The NHL Lockout and my Hockey Soul

The last time the NHL locked out the players I was about to reach a new height of Avalanche fandom.  That height would be attending games.

School was finally graduated, the job was finally good and it was time to get in on the Avalanche ticket pools that I had only been a periphery member of for a couple years.  This was the height of spending decent amounts of my income on tickets.  I had signed on to the waiting list in anticipation of this day, depositing money that the Avs would hold for two years before I got my chance.  One reason I was motivated: I wanted playoff tickets, well that was hard to come by in a pool I wasn't running.  When I got the call for season tickets I struck out on my own, signed up for a full season of tickets and wrangled my pool together.  No, no, I couldn't afford a whole season on my own.  I signed up 4 or 5 other people.  Collected the money, sent it all in to the Avs and BAM!  The lockout was a reality.

As the potential for a season dwindled I got adept at dividing up the refunds for all involved.  What a giant pain in my ass!  So here we have a defining moment.  Yes of course I came back from that lockout as a fan.  Still a big fan, but something died.  I wasn't willing to run that circus that involved a full season of tickets.  I signed up for the smaller package of tickets and kept them all to myself.

And I know for sure it was the lockout.  I was pissed, but willing to forgive.

Here we are years later and I can feel the anger and the disappointment in my soul over this labor dispute.  I was unhappy last time that I was missing out on hockey, I pretty much blamed the owners but I also pretty much didn't care once it was over.  Pretty much.

At least that's what I thought.  But apparently there was a seed of antagonism left behind.  And it's been aggravated.  I know now that I will be less of a fan when this is over.  It makes me sad, but it ought to scare the two idiotic sides in this dispute.  I don't have a ticket package anymore.  Nor plans to buy one.

The owners and the players are killing a little bit more of my hockey soul.  I don't have to make hyperbole statements about refraining from buying merchandise.  I don't have to sign pointless internet petitions.

The ice is cold and painted.  It’s ready for NHL hockey.  But the lockout has begun melting away the chances of a season.  Just like it did back in 2004.

I know what's happening to me: I know that a little bit more of my hockey heart has started to melt away.

       

Owners & Players: Feel the Shame

Avs Fans are Losers

by J. Scott Moore

I’m going to make this clear right at the beginning of this post.  When it comes to the big picture, there are no winners when the Avalanche organization misses the post season.  There are individuals that had a good and even great season but that isn't what this post is about.

The Avs have missed the playoffs and the real losers here are the fans.  The Avs traded away the first round pick to this spring’s draft and missed the post season.  Landing around the 10^th spot is probably the worst situation for a team that is trying to rebuild.  No sure fire draft pick and no playoff appearance to salve the growing pains of a young team in transition. 

Unless a team goes to the playoffs or plummets to the depths of the lottery they are stuck in a sort of purgatory.  Just look at the Calgary Flames for a perfect example of a team that isn’t bad enough to restock with the best of the draft and not elite enough to really attract the top-end free agent talent. 

The Avalanche have already started to show a predilection for trading like for like.  Trades that don’t necessarily accomplish a lot in the long run, just shake things up in the here and now.  A pattern the Flames have been in for years.  Purgatory.

I give the Avs management credit for making some moves over the summer and at the deadline to get into the post season.  However it just wasn’t enough.  In a world where fans want instant gratification, there will be none.  In fact the Avs management went all in on this season with the Varly trade.  Even a plummet to the depths of the standings would not have given the fans the dubious satisfaction of a high draft pick.

And now there is no post season excitement.  For that matter there will be no post season flush of cash for the team.  And as fans that should be as much a concern as the disappointment of knowing Matt Duchene is going fishing pretty soon.

I suspect Matt isn’t the only one that will be fishing this off-season, but he’s probably the only one that will land a big one.

    

Time for the Avalanche to leave the Nest

by J. Scott Moore


It’s time for the Avs to grow up. I think they are ready, but a few things need to go down to make this plausible.

Step number one is a coaching change. I believe Joe Sacco has done about all he can for this young talented group. If he was brought here to play the role of the hard-ass adult then I give him credit for keeping the inmates from running the asylum. However, these kids are ready to take the next step and I don’t think Sacco knows how to facilitate that step. They don’t just need to grow up, they want to take that next step and right now Sacco is one of the biggest obstacles to that.

These young men need a coach that believes in the room, believes in doling out responsibility and holding them accountable. Sacco gets it half right. He does put the young guys out there on the ice in all kinds of challenging situations. Though one could easily argue that he hasn’t much choice, nevertheless, I’ll give him the credit. Where he fails these men is mentoring. Instead of mentoring he punishes by benching and dropping them to lines they have no business playing on. Sacco seems to think that these young, talented men will respond when treated like children. It’s worn thin and it’s time to change.

