Colorado Avalanche

[mapletreemarty]

what's wrong with the lineups tonight. Duchene 4th line? E.Johnson 2nd line? what's going on?

As stated in other posts Sacco was trying to shake things up to get Dutchy going.

Lines last night:
jones Stastny Hejduk
Lindstrom Galiardi Kobasew
Landy OReilly Winnik
McLeod Duchene McClement

That Landy 3rd line has been there best all season long and gets top 6 ice time.

Hopefully Mueller is back soon and can get up to speed. The issue is that Dutchy's line mates cannot keep up with him. Mueller is still a half step behind, Hejduk is old and lost a step, Lindstrom is not a quick skater either.

Galiardi has some great wheels and should get tried with Dutchy...same with Landy.

[potatoetree]

I just hope in the mean time they give him some PP time

[loco man]

What to do with Mueller?

I am seriously considering dropping him (contending), but am holding out hope for a return. Any advice?

[bigbabybuda]

What to do with Mueller?

I am seriously considering dropping him (contending), but am holding out hope for a return. Any advice?

As your league is not really deep I would have to think there are much better options then a concussed player whom may or may not return.

[loco man]

As your league is not really deep I would have to think there are much better options then a concussed player whom may or may not return.

Not deep? 19 teams with 20 players each is pretty deep to me. The top free agent are Ponikarovski or Cullen, if that helps.

Thanks though, I appreciate your take - I think I just may wait it out for a couple weeks and see how it goes

[bigbabybuda]

Sorry I miss read your original post about the size of your league. It is fairly deep. That is pretty slim pickings. Pony boy is a definite no for me his career seems to be on the back 9. Cullen is a decent consideration, he will get 40+pts most certainly. Is the #2 center on the team and there isn't really anyone to challenge him for that position (barring a trade). I know he's not the sexy choice, but if you know you have a serious chance to contend 40 is better then 0. Besides if you drop Mueller and he comes back in a month you can always scoop him back up. I'm fairly certain no one will grab him until he proves he can play a few games in a row. I would scan the FA market one more time and see if you didn't miss anyone and if not grab Cullen. Just my thoughts... GL...

[mapletreemarty]

Mueller missed practice yesterday and will not be in the lineup Wednesday. His status still appears a little murky at the moment.

The good news is Duchene is off the fourth line, and apologized to teammates and his coach after Mondays practice. Duchene skated with Lindstrom and Kobasew. That means Hejduk is staying up with Stastny and Jones, and the Avs third line is staying together.

Duchene is a slow starter as he posted 2 goals in his first 20 games last year. Personally putting Duchene with Landy and oReilly would get him going.

[mapletreemarty]

Some interesting Avs stats through 8 games, thanks to Mile High Hockey:

Avs are ranked 2nd on the PP and 8th on the PK
EJ is -6
Landeskog is tied for 15th overall in Hits and 5th overall in SOG
O'Reilly has won the most ES faceoffs (76), and is 2nd in ES faceoff % (62%)
Varlamov has faced the most ES shots in the league (180)
Winnik leads Avs forwards in ice time with 18:45
Winnik also has 3 penalties, the Avs have given up only 3 PPGA, each coming with Winnik in the box (yes, he's on the PK with Kobasew, Landeskog, and McClement)
Duchene is 2nd on the team in Blocked Shots (13), Hejda has 14
O'Reilly is rdd in the league in takeaways with 12... league leader has 13 (Datsyuk and Alffy).

Other stats I've come across:

Kovalchuk leads the league with the most giveaways (14)
E.Staal is 2nd in taking the highest % of his teams faceoffs, even though he's an abysmal 43.2% in the circle
J. Neal is 2nd in the league in goals with 8... could be even higher if he could hit the net... leads the league with 23 missed SOG.
Most SOG without a goal this year... PK Subban with 27
6 of the 10 OTG scored this season have been by defencemen
Kovalchuk (3), Cullen (3), and Spezza (2) are the only shooters still perfect in the shootout (with more than 1 attempt)
Upshall and Smyth are the only players to receive Game Misconducts so far this season

[mapletreemarty]

According to Adrian Dater,

Mueller is nearing "out indefinitely" status...

Things don't seem as optimistic as they did early last week.

[loco man]

According to Adrian Dater,

Mueller is nearing "out indefinitely" status...

Things don't seem as optimistic as they did early last week.

