The Pacific division is tightening up with teams like Edmonton and Vancouver proving they are here to stay. Who will come out on top of the division and who will be the team to burst the bubble of the wild card spot. AJ and Eric are talking all things Pacific division and what sort of assets the Avs many use for this upcoming trade deadline.
Intro – 0:00
Hangover feelings from last night – 1:25
Arms race at the top of the Pacific Division – 8:30
Concerned with Vegas? – 24:40
Who is snagging the wild card spot – 26:00
Top 5 trade assets for this season – 48:05
Wrapping up – 1:01:30
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Welcome to the dnvr Avalanche podcast we have the legendary AJ and myself and Tiff uh behind the scenes she’s the greatest um always a great day the sun came up today AJ you know the did it yes it did it’s beautiful outside beautiful day in Colorado um this is the kind of
Colorado day that you sell people on living in Colorado for my little guy got in the car this morning he it’s like 6:30 to go to school he had t-shirt and shorts on I’m like buddy you good or like he’s like yeah yeah it’s going to
Be nice today I’m like oh okay this last night when we left you were like you don’t have a you don’t have a jacket and I was like when I got here it was 65 degrees in Sunny what do I want from me man know and then because we’re saying
That it’ll be like 10 feet of snow tomorrow who knows yeah I’m kidding um but anyway let’s get back to before we move on to talk a little bit of Pacific Division stuff let let let’s touch on last night a little bit um you know I got my thoughts but what are your
Thoughts on you know after waking up to a beautiful sunny morning like like this was so I we’ve reached the portion of the Season uh I do this every year where I look at the standings too much between games 30 and 45ish yeah and then 45 to
60 I don’t look at very much because I’m like this is stupid they’re all going to change none of this like we’ll see and I so I woke up today and I looked at the standings for the first time since the All-Star break I hadn’t done it since
Then um um and I honestly feel better having done that uh it was a good I think it was a good dose of perspective that the AVS are I think it was fifth in the NHL in points right now and they’re eighth in points percentage so no matter how you
Slice it they’re in a pretty good position the part that you are a little nervous about is that in terms of points percentage they’re eighth two of the teams ahead of them are both Dallas and Winnipeg yeah that’s not a very good position to be in um so there’s work to do
There and uh since the All-Star break you can count up the number of points that you feel like they’ve given away the Rangers game yeah that they were leading one nothing very much like the Detroit game last night basically the same game in that they had a one-
Nothing lead um into the third period lost it in the last 10 minutes and then lost in overtime that’s two points that they could have had had they just closed it out um the New Jersey game giving up uh the game-winning goal in the final three
Minutes in regulation to not even get to overtime right that’s a point now we’re at three points you give them you give the Avalanche those three points suddenly they’re knocking on Vancouver store for the number one seed in the entire West and the NHL and you count those up and you just
Say since the All-Star break just those and it’s a lot of points left on the table you go back in the season yeah at least one point in Nashville probably two at least one point probably two in Arizona with the 4 nothing collapse yeah now now we’re all of a sudden we’re up
To five points and it’s it it’s you know hey over the course of a season you are going to have those nights you are going to give some points away they also lost in the final minute of Regulation against Seattle earlier this year now we’re up to six points so it’s starting
The the the point that I’m trying to and everybody every team has a list like this what I’m trying to say for for the Avalanche is that the difference it’s a razor thin margin between the Avalanche being in the position that they’re in and leading the NHL in points it’s a
Very very very razor thin margin there now on the other side of that how many multi-goal comebacks did they have where you know they that’s also not something that you necessarily can count on um so it does work both ways but it all adds up to me feeling
Pretty good about the Avalanche this morning disappointed about last night really my my concern about the 13 and 1313 and five road record is growing that’s 13 wins and 18 losses on the road that’s a big that’s a problem for me oh yeah that’s a real problem for me um so
That is something that I is becoming an increasing concern of mine and something that I want to see them have a strong finish I want to see an 8-2 finish on the road s and three finish on the road 265 31 so there’s still what 11 games on the
Road yeah I want to see I want to see that kind of finish on the road yeah um where they really figure it out and they play great hockey away from Denver because they have not played great hockey to this point and that requires them to play exceptional hockey at home
It’s great that they’ve been able to do that but you don’t want to be in the position where you have to win all of your home games to make up for your lack of ability to do it away from home and to that point going into the the Stanley Cup you know
Playoffs and the dance and the race whatever you want to call it right um You you need a little bit of help what I say by that is you can’t control injuries so totally and and what you can control though is the way you’re playing
To your point uh leading up to the dance and that’s very important sure you might have had a bad like December January but you know what it’s behind you know but you actually found your strides the last six seven games it’s very important to get into playoffs with the groove and
Especially like you said to an area that they struggle which has been the road it’s funny because we started the season talking about their accolades of winning streak on the road set an NHL record yeah you’re like hey and then you know now we’re talking about like whoa the
Road record has not been good you know what I mean and not the standards of of trying to win the Stanley Cup and you’re right then it makes you want to be exceptional at home and they have been exceptional so you know at least they’ve done that you know to counteract uh the
The the below average performance on the road you know let’s call it what it is right yeah so but to get back to last night though I mean I just want to touch on Annie and I thought he was awesome you thought the same way I mean
Definitely I know you your studs and Duds kind of um you know talked about that but uh it was fun to see it was fun I think it was fun for him to see too uh I think that that was his plan this year
To to be the guy that’s going to be here all year and have more a bigger workload it just didn’t happen right you know you can’t control again injuries and stuff like that on a personal note timing was wrong for him to go down play some games
And then by the time it was time for him to get up you know he was injured so kind of Dell probably their overall plan but it’s kind of nice to see him right now he was really confident last night and you get beaten over over time by you
