Updates on Loui Eriksson and Dennis Wideman, plus the latest on the Senators, Canadiens, Avalanche & more in your NHL rumor mill.
Highlights from Friedman’s latest “30 Thoughts.”
SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman notes the speculation suggesting the Ottawa Senators pursue Claude Julien as their new head coach if the Boston Bruins fire him in the offseason. However, Julien would be a $3 million hire and Friedman wonders if the Senators are prepared to go that route.
Are the Vancouver Canucks interested in Boston Bruins winger Loui Eriksson.
Friedman also believes Montreal Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin wants to make moves but doesn’t want to do one that addresses one problem while creating another. If he were to trade defenseman P.K. Subban, who would replace him? Ditto left wing Max Pacioretty.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Unless Bergevin is going into a complete teardown and rebuild mode, he’s not moving Subban or Pacioretty.
He notes Vancouver Canucks GM Jim Benning admitted possible interest in Boston Bruins right wing Loui Eriksson, but the Bruins might have a problem with it.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Here’s what Benning said, courtesy of The Province: “We’re going to look … I’m not going to comment on other teams players right now but if there’s a player who is around 30 and has a connection with our group and we think is going to be a good fit playing with our players and is going to be part of helping our young players develop then we will look at everything.” Draw your own conclusions about Benning’s intent.
Forward Vladimir Sobotka suffered an injury in the KHL playoffs, which also quashed a rumor he might return to the St. Louis Blues in time for the playoffs.
Noting Edmonton Oilers GM Peter Chiarelli acquired and trade Calgary Flames defenseman Dennis Wideman during his tenure as Boston Bruins GM, Friedman wonders if a Wideman-to-Edmonton trade makes sense to anyone.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: No, it doesn’t make sense. Wideman, 33, only has a year remaining on his contract at a cap hit of $5.25 million, but in my opinion he’s not the top-two defenseman the Oilers want or need. That’s assuming, of course, he’d agree to waive his no-movement clause to go to Edmonton.
NHL coaching carousel to begin.
TSN: Gary Lawless lists Boston’s Claude Julien, St. Louis’ Ken Hitchcock, Calgary’s Bob Hartley, the New York Islanders’ Jack Capuano, Anaheim’s Bruce Boudreau and Minnesota’s John Torchetti as coaches on the hot seat this spring. Among the names to watch who could fill some coaching vacancies include former NHL coaches Marc Crawford, Randy Carlyle, Guy Boucher, Todd Richards and Mike Yeo.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: I think Julien’s a goner, but if the Bruins are determined to replace him, I hope they don’t leave him twisting in the wind again for two months like they did last spring. I think Hartley’s job is safe. If the Blues fail to stage a lengthy playoff run, Hitchcock won’t be back. Isles GM Garth Snow’s been very patient with Capuano, but it could be time for a change there. An early playoff exit probably means Boudreau gets canned. Not sure about Torchetti’s status. The Wild rallied for a few weeks following his hiring but stumbled in the final two weeks of the season.
Latest on the Avalanche and Red Wings.
NBC SPORTS: Colorado Avalanche GM Joe Sakic said he intends to listen to trade offers this summer. “We have to explore different options to see how we can become a better team,” said Sakic. No one is untouchable, including captain Gabriel Landeskog and goaltender Semyon Varlamov. Sakic also expressed interest in re-signing trade-deadline acquisitions Mikkel Boedker and Shawn Matthias, who are eligible for UFA status this summer.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avs need to bolster their blueline, but I think they’d be better served by a coaching change. Of course, that’s not gonna happen this summer. If the Avs struggle again next season under head coach Patrick Roy, will that finally convince Sakic that a change behind the bench is necessary? Or does he keep making the players the scapegoats for Roy’s mistakes? What say you, Avalanche fans?
DETROIT FREE PRESS: Helene St. James joins the chorus suggesting the Red Wings find a way to trade Pavel Datsyuk’s $7.5 million cap hit for next season (provided Datsyuk intends to play in Russia next season) and use the savings to pursue Tampa Bay Lightning center Steven Stamkos via free agency.
Sakic needs to get defense. That’s not on Roy.
Trade Roy – keep Duchene.
Comment’s been slow & methodical. Losing Stuart to LTIR hurt & he added Beauchemin last summer. I assume he adds at least 1 more top 4 UFA Dman this summer.
Also what happened to Johnson? He was a train wreck this season.