The other thing that needs to happen is just a tad more veteran leadership on this team. Bringing in JS Giguere was brilliant. Milan Hejduk has also been expected to fill that role. But it just isn’t enough. There needs to be a couple more of these guys on the team with a winning pedigree to get this team over the hump in the big games. To keep them from playing down to the Columbus’s and Edmonton’s of the league. It’s the difference that could have meant the playoffs this season.

As I write this the Avs season is likely over. I can’t help but think that these two things will make all the difference next season. The Avs management has been pulling the trigger here and there to get the puzzle pieces in place. Just a few more pieces and things will be looking mighty fine.

Cream Puffs Anyone?

The Avs are really a bunch of cream puffs.  As I go through the lines it is rather jarring (reverse pun intended) how soft they are. 

Duchene-Stastny-Hejduk is as soft and snuggly as a Reese Witherspoon Rom-Com on a Valentine’s Day date.  Call them the softie line.  As hockey players that shoot, pass, deke, etcetera they are doing better than just okay.  Hejduk has magic hands, Stats is solid and reliable and Dutchy is fantastically creative.  But mean and gritty?

Jones-Olver-Mueller was a recent line.  Jones has long been excepted to go to the net but doesn’t seem to have the personality to do it on a regular basis.  Mueller is reputed to be a floater and Olver is just small.  That said, Jones has raw talent that clearly works at times even if he is streaky.  Mueller has a ton of talent if he can just stay healthy.  But none of these guys are going to knock an opponent to the ice hard enough to make an impression.

Individually there are guys that need a look too.  O’Reilly being the most important.  He is having a killer season and no doubt part of that is due to his steady maturation and insane work ethic.  But I think playing with Landeskog has a lot to do with it as well.  Landy makes space on the ice for O’Reilly to work.  Landy leads this team in hits and most of them are good, solid hits.  O’Reilly, despite all his gifts as a player is still a cream puff.  I can’t possibly count how many times O’Reilly has had a chance to lay a lick on an opponent and he pulls up.  His “finish your checks” hits are half-hearted and weak.  It’s the only criticism of his game I can conceivably level at him. 

None of this is meant to say that these guys aren’t what the Avs need on the ice.  Nor am I saying they aren’t tough, they take punishment and keep on playing.  They are talented but lack the latent chip on their shoulder that not only has a place in this game but is a necessary component of success for most teams.

I believe that the management of the Avs have seen that this component has been missing ever since Chris Stewart was traded away.  Perhaps it was thought that TJ Galiardi was going to fill that roll.  He was certainly given plenty of time and opportunity to do so but it just didn’t seem to gel. 

The challenge with the Stewart-type of players is that they are pretty good at too many aspects of the game for their own good.  They are just good enough with the puck that one coach/team wants them to focus on that and let the physical nature of the game take care of itself.  The next coach/team wants it the other way around.  These guys that can skate well, move the puck well, score and have a mean streak aren’t a dime-a-dozen.  They often have trouble fitting in to the lineup and yet their value can’t be denied.

With the acquisition of Downie and McGinn the Avs appear to be back on track.  The team has a big defense, upgraded goaltending and now a little more grit to go with the talent up front.  This just may be the pieces the Avs have been missing that can get them back to the playoffs.

Here's a nice cream puff recipe for ya, remember, serve with a bit of attitude and everything will be fine.

Ingredients

• 2 (3.5 ounce) packages instant vanilla pudding mix
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup milk
•  
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 eggs

Directions

1. Mix together vanilla instant pudding mix, cream and milk. Cover and refrigerate to set.
2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
3. In a large pot, bring water and butter to a rolling boil. Stir in flour and salt until the mixture forms a ball. Transfer the dough to a large mixing bowl. Using a wooden spoon or stand mixer, beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto an ungreased baking sheet.
4. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, until golden brown. Centers should be dry.
5. When the shells are cool, either split and fill them with the pudding mixture, or use a pastry bag to pipe the pudding into the shells.

Avs Can’t Play 60 Minutes? It Might be Worse than That

by J. Scott Moore

I was listening to Two Guys One Puck yesterday and they got me to thinking about the Avs’ woes of late.  The problem is well known but just to cover it quickly, they don’t start the game on time as coach Sacco likes to say.  They don’t play a full 60 minutes...blah blah blah.  The thing that occurs to me is that the Avs might be in worse shape than we realize.  When the Avs spot a team 2-3 goals as they did in the recent games against Calgary/Islanders it’s natural for teams to relax a little.  All teams do it to some degree.  The Avs appear to have this 3^rd period gear that they kick into and all of us fans ask the question, well why can’t they play this way the whole game?