Know Patrick Kane I mean that’s as a goenda every shot but you’re talking about great play by L and the Kane yeah bad play by McKinnon yeah exactly you know I’m talking about used this you know what I mean like so it’s kind of all in all I didn’t mind the last two
Games a little greasier tighter not track meat games as we’re going to see in the playoffs again it’ll be interesting to see tomorrow with Toronto we’ll talk about that at the end a little bit but you know you’re talking about track meets holy canoli those guys have been involved in track meets LLY
You know oh so we’ll talk a little bit about that but pretty good track me of a game in Toronto between these two teams earlier this year too let the horses go buddy GID up Ma gety up Mo come on you know maybe that’s maybe that’s what I we’ll talk about it
At the end but maybe that’s what kale needs you know one of those games to get out of the funk a little bit but let’s move on to what we want to talk about today which uh is the specific uh division um obviously not the ABS division but a division that’s part of
The Western Conference in a division that’s always kind of intrigues me because you don’t know what you’re going to get year to year I don’t know why it’s just in my mind it’s just um always been that way for me um I’ll just you know give you the floor there on the
Thoughts on who who do you think first of all are the locks for the the three spots in the you know you know in the division and and do you think things will change come April I don’t remember what the first day of the playoffs is
But you know come playoff time I think the last day of the season is April 15th little later this year something that do your taxes by the way April 15th yeah tax season yeah um so right now you got van you got vgk you got Emington so I
Think the I think the lock there is Vancouver I think they’re the uh I also would just say given how they’ve now played for an extended stretch it’s no longer just the one month it’s several months now but Edmonton I think is the other lock I I just don’t see a world
Where those where Vancouver and Edmonton are not in the Pacific bracket I’ll give you credit though on Van um I got the blinders on sometimes because of my good buddy talk and and footy um I tend to have the blinders on and not want to face the facts and not that I’m rooting
For them I’ll be sing ABS fan and that’s what we are and then abs of blood but you you always root for your friends too and you know I think they’ve done a marvelous job footy and talk and those guys right so but you’re right you’ve been telling me
For God weeks now it’s coming it’s coming I’m telling you guys he’s been telling me he is a genius the guy next to me he’s the best it’s coming they’re going to hit their slide then where are they at right now four four straight it’s four straight it’s is it four it’s
Four or five um I know last night they fell down last night again right yes um but I I I but I think you’re right I I think they were just here too good of a team to fall off too deep of a team to fall off I think Demco has been
Fantastic uh this season last year he wasn’t there he was injured most of the year right so that was a big difference so I do believe that with the depth that they have Quinn hughes’s season um obviously pson and JT Miller and and now the additions of go back to Zadora big Z
That was a big ad for them it really helps their Decor it it’s interesting about the Canucks especially because I don’t think any one of those moves like Lind homo’s the headline Grabber but I don’t think any one of those moves in a vacuum you’re look at saying you would
Look at and say oh yeah that’s what the that yeah that’ll fix the Canucks yeah sure but when you add them up over time and you look at it and you’re like hey you know for some reason the teddy Bluer line is the best third line in hockey
Right now um even better than what the Avalanche third line with Colton and and wood and LLC because that line is the second line right now um but that Teddy Bluer you know you’re not looking at that and going oh that’s a big sexy ad that’s a that’s a GameChanger for them
But when you add you add in that line but you also get the great year that they are out of um Dakota Joshua and talk loves him yeah I mean how could you not with the way that he’s playing but then you do add in um Nikita zadorov and
Then you do add in Elias Lindholm and you’re getting tiptop career years out of certainly Gwyn Hughes but Pon and JT Miller are also fantastic Brock besser is unbelievable this year I forg his name earlier yeah uh like when this is this is exactly what it looks like when
A team has it everything goes right for them yeah everything goes right for them are they good yes yeah but everything is going right for them they’ve they’ve gotten good health for the most for the most part this year um they have gotten on the just you know
Somebody like me is always going to look at how’s it what’s a team’s PDO what’s their shooting percentage what’s their save percentage they’re both very very high and where I have been telling you all year is that it is unsustainably high that what they’ve been producing is not
Something that NHL teams do across 82 games and if they have either done that or come close to doing that they crash in the postseason which is why I always tell you it comes for everybody man L than last year it comes for everybody and what I actually think what the Canucks
Are going through a little bit right now is a little bit of that adversity of now they have to figure out how like what their team is when it’s not all going their way when they’re not building a two nothing lead every single night and playing with the lead and then winning
4-2 what does it look like when they’re getting scored on first and they have to grind through game what does it look like when they give up a lead how do they handle getting punched in the mouth and I think that is going to be a very interesting aspect of the Canucks over
The next few weeks to see how do they handle this stretch of games because if this is just oh hey they’ve lost four or five games in a row and then they go they rip off at 82 yeah they handled it just fine just a minor blip you know no big deal speed
Bump but if this turns into an extended stretch where suddenly they’ve lost 10 of 15 yeah it’s funny saying that because talk met the media a couple days ago here in Denver and then I was talking to him afterwards but you’re right he he said and it’s funny what he said though
Because he said covering the ABS with TNT obviously in that playoff run there two years ago he’s a big fan of the ABS you know and what they’ve done and what they’ve become and and he talked exactly about that he said is we’re we’re we’re handling we’re seeing adversity now for
The first time this year that was two games ago so you were like two three games in a row that they lost now they’re at four five whatever we’re at our numbers are off a little bit it’s too sunny outside but talk was talking about yeah it’s not like you’re asking
For adversity you know what I mean like of course you want to go through it at some point because of like we said the Bruins last year you know adversity is healthy it’s just healthy but he’s like it’s not like you’re looking for it you know I mean like oh let’s get some