IMHO Striker I think train wreck is a bit strong. He struggled at times, but the competition he faced was the top-lines, night-in, night-out. He is absolutely essential because, as many teams can see, good defensemen are hard to find.
FWIW losing Stuart was addition by subtraction.
The inability to find good defensemen in FA really brings a different light to the ROR trade. Even if Zadorov COULD be the guy they think he can be, you have to pull the trigger on that trade.
As an Avs fan, I say get rid of them both. Our big deadline acquisition, on a HORRIBLE defensive team, was a guy who ended the season among the worst for +/-. Brutal.
…..and now Sakic wants to re-signed him??
Sakic’s and Roy’s prowess as players has not followed them into the roles of GM and coach. Frankly, I was surprised that Roy was not canned as soon as the season ended.
This happens more commonly than people realize… just because a coach/GM/president was at one point an all-star player, it doesn’t automatically translate into results behind the bench or on the administration side of running a team. Heck, look at Wayne Gretzky’s coaching record, or Edmonton’s penchant for hiring former players to run their team. There are many other examples.
If he didn’t also hold the Title of VP of Hockey Operations I assume he would have been fired.
I have never liked Roy. I didn’t & don’t like his premadona style. He was 1 of the greatest goalies ever to play the game though. I wouldn’t have hired him as coach.
Sakic has been in place for 3 years. He’s had 3 drafts. He drafted McKinnon in his 1st draft, 1st overall & Bigas in the 2nd. In his 2nd he choose Conner Bleackley with their 1st who was 1 of the players he expended to get Boedker, their 2nd was traded that season & he drafted Mikko Rantanen in his 3rd draft with his 1st round pick as well as A.J. Greer & Nicolas Meloche at 39 & 40.
The team hasn’t changed much from what he inherited & if I had to judge his choices to date I would say he’s building for the future. He let Stastny walk for nothing as that season Varlamov stood on his head & made Colordao a good team briefly. He traded O’Reilly for futures. Zadorov, Grigorenko, Compher & Buffalo’s 2nd; 31st over all in 2015. Later moved that pick to SJ for the 39th pick & the return on Colorado’s 2nd & 6th in 2016. Acquired the rights to Soderberg for a 6th just before the UFA market opened last season & signed him. Signed Beauchemin as a UFA.
I don’t think we can judge Sakic yet. He has taken a methodical approach & Colorado appears to function under a tight internal cap some what handcuffing Sakic’s options. This is a rebuild but again not a complete tear down like was performed in Arz, Buf or Edm.
Never been a Roy fan either
The Sens won’t have any problem forking over whatever it takes to get Julien – Melnyk knows the patience in Ottawa has worn thin with the failures of 7 straight non-entities from the minors behind the bench and a repeat of that will lead to many more empty seats. This isn’t Toronto or Montreal where they fill the rink regardless of the product on the ice. In that regard the fan-base is more like those in Missouri – “show me!”
Here is Ottawa’s attendance for the last 5 years. Draw your own conclusions.
15-16. 18,084
14-15. 18,246.
13-14. 18,108.
12-13. 19,408.
11-12. 19,356.
Did you take into account the fact that they reduced the number of seats in the building? Probably not, which means those numbers don’t mean anything. The building is regularly at or near capacity except when the weather is horrible. Remember that the rink is in an open field off of a highway that most ticket holders have to drive 30-45 mins to get to. That means on nights when we get heavy snowfalls or winter storm warnings, you can expect around 2500 less people in the building. It’s part of being the coldest, snowiest capital in the world and nothing to do with fans running out of patience.
I agree completely. If you frequent the site & message board you will have read my views on how Ottawa has been shafted by all levels of government at every turn including having to spend 10’s of millions of dollars to get their on & off ramps off that highway.
I support Melnyk. He bought this team when the Canadian dollar was last in peril & revenue sharing was virtually none existent. If he hadn’t stepped up Ottawa wouldn’t have a team today.
He runs the Senators as an independent business. His other business interests aren’t interrelated to his sports franchise like a # of other teams & that sets an internal cap. It amazes me people feel he should be prepaired to lose money to run his business.
Ottawa is essentially top 10 in NHL attendance but playing out in 5he middle of no where & still drawing 18 thosand plus a night is pretty impressive.
His other businesses are not interrelated to sporsts or the arena? Capital tickets Sens stores the atena a land holdings and venture management deals resteraunts…not that he is any different than any other team owner but yes his business are interrelated.