Unfortunately I’m afraid that I’m beginning to doubt that the Avs are elevating their play in the 3rd as much as the other team is lowering theirs.  All of a sudden the Avs are skating into the zone, getting good chances and controlling the puck. 

So why not the whole game?  Because they really aren’t good enough to do that the whole game?  That’s my fear.  The opponent is letting them do it.  It’s the old prevent defense strategy.  It’s easy for the Avs to look good when the other team is sitting on a lead. 

The Avs only look good after the opponent starts sitting back, sipping a cold one and enjoying the lead.  This is not good.

What about the Pens game you shout!  The Avs were killing it at the beginning of the game.  Well my theory is that the Pens looked at the Avs with little or no respect took the Avs lightly and got a wake up call.  And if you have any doubts about how good that Pens team is you shouldn’t after that.  They answered the call and then some. 

Shout out to AvsGuildRyan and the guys on the podcast.  One thing I love about their ‘cast is that they say “we” when talking about the Avs.  Love it, keep it up.  I wrote a piece HERE about why that is a good thing.  If you are still one of those people that rips people for that I think you’re missing a key component of the sports phenomenon in society.  In fact, you are in denial.

I certainly hope I’m wrong about the Avs with the theory I have presented above.  I picked the Avs to sneak into the playoffs this year and hopefully I haven’t misjudged them.  But maybe the naysayers were right.

Peter Forsberg in Belize

by J. Scott Moore

I have an odd little Forsberg memory I thought I would share with you.

It was spring, 2001 and I was going to Belize, not a hotbed of hockey coverage.  The trip took me on a four-seat, single engine plane to a strip of asphalt with three shacks, two of them abandoned.  Next it was an hour drive to a resort with zip for communications.

I was having a great time in Belize but that I sure wish I knew what my Avalanche were up to.  I heard there was a Canadian owned resort down the beach and that they had a satellite feed for watching hockey in the bar!

It was the April 30^th game against the Kings and I spent the first period enjoying the game.  It was into the second with the score tied up when the feed blinked out.  The owner promptly headed to the back and eventually the feed blink on again.  Now the score was 2-1 Avs, goal by Forsberg and I missed it!  This occurred several more times in the third with the score changing, very frustratingly, every time the feed was out.  Before the game was over the feed went out for good.

I had a relaxing vacation punctuated by trips down the beach trying to catch Avs games.  I was well informed by the owners as to the status of the series, they couldn’t get another Avs game on the feed.  He told me that they were stealing the feed so it was very unreliable. 

The timing of the final game didn’t allow me to get any info before leaving for home.  I was in the airport in Houston when finally I saw some hockey news start scrolling by on the crawler.  It said that the Avs had advanced to the next round, YAY!!! 

And then it said that Peter Forsberg had season ending surgery…WHAT?????

That was it, no more information and next thing I knew it was time to get on the plane to Denver.  That was a long trip home wondering what the hell was going on!  It’s safe to say that Forsberg losing his spleen in that game was memorable but so was the suspense I was in while traveling.

    

Giving Dater Props

by J. Scott Moore

It’s time I mention that I think Dater is improving.

Yes, I know that you and Darcy Tucker are stunned by this admission.

I think his Twitter personality took a good shift towards a more mature nature I expect from a pro journalist. He quit getting in stupid twitt-fights. He learned how to stand up for himself much better instead of just blocking people all the time.

As an Avs fan the last thing you want is to have the access you get from him blocked because you dared to disagree with him. Something I’d like to see him do is go through his Twitter account and unblock everyone. I think it would be a good reboot for his social media persona.

No, this isn’t a suck-up post. Many of you know I was blocked long ago for daring to criticize Denver’s favorite hockey son, Chris Drury. Was I trying to provoke a reaction? Probably.

That’s water under the bridge. I’m Twitter savvy enough to still figure out what he is tweeting about regardless. And yes, I still want to know what he has to say that info only he has access to. I enjoy the minute-by-minute updates of the practice skates, who’s in who is out, who’s injured, who’s healing. It keeps me primed during the off days and pregame. It’s an inside scoop. I miss the chatter when Frei is on the beat instead of Dater.

I’m not too sure about the dire game commentary…has that continued? I’ll admit I’m not sure about that. It certainly isn’t a very popular part of his feed but to be fair, lots of fans do the same thing.