Thanks - think he's gonna hit the wire

[duballstar014]

Some interesting Avs stats through 8 games, thanks to Mile High Hockey:

Avs are ranked 2nd on the PP and 8th on the PK
EJ is -6
Landeskog is tied for 15th overall in Hits and 5th overall in SOG
O'Reilly has won the most ES faceoffs (76), and is 2nd in ES faceoff % (62%)
Varlamov has faced the most ES shots in the league (180)
Winnik leads Avs forwards in ice time with 18:45
Winnik also has 3 penalties, the Avs have given up only 3 PPGA, each coming with Winnik in the box (yes, he's on the PK with Kobasew, Landeskog, and McClement)
Duchene is 2nd on the team in Blocked Shots (13), Hejda has 14
O'Reilly is rdd in the league in takeaways with 12... league leader has 13 (Datsyuk and Alffy).

Other stats I've come across:

Kovalchuk leads the league with the most giveaways (14)
E.Staal is 2nd in taking the highest % of his teams faceoffs, even though he's an abysmal 43.2% in the circle
J. Neal is 2nd in the league in goals with 8... could be even higher if he could hit the net... leads the league with 23 missed SOG.
Most SOG without a goal this year... PK Subban with 27
6 of the 10 OTG scored this season have been by defencemen
Kovalchuk (3), Cullen (3), and Spezza (2) are the only shooters still perfect in the shootout (with more than 1 attempt)
Upshall and Smyth are the only players to receive Game Misconducts so far this season

That is one epic stat. Nice find!

[mapletreemarty]

Caught the 2nd half of the Avs game against the Flames from Wed. night.

The Avs played a terrific final 10 minutes of the game, if they would have been able to sustain that kind of pressure since the beginning of the 3rd they would have been able to at least pull out a point on the road.

I'm not sure why Giguere got the start instead of Varly after 3 days rest no less...Varly did sit out practice on Monday... don't want to get into any conspiracy theories unless he isn't in the lineup again tonight.

Speaking of Giguere he gives up some pretty bad rebounds (the two 2nd period goals were from brutal rebounds), don't get me wrong he played terrific in the 1st and bailed the team out stopping 20 of 21, but he needs to clean up that rebound control.

Poor Matt Duchene, rang one off the post on a nice little spin move along the goal line. Adrian Dater also wrote that Landy needs to move up to play with Duchene (I've been saying it since before Mueller went out of the lineup). The Avs need another top 6 winger, and it's a lot easier to bump up Landy and shop for a 3rd line winger than trying to aquire a top 6er via trade.

Speaking of Landeskog, wow. You watch him play and it is hard to believe that he is 18 years old. He plays the PP, he kills penalties, he's out there for defensive situations, and plays in the final minute on the offensive AND defensive side of the puck. I know everyone is gushing and talking about RNH putting up 9 pts in 9 games... Landy has 6 pts, and he doesn't play with Hall and Eberle, he plays with O'Reilly and Winnik. I think him and Duchene could get something great going.

I like what Hejda brings to the team, but I've noticed him trying to dance the line and be a little too cute with the puck at times.

Quincey is back to his play from two years ago, still takes some dumb penalties, but he was all over the ice. Seems to have re-gained some confidence.


Looking forward to RNH vs. Landy tonight

[mapletreemarty]

Finally with only 2 GF and an 0-3 record at home Sacco gets his head out of his ass and shakes up his lines a little.

Jonesy drops down to play with Duchene and Lindstrom
Galiardi up to play with Stastny and Hejduk.
Sacco doesn't want to break up what I would call Colorado's top line of Landy, OReilly, and Winnik.

Useless Kobasew is on L4 with McClement and McLeod.

[mapletreemarty]

Although I didn't watch the game I've read more than a few recaps opinions etc. and it sounds like the Avs played their best game of the year on Sunday against the Kings.

Although being outshot, the few shots the Avs had were higher quality scoring opportunitites, and unlike last season, after taking the lead early in the third the team was able to clamp down and hold on for the victory against a very strong Kings squad that will be near the top of the Western Conference standings.

The lines will be the same tonight as they were vs. the Kings, a quick recap:
Top line of Landy O'Reilly and Winnik (might as well start calling them the first line since they see the most ice time)
Galiardi with Stastny and Hejduk
Lindstrom Duchene and Jones
and finally
McLeod McClement and Kobasew

on D:
O'Brien Quincey
EJ Hejda
O'Byrne Wilson

Since they brought him in for his defensive prowess, Jan Hejda's team worst -7 is a little troubling, EJ is also at -6, which would explain why Quincey and O'Brien saw more ES ice time.

Duchene has been seeing time on the PP with Landeskog and O'Reilly.

Varlamov gets the start tonight.

Phoenix is 5-0-1 in their last 6 vs. the Avs outscoring them 13-5 last season, and 7-2 in Denver.

Here's hoping they come out flying.

[potatoetree]

http://www.denverpost.com/avalanche/ci_19252702

Peter Mueller resumes skating, good for him. Just hope he doesn;t rush into anything