Any chance Shticky you could write that so it’s legible & understandable?
The ownership group in Philadelphia owns Comcast, The ownership group in NYR owns MSG sports & entertainment, Toronto is owned by Bell & Rodgers, I could go on & on.
Shitcky have you been to the Canadian Tire Center formerly Scotia Place home of the Senators?
You pass an auto-mall as you come off 417 onto 88. There is an outlet mall on the other side of the Hwy then’s it’s essentially surrounded by farmland. Continue up the 417 to Terry Fox Way, you pass the big box stores on route, Canadian Tire, Home Depot, etc & you get a Swiss Chalet, Crazy Horse Stonegrill Steakhouse & saloon & a few other minor options. I wouldn’t call this an entertainment district developed by by Melnyk.
The vast Majority of fans are travelling 30 mins to get to the game minimum not counting traffic congestion & then need to drive back seriously limiting the concession sales.
Simply put, the same as you didnt know that the arena had reduced its seating before spouting off about lower attendance you seem to not understand that there are lots of businesses that are under the Sens umbrella that are directly related to the sports franchise. To say Melnyk operates it independant of his other business is wrong.
clear enough? He is the same as virtually every owner but go on with your intelligent and insight full thoughts.
I never made any comments about the Senators attendance. George did. I just showed the attendance for the last 5 seasons. Never commented on it in the slightest.
What businesses exactly does Melnyk own that help his bottom line with the Senators? I wasn’t trying to be rude I literally couldn’t understand your post as it didn’t flow or make sense. I wanted to but couldn’t. “Capital tickets Sens stores the atena a land holdings and venture management deals resteraunts.”
You miss my point. There are a significant # of teams who own communications company’s who’s profits from their sports franchises are significant & in most cases far out weight the profits of their sports teams. Others own all the land surrounding their businesses & lease out the space to restaurants, associated businesses as well as owning the adjoining hotels, etc.
Melnyk doesn’t have that luxury. He own’s Bert’s in both Ottawa & Barbados & several other businesses not even remotely associated to hockey, a fragrance cosmetics company, a charitable trust, a Barbados real estate company, etc.
James Dolan owns / operates cablevision, MSG,MSG network, the NYR’s and the Knicks. But all are run as separate entities. Which in NY/US is a must. Hockey related or not, By US tax laws one literally has nothing to do with the other. If the Knicks bleed in the red, you cannot allocate monies from the Rangers to cover the loss or write off the loss. Maybe the tax laws are different in Canada?
NYR not that different other than the rates, there are separate entities in Melnyks businesses but to say that the Sens are run completely seperate of his other businesses is not true, Capital tickets generates alot of revenue rather than paying an entity like ticket master for the club, Striker is getting confused on the size of the businesses as opposed to how they are run. The Senators generate revenue from more than just ticket sales and broadcast rights the dame as virtually every other team in the NHL….its not an independent business and there are other businesses diirectly related to the hockey club.
Good to see the professor figured out how to use wikki on the second go around tho…
Bit late to the party – but I read on the Sens’ website that starting 16/17 season, tix will be via the beloved Ticketmaster, not Capital Tickets, bringing it in line with 5 other Canadian team. Capital Tickets was cited (in an article that I recently read, but can’t recall where) as a source of revenue for the team. The fact that Melnyk also owns the arena, parking lots helps increase game night revenues too.
I’m not sure Melnyk would spend the money necessary to sign Julien if Boston were to let him go. Of interesting note. MacKenzie said yesterday that Julien’s 1st real coaching job at Tier 2 he was hired by Pierre Dorion.
Maybe but a more realistic and affordable target maybe Marc Crawford.
Babcocks deal in Toronto has forever altered the NHL coaches salaries. No longer are coaches being paid near the bottom end of a teams roster in salary & it will forever alter the revolving door we have seen in the past. Teams won’t be so quick to fire a coach their paying 3 plus million to on a 3 to 5 year deal.
I was thinking the same way Striker. Sens will most likely sign a cheaper coaching option like Crawford or Yeo as they will still be paying both Cameron and MaClean next season.
I am sure. So now we have two points of view.
Never thought of Marc Crawford. I think the nice aspect is that he has local ties (Cornwall in juniors) and past success.
I was personally thinking about Mike Yeo being a potential fit for the job myself this morning. Would come cheap enough to meet their requirements, has some past success and experience as an assistant in Pittsburgh and a head coach in Minny. He had some issues too in Minny which I think are a combination of his style vs the players he was given and I put blame at both Yeo and Fletcher on that (Just don’t like how that team was built and with whom).