Adversity today and tomorrow and then we can Get It Off by next Thursday and he said the Avalanche probably the best team at handling it you know in his book for the last couple years and that’s those are his words you know he said they know how to do it their their room
Knows how to do it their coaching staff knows how to do it you know it’s an aura it’s a smell right and and maybe just look at maybe maybe a little Jersey last year once they hit it a little bit I think they a little immature with it and
You know everybody starts like ah panicking and you look at them now you know but that’s what I’m saying so when they you know when it hits you have to be able to stop it to figure it out it doesn’t mean that it’s going to stop in
One day right we’ve seen the ABS a couple times this year where it’s like three four games you know it takes a little bit of time but I I think it was interesting to hear talk talk about the adversity and obviously what they’re going through and uh the other team I
Want to talk a little bit more here on but you’re right about emont it’s not a fluke they’re good we all do that it wasn’t normal the first 20 games were just not normal yeah well and and again somebody like me is is going to look at
All the all the underlying numbers and they’re going to say this team is nowhere near as bad as its results and sometimes the team can produce really good underlying results and have a fatal flaw ask hurricanes fans they know this well yeah that’s right but their goal tending was
Horrific and there was no way they were just going to continue to have the problems that they were between playing as well as they were but losing the way that they were yeah it was it’s kind of the opposite of what Canucks have done a lot this year where the Canucks have
Been outplayed in a lot of games but they have a two- nothing lead they scored three goals on five shots you know stuff like that like we saw in Minnesota the other day where you know they had three goals on five shots they had a 5-2 nothing 5-2 League going into
The third period now that part was normal what happened after that in that Minnesota game was the weird part but you know Edmund Edmonton this year was kind of in the opposite boat they they were playing pretty well they were losing all a lot of games and then
Obviously they rip off you know they start playing well they they make the coach change they start playing well and then they rip off 16 straight wins and it’s like well it also goes to show you how deep of a hole it can be in the NHL
Where you’re like we say all the time you can’t make the playoffs in the first month of the season but you can miss them oh yeah and Edmonton if if the Pacific Division was a little bit better if the West Was a little bit better Edmonton would be in a tougher fight
Right now to make the postseason in a more normal year as it is um the softness of that division Vegas and La both falling apart after blistering hot starts has created the the situation for me where the it’s easy for the Oilers to to to make it now and they’re probably
The team that I’m I take the most seriously just given Vegas’s injury issues right now I don’t and not really knowing what’s going on there um we’ll get we’ll get to that but with Edmonton I just think that’s a really really good hockey team and that they’re playing really good hockey
And their elite players are playing great Y and they found a top pairing they found a goenda guys are Elite they’ve they’ve found something on defense with EOL and Bard at the top of it and they’re playing f fantastic and Stuart Skinner has shown himself to be pretty good so
Now you cross your finger if you’re an Emington fan and you say is this the real steart Skinner yeah or is the steart Skinner of last year in the playoffs and what we saw this year first 20 games you know um but you’re right I think Edmonton’s a lock Vancouver’s a
Lock yeah uh but to get back to Vancouver two seconds I just saw something on I think Jack was talking about um and talk did mention that too they’ve played so many road games you know it’s just like the Avalanche you know what I mean they they’ve played so
Many road games and it’s the dog days of February and it hits everyone is it any coincidence for the ABS that their worst stretch of the Season came where they played 11 out of 13 on the road now they had obviously a break yeah yeah but 11
Out of 13 on the road and every single one of those teams except the Montreal Canadians was actually a pretty good and the Ottawa Senators was was a pretty good team yeah was like a team having like a solid year it all of those teams think that they are playoff teams every
One of those teams that they played ex and that last six game trip that they had there were no easy nights there was no free night there was no you know that’s a that’s a hard road trip yeah and the ABS un greatly underperformed
But that was a hard trip it was and then six games coming out of an All-Star break like that that’s a rough that was a rough ride so the then the question is you have to wrap up the Pacific uh you know because we’ll move on later about
The wild card but do you think la knocks off Vegas as it stands right now I’m just saying I mean look how many points apart are they they’re bgk is at 70 and Vegas is at La is at 66 because we we we both agree amonton’s gonna they have more you
Know they have games in hand and you know well and they’ve got the sustainability and none of the problem and they got the win going and and do you think La catches up to them and they got two games in hand on on Vegas I I don’t
Think so either yeah yeah um as much as you know we were laughing about the markstone stuff yesterday where yeah for the third straight year markstone mysteriously goes down with an injury in mid-February right before the trade deadline that opens up the possibility you know of Vegas being able to uh make
A big move at the deadline to kind of Salvage things like I like Jake Jake gensel is a golden Knight he just is like for my money they’re going to do whatever they have to do they have all the trade assets that they need to go
Get J gensel to you know to replace you want to get the guys going once as you know as soon as Mark Stone I’m sorry as soon as the playoffs start markstone will be healthy and then they’ll just add Jake gensel and they’ll add somebody else to it as well you know
The the Vegas is not done adding this is what they this is how they operate um it’s it’s must be nice to have such a superstar as Mark stone that is brittle and enough to be hurt at the same time every single year right before the deadline but good enough that once the
Playoffs start he’s a warrior so honestly that’s a I mean that is a boon everybody needs a superstar like that so I don’t think that La can catch Vegas no I and I just think an argument from me there I’m with you um I think they’re
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About even though wants to fight yeah I know they’re know they’re fighting they are fighting they are fighting not making don’t make me I’m not making you do anything I’m in between no comments unbelievable unbelievable people’s kids dude let’s talk a little bit on um Wild Card shall
We AJ a little bit of wild card there in the west obviously so we just finished the end of the first segment talking about how neither one of us thinks that La is going to catch Vagas but don’t you have a little like the little bit of concern about
