieran Millan or Calvin Pickard.
The Future:
The Avs are not expected to make the playoffs this season, but they should be a very competitive team soon. Over the off season they acquired many top prospects in the draft or through trades, including Aleksander Barkov, Dmitri Jaskin, Travis Uzanof, Eric Roy, Gustav Possler, and Jordan Maletta. Barkov and Jaskin will make 2/3rds on the top line in Lake Eerie and could possibly be called up during the season if their play warrants it or in the case of injury. Stefan Della Rovere and Luke Moffat are the most likely to receive call-ups during the season to fill a bottom-6 forward role.
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Post by HoneyBee (Avs GM) on Mar 24, 2013 16:06:10 GMT -5
Personnel Changes in Colorado
The Avalanche made several management changes to the front office before the beginning of the regular season. The changes started with the announcement of Joe Sacco's demotion to return as the head coach of the Lake Eerie Monsters. Assistant coach to the Monsters last season, goaltending legend Vladislav Tretiak will take his place as the head coach of the Avalanche.
David Oliver, assistant GM of the Avalanche will take the reigns as the GM of Lake Eerie. The Avalanche intended to do this before the start of the last regular season, but with several young promising goalie prospects, the Avalanche elected to keep him to mentor the young goalies. With the rise in play of Kieran Millan and Calvin Pickard, the front office decided Tretiak should follow Aittokalio to help him transition to the pro game better.
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Post by HoneyBee (Avs GM) on Mar 25, 2013 13:26:10 GMT -5
Fasching Making Impact with Avs
The Avalanche have started the 2013-2014 with a shaky record of 3-4-0, but one bright spot of the short season lies within rookie Hudson Fasching. Fasching is currently in a three way tie with Alex Galenchenyuk of the Canadiens and Tomas Hertl of the San Joe Sharks in rookie scoring. Despite not having an AHL season under his belt like them, he has played like a legitimate top 6 forward for the Avs this season. He looks like he could become a contender for the Calder already.
His success is in due part with his linemates, Matt Duchene and Chris Krieder. The chemistry between him and Duchene is undeniable, they share the team lead in points. Chris Krieder, though having a slow start, creates space for them to work with his big frame and hitting prowess. These players form one of the youngest top lines in hockey, Krieder and Duchene are both 22, and Fasching is 18. If Paul Stastny starts to click with linemates David Jones and Gabriel Landeskog, the Avs could be a very fearsome team to deal with on defense.
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Post by HoneyBee (Avs GM) on Mar 27, 2013 10:21:41 GMT -5
Goaltending Strong Despite Bad Record
The Avalanche sit at 3-5 currently, not where they want to be. In the upcoming week they will play four games, against Nashville, Detroit, Minnesota, and Detroit. Though the defense and the first line have been disappointing, goaltending has been strong. Veteran goaltending has only seen action in one game this year in a loss, but posted respectable numbers allowing two goals and sporting a 92.9 SV%. Youngster Sami Aittokalio has been given the bulk of the work this season, seeing 7 starts thus far with a 89.1 SV% and a 2.71 GAA. While those may seem like mediocre numbers, they could be much worse if not his stellar play.
The Avs chance for the playoffs is clear, they must continue to receive solid goaltending from now to the end of the season. Veteran Paul stastny has been a disappointment again this season, notching only 3 points in 8 games and is suspected to be on the trading block. If he is traded, expect Aleksander Barkov to be called up and take his place, as the Avs general manager is reportedly trying to acquire a top pairing defenseman for him. Another possibility is a trade for another top-6 player to form chemistry with. Stastny has not clicked with Gabriel Landeskog, though David Jones has been the bright spot of the line with 5 points in 8 games. Time will tell whether the Avs step up their game, but if they don't, expect drastic changes.
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Post by HoneyBee (Avs GM) on Mar 29, 2013 18:37:57 GMT -5
All Cylinders Firing, Just Not Simultaneously
The Avalanche have played better in general as of late, a few players for the Avs have started to play well. Chris Krieder was bumped to the 1st line to play with Landeskog and Stastny, which has yielded great results. Since the promotion, Stastny and Landeskog have been on fire and are now tied for 2nd in Avs scoring. However, Hudson Fasching who started the season with 6 points in 7 games, has struggled, registering 0 points in his last 8 games. That has not brought down his linemate Matt Duchene however, who has been steady with 14 points in 15 games this season.