Yeo for me had the same issues in Minny that Cameron showed here. Played the same players in the same roles over & over & over again even though it wasn’t working. I’ll pass. I like Crawford but boy would Boucher be an interesting choice.
I admit I don’t watch a ton of Bruins games, but am I missing something? A lot of people here expected Boston to be a bottom 5-10 team this year. I’m sure missing the playoffs by one game was a heartbreak, but Julien got the maximum out of a pretty gutted roster. Firing him would be a huge mistake IMO. And I also believe he’ll get more than 3mil if he is let go.
Couldn’t agree more Durt. This playoff miss isn’t on Julien, it should be on Sweeney more, add Lucic and Hamilton to this group and they are easily a playoff team.
And yes Julien will command big bucks if he is let go. Coaches salaries are soaring right now and he is one of the best.
i would say it’s more on Cam than Don. Check the recent poll in Hockeys Future. Most say it was/is Cam’s fault.
Don, Neeley or Sweeney? either way its not Juliens fault that the on-ice product wasn’t sufficient enough and seems to be dwindling each off-season.
I’m sitting here wearing my Bruin’s tee shirt as we speak. The few Bruin’s fan’s that regularly post here Chad, Caper & myself essentially agree with you from my understanding of their posts but I’m sure they’ll way in. Dave is far more harsh in his wanting change.
I had Boston to be in the battle for a playoff spot but with so much youth playing on the roster I expected them to come up short when all was said & done. That said at the trade deadline I thought Boston was a lock to make the playoffs. I’m disappointed that they wheels fell off.
I’m happy if Julien stays but if he’s let go so be it. Continue the rebuild. He doesn’t deserve to be let go as Boston made the playoffs. Injuries were a factor, not an excuse bigbear, it’s the same for everyone. Finding out Krejci has been battling a hip injury which requires surgery at the most in opportune time may have been the final straw.
I say stay the course.
Should read that Boston didn’t make the playoffs.
I’m not sure if I’m the Dave your talking about I think there are two daves that post here. I’m on the fence with Julian I don’t think their is much better out there. The problem most fans have with him is not seeing Marchand on the power play or when he was passed over in the shootout against Carolina.
Also the way he treats young guys like Spooner,Pastrnak and C. Miller. Pastrnak isn’t out there when we need a goal or when we’re on a 3v3 in overtime. How can you not play your most talented,fastest player on a 3v3. Also what other coach has a goal scorer like Marchand on the bench during important power plays. Bergeron and Marchand are dynamic together on 5v5 and short handed but they aren’t on the power play together makes no sense.
Durtmchurtt, As a Bruin fan and as Striker mentioned, its not that we dislike CJ it’s time for a change. Personally I’ll be forever grateful that he helped bring a cup to Boston, can never take that away. There is always debates if Claude is a good coach for the young guys, there is numerous example of when a young dman like C.Miller or Morrow would make a mistake and then sit for the game and for long stretches, personally I didn’t like how he handle Morrow, who couldn’t be sent to the minors (he wouldn’t of cleared waivers) so instead he got to watch a lot of games from the press box, I don’t see how that helped his development. Meanwhile K.Miller could make a mistake a period or cost the team a goal and would never sit a shift, period or game. You could throw Chara, Seidenburg and Mcquiad into that sentence as well. Boston only had 3 wins in their last 12 games, someone has to take the blame for the team not being ready to play. Boston is in a youth movement and Claude is better suited for an established team and I do think he end up in Ottawa and they’ll have a good coach.
The lack of accountability Claude shows for his veterans is astonishing… as you made reference to Caper. An experienced player such as K. Miller could have handed over the puck and cost the team a goal but missed a shift (if that) whereas someone like Trotman or Morrow could have turned over the puck neutral zone and missed the remainder of the period. He doesn’t like holding his veterans accountable, maybe they’ve earned that respect by being in the league a long time but I think it hurts the youth and their development when you respond to mistakes like that.
As assumed I agree with Caper & Chad. We may have slightly different views about assets but are all essentially on the same page about what transpired with the personal we had & how they were utilized.
I understand sending C. Miller down was a business decission as he didn’t have to clear wavers but he deserved to play as did Trotman & Morrow. I would have preferred they all play some rotation over K. Miller & I didn’t like Liles being brought in to play ahead of any of them.