Vegas because if Vegas doesn’t make the big deadline move if they don’t go get a jake gensel or I don’t even know who else they would want at this point like but they always go after the big fish right but if they don’t make that and La
Stabilizes a little bit which it looks like they are stabilizing a little um and Vegas continues to roll out these not very impressive lineups with no stone and ecle I mean isn’t there a world where they slip down into the wild card and maybe the ABS don’t want to win the
Division hey I always say if you start looking down and you’re starting to pick and where you know let the chips wear the fall but but I agree with you in the back of your mind it is there um like Winnipeg’s going to have this incredible season and they’re they’re going to win
The Central Division surprise everybody and their reward could be a suddenly healthy Mark Stone in game one of round one won and they have to it’s it’s the same matchup of last year’s playoffs except it starts in Winnipeg but now Vegas is magically healthy plus the deadline ads like you’re right you
Never want to play and then you’re going to say well look the ABS played Seattle last year you know you never want to play the cup Champs because it’s their to defend you know they’re the Cup champs until you get dethrown right I mean that’s just how Sports work so
Seattle handled it well that’s what I mean like he you’re you’re full of [ __ ] with your point you know I mean no yeah I’m I’m not saying 100% of the time and I’m not saying that 100% of the time you’re going to lose it but you don’t
Have to like it and say oh God are you serious we have to first round we have to take on the Champs you know like so that I agree with your point about Winnipeg if that’s the case you know what I mean so I think it’ll it will be quite interesting to
See you know like I got them pulled up right here but you know if it doesn’t change you know let’s say la stays you know at where they’re at uh you got St Louis at 8 I don’t think St Louis scares anybody you know what I mean like I
Don’t know they don’t scare you because you don’t like them at all um but obviously if it would stay like that today I mean Nashville is right on the cusp right with with uh yeah and the reason why you feel like La is probably locked in there is just because yeah
Maybe they don’t catch a Vegas but who’s seriously going to do you really have faith that La is going to fall apart so badly that St Louis or Nashville overtakes them in this case it’d be both of them both of them would have to do it
Or even the you know you go down you any of Seattle Calgary or Minnesota is going to overtake both of those two two of of those teams are going to surpass La before the end of the year so I think La is there I’m with you and and I go back
To my good buddy Daryl Sutter like a couple years ago that was the funniest line ever when he’s like great you’re going to make the eighth seed and wow you’re going to play what seven days then you’ll be gone like play the as four games and it’s exactly seven days
Exactly what happened it was so funny cuz when he said it and then it exactly happened that way you know they swept Nashville and it’s like yeah you’re right you know so let’s say you made trades or didn’t make trades because of and that’s why having been in management like you
Know I don’t like I don’t like where Seattle Calgary mini they sit you know what I mean because it’s like when you do the math realistically you’re basically two to three points away from St Louis to make the final eight spot right I mean it’s you’re really not out
Of it but do you really have the team to do damage yeah in in the playoffs and that’s what you got to tell yourself but that’s a tricky line because then you got to tell your fan base yeah we’re actually not going for it like we don’t
Want to go in the play and then you always hear like get in the playoffs and anything can happen and you know I agree to a certain extent you know what I mean like think of the LA Kings their first cup you know it wasn’t an eighth place
Seed it wasn’t an eth seed yeah people like to point to that but that was the team that again if anybody was paying attention to underlying data at the time that was a very good hockey team that was a sleeping giant that woke woke up
In a big way and then we were right behind like remember we lost game 81 and then finished ninth or whatever it was but it’s like really like oh my God we were like if we won we could have won the cup no cuz we didn’t have the team
Built to win the cup at the Avalanche I’m talking about that year but the Kings did that’s one of those like you like they weren’t the Standley Cup champs but whoever this top seed was like I don’t remember that year but like well we got to play these guys yeah you
Know what I mean like oh I just don’t see looking because we’re talking wild card right now I don’t feel like that about Nashville I don’t feel like that about Seattle I don’t feel like like that about you know even St Louis that’s right now in a spot right having fired
Their coach as well you know and and then you got Seattle um that I think they’re just you know a bunch of hard workers I mean it just shows right they’re greasing it up they’re right there you know what I mean the difference with Seattle is that they’ve had trouble winning games this
Year and they are only in this race because of overtime losses yeah oh you’re right4 21 11 they have 11 overtime losses and the teams around them have two two and five and Minnesota was six so you’re talking about they the only reason that they are here is because
Otls and I think it’s a pretty big problem when a team’s number one issue is winning games yeah it’s hard to buy into them making another run but you never know I mean yeah I and I say you never know what this group of teams because they’re just not you you’re not worried
About any of these teams coming the postseason I want to ask you about your thoughts on the lose here because they have some guys that you could that that could be interesting additions for actual good teams yeah you know Pavo buan avic’s name has come up he’s really really good he’s really
Versatile yeah and he’s only got a year left on his deal um next season left on his deal yeah that’s a guy that could be a big ad if Vegas were to want to go and get him somebody else would want go and get him what’s what’s what’s he at again I
Think he’s at 5.8 for another year after this but I admit I haven’t looked recently um the blues is that we know that they are a team that always thinks they’re in it they’re always trying to compete last year they Rec they saw the writing on
The wall and they sold early moved on from guys got good returns opportunities for them to build to the Future yep um is that again where they should be just given how ooey gooey soft and not good this group of teams is or should they just say hey we’ll
We’ll try and make it and we’ll just hope that Jordan Bennington can outplay a class of really questionable goenda team that got hot the right time and then mhm and then goali Leed a lot of teams in the playoffs right because you have to give credit to Bennington