All that said, one thing that did suck last season was that the Post clearly quit sending Dater on the road with the Avs as the season withered, wilted and died. But there were still games to play and the fans were just as interested in information. But the Post wasn’t playing and Dater either couldn’t or wouldn’t admit it publicly.

Also, I am glad to see Frei on board with the blogging, even if it is occasional.

One very odd thing that I have noticed is Dater’s karmic ability to be out of touch when the big stuff happens lately. I think when Forsberg signed he was on a plane, Liles was traded and he was stuck in traffic…I have the impression that some other ones are out there but don’t recall the specifics. Maybe you can remind me in the comments?

It makes me wonder if Sherman has an assistant that stalks Dater. Anytime Sherman is going to make a move he checks with the assistant to see where Dater is. Whenever Sherman can do it, he pulls the trigger when Dater is in the air, has the day off, anything to mess with the guy. Probably not, just funny to imagine it.

So I guess that actually turned into a small overview of the Post coverage of the Avs, not just Dater. As fans in a one newspaper town we tend to really be critical of our team’s coverage. We want the best, we want it all the time and we want them to get it right.

Ryan Smyth Traded Again, and Again...

by J. Scott Moore

Is it "The Ryan Smyth Curse?"

It seems to me that if you mess with Ryan Smyth you get nothing!

Let’s look at the trail of nothing left behind this guy

• Edmonton trades him for Robert Nilsson (bought out & now out of the NHL) and Ryan O'Marra, (who has scored all of one goal in the big leagues because he can’t break out of the minors) and a first rounder that turns out to be Alex Plante, another guy still in the minors. Not only do these guys look to be a bust, one is for sure, but team has been a bust ever since the trade of Smyth.
• Isles lose him for nothing and have been in the bottom 5 ever since.
• Avs trade him for essentially nothing. Quincey minus Tom Preissing net sum is zero. And a 5th rounder, Luke Walker, yeah, who cares.
• LA tries to trade him to Edmonton for Gilbert Brule and a fourth-round draft pick,  Brule was going to be bought out by the Kings. That fell through and eventually ended up as Colin Fraser and a 7th rounder. Fraser is better than Brule who was just going to be cast aside but it still isn't much.

So Edmonton ends up getting Smyth back 4 years after they balked at his request for a $5M per year contract and guess how much he is making? Yep. In hindsight, amazing stupidity.

The exciting part is that we may get to see the contract negotiation fireworks between Smyth and the Oilers again even before the season is at the halfway mark as the Oilers would be smart to start and finish that aspect before Ryan Smyth is traded away once again due to an inability to come to an agreement. Look at the path of destruction that he has already paved.

The safest thing the Oilers can do for the sake of the franchise is get him signed for the future.

 

Next Colorado Avalanche Captain

by J. Scott Moore

I’ve made my case for Matt Duchene being the next Avs captain, here. That was a somewhat tongue-in-cheek piece about that Avs plotting his ascension to the captaincy. But I am serious about this; make him captain.

A lot of people think Milan Hejduk or Paul Stastny or John-Michael Liles should/could or would be a better/more suitable choice. I think a lot of this is simply based of seniority in these people’s eyes. They don’t necessarily know that is how they are making their choice. But I think a lot of people do it and then will rationalize their way to the end point.

The time to challenge Matt Duchene as a leader is now. This team isn’t ready to go all the way, we know that. Duchene knows that, everyone knows it. What it does, is give him time to grow into the role so that when this young team does need that leader, he isn’t green. Wait till the team needs quality leadership to tip it over the edge into greatness and you’ve waited too long.

Paul Stastny and Milan Hejduk are cut from the same the cloth. The aw-shucks, good guy that works hard and produces on a consistent level. But Matt Duchene is a driven individual on a different level. He wants to lead. Not that Hejduk or Stastny would turn it down; I think they would be honored and go all out. But Duchene is the guy that lies in bed at night and thinks about how to be this team’s captain. Really wants the opportunity.

I think Liles is the most well suited veteran for the job. But I’m not sure the coach is on board the Liles-train. Seems to be some doubt there and he’s always trade-bait. That just isn’t the best situation for a captain.

So what are the Avs waiting for? Adam Foote was named captain a week or two before training camp. This team isn’t likely to change much between now and then. Certainly not in a manner that would shift the candidates for captain.

Do it now. Let it marinate on the fans during the off-season. Let Matt Duchene get comfortable with it over the summer. You want Duchene to elevate his game? Give him responsibility and I think you will see it happen.

 

Zombie Quenneville

by J. Scott Moore


Seems Zombie Hunters was scoping out an area around Vancouver and caught Coach Quenneville and a troop of Zombie Goalies on their way to Stanley Cup Finals game five.