The two major problems plaguing this season have been inconsistency and the defense. Veteran Jan Hedja has been abysmal this season, with only 2 points and an awful -6 in 15 games. Rookie Duncan Siemans has also struggled, though he plays some of the toughest minutes on the team, sometimes he hits everything that moves and other times he looks invisible on the ice. The bright spots for the defense have been Erik Johnson and Ryan Wilson. Wilson has 9 points and Johnson has ten, both have played all 15 games for the club. Unfortunately, they cannot play all 60 minutes of the games and their fellow players on the defensive core need to step it up if they hope to climb up in the standings.
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Post by HoneyBee (Avs GM) on Mar 30, 2013 22:31:01 GMT -5
Trade Speculation Rampant
With 17 games down and the Avalanche sitting at a .412% win percentage, something needs to change. Even with this young of a team, they are still underachieving. Goaltending can only get you so far in this league when your top lines and defense are inconsistent not only game to game, but shift to shift. That said, here are some current rumors.
Miika Kiprusoff-
Veteran goaltender Kiprusoff has not seen as much ice this season as he would like. This is his last year in the NHL, and at a 5.8 mil cap hit, he may be difficult to move. However, the former Vezina winner has played well this season despite the product in front of him. Kipper is likely to be moved at the deadline when a team can take him at half the salary, which is still 45-53 games away, so expect him to stay in Colorado for the time being.
Paul Stastny-
Though he has played well as of late, Stastny continues to have his name pop up in rumors. The 27 year old has only known Colorado and is still a fan favorite that attracts fans to the stands, so only a significant player in return would land him. The Avs are strong at center, Chris Kreider could step into his role if he were to be traded. Stastny could potentially be moved for a similar caliber defenseman, especially with Aleksander Barkov biding his time in the AHL for a spot with the big club.
Jan Hejda-
Hejda would be in a better position if he were not asked to fill a 2nd pairing role with the Avalanche. Lately he has been a healthy scratch to give time to the younger players because he isn't getting the job done. Along with Kipper, he is another player retiring at the season and a competing team may want to add his experience at half price for the deadline.
Calvin Pickard-
Pickard is the youngest and most promising player on the list, but with the depth in net, his chances to make the NHL any time soon are slim. He would not be a backup role for the Avs, as he would receive better time as a starter in the AHL. With Sami Aittokalio as the Avs starter, he may not get the time he deserves. If he were moved, expect the Avalanche to receive a pick or defenseman in return. There is also the possibility of him being moved with Stastny.
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Post by HoneyBee (Avs GM) on Apr 1, 2013 13:45:22 GMT -5
Avalanche Deal Very Close
The Avalanche may get their wish and deal center Paul Stastny in a trade for a defenseman, rumors say he is part of talks involving defenseman Shea Weber. The deal would reportedly send Stastny, a defenseman, and a prospect in return for him. The conditions of this deal are important to another in the works, with the Winnipeg Jets.
The Jets placed centers Bryan Little and Alexander Burmistrov were placed on the block earlier in the week, and they have a tentative deal in place with the Avalanche. Even if the trade for Weber does not happen, the deal is still likely to go down. Due to the young age of the team, Burmistrov seems to be the most likely candidate for the trade. The deal hinges on a prospect possibly involved in the Shea Weber deal, but another deal is set in place in case for just such an event.
Another player that may be moved by the Avalanche is winger David Jones. His departure is unlikely, however, due to his massive contract that hurts his trade value. This is to make room for the possible acquisition of Burmistrov and the call-up of Aleksander Barkov who has been dominating the AHL and wants a shot at the big leagues.