Like he played well that run I mean he was and he’s playing well this year he didn’t play well necessarily the last few years and it you know ultimately probably cost them the fact that they had to sell those guys last year because goal tending wasn’t good you know it was
Real bad last year and this year he was better and then you know obviously they moved on from from from Craig barui uh but it it is a team still like that’s the only one of that pack of teams that I would say because they do have the
Pedigree from a few years back you know they still have players there that have won and know how to win and and that Bennington get well they do like how many of those guys are still around it’s like Bennington yeah Peter andel’s gone which
Was a big loss yeah Ryan is gone it’s a big loss yeah can can brain Shen there’s no piran Thomas yeah you know what the more I’m talking the more I’m full of [ __ ] right now you’re right you know what I mean like it’s been a few years
And they’ve cleared out a lot of those guys I think the guys that made them win uh obviously I’m a big fan of Ryan you know so ryano right um Peter Angelo uh who David pan I am we talked about it last night as you know I’m a
Fan um you’re right you know what I mean those Frack Frack Frack tereno you know was Shen’s good you know but yeah well he’s on he’s on the decline and then and and and we talked about this can can Thomas and um kyou can they really be
The guys to carry that team you know I don’t know like it looks like since the Reign have been given to them they Haven really I mean it’s a 500 team you know what I mean so it’s cost a job to a to a coach MH um so and they’ve been better
But again in a normal playoff year would they really be in the race yeah you know what they’re I if I’m them if I have to do whatever I need to do I sell I they’re not they’re not going anywhere uh and I’m talking about to realistically make damage uh in the
Playoffs and and in Calgary I mean you talking about ja and high you know they win four games they lose three games they lose four games they win four you I mean it’s kind of and I think they’re in Cell mode as we know they’ve already
Started with when decided to trade Z and then yeah they’re going to get a lot worse L yeah lyol and I think that you know you and I know tanm is going to be gone by him tanv hannahan and markstrom could all be gone but tanv and hannahan
For sure 100% if I’m a team I make a I make a I make a go at markstrom I do I do I think he’s seeing the park right now he’s playing well again like any other athlete like you got to have your head on straight in
The sense that you feel good about your game and I think that’s where he’s at right now he feels good about his game where that’s not necessarily last year I think the playoff against the ABS like hurt him you know what I mean he fell apart against the Oilers fell apart
Against the Oilers last year uh sorry two years ago last year didn’t make the playoffs but um if I’m a team like Jersey it just seems like so such a perfect fit you know what I mean like if I’m a team like Jersey I go hard after
Him so if you’re Jersey let me ask you this cuz there’s two goalies here who could really shake up this order yep cuz Nashville is also in there and Nashville is the team that we haven’t really talked a lot about yeah um that you know UC Soros is right there if
You’re New Jersey do you want UC SOS or Jacob markstrom well I think you’re right it’s one of those two and I wanted to talk about Jersey right so it’s perfect that you’re talking about it cuz I know you like a scar of uh Milwaukee
On an 18 and0 run easy to like a goenda games in the AHL but they are like on an 18 and0 run give and take you know sorry my my stats are not up to on American League but Milwaukee is on a heater you know I mean to take Jack uses
Words like they can’t lose I mean it’s scary you know what I mean it’s it’s it’s amazing now as far as Nashville goes did I think they’d really be a I think they’d be way more down in the standings than they are that’s my original thought at the start of the
Season I thought they’d be a little lower um I think they’re they’re right there which I didn’t think they would be there you know what I mean like that makes sense you know I mean like they’re like what is it two points out or whatever they are Andrew brunette I
Think is a really good no Bruno Bruno man it’s awesome and again you bring in Ryan there it’s good leadership you know what I mean like it’s listen I just thought that it would take them a year or so to move on from last year you know which was a
Disappointing year um I do think it is really helping Nashville that they’re playing brunette’s a little more uptempo yeah um I think it’s hurt Soros and hurt his numbers littleit yeah but it’s allowed what their defense does best to do what it does best cuz they get out
And they move the puck with the OC and Barry there it’s a couple of guys that play the offensive side of the puck better than the defensive side of the puck at this stage in their careers and I think that really helps them it does not help Zoros
No but to answer your question like if I’m Jersey it’s whatever the deal that helps me stay competitive for running the playoffs you know what I mean like I’m talking about roster assets yeah you know what I mean because it’s a goalie like it’s a little different right so it’s it’s not like
You’re you’re trading a d for a d or you know what I mean so you’re a goalie is coming in but what are they going to ask in return I.E Calgary and then example Nash yeah um but I go after one of those two if I’m them no offense to their goalies
That are there we’re talking about New Jersey but La could also be in this conversation of and my next one was I’m La I I do the same thing after those two we talked about La all year and you know that we we we both like them and um I
Still think they’re really good they just need a goalie man they just need a goalie you know talat is a good goalie you know it’s just that it wasn’t going to be sustainable what they put up right cople getting hurt and him taking on the the load but it didn’t you know obvious
Sudden it got hit in the head right got they got punched in the face uh and then it cost ultimately Todd his job right so yeah talit and Ric is not a tandem that well we had that in Calgary so that was our tandem how did that go that’s what
That’s my point that’s why I’m sitting here but I’m just kidding it was your fault I’m kidding H it’s a far no good human beings they’re just I don’t think they’re the ones that going to take you over the top yeah and with markstrom and SOS both out there right now as maybe
The teams that have them are willing to move on I’m I’m sorry to be honest with you e even if markstrom and SOS don’t move at the deadline it makes no sense for them to not get moved in the summer and for Jersey and LA to be the teams at
The front of that line correct maybe Buffalo as well but really Jersey and La need to be at the front of the line for the go tender you know if you wait till the summer a guy like John Gibson could get into it too but honestly like the those two teams
With those two goenda MH it makes the most sense for them to to make the bigger move if you’re Nashville yeah I think that La if La is willing to move on from a guy like a Brandt Clark for a goenda would be willing to move on from
