OffThePost.org

So far according to Sakic and Roy in the last few pressers/interviews, we know this.

The Avs are stressing "salary structure" once again. Like last year, I can understand this but being too rigid about such a thing could be costly. I think this is a message to Ryan O'Reilly and his agent, telling him "We ain't paying you more than Duchene and Landeskog."

Sakic says they're pretty much done signing players, now new contracts for O'Reilly and Barrie remain. They were in on both Stralman and Orpik but ultimately didn't get either. I guess Iggy really, really likes Alex Tanguay, since the Avs ain't winning a Cup next year, or probably the year after that.

Taking a stab at next season's lineup:

O'Reilly - Duchene - Landeskog
Tanguay - MacKinnon - Iginla
McGinn - Mitchell - Briere
McLeod - Winchester - Talbot
Bordeleau/Cliche

Hejda - Johnson
Stuart - Barrie
Holden - Guenin

Varlamov
Berra

The big question marks are, of course Ryan Wilson, Stefan Elliott, and Joey Hishon. Kinda odd that Wilson is still on the roster. Roy definitely doesn't like the guy, though he played okay in Barrie's stead in the postseason. Elliott is no longer waiver exempt so he either makes the team or is traded, and I think the same applies to Hishon. Hishon should at least make the team out of camp if he's still around, but how long he can stay healthy (same goes for Tanguay) is anyone's guess.

This team is likely a bubble playoff team at best, but hey, I think they're closer than the fancy stats crowd believes. One legit top-four defender (or even better, a legit #1 defender) and everything changes in a hurry. That ain't happening anytime soon though.

Of course if Varly gets hurt and the Avs gotta rely on Reto fucking Berra, Colorado will be next year's Nashville.

EDIT: Whoops...completely forgot about Max Talbot.

Iggy as much as we all lover him I suspect is a bad fit for the AV's speed, better to have spent the dollars on Stralman and Ernhoff, and perhaps taken a depth flyer on Diaz. $10.5 million probably gets the whole kit and kaboodle and Stralman would be the only one the team would have to give term to. Maybe still not respectable but not the laffer it is now.

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Shoresy, "It's called a sweater"

Yup - next season could be a long one for the Avs. Expectations will be much higher but something's not adding up.

Welcome to the club!!

Keep in mind the Avs may have a few elite speedsters in MacKinnon and Duchene, but it's not like the team as a whole is as fast as their transition game would suggest. O'Reilly, Stastny, and pretty much the entire defense were below average at best. Even Barrie isn't quite as fast as you'd think he would be. Iggy will fit in just fine. O'Reilly and Stastny are able to offset their poor speed with good positional sense--Iggy is one of the smartest players in the league. I doubt he's a 30-goal guy anymore but he doesn't have to be. His playmaking ability will make him a good fit with either Duchene or MacKinnon. Of all the Avs' moves that's the one I question the least.

Avs tried and failed to get Stralman, and it's clear by the deal he took that Ehrhoff already had his mind made up where he wanted to go.

I would totally have to agree with you Professor. These current offseason moves tell me that management believes last year was an overachievement as well. Maybe the pundits are right the foundation might be there but the team will have to stand on its head to make the postseason again.

I would also have to agree with your assessment of Iginla. He's still got the ability to score and the on ice knowledge. If one of the kids carries the puck and feeds him then he'll do ok and provide some leadership. He's obviously given up on his cup dreams in favor of financial security. I still don't think he's the greatest fit though for that money. The other moves just feel like filler.

I hope improving the D from within is giving some kids in camp a look because those under contract are horrible. Its nice to know they at least took a shot at Stralman. I wasn't aware of that. At least that makes it go over easier. Perhaps maybe you could go into depth with some of their D prospects that might make the team?

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No AI has been used in the making of this post

Agreed on all points. I'm as surprised as anyone that Iggy landed here. He and Tangs must be REAL tight for him to come to Denver and pretty much give up the Cup chase. If I were him I would've probably picked Detroit. They could have offered him the $$$ and a better shot at a Cup IMO.

As for Stralman, well, I think long-term the Avs have better d-men in the system, and had the Avs snagged Orpik, holy shit...glad he took the stupid money and went to Washington.

Y'all need to watch some more Matty Duchene as well. There's plenty of power in his game, in fact he might be even deadlier down low in the attacking zone than he is on the rush. It's a shame though that Stastny AND Iggy couldn't be on the same team, those two would be unstoppable.