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Post by HoneyBee (Avs GM) on Apr 2, 2013 23:32:16 GMT -5
Avalanche Falling Off
Avs fans may have to prepare themselves for another long season. 22 games, a little over half the season has gone by the Avs sit at a dismal 25th in the league going 8-13-1. Inconsistent goaltending from rookie Sami Aittokalio, poor defense, and at time invisible offense are to blame. Though the roster is very young, to say they are under performing would be an understatement. Before the beginning of the season, they looked poised to take a shot at making the playoffs, now the only shot they have is a lottery pick.
Something has to change in Colorado, but it is unclear what exactly. Fasching continues to work hard and play well, but the points just have not been coming for the rookie winger. It would not be out of question to suggest he may be sent back to juniors before the season ends so he can dominate at a lower level again before having another shot at the NHL. This however, would leave the Avs in a bind with their top 2 lines. Some may call into questioning Vlastislav Tretiak's coaching ability, but to be fair he has less to work with, with the departure of Ryan O'Reilly. Whether an internal move or trade is what the Avs need to compete, it has to happen soon before the season is over.
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Post by HoneyBee (Avs GM) on Apr 7, 2013 17:19:29 GMT -5
Avalanche Blockbuster Trade
The Avs made a large move this morning with the Chicago Blackhawks. They sent Paul Stastny and prospects Anthony Mantha and Dominik Kubalik to the Hawks for defenseman Dan Girardi and center Alexander Burmistrov. Earlier in the year the Avs made a push for Burmistrov, but were unable to close on a deal with the Winnipeg Jets. Burmistrov is expected to take the role of 2nd line center. With Matt Duchene moving up to the first line.
The top line will likely feature Landeskog and Duchene, with rookie Fasching on the right wing, and the 2nd line will have Burmistrov, Jones, and Krieder. With this move, it makes it all the more likely that David Jones will be unloaded sometime this year. The Avs defense improves by a wide margin, the pairings will be: Johnson and Girardi, Siemens and Wilson, and Elliott with Donovan, Hejda, or Gaunce. The move was made today with the intentions of prospects such as Uzanof, Maletta, and Jaskin filling top spots on the farm next season.
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Post by HoneyBee (Avs GM) on May 13, 2013 0:38:36 GMT -5
Avs move Kreider and Wilson
The Avalanche have dealt forward Chris Kreider and Ryan Wilson for the 19th, 42nd, and 91st overall picks in this years draft. The trade is reminiscent of when Ryan O'Reilly was traded to Dallas for the 8th and 37th picks as well as Andrew Cogliano last season.
The Avalanche have improved since last season, 4 spots exactly, but there is room for optimism.
Landeskog in particular picked up his game, he had a breakout season, notching 70 points and 27 goals. His numbers are due in part by his line mate Matt Duchene, who also had career numbers with 31 goals and 45 assists.
Coming in the ranks is Eric Roy, a very special offensive defenseman that made Wilson expendable. Noted for his smooth skating and tremendous stick handling, he will make a great linemate for Dan Girardi or Erik Johnson who can feed him the puck and cover for his defensive mistakes and and guide his through his rookie slumps.
With 4 picks in the 1st two rounds the draft strategy for the Avalanche should be interesting, do they draft the best player available? Or do they draft for their need of defenseman or goaltending prospects?
One thing for sure is there will be a hole where Chris Kreider was. The Avs are expected to possibly draft a winger and stick him in the AHL and use David Jones or Kirill Petrov to fill the hole for the time being on the 2nd line. Petrov may also be given the shot to become the winger they need, but time will tell.
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Post by HoneyBee (Avs GM) on Jun 3, 2013 23:33:40 GMT -5
Avalanche Sign Niklas Backstrom Among Others[/u]
Today Backstrom was signed for the rest of the season at 3.5 million.
Kieran Millan was sent down to the AHL and will have to wait another year to see if he can make it as a back up in the NHL. The Avs may need his help if they plan on making the playoffs this year.
As for minor signings, former Chicago Blackhawks prospects Ludvig Rensfeldt and Kevin Hayes were signed and sent to the AHL.
In related news, 4 Lake Eerie forwards were put on waivers today, Tyler Graovac, Michael Sgarbossa, Garrett Meurs, and Della Rovere.
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