Cuz if not going to move on from uh Nemitz or Luke Hughes which they won’t because obviously you won’t um but also not Dawson Mercer is is Alexander Holtz a wing the real centerpiece of a trade return for you for me the answer I want a young Defender that’s where it
Always starts I want a young Defender and La between Jordan Spence and brt Clark they’ve got a couple of them that you might be able to pick through that that are pretty good pretty interesting and they’ve managed him well by let him go play a little bit more in the miners
And you know so now I think I think Brant Clark is better than Jordan Spence so I think they’re you know when when we say there are levels to this I think Brent Clark is better but is Alexander Holtz really the centerpiece of a deal there so maybe you
Know when we’re talking about the wild card and we’re talking about Out West LA is still a team that I’m saying yeah are they going to add in terms of looking for a goal tender they’re kind of that’s like the if you’re the ABS you know you’re looking at it and
Saying I don’t think I want that to happen I think I want them to go into the postseason with Cam talbat and David rder oh yeah of course um and I think you and I agree and Tiff Chicago San Jose the Beloved ducks and our buddy
Cronin um I’m going to put Arizona in there too I mean obviously yeah I don’t know that there are any game-changing players that come out of any of those teams no but what I’m trying to say is those there’s an X next to those guys they’re not making the playoffs they’re
Done and I think mini that always makes that run to be there at the end and do they really have the team to win I don’t think so I agree and I think it’s hard for Billy because he’s he’s a winner he’s he’s a grinder you know so just
Send us flurry that’s okay you know I mean like let’s just you know maybe we broke her to deal here and you know so make sure Tiff make sure you send that to Minnie um let’s let’s broke our deal here for flurry but but you’re right you
Know I think the line is drawn at at Calgary you know what I mean where but even then will’ll be hard to do because if they stick to their plans which means they’ll lose more veteran roster players right now coming up fun and with Minnesota I think that when you look at
It and say Well they’re right there they’re they’re they’re in it right they’re only four points back of St Louis okay my question is can if you’re Bill if you’re Bill Garen do you think that Minnesota can be five points better over the next 25 games can they be five points better
Than four other teams they need to be five points better than St Louis Nashville Seattle and Calgary I know I don’t know that is a ridiculous look it’s a tough look there it’s tight makes it for fun you know I mean like you know oh her look oh God I
Think you man like that is also a bad look that is not a good position to be in it’s not because those teams it’s hard with your fan base and you got to respect your fans put them as priority in your organization you know and then
It’s it’s almost tough to say like Hey we’re quitting on the season you know what I mean because it’s ultimately that’s what you’re doing yeah but it’s for the benefit of later you know but I mean who knows we don’t have a crystal ball right so it’s always hard for a fan
To to see this but I don’t know and and I guess my my fa my question for Bill Garren would be okay you’ve got that you’re having that conversation but also you get is is it worth it to keep guys around that may not stick around
May not help you next season is it worth it to keep those guys or or to even go and get a guy or two you know maybe like bring a Matt Dumba back for example like maybe a Jason Zucker you know the former former wild guys that that might be
Available yeah would it be worth it to go get those guys and finish in ninth place oh exactly no yeah I know what you’re saying CU it’s always the conversation is always well if you get in Anything Can Happen okay okay well of those teams that we just talked
About one of them will make it so the others all have to make smart decisions here and recognize what they are and what they aren’t and I think this is going to be an interesting deadline to parse who is being realistic about what about their reality right now
I think Nashville’s in the easiest position they’re just happy to be here all the others had some level of seriousness coming into the season Calgary is in the easiest position cuz they’ve got ufas that aren’t staying that are going to fetch something good on the market yeah markstrom is the hard
Hard decision to make but Nashville’s just happy to be there they can continue to sell freely Calgary’s going to sell because that’s just the position that their roster is also in yeah but God her look yes she keeps changing it but St Louis is in a tough spot there
Minnesota’s in a tough spot there I was listening to berky Brian Burke this morning on the radio I was crying laughing because some of his takes are just so they’re awesome you know what I mean like and he’s talking about there’s only one Stanley Cup I got news for you
There’s only one Stanley Cup only one’s being awarded in June you know what I mean good point bery he like but he’s right and he’s like but then there’ll be some stupidities here coming up the next two weeks and people just managers just lose their [ __ ] their mind and then they
Just make some stupid trades and going for it and you know he goes by seven to 10 days into kind of like darl suter’s point you know like seven to 10 days into the first round like they’ll be down to eight teams so eight teams out
Of 32 you know what I mean the dreamer the doing something stupid like you know would have been like oh boy what did we do you know what I mean half of the teams that live off of the drive of once you get in Anything Can Happen half of
Those teams are gone after a week and that was funny to hear him talk so anyway so if you’re trying to debate whether you you should go for it you should sell or you should um add to your assets you can go get snacks at Circle K you know that’s
Like a rudo transition here I tell you you know when we’re going to be eating some snacks is on our trade deadline show on the day of the deadline we’re going to be num num num and just wood chipper through some circle Cas snacks sitting over there on the couch and get
The computers open and get some snacks so we’ll be here oh yeah we’ll be on air oh yeah that’s right no but when we’re not on there you know what I mean like taking a break no breaks all right I like it tips like got the hack on so
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Third period of the dmvr Avalanche podcast let’s talk a little bit of are bet 365 top five yep today we are going to talk about the top five usable is that the best way to do it how about we use your terms is that what yeah I I just had top five trade
Assets for the Avalanche to to use at the deadline this year perfect why not let let’s you know trade deadlines coming up if you’re not familiar with it well it is coming up Mark March 8 300 p.m. eastern Time is the deadline 1 p.m. mountain 1 1 p.m. y 1 pm. Mountain be
Doing math live on air if you’re reading uh my um but if you’re uh uh a big hockey fan is always stupidi of the deadline there just is it’s just is it’s the word deadline that creates those things right because there is a deadline it moves things along there is the
