All-Star Break good or bad for Avs

[Zz_]

The Avalanche currently sit 20-18-10 with 50th points, which is good enough for 5th place in the Central and 10th in the Western Conference, 3 points out of a playoff spot.

 

As of right now, the number for Colorado is 96 points, they are 46 points out of that which is equal to 23 wins or a combination of wins and overtime losses. With 48 games played there are only 34 more games that Colorado has left to play in the 2014-15 season. After the all-star break, if the Avalanche want to go to the play offs, they can only flat out lose 11 games. Colorado needs to win basically 68% of their remaining games JUST to make the #8 spot in the Western Conference. 

The team is finally getting production from their key players, but it is still spotty production. The Avalanche are having a tough time scoring more than 2 goals in regulation games. Not including shootout or overtime goals, in regulation the Avs have scored more than 2 goals only 4 times in 2015, they have played 11 games. Their only other game with 3+ goals was an overtime winner over Boston. Colorado won two games scoring 2 goals, one a shootout win over the Edmonton Oilers and the other a 2-0 shutout win over Chicago. In that game, both goals were scored 1:17 in the start of the game and Varlamov was magic with 54 saves. In 4 other games, Colorado only scored 2 goals or less and loss all four games. 

 

If the all-star break does anything, we hope it does better than the Holiday break. Colorado was on a three game winning streak at the holiday break, they came back and rolled over in back to back games for St. Louis and Chicago, two games that could have turned around Colorado's season. The Avalanche are 7-5-2 since the Holiday break including a 1-2-2 five game road trip last week.

 

Not including the shootout winning goals, Colorado has 28 goals in 2015 in 11 games. During their 5 day break, Colorado's goal scorers need to learn how to produce in quantities against at a consistent rate if they plan on winning games. Of course they could score only 2 goals a game and make their goalies work hard like Boston and Nashville have done for years, but that is not the Colorado Avalanche we came to know last season. This team is a fire waiting to become unleashed, and if they do, look out. Solid goaltending is building confidence in this club, goal scorers are finally starting to click. Could Colorado be that sleep team that just explodes and does the insane 10-1-1 in their last 12 games? They have the chance, but do they believe? That is something their leaders need to grill into the club on break. 

 

The Avalanche will have a test the day the NHL comes back from all-star break as they will face on of the NHL's top dogs in a home and home against the Nashville Predators. I feel like these two games can determine the Avalanche finish to 2014-15.

 

 

 

 

 

***Will the Avalanche trade Ryan O'Reilly? This has been looming all season, with O'Reilly getting hot, Colorado will want a large return for the NHL's lead takeaway man. Two destinations that continue to surface are Toronto and Montreal.... or Has O'Reilly just taken over the rumors that Paul Stastny once endured? Either way, he is taking the rumors well and playing his game. Ryan scored the game tying goal against Boston, he has 3 points in 4 games including 2 goals.

 

 

 

[yave1964]

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The loss of Erik Johnson is devastating for your boys. He has always been considered a bit of a mild bust as the first pick in the draft, a damn good player but not quite worthy of number one overall. And then traded for Shattenkirk and Stewart, well, hard to not say the Blues got the better of the deal.

 

  Johnson has finally started playing within himself, his snakebit born under a bad star career continues, just when he seems to have it all figured out he gets hurt. He seems to have finally learned to play his game and not the game that others expect out of him. He has quit trying to be Bobby Orr and started simply being Erik Johnson and that turns out to be a hell of a player.

 

  Who is going to step up over the next couple of months? Overachieving Tyson Barrie is already stretched to the limit, having a fine year dishing the puck out. Holden is at his limit,  Hejda is having an off year.

 

To me Stefan Elliot, defensive deficiencies and all has to step up, he has been having a very nice year in Lake Erie, I saw him have a nice night a month ago, a power play goal and assist, and seemed to be the best player on the ice that particular night. I know his lack of defensive skill has held him down in the past but they need his offense.

 

 Stollery is a bit long in the tooth but I have always liked him and wondered why he hasn't had a career. Gotta be better than the ghost of Brad Stuart.....

[Zz_]

@yave1964 Elliott got the call up, but will not play tonight against the Preds. Since he was out for the all star game they want to give him a few practices. The down fall to this call up is we will send Redmond down when Johnson gets back unless we are willing to place Elliott on waivers for a second time.

I do like the way Stollery has played for the Avs this season, but I would prefer the AVS to give Siemens a call up. He wasn't the #11 pick behind Landeskog to sit in Lake Erie and never get a shot. I think it would be an eye opener for him.

[yave1964]

@yave1964 Elliott got the call up, but will not play tonight against the Preds. Since he was out for the all star game they want to give him a few practices. The down fall to this call up is we will send Redmond down when Johnson gets back unless we are willing to place Elliott on waivers for a second time.

I do like the way Stollery has played for the Avs this season, but I would prefer the AVS to give Siemens a call up. He wasn't the #11 pick behind Landeskog to sit in Lake Erie and never get a shot. I think it would be an eye opener for him.

I watch a lot of AHL hockey and living in central Ohio pretty much right between Cleveland and Columbus I get to a few Monsters games every year, I usually try to see the Griffins when they come to town. And I watch them a bit on TV as well.

  I study defenseman and how they play, my playing career, if you want to call it that ended in my teens thirty years ago, I was slow and had a hard time skating backwards which doesn't get you very far, lol but I always loved playing. Defense was my natural position and even as an adult that is the position i would play when we got a game up.

  I have watched Siemens and made a point of paying attention to him, I don't see an NHL caliber player there. He is lost with the puck on his stick, he seems to hate shooting, and defensively he gets turned around waaaay to often. I don't know, I just don't see him ever making it in the game. I agree though, a high draft pick was invested you might as well call him up and see if he is a better NHL player than AHL. It happens every now and then, a guy is being asked too much at one level but with a call up he is assigned a role and he thrives. You never know if you don't try.

 

  I don't get Siemens. He

[Zz_]

@yave1965

 

I used to talk to Duncan after he was drafted for about a year. He was going through a lot then with his personal life, I do not feel like he has it under control. The only reason I would like to see him called up is the fact that he wont play more than 8-10 minutes. He will see what it takes to be a professional, in training camp he always looks great. I think he needs a coach and partner that believe in him, he has not had that since Elliott was drafted by the Avs and headed to Lake Erie. Every one thought they would find that again in Lake Erie, but clearly that has yet to happen. I think a game at the NHL level could change this kid in a heart beat.