Denver Post sports writers Mike Chambers and Terry Frei respond to questions in the Avs Mailbag every other Tuesday during the regular season.
Pose an Avalanche- or NHL-related question for the Avs Mailbag.
Is Joe Sakic a savvy enough horse trader to obtain value in return on any imminent trades? History is rife with general managers getting fleeced at the trade deadline, but usually work for clubs that are in contention. Don’t see the Avs as contenders anytime in the near future, let alone this season.
— Jack, Hooper
Good enough value for the Avalanche in potentially unloading non-core veterans at the deadline is… anything. A skate sharpener. An In-N-Out Burger gift card. A handful of 50-50 tickets for the next game at Calgary. Anything. But as I wrote about in the Sunday paper and have touched on for many weeks, the test is whether Sakic holds out for only a terrific deal in considering offers for Matt Duchene and Gabe Landeskog.
With the Avs contending for a top three draft choice, who are the top draft prospects this year? What are your thoughts on who they should seriously consider drafting?
— Ted Ludlam, Denver
I’ve covered all four major leagues, and have been at several NBA and NFL drafts in New York. There is more faking and con artistry involved in draft assessments than in any other aspect of pro sports. It’s most embarrassing in football, where compiling information, learning stock verbiage and overreacting to 40-yard dashes and drills in shorts too often is confused for actual football knowledge. And even “legit” media jumping in late to cover the draft too often are bluffing about knowing more than we do. (I was part of it.) In this instance, I have not scouted NHL draft prospects and won’t fake it. Here’s the top five from Canada’s Sportsnet:
1. Nolan Patrick, C, Brandon Wheat Kings (Western Hockey League)
2. Timothy Liljegren, D, Timra (Finland)
3. Nico Hischier, C, Halifax (Quebec Major Junior Hockey League)
4. Eeli Tolvanen, LW, Sioux City (United States Hockey League)
5. Gabriel Vilardi, C, Windsor (Ontario Hockey League)
Tolvanen retained his NCAA eligibility by playing in the USHL, and he has said he will attend Boston College and be a freshman in 2017-18.
With our shortcomings on defense, why have we not seen Chris Bigras, Sergei Boikov or Mason Geertsen? Seems like a time to see what we have for our prospects for next year.
— Brian, Thornton
Bigras, whose conditioning disappointed the Avalanche at training camp before he was sent down, was injured for over two months at San Antonio. Since his return to the lineup has played marathon minutes, with varied effectiveness. He’ll be up soon. Duncan Siemens, the former first-round draft choice, has been OK and might get a look. Boikov and Anton Lindholm also have been up and down. Geertsen was with the Colorado Eagles of the ECHL until called up to the Rampage Monday.
I read that Semyon Varlamov is hurt again and won’t be back until after the all-star break. Why is this guy so injury prone? Do the Avs need to upgrade their trainers or strength and conditioning staff?
— Jeff, Aurora
That’s such an individual issue, it’s difficult to make any sort of judgment, but I know the Avalanche training and medical staff is highly regarded. I don’t play a doctor on TV and I have not stayed at a Holiday Inn Express in quite some time. You don’t get Marriott points there.