What we just talked about teams that are thirsty starving for something which I don’t mind I’m a gambler I I don’t mind it I’ve liked what Tampa’s done last few back then there were crazy moves but it worked out so but there’s been some crazy moves that didn’t work
Out right there’s been some teams that added a lot of guys and and it just didn’t pan out and so let’s talk about some of the top five assets that the ABS could use to better themselves and to make sure that yep Mac and the company
Are not drinking too much Breck Brew you know what I mean they’re actually they’re not drinking it on the golf course and after 10 days yes yes so we want to make sure those are these are the assets and I did not include NHL players there’s no B bow and BM on this
List Pro predominantly because I didn’t believe that he was actually going to get moved in season no um especially well that’s yeah so starting off on this list we have Mel gev a swift skating young defenseman that was a recent first round pick of and is one of Colorado’s better
Prospects in the system MH it’s an easy sell as to why he would be considered uh one of their better assets to move um I have him at five because yes he would have value in a deal yeah but I think the main reason he’s not higher up
On this list is because he’s going to be in Russia for at least another two or three years yeah so um he’s probably not coming to North America anytime soon which means anybody trading for him right now would be really punting on the present for the
Future I think it’s always been the plan right for him to yeah stick over there and yeah when he was drafted he had already he had a multi-year contract over there already so it was all there was never any doubt about he’s going to be I think it was at least two seasons
And then he signed another one to add a thir year on they got good representation down there in Russia too like my good buddy alexe gusov uh former teammate there that works for the ABS now in in Russia so kind of always helps to have set of eyes
Down there and make sure you’re keeping track on build a bridge to those Russian guys and make you feel like you’re still you know like the organization cares y it could take a little while but as we’re about to see with Nikolai kovalenko it can pay off I mean goose is
One of my favorite teammates of all time we can do a pod on him one day it’s fine the whole pod he’s the best stories about that man are awesome all right let’s move on to number Quadro number number four on this list and the reason
Uh that I have him higher than gulv is just proximity to the NHL Shawn barens um he’s having a better junior year than he did sophomore season in my opinion the he should be getting an ELC at the end of the season he’s a junior right
Yes and I thought that after the end of last year but there were as Megan has detailed there were a number of factors that led to the decision for him to go back for another season but if he signs he immediately becomes the best defensive prospect for the Avalanche I’m
Not considering Sam molinsky a prospect anymore he’d be in the top seven he would be yeah um at the NHL level exactly that the ab I I think of him as a deao na full-time NHL player just as it is because the ABS clearly would like
To have him there they just kind of have a loaded blue line at the moment um they can’t really find a home for his game yet but sha baren uh would be I have him kind of on the same caliber of prospect as uh Drew helison when the ABS traded
Drew helison at the deadline for Josh Manson um that that he’s a good Prospect he’s not a great Prospect but baren has has really lived up to his profile in college hockey as a really smart player yeah a better Defender than you would think given his uh lack of size
But more of an offensive guy yeah um and questions he’s so small the the questions about him at the NHL level are can he even he’s not as poor a skater as will butcher was he’s a better skater than that but he’s not an elite skater
Like a he doesn’t have the kind of edge work in evasiveness in his game as like a Sam Gerard even though he’s the same size as a guy like Gerard so can how does baren balance those things to be effective in the NHL is a fair question to ask but he’s a good
Young Puck moving defenseman ready to break into pro hockey there’s a lot of value there and I I would have had him at the start of the this season I would have had him at the highest on this list of their of the movable prospects it’s funny because when you’re seeing guys
When you’re getting phone calls on guys that’s when you know you know what I mean like it’s it’s funny cuz teams are calling you on hey I’m going to call what about the sea Barons you know I mean like it’s funny and then there’s some guys that’s absolutely dead quiet
You know I mean so maybe because teams don’t do a good job you know what I mean scouting the other team’s dep charts you know or whatever Reserve list but um yeah that’s a good that’s a good pick by and again let’s not panic here people
It’s not that I’m saying those guys are going to get traded we’re saying these are assets that you know the ABS could use potentially to B themselves to go get the the silver trophy here down the stretch yeah and I think it’s become obvious leading up to this deadline that
There is not a perfect fit anymore for the Avalanche um something that’s going to cost a lot of a lot of the capital yeah is that really big move isn’t there so yeah you know um these are assets that I think will be you know I I would
Have a hard time seeing gou of getting moved of all the assets that will be on this list I think baren is the most likely to be moved all right let’s move on to number number three yeah we have Cal Richie um who’s had a great year in the
OHL uh I I saw there was a list recently released yesterday two days ago that had him listed as the sixth best Prospect not in the NHL um that’s a little Rich for my blood but he is having a really really good year and the kind of year
That either that that certainly elevates his stock as a trade asset but also gets you excited about what he might become in the NHL I know rudo and I were pretty down on the pick when it was made um and one of the big reasons was we don’t
Really know what this guy looks like without shoulder problems well we have a better idea yeah and he’s pretty good so um I I think that as happens every year when a prospect actually plays pretty well we’re seeing a little overrating of Cal Richie as a prospect and the caliber of player uh
That he is with people talking about him potentially making the team next year yeah for me that’s a tough stretch but I I won’t say no way because he could come into camp and just look really good you worked for the ABS when uh and and you
Were one of his most vocal proponents back in the day when Ryan O’Reilly made the team that’s right so um you know I don’t want to say it can’t happen would he be better served as Colorado’s fourth line Center next year or going back to the OHL for another
Year that’ll be the conversation that the avalanch have to have over the summer and in their uh training camp meetings and didn’t get to CM development camp or yeah like you said training camp because of the shoulder injury right we will get to see him at
Dev camp in July and we will get to see him hopefully at rookie Camp yep uh wherever it’s hosted next year I don’t even know where we’re going I’m trying to remember is it back to Anheim next year I I don’t know I don’t know where