I always knew Coach Q was a goalie killer.  I didn't know just how sinister it was.

 

Chris Drury

by J. Scott Moore


Chris Drury is about to be on the UFA market.

Discuss.

I'll get us started.  I kinda feel sorry for Chris Drury.  He's a decent top six guy that has been thrust into No. 1 line expectations.  He's a character guy that's had Mark Messier expectations of leadership put on him.  And now he's unemployed. Reports say the Rangers will buy out his remaining year, a cap hit of $7.05M.  He's not going to be a captain for his next gig and he sure as hell ain't gonna be pulling down as much green.  It's a tough fall from the pedestal he's been on since his rookie year in the NHL.

Then again, Drury is as guilty of allowing himself to be placed on high as all the hyperbole-laden fans and media that have told us how supremely talented he is.  What an amazing leader he is.  He's chased the money every chance he has had.  And that is bound to have some repercussions.

I do believe Drury is a good hockey player and a natural leader.  But he's never come close to the scoring expectations that his salary demands, and yes, that salary demands goals.  Only big scorers and top goalies get that kind of money.  As for the leadership, I have no doubt he was captain material for the right team.  The Rangers just weren't that team.  I doubt he will get another chance.  Drury will have to make that tough transition into the 'veteran leader' role.  He'll take a huge cut in pay (though NY will still be sending checks), hope to get on with a team that has playoff potential and pine for one more chance to play for the Cup.

 

Avalanche Goalie-Go-Round

by J. Scott Moore

Ever since the Avs went with Budaj/ Raycroft it’s been a joke. What you say? But Craig Anderson! Yes, yes. BUT. But, if you can be honest with yourself, that was a shot in the dark, a gamble, a roll of the dice. Ok, over doing the metaphors? It wasn’t a complete shot in the dark, maybe a shot in a dimly lit room.

Read the rest at Hockey Independent

 

Living Next to Canadians – What is it Good For?

by J. Scott Moore

Absolutely nothing.

I used to live next to a family of Canadians.  One day, a day when the Avs were playing the Blues, a hot day in May...it was the Western Conference Finals...and I stepped outside between periods. It was May 12th, 2001 and according to weather records it was about 80 degrees. Yep, that’s how I remember it. My eyes rebelled against the bright sun, after all I’d just spent a couple hours locked in my cave-like living room, all outside light blocked so I could see every detail of the game on my 27” standard definition tube television set. We've come a long way baby.

And there was my Canadian neighbor smoking a cigarette on her porch. “How are the Avs doing, eh?” She asked, clearly aware of the game yet seemingly indifferent, just making conversation. And yes, she really did say “eh?” always, and with every sentence. But none of the rest of the family did.
I stared in astonishment at my Canadian neighbor and asked, “Aren’t you watching?” Resisting the urge to say “eh?”
“No, we like baseball.”
Dead silence.
They were from Quebec. Bitterness? She didn’t seem bitter. I became nervous about the silence as I tried to reconcile “eh?” with a love of baseball.
Thankfully she proceeded by asking how Roy was doing.
“Um, fine.” I said, not really thinking about it.
I couldn’t get back inside fast enough.

Thinking back I realize they never even introduced me to poutine. That right there ought to be a crime!! Maybe they liked wings better??

In the end I decided that they had been exiled…for obvious reasons, eh?

Joe Sakic Enters the Avalanche Illuminati

by J Scott Moore

So the salary floor hugging Colorado Avalanche has recently added another executive to the top heavy management structure already in place. Yes, I know who that man is and the implications of his employment with this team. But the fact remains that the players are the ones that play the game and if the Avs are on a budget, shouldn’t they spend a little more on the ice instead of behind the desk?

The Avs landed a decent goalie in Craig Anderson only to lose him with ten year old negotiating tactics that are as dead as the days of sell-outs at the Pepsi Center. One contract offer: take it or leave it. That was all fine and dandy in the old glory days. Players wanted badly to be a part of this wining, star-studded team. But when the circumstances change around this team, and boy-howdy have they changed, the management needed to respond. They didn’t, they haven’t. I hate to say it but Pierre Lacroix doesn’t know how to do the rebuilding that this team needs. He was handed a team that was already full of future stars in a time before salary caps. He made the Roy trade that sealed the deal and made him a genius for the next decade. That team conveniently went on to win a cup and win the hearts of this city. It was a gravy job to manage this team after that.

