Denver Post sports writers Terry Frei and Mike Chambers post the Avs Mailbag every other Thursday during the regular season.
Pose an Avalanche- or NHL-related question for the Avs Mailbag.
Why do the Avs not stand in front of the goalie? Watching other successful NHL teams makes it clear that this is a formula for success. In the NHL, goalies are so good that they will stop almost every shot they can see. The Avs changed this year’s roster to be much bigger and physical. Why not utilize their size to accomplish this task?
— Alex Cline, Denver
Thanks for the question, Alex. A healthy offensive game plan always includes traffic in front and screening the goalie. Some teams do it better than others and have more players willing to take a shot off the body.
With stick development these days, players can’t always track the puck from the point and aren’t willing to stand in front of something they can’t see. The idea is to screen the goalie and get out of the way but that’s not as easy as it sounds.
Hi Mike! We’re at the halfway point in the season, and this is interesting: Ryan O’ Reilly, Matt Duchene, and Nathan MacKinnon all have the exact same number of points. O’Reilly plays on a terrible Buffalo team and sees the other team’s top line every night. One could argue he is out-playing both Duchene and MacKinnon.
I know it is too early to tell who won or lost the trade, but would the Avs be in a playoff spot right now if O’ Reilly was with the Avs instead of Carl Soderberg?
— Craig Fitzpatrick, Washington
I wrote last week that, in hindsight, the Avs should have kept O’Reilly around this season, at least until the Feb. 29 trade deadline, because he was under contract and Seth Jones became expendable in Nashville. The Preds desperately needed a No. 1 franchise center and believe they got just that in Ryan Johansen from Columbus.
Again, all of this is in hindsight, but O’Reilly could have been that piece that nets Colorado the player it truly covets in Jones. As for the O’Reilly-Soderberg comparison, O’Reilly is the better player but Soderberg plays a pretty good two-way game.
The Winter Classic is right around the corner. What all do I need to know about the college game, alumni game and the NHL game? Also, what are your thoughts on outdoor hockey at Coors Field?
— John, Parker
Thanks for participating, John. I’m excited about the Denver vs. Colorado College game, the Avs-Red Wings alumni game and the NHL regular-season game at Coors Field. I think it’s going to be a wonderful week and a great opportunity for fans to see three forms of the greatest game on earth.
With the NHL’s February 29 trade deadline only weeks away, do you see the Avs making any deals to improve their roster?
— Jeff, Aurora
All depends on where they stand in the playoff picture at that time. If they’re out of it, they’ll consider selling. If they’re in the hunt, I expect them to make every effort to improve the roster.
Why don’t we get to see more of Calvin Pickard? I feel like he is our future between the pipes.
— Blake, Littleton
Pickard started Thursday (Jan. 14) against the New Jersey Devils, and how he performed may dictate how long Reto Berra stays on injured reserve. Berra’s ankle injury is slowly coming along but Pickard has the ability to possibly delay his return. Next year, Pickard won’t be waiver exempt and is pegged to be Semyon Varlamov’s backup to begin the season.
Hey Mike, is it time that GM Joe Sakic thinks about firing his friend and Avs’ coach Patrick Roy?
— Jim, Centennial
When Sakic hired Roy we all said it would be hard for Joe to fire Patrick, but no, I don’t think this relationship will change this season and I fully expect Roy to begin his fourth year as the Avs coach next season — unless the team goes on a 15-game losing streak or worse.
The Avs seem to struggle with defenseman, beyond the top four. Signing and playing Andrew Bodnarchuk, who has mostly been an AHL player, trading for Brandon Gormley, who is often a scratch and never really developed into a top level defenseman.
What does that say about the Avs developing defensemen? Is there no one in San Antonio that can be called up for injury situations, like the one now with Erik Johnson?
Is the talent so poor in Texas that not a single defenseman has the ability to fill in and help, even on a short term basis?
The young Russian obtained from Buffalo that was spoken so highly of, Nakita Zadorov, not as good as a 27 year old AHL player? Love to hear your thoughts.
— Honolulu, HI (by way of Littleton, CO)
As you probably know, the Avs have made somewhat drastic moves this week on defense. But to answer your question, this is a team that didn’t do enough to add top-four-type defenseman through free agency the past two summers. Now they’re paying the price and just hoping 20-year-olds Zadorov and Bigras can help.
Denver Post sports writers Terry Frei and Mike Chambers post the Avs Mailbag every other Thursday during the regular season.
Pose an Avalanche- or NHL-related question for the Avs Mailbag.