It I don’t know that it’s been announced so I’m hope for my money it should just stay in Vegas every year it’s the easiest it’s the most convenient it is everybody likes it just keep it in Vegas stop messing around S I don’t know
Anyway um God I hope s say you guys are going the new the new rank um all right number two yeah number two I’ve got the 2025 first round pick is he a good player he’s he’s probably a decent 16-year-old right now that we are a long
Way off from seeing uh first round picks are always really valuable teams covet them like crazy the Avalanche have only traded one first round pick uh in the last I don’t even know how many years it’s been a long time and that was for
Darcy keer and that was a kind of a you backed yourself into a corner you played chicken with the gender market and it was you or Edmonton and ended up being the righto yeah funny enough those teams played each other in the Western Conference Final and Darcy keer did not
Participate much anyway he played the first like period of game one and number one yeah and number one it’s the 2024 first run pick closer to being ready to play exact same comments that you just made yeah and when you’re closer to yeah and teams it’s easier to sell because
You you know this better better than I do certainly that uh part of part of the trade deadline is winning the press conference you want to be able to sell your fans on hey we got a first round pick and it doesn’t always feel great
When you go out there and you say oh we got a first- round pick in 2025 yeah so this isn’t even a pick that you’re going to make this year but it’s a pick that you’re going to make next June and that guy could be four years away from the
NHL so now it’s 2029 before this guy even is helping us and I’m supposed to be excited about that so yeah it’s a it’s a tougher sell but this year’s first round pick is it’s for every single team it’s always valuable is it more valuable for for teams that are in
The middle of the pack like if St Louis wanted to maybe do something bold and trade a first- round pick for a guy y then a team that is very very uh likely to make the postseason like the Avalanche yeah of course but that’s why those teams don’t move first round picks
Very often and the ABS will be you know if you’re if you’re trading for the Avalanche first- round pick you should be planning for it to be 24 or later well that’s a great list for your bet 3655 five assets top five assets the ABS could use uh to better themselves and if
You want to better your house you can always uh look at Empire today so we’re brought to you by Empire today with Empire you get shop at home convenience the right product for your needs quick and Professional installation our philosophy is to help you find what you
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Use the promo code dnvr restrictions apply cmir today.com dnvr for details also we love illegal pizs there’s one right down the street here from us and there’s a new one and we Ridge Colorado you going to that well you know the 29th got to look at the
Schedule right let’s uh yeah Chicago is that the Chicago game oh yeah um well now you have a friend in the in the burrito business right you know what I mean so illegal pets uh Golds opens the doors February 29th for the grand opening swing by and join the
Festivities with live music endless margaritas and of course all your favorite burrito fixings located in Gold’s marketpl on the corner of 26 in Kipling overlooking Crown Hill Park in Wheat Ridge Colorado stop by to be a part of this historical Illegal Pete’s moment and I would do a little bit of
Queso as I love their queso and I know rudo talks about their queso all the time but I love their qu you and I jammed on their queso at the Christmas party quite a bit sitting next to each other yeah burying our faces in illegal
Pets K so um let’s talk a little bit before we uh you know wrap this up a little bit about tomorrow yeah um tronto map Poli Leafs on an absolute heater to use that word again those guys are on fire Morgan Riley gets suspended five
Games they go five and0 uh he’s back now but Morgan Riley being a big piece and then you got freaking any coincidence that a bad defensive player yeah leads to better team results for them yeah not only that they’re scoring like freaking six goals or four goals are plus the
Last six games and all Austin Matthews nobody else is allowed to score for them that guy is Jesus what a season so what a game it’s it’s a 5:00 start tomorrow 5:00 start here in Denver weird because it’s probably 7 you know 7 o’clock back East Canada so but 5:00 so there’s no
Morning skate at the rink in the morning we won’t know much of what’s going on and but uh expect the ABS to come out flying expect the Leafs to come out flying it should be a good one like it was the first time around right uh that
Was a good game yeah don’t spot them a three- goal lead pleas exactly yeah um I don’t know apparently Samson’s flaws are all gone now and he’s in the league goalie and um we’ll see um well that as we’ve seen with go tenders all you have
To do to fix them is just send them to the AHL yeah but don’t play him there just send them there and then talk with them let him let him know that when he passes through waivers that nobody in the league wants him hey they worked whatever the they
Were he got his game back on track somewhere so give him his props does that mean that that’s your guy now I don’t know again you’re talking about goalies if you’re one of those teams that should be looking for a galie or is the Toronto Maple and you know they’re
They are too um any super chats no perfect so easy day easy day looking forward to a great evening and watching a little College hockey tonight and then uh the Eagles are playing tonight I think Megan’s going to the game um I’m looking forward to playing video games tonight yes it’s been too
Long it’s been too long for you guys and well anyway drop us a like follow us on Twitter Instagram YouTube wherever you want to follow us uh we get to work every day with wonderful people uh a tiff as you see her right now this is what we get to
Look at and try to keep a straight face and not start laughing and that’s why a was laughing the whole show um look at that face with that hat it’s awesome so we get to work with great people every day rud Megan AJ not myself I’m just a
Tag along and those guys have been awesome Meg for Megan gets first star every game I mean Megan Tiff gets first star sorry Tiff gets first star every day for all the work she does behind the scenes and she is always there for us she is our leader and cleans up after us
In every aspect to make sure that AJ is under control and rudo I’m a wild man rud’s a wild man you’re not a wild man you’re my wingman rud’s a wild man all right well we thank you and let’s move on and let’s wrap this up and we’ll see
Everyone tomorrow I do believe it’s a 4:30 prame 4:30 pregame and I’m not sure if there’s a watch long tomorrow I didn’t I forgot there is okay watch tomorrow all right all shebang tomorrow with uh rudo should be back and um thank you and we’ll see you Tomorrow we all sitting like the Mayor
1 Comment
AJ is becoming one of the only people worth listening to on Avs matters. Always a sage. Cuts through the b.s. and spits truth.