Avs sign defenseman Maxim Noreau to a two-year, one-way contract, so it appears the Avs have moved on from Andre Benoit.

http://beta.eliteprospects.com/players/ ... reau/12153

And...whoa, didn't realize the Avs signed Zach Redmond. Hope that slight cut has healed.

People are speculating on HF that the Noreau move might be a just-in-case move if talks with Tyson Barrie run aground. So far we haven't heard a word how those talks are going.

Roy apparently said he intends to use Brad Stuart on the top pairing with EJ.



McDavid/Eichel, here we come!!!!

This offseason keeps getting better and better...

http://www.cbssports.com/nhl/eye-on-hoc ... rbitration

Hardly surprising--talks between O'Reilly and the Avs are at an impasse and there's little chance a deal will be done.

It's clear O'Reilly wants to be the #1 guy on a team and wishes to be paid as such, and that ain't happening in Colorado.

Well I don't think he's a number one on a good team, he would be a very, very good #2 centre on any team in the league but that is not going to happen with MacKinnon and Duschene there. And I can't really blame him for wanting that role, a lesser role will mean fewer points and less thus less negotiating leverage for future contracts.

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Shoresy, "It's called a sweater"

The thing that's pissing me off is that he and his agent are pushing for a deal that would pay him more than two of the best two-way players in the game--Bergeron and Kesler. Both are acting woefully ignorant of the market.

How much is he asking for?

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Shoresy, "It's called a sweater"

That grass isn't always greener for the player. Ask Keith Primeau.

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Thanks Chuck, E.L. and Harmy!

This really is analogous to Primeau, isn't it?

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Injustice? Cobain died and Eddy Fucking Vedder lived to haunt us with his shitty fucking voice, trite lyrics and his Eddy Vedderness.



- Ancient Chinese Proverb

I never thought of Primeau, but yeah, sure feels that way now that you mention it.

It's funny, a lot of fans on HF compared the Avs' 1st round pick this year, Connor Bleackley, to Brandon Sutter. Can't help but think the current situation influenced that pick (not to mention losing Stastny, another great two-way player) since the Avs are likely losing their Jordan Staal.

Kind of a shame--in terms of pure talent this could be the best center corps the Avs have ever had. Duchene and MacKinnon obviously aren't Sakic/Forsberg, but Joe and Peter never had a player like O'Reilly in any of their lineups. Mike Ricci and Stephane Yelle are the only comparables.

Yeah, unhappy behind Yzerman and Fedorov and felt he's deserved a bigger role and paycheque than Scotty was giving him. I'm not sure how unhappy O'Reilly has been with his coaching, though.

Primeau, for one single playoff under Hitchcock, became what he could have been for like 10 years if he had stayed in Detroit and listened to Bowman.

That trade worked out swimmingly for Detroit.

So...O'Reilly to the Jets for Kane?

Is this also comparable to Jordan Staal?

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Thanks Chuck, E.L. and Harmy!

Yeah, I see the Staal comparables as well, especially after the Avs picked who they picked in the draft (see above)

I wouldn't mind Evander, he's a pretty talented player, and his fancy stats are amazing. But...man, losing O'Reilly to a division rival. not sure I want that since I will now have to witness Paul Stastny killing the Avalanche for the next few years.

O'Reilly was one of the few players who actually liked Joe Sacco, and O'Reilly excelled under him. Stastny, Johnson, and Duchene have all not-so-subtly bashed Sacco publicly. As for Roy, O'Reilly hasn't really complained, though he said he'd rather play center than left wing.

Yeah, Stastny and O'Reilly in your division wouldn't look appealing, but honestly I think you take the best deal that you can get.

Is giving up O'Reilly and taking on David Clarkson and part of his salary to get Morgan Rielly a crazy idea? Is that overvaluing either player? Does either team bite?

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Thanks Chuck, E.L. and Harmy!

Well, MacKinnon is only 'not Sakic/Forsberg' because of his current age. Duchene may not ever reach those lofty heights but MacKinnon could very possibly be better than those two players.

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Injustice? Cobain died and Eddy Fucking Vedder lived to haunt us with his shitty fucking voice, trite lyrics and his Eddy Vedderness.



- Ancient Chinese Proverb