But free agents no longer hanker for our cow-town. Premier players no longer add Denver to the short list when ask to waive a no trade clause. And long ago the so-called home town discount has disappeared into the Denver thin air. Players won’t come here just to play with Sakic, Roy, Forsberg and Foote anymore. Because they aren’t here! It seems ridiculous to state the obvious and just as ridiculous that it needs to be stated.

It needs to be stated and understood in the offices and secret places inside the Pepsi Center where apparently the Avs illuminati think Ryan O’Reilly and TJ Galiardi are the Emperor’s New Clothes. And I’m afraid it’s up to Joe to set things straight.

The symbiotic relationship between Joe Sakic and the Illuminati has been renewed. There is a lot of synchronicity in a relationship between the two. Quoteless Joe they called him in the locker room. Well that sounds like the perfect match for the organization that likes to keep their fans in the dark about everything. Parade Joe up there to do a lot of chit-chat to the media every now and again and when it’s all over you realize he didn’t tell you a darn thing. He’s a natural.

Ok, so I’m being pretty cynical about it, right? Well, I don’t know about that. But let’s look at it another way. The popular line of thinking is that Sakic offers the experience of a player that has won it all, was well known to be a committed and dedicated guy as well as being highly respected in the community. From the management’s point of view he’s also the guy that always said the right thing in any situation and never said too much. He could handle the pressure of the media, didn’t get flustered and had the company line down pat. Put the two together and viola! The perfect former player turned executive in charge of turning around his former team. And I’m sure he is 100% sincere in his efforts. Let’s just hope that the guys that hired him are on the same page as Super Joe.

   

Third Annual Real Denver Sports Helmet Awards

With the season over for the Avs, I thought we could pass out some awards to some deserving Colorado Avalanche players. Real Denver Sports would like to acknowledge the players of the Colorado Avalanche with the meaningless Helmet Awards.
The categories, strictly made up on the spot by myself are:

The P. T. Barnum Award goes to David Koci
For suckering y'all into thinking he's as good on D as anyone on this team. Surround him with a team this bad and he actually looks like he can play hockey and fooled everyone from broadcasters to bloggers.


The Friends with Benefits Award goes to Peter Budaj
For always being there when Avs management fucks up the goalie situation. He’s that fall-back slut that will always answer the phone but in the end doesn’t really make you feel any better. But you keep telling yourself he’s better than nothing.

The Endorsement Award goes to Cody McLeod
For makin’ it far enough in this town to get a Subway commercial! It would have been great to see him take a bite without his two front teeth or beat up a Sandwich Artist but it was still an entertaining commercial. Unfortunately McLeod’s Subway commercial was about as entertaining as his on-ice performance.

The Player Most Likely to be a Car Salesman Next Year goes to Peter Mueller
For…wait, who? Oh yeah, the guy who looks like he’s in a Shakespearean troop. Let’s check back next year.

The Best Call-up Award goes to Kevin Shattenkirk
Yeah, well that really worked out well, for St. Louis.

The Most pointless Call-up Award goes to Ryan Stoa
This kid is so bad that even on this team he doesn’t look good. Greg Mauldin and Mark Olver look like keepers next to him. And they’re not.

The Twitter Pollution Award goes to Matt Hunwick
He singled-thumbedly muddied up my Twitter feed with the #blamehunwick hash tag for most of the season. Why wasn’t it #blamesherman?

The Head-Scratcher Award goes to Peter Forsberg
He shows up to practice a week before the All-Star break thus preventing him from practicing with the team while the team was away. Impresses everyone with his two road games but hurriedly announces retirement before the Valentine’s Day Massacre. Did he have a vision of the future? Clearly there are things going on in Foppa’s head that no one else understands. It’s like that itch on your head that you can’t get to because of the helmet you have on. Frustrating.

The Forget-me-not Award goes to Chris Stewart
Wow, I’m gonna miss this guy. It was man-crush at first fight. He is my perfect idea of what a hockey player ought to be. He’s got scoring swagger, he’s got attitude and he’s willing to bust you up if you mess with him or a teammate. I need another tub of ice cream to help me get over this.

The Survivor Award goes to John-Michael Liles
For not getting voted off the island. He won’t win the race for the Captaincy; he just doesn’t have the coconuts for the job. But every time the tribe tries to snuff out his torch he manages to survive. The Liles trade rumors are as old and tired as the stupid show I’m using here as a metaphor.

The Inaugural David Jones Broken Man Award goes to TJ Galiardi
So much promise, so many broken body parts. Jones finally had a reasonable unbroken season and he should be honored that such an award has been named after him. Here’s hoping Galiardi gets healthy and turns out to be the kick-ass 3rd liner that we all know he really is.