Again it’s not Julien’s fault. If he stays great if he moves a change to a coach who might be willing to let the young d play more to learn would be good to. Even if it means going backwards slightly.
We’re all definitely on a similar page and I think the diehard Bruins fans who understand the upside to tough decisions, even if it means going backwards… is ultimately the right decision. I didn’t personally like the trade deadline, thought that was an area that Sweeney had an opportunity to make an impact and didn’t. In the end he blew the chance to move Eriksson, either underestimated his value, didn’t pull the trigger soon enough, started negotiations on a contract to late into the season or close enough to the deadline where it conflicted in moving the player… or they had gotten a good trade package and decided not to pull the trigger, not sure if Neely was trying to cover up by saying no-one offered a 1st or even two 2nd round picks for Eriksson… either way, he blew that and then proceeded to use valuable assets to acquire Stempniak and JML. From a Devils perspective they practically were given 2nd & 4th round pick for doing nothing other than signing a player at 850k and flipping him, an absolute steal for the Devils. Then gave up a 3rd and 5th, prospect for JML… who at 35, wasn’t having a great season to begin with and finished with 6-15 and -10…
Durtmchurtt,
I’m not entirely sure where “here” is in terms of your location but a lot of people I spoke with regarding the state of the Bruins in the beginning of the season felt this team was a cusp playoff contender 8th-7th seating. Also, a lot of the hockey talk on the radio around S. New Hampshire pegged them to be about that as well. As the year progressed and eventually leading being 1st in the division… it supported the notion that this group of guy were capable of making the playoffs. This team in my opinion isn’t as “gutted” as everyone thinks, it still has a considerable amount of talent and talented players who are on ice leaders, leaders by example. This roster based solely on talent and on paper should have made the playoffs, maybe not a 1st place in the division type finish but it had the players to make it to the playoffs. Also, when you look at how weak of a conference the East is… it really supports the Bruins ability to have made the playoffs.
So here’s the thing and where I think the team honestly stands… they’re stuck in-between committing to a rebuild and staying competitive enough to make the playoffs. Now, that may be the Jacobs’ memorandum to Neely and Sweeney, “make the team great again, but I want to remain a playoff contender”… could be based on revenue, and likely is as well. I seriously think Neely and Sweeney are in a difficult position. How will the fans react if they lean towards a full rebuild and tear this team down some more? I’m a more realistic fan in terms of I love hockey and understand it’s also a business… others not so much. A couple of bad seasons to allow ownership to tear down, rebuild, introduce and integrate the youth movement more… isn’t the worst thing for this team. I’d rather sacrifice a couple of seasons if it means a stronger long term contender down the road.
As far as Coach Julien is concerned, I think the general consensus among fans and Bruins followers who want the coach fired is that the guy is an unbelievable coach, best available, but that the team itself needs a new direction, new culture change, and with the idea that this next season may even be worse than this one, may include more youth, growing pains… Claude Julien is not your guy for that job. He’s the guy who comes into a team with talent and veterans with the plan to compete for a cup… this team needs a coach who is more patient and focused on the long term development of the younger players, who doesn’t sit players for an entire period because of a turnover… but then again that would lead me to believe the upper management plan is to rebuild but remain playoff competitive, so then Julien is required to basically play his best players each night and try and win as many games as possible. Which a lot of us saw because he turned lines over and scrambled more than I’ve ever seen any coach do.
He’s going to be fired, but it’s not because of performance as much as it’s because the team needs change, and a new direction… easier to accomplish that by first bringing in a new coach than moving half the team.
I was thinking the same thing – this team was supposed to be in transition and they almost made playoffs. I know expectations are always high in Boston, but Broones were better than expected this season.
Leaf fans happy today? I would think this is two good signing at fair value?
Based on the assumption that there improvement continues (which is what Lou has to go by)-they are good deals for the leafs. However if Reilly and Kadri are the sane players in 3 years as they are now-we will be saying the leafs are carrying bad contracts.
Not sure that a d that plays 23 mins a night and puts up close to 40 points is ever going to be considered a bad cont4act at 5 mil, not now and definitely not in 5 years…Kadri perhaps if you are just basing it on his goals this year but I doubt that proves to be the norm. Granted that contract could be the riskier of the 2, I just doubt it turns in to a bad contract at under 5 mill.
