OK, now for the rest of the team. Again, * indicates lots of hurt/AHL
time.
Defense:
Foote - B: He was pretty good after coming over, and still moves
pretty well for a 36 year old guy. He did a great job against Gaborik
in the 1st round, though was exposed in round 2. Was physical, and
works hard every night.
(Next season: I think the Avs are going to sign him, and I don't have
a big problem with that, as long as it's not for too much money or for
too many years. If the Avs pony up 2 years at $6-7M or so, that would
be OK. I think the biggest reason the Avs will resign him is because
they gave up a #1 to get him, and from a CYA standpoint... The Avs
have to get more puck movers on defense though, and have to seriously
think about this.)
Hannan - B: After a few struggles in the first third of the season,
Hannan was consistently solid defensively. Played about the same
solid defensive way game in and game out. He wasn't as physical as I
would have liked, and he played the vast majority of the season
alongside Liles or Clark, who are the Avs' two worst defensive players
along the blueline.
(Next season: Same thing as this year: regular roster spot.)
Leopold* - B: When healthy, he played fine. He is the best puck
mover amongst Avs defensemen, but once again - Q played the slow guys
(Finger, Sauer) minutes and games over Leopold, and it made no sense
whatsoever. I earnestly hope the Avs dump Q. This guy cannot stay
healthy though. :-(
(Next season: Regular roster spot. If he's consistenly hurt again,
dump him at the end of next season.)
Liles - D: He was lousy all over the ice for most of the year, then
had a great last month of the season. Six goals and 32 points is
hugely unacceptable, and this is a big reason why the power play
sucked so badly all year long.
(Next season: The Avs need to upgrade this position. Liles isn't
bad, but it may be time to move on.)
Clark* - C-: He played 25 games in such an awful fa****on that it was
hard to fathom, then he played the next 25 games in a fairly competent
way that was also hard for me to fathom. He then got hurt and was out
for the year. The man can stickhandle, but he overdoes it, and kills
the Avs transition game. He's soft defensively.
(Next season: At $3.5M per, I sure hope the Avs move him for someone
else. If Q is coach, Clark stays. Which would suck.)
Sauer* - B: Sauer played a pretty good, simple defensive game after
he came back from injury. Nothing more, nothing less. Solid play.
(Next season: I think he's either the 7th defenseman, or it's time
for him to go. He's simply too slow. If the Avs decide not to sign
Foote, I don't have a problem signing Sauer.)
Finger - B-: Not bad. Played physically, sound defensively, added 8
goals. But, he's slow also, and he had a few instances of positioning
brainlock that cost the team.
(Next season: Again, I don't mind him, but the Avs have to upgrade
the foot speed and puck movement along the blueline, and only one of
Foote/Sauer/Finger can stay as regulars.)
Salei - A: He was really good after coming over. A huge upgrade over
Skrastins, and I don't know what Florida was thinking. Moves well,
good defensively, physical, can move the puck, good point shot. Isn't
necessarily great at anything, but is good at most everything.)
(Next season: Regular defensive spot.)
***iskey - C: Showed almost insane speed, but precious little else.
Can outskate damn near everyone out of the defensive zone, has good
stickhandling skills, and once past the redline has no clue whatsoever
what to do with the puck or himself. And that's 'hockey sense', which
is kinda hard to teach, I would think. He played a lot of 10 minute
nights in the NHL last year (due to injuries), and almost certainly
would have been better off in Cleveland for the year.
(Next season: Keep him in Cleveland and give him 25+ minutes every
single night in every single situation - ES, PP, PK. Let him
develop.)
Boychuk* - D: Came up and did very little. Slow and big and not much
else. I'm all for being patient with young defensemen, as sometimes
they take awhile. But, I have a feeling this guy is career AHL
material.
(Next season: Same as ***iskey.)
Goaltenders:
Theodore - A-: Played quite an average game until the Holidays or so,
then was nothing short of fantastic until last week. Had a great 2nd
half of the season, and basically won the Avs a playoff spot and a
round.
(Next season: This is really a tough one. If the Avs can get him for
$3M or so on a moderately short term deal, I'd be up for it. Then
again, is he really that much better than Budaj? He probably is, but
two years of history is hard for me to forget. Just don't know what
to do here.)
Budaj - C+: Was just OK. Is not developing into a #1 goaltender, as
many in town had hoped. Is decent though, and still pretty young.
(Next season: Same as this season. He's decent, he's young, and he's
cheap.)
Coaches:
Quenneville - C-: I do not like this guy at all. He CONSTANTLY
tinkers with line changes, even after a single period of so-so play.
He also evidently has this 'old school' notion of tough-over-talent
crap that is just stupid. I'm sorry, but consistently playing Finger
over Leopold, or McCormick over Richardson, because two more body
checks are thrown in a game, is simply mind-numbingly stuipid. Then
again, Q did get a lot out of a team that was ridiculously injured
this year, and he does deserve credit for that. Finally, the power
play ineptitude is 100% inexcusable.
(Next season: Time for a line change.)
Other coaches - D: Hard to really tell, but...
(Next season: Wholesale changes are needed, I think.)
Chris
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