Comments on: Avalanche 2 - Buffalo 1 (SO)

By: David Driscoll-Carignan

David Driscoll-Carignan — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 14:34:28 +0000

I agree - it’s not a slam dunk by any stretch of the imagination. Goaltending has to be more consistent, the PK has to get a lot better AND they need to stay healthy. None of those are a given. But they are definitely doable.

By: ClaudeLemeiux

ClaudeLemeiux — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 14:27:05 +0000

Sorry DDC, I had no idea you made the cup forecast before the year rather than after the last 5 games.

I still think the Avs have a bunch of areas to improve before they can be considered serious cup contenders, but I respect your opinion otherwise (since it isn’t based only on the last 5 games, lol).

It’ll be awhile before I’m sold on Budaj, though last week sure was a step in the right direction. The Avs’ PK is frightening. To me, beating Detroit by more than a couple goals will go a long way in making me a believer because it feels like they haven’t done it since 1998.

By: Lowayne

Lowayne — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 01:21:30 +0000

All this talk is making me pissed I am going to miss most of this season, now that the Avs are back to exciting hockey.

By: David Driscoll-Carignan

David Driscoll-Carignan — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 23:55:12 +0000

“I still don’t like Sakic at the point”

you know, I don’t either, but that’s another check mark for Granato. He’s basically got Liles back there alone and Sakic is up in the slot. That’s how, IMO, the PP has improved even though the personnel hasn’t changed…

I was not a fan of the Granato hiring, but, so far I’m with Dario. He’s really done a great job. (Granato, not Dario).

By: Dario

Dario — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 22:11:30 +0000

Our style on the ice looks like the Avs again, lots of fun to watch.

I think that’s a great comment. I’m not sure fans have recognized this team since the lockout. There’s finally a buzz in the Pepsi Center when the Avs are rushing up ice.

By: thedoctor

thedoctor — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 21:24:27 +0000

that’s a really good point Dario — Granato has been near flawless in his first games. He’s showing far more patience than Q ever did, and his few tweaks have been good ones — sitting Guite to calm him down, sitting Budaj to calm him down.

I still don’t like Sakic at the point, but thats almost a political choice at this point — it would be sad to not have Sakic on the top PP unit, if not a blow to his psyche, and I wish he’d have the guts to bench Arny in favor of Hensick, but those are minor gripes. He’s done great. Our style on the ice looks like the Avs again, lots of fun to watch.

By: Dario

Dario — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 20:59:06 +0000

Well, as I said at the afformentioned link. I see the Avs making a push to get in to the WCF. I made the assumption based on the strength of their defensive rotations and a healthy Smyth, revived Wolski and regular starts in goal. The key in all the prognostication was never to get caught up in the strength of the West but the relative ease of the NW division. Like last year the Wild are out to a really hot start. Calgary is the basketcase I thought they would be. Vancouver is doing better offensively than I thought they would but still lack any kind of depth. Edmonton was the scary team but I think after two games against it seems to me that team has large vulnerabilities. If Garon wasn’t standing on his head that defense might have Edmonton in the cellar. From what I’ve seen the Avs are a better team than anyone in the NW besides Minny at this point. If the Avs win the NW then they can make a big run.

Just for the record, I’m SOLD on Granato. He’s done everything he said he was going to do and what us basement dwellers claimed he could do. Wolski seems to have blossomed, the goalie rotation has been relatively stable, the offense is exciting and frankly more potent that I dared to imagin after the Brunette/Tucker swap and he was the calm in the storm three games in when panic could have set in.

By: David Driscoll-Carignan

David Driscoll-Carignan — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 19:43:29 +0000

I hadn’t until you pointed it out.

Just so you know, Claude, I’m not saying that just based on the first few games - I said before the season started that I thought they could go deep in the playoffs. I haven’t seen anything yet to change my mind.

I’m not guaranteeing anything, but I do have faith in this year’s club. And yep, adding #21 would definitely help.

By: Bob in Boulder

Bob in Boulder — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 17:42:27 +0000

DDC, did you see that one poster quoted your optimism over on the DPO’s blog?

I agree with you, actually. They still really need to shore up their PK, and I’m not 100% sold on Granato, but IF healthy, this is a pretty talented and deep team. Especially IF (an even bigger IF on the health part) they can add a healthy number 21 half-way through the season.

By: David Driscoll-Carignan

David Driscoll-Carignan — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 17:34:05 +0000

I do believe that if they are healthy come April (and yes, that’s a giant “if”) then they’ll be able to make a run deep into the playoffs.