Shticky-both of these contracts could turn good or bad. Example Flyers have issued 3 contracts based on potential the last few years. JVR and Simmons turned out to be great team friendly contracts. Matt Read no so good. There is always risk on long term contracts for young players. The same could apply to these 2. To the contrary to what Leaf posters say I this forum. Many TV and radio analysts aren’t in love with Reilly’s paly the last two years. He needs to improve to justify this contract.
This one is, and I agree,good signings at fair value.
I am Ok with 6 years for Reilly – but Kadri? I did not realize the love for him was so deep. I happen to like Kadri, but I would not have been surprised if he were moved in the off season. Instead of being moved, he’s extended long term.
I like both signings. Kadri is on par with what mid level #2 C’s are signing for. See Anisimov & Sutter in Van or Soderberg in Col.
The only thing I don’t like is Rielly potentially becoming a UFA shortly after his 28th birthday. Just turned 22 on March 9th. I bridge my stud’s so as to gain more UFA time down the road.
Good value for both players for the next 6 years.
I like the rielly sighning but don’t like the length of the kadri signing at all!
I usually agree with you Striker, but Kadri is no Anisimov. Sutter is overpaid a third line center on a really good team.
I don’t necessarily disagree with you 4th Hanson Brother.
It’s very hard to try & express all your thoughts in print. My posts are long enough. It would be great to be sitting discussing these over beers as opposed to on the net in text but not comparing their strength’s & weaknesses specifically but their roles & salary’s. All are mid tier 2nd line C’s who’s roles aren’t solely to provide offense. Kadri is 3 years younger than Anisimov & has 160 less games of NHL experience, he is 4 inches shorter & even though he doesn’t get to play with Kane & Anisimov still out scored him by 3 points playing fore the worst team in the NHL.
I think Sutter is overpaid as well but my point is that seems to be the market now.
People complain about Kesler’s new deal which kicks in next season but he may be the best 2nd line C in the NHL. He is certainly 1 of the best faceoff men; 8th overall in draws taken & his 58.5% winning % is significantly better than almost every player in front of him & .1 below Toews who has taken nominally less draws. Now before Shticky rips me a new assh— faceoffs work in decimal points. The next closest above him is Giroux at 57.5. He is 1 of the league’s bets penalty killers. Yet still posts decent points considering he has to do all the heavy lifting.
I should express I hate Kesler but like Roy I appreciate & admire his skill set. He’s not solely paid for his offensive contributions but at 6.8 per for 5 more years I cringe but there seems to be a market forming for these types of players that didn’t exist previously. I assume it’s due to analytics.
Finally a management group that seems to realize value…both are good deals. I was kinda worried they might over doit on Rielly based the contract on potential more than comparables but I think they really did a good job with these 2 and have set a very nice standard or pecking order for future rfas deals on the team and whats in the system.
you sound like when burkie was gm shticky!! lmao
Good monetary contract from lou considering most teams get burnt or are forced a trade
this shows lou will not mess up the cap with overrated contracts & also that the p[layers probably will take pay cuts to stay with team. Additionally, it shows shanny lou & babcock are straight shooters: typically when mgmt says we value a guy (kadri) they trade him. I thought they’d dangle him at draft day
I have a feeling kadri is the type of player that will vanish for 5 yrs until his contract yr! just doesn’t seem like a team player on the bright side babs has 6yrs to improve his horrible defensive play!
Babcock won’t have any passenger’s. He’s molding Kadri into the player his skill set says he should be. People can complain about Cooper & others being a task masters, most NHL coaches are harasses. I can assure you it’s Babcock’s way or the press box regardless of who you are or how much money your making.
Just want to throw this out there before the playoff start. Stanley Cup finals. Pitts over LA, 6 games. Cheers!
As a long time Avs fan, I’m really frustrated with Roy. The defense is bad, but I don’t think you can completely blame the defensemen either. To his credit, Roy recognizes defense is a team game and he tried to work on it but did a terrible job at it. How many times can you use the same mindset of getting a 1 or 2 goal lead and then completely sit back and let the other team generate momentum to take over the game? It happened SOOOOOO many times this year. I honestly felt more comfortable going into the 3rd period when they were loosing than when they were ahead. That’s when they put actual effort into it. It was like the players were scared to push offensively once they got the lead and just about every game they did this the other team came roaring back. It’s like they went from one extreme to the other: “nothing but offense” to “nothing but defense” and neither one worked. I believe that falls on the coach. But, Roy will not go away as long as he has his other titles.