The Worst Gordie Howe Hat Trick Award goes to Brandon Yip
It was one of the many things he did poorly this season, but this one just shames the idea of a GHHT. I refuse to recognize it but officially it’s there.

And finally, Adam Foote whose head is so hard he doesn’t need a Helmet Award
Nonetheless he gets the Helmet Award for being a True Avalanche. The man said he “bleeds burgundy and blue” at his retirement press conference. Man, that was beautiful.

-From the Point
  

Clearing the Way for Captain Matt Duchene

Shortly after the Avs made the Chris Stewart for Erik Johnson trade, Avs GM Greg Sherman was on NHL radio to talk about it. One of the things he said that stood out the most to Avs fans was that the Avs were on track with the plan. Plan? Plan to lose as many games as possible and allow 3 or more goals in every one of them as a bonus? That plan? No plan seems particularly apparent to fans or experts.

Here’s my theory on the plan. Yes, the team wants to stay young. They are happy to keep things on the cheap for now but to be fair they did offer Craig Anderson a nice contract that he walked away from. And they want to get back to a team that has an identity. It’s old news that Sakic, Roy and Forsberg are not going too save this team on the ice or at the box office.

Those parts of the Plan are readily apparent. Quietly playing out over time are the efforts of the management to lay a solid foundation for Matt Duchene. And I believe that part of that is nurturing the best environment for Matt Duchene to become the captain of this team.

Matt Duchene is slated to be the face of this franchise and it’s all been in motion for years. Duchene has been billeted with current captain Adam Foote since day one. Think that was a happy coincidence? I doubt it. He’s being groomed. Foote has strong leadership skills and Duchene is expected to soak up a lot of this directly from the source.

Need more evidence? Matt Duchene is on Twitter. Not only is that unprecedented for this organization, it’s completely out of character. No one else on this team has been granted that kind of access to social media. We will have to see what happens to Erik Johnson’s account now that he is an Avalanche.

The Avalanche’s “All About the A” ad campaign has featured Duchene prominently.

Do trades figure into this scenario? I think so; the trade of Scott Hannan was two-fold. The Avs certainly thought they were getting a quality player in Tomas Fleischmann but it also set up another scenario. Next year Adam Foote is expected to retire and that would leave Hannan in a clear position of leadership on this team. A position that would be somewhat difficult for a 20 year old to tackle, even one of Duchene’s drive and determination. Don’t see Hannan as a leader? How about that situation in Washington where it was said that Hannan took the lead in a team meeting only weeks after getting there? If he’s got the stones to pull that on a new team imagine the role he would feel needed filling in the Avs locker room with the departure of Foote. That kind of situation could derail the plans the Avs have for Matt Duchene.

Liles is another potential leader that could upset the apple cart. Could be one of the reasons he was again in play on the trade market. And if Liles hasn’t got the message yet that he is expendable then there is always draft day to take care of that situation for good. I’m not endorsing such a move; I think that Avs are much better off with Erik Johnson AND John-Michael Liles on the blueline. But the team may not see it the same way if it threatens Duchene’s ascent to Captain. Erik Johnson now gives them more options in parting with Liles. I think Liles can and does still provide important leadership on this team but he also has to accept The Plan and his place in the scheme of things.

And what about Stastny? It’s just possible that he is passive enough about leadership that he will not be a factor. He strikes me as a guy that is motivated to play hard and win but is more than happy to let others do the rah-rah stuff. Same situation with Milan Hejduk.

All of this is about chemistry. The Avs, like any team has to monitor the chemistry on the ice as well as in the locker room. If they think they have the leader of the future on their hands then they have to take steps to ensure that his position is secure. It’s not unusual for teams to trade away players to start a new chapter and set the stage for the locker room chemistry of the new era. The Avs know this but don’t expect them to come right out and say it. It just isn’t polite dinner table conversation.

-From the Point

Mission Impossible

Remember the way Mission Impossible always starts? With the secret message self-destructing? Well in this case Peter Forsberg is watching the Colorado Avalanche self-destruct and apparently, just like in Hollywood, he is going to take the impossible mission.

Injuries
The latest blow to the injury-wracked Avs is the season long loss of Tomas Fleischmann, diagnosed with pulmonary emboli or in English: a blood clot in each lung.
The Avalanche are up to 235 man games lost to injury. Obviously not satisfied with last year’s huge statistical loss of players to injury the Avs are on pace to blow that number out of the water this year.
And these aren’t just role players that are missing time. Chris Stewart went down for seven weeks when he was the leading goal-scorer on the team.
TJ Galiardi missed several weeks with a broken wrist. A guy that was depended on for top six work.
Kyle Quincey though not quite playing to expectations was slated for top four defensive duties: out for the season.
Let’s not forget that Peter Mueller, a top six forward has missed the entire regular season.
And then there is Craig Anderson, a workhorse last season, missing multiple stretches at a time.

Goaltending
And that brings us to the glaring issue this season. Inside the drama of Mission Impossible could be another classic: Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Budaj.
Is this the season like 2006-07 where Budaj salvages what he can of a Theodore-like season? I shudder to make such a comparison but at this point Budaj has played 23 games and Anderson is sitting at 28 games. Granted much of that is due to injuries but Anderson is not anywhere near his 2009-10 form. They have near identical stats and at this point Anderson’s are headed in the wrong direction.
And after another weak game Saturday, Peter Budaj is getting the call once again.
Arguments that Anderson’s defense isn’t giving him any help are only as valid as they were last season when Anderson faced a shooting gallery night after night and nonetheless stood on his head for this team.

PK and PP
Sure, sure. The Avs are up there in the power play but so are the Blackhawks and they just recently climbed into the top eight. And Peter Forsberg is sure to nudge that number up some more. But where the Avs really need to improve is on the horrific penalty killing. Currently the third worst team in the league. And Forsberg isn’t going to help that much. In fact he will likely challenge it as Foppa has never been short on PIMs.

Your mission Peter Forsberg, should you choose to accept it: play till the trade deadline and see how that ankle/foot performs at the NHL level. If everything goes well be prepared for the weight of a city’s expectations to be placed on your shoulders.

-From the Point

Dutchy’s Gapping Pie-hole

What is it with all the pictures of Duchene’s open mouth? Did you see this one on Puck Daddy the other day?
And I think Altitude always uses some dopey looking picture of him with his mouth open. I suppose they are “action” shots of him screaming in celebration, but they still bug me. Reminds me too much of Mike Modano always skating around with his maw open like he’s hoping to catch a fly, get a little extra protein during the game I suppose. Not that it hurt his dating scene.

Reminds me of one fine day when I was mtn. biking and upon a quick intake of breathe I sucked some sort of flying insect right down my throat where he promptly got stuck.
No one enjoys eating bugs but to have a live one wriggling and squirming in my throat was really kinda freaking me out.
After a few seconds of trying to spit him out I said screw it, grabbed my water bottle and washed him down.
While I was not happy about this, I guess I’m not the one that died a horrible death in stomach acids…
True story.
So anyways…
Shut your trap Dutchy!!

Side note regarding the All Star Game Draft: Dutchy says (in the Puck Daddy interview) it’s no big deal if Lindstrom picks him as he would find it interesting since he was watching the Avs-Wings back in the 90’s…when he was five or six years old! And would enjoy talking with Lindstom about that. BWahahaha! That WOULD be awesome, talk about makin’ the guy feel as old as a dinosaur.


-From the Point

Joe Sacco – Tough SOB

It’s all about the A. Dater said the other day in his Twitter feed that Sacco is a tough SOB. I’ve suspected as much for a long time now. Here and there I’ve seen interviews and such that made me think that he projects this persona, or perhaps it is not a persona, that you don’t want to mess with the guy.
I don’t get the feeling that he is a players coach. You aren’t going into his office to have a warm sunny chat. If you are in that office at all you are probably in big trouble.
Sacco has sent TJ Galiardi down to the minors to “work on his game.” While I agree that Galiardi hasn’t been as good as we’ve seen, I’m not really that surprised either. Couple reasons, the first is that I never thought the kid was 1st line material anyway, nor do a lot of bloggers/fans. Second, seems like Sacco wants 3rd line mentality on the 1st line and that might be a bit difficult to achieve all the time.
Regardless, Sacco is sending a message once again with his tough love.
Will it work?
I have no idea.
But if it doesn’t, get ready for the fall out.
Sacco seems to have a tendency to look a bit schizophrenic with his lines. Defensively he has really messed with a few guys…but mostly with good results.
Liles got a little bench time last season and that was shocking, to say the least.
Hunwick is finally getting the seat after the fans have ridden him mercilessly for weeks. We saw this same thing with Wilson earlier in the season where it seemed that Sacco could have benched the guy a little sooner. However, I do have to think that perhaps Sacco should be given a little credit for trying to let guys play their way out of a slump.
We all saw what a mess you can make of a player (goalies specifically) when Quenneville was here with his quick hook. So maybe Sacco should be given a little credit for being patient with really young guys?
But when he does drop the hammer, he’s not fooling around. For now at least, the message seems to be getting through.

-From the Point