Avalanche Roundtable: Soderberg's usage, Agozzino's hot start, Rantanen's demotion

 

The Avalanche lost to Carolina but had a strong defensive effort. Do you take any solace in knowing they outplayed a bad team or do the results matter more to you at this point?

Cheryl: I was happy to see a strong defensive effort. We’ve no doubt that this team can score goals. Now we’ve seen (even if it was against a less talented squad) that the Avs can actually play a solid D game. I’ll take it.

Andi:  It’s still early enough in the season that I’m more interested in the process than the results.  This team has shown that they can score and that they can defend – now it’s just a matter of putting both together in the same game.  Carolina isn’t the most talented squad, but it’s still a confidence boost and step in the right direction.

With that said, points are still important.  The team can’t afford to dig itself another October hole like they did last year.  With the number of new players on the squad, there were always going to be growing pains, but they still need to find a way to escape this month around .500 if they even want a shot at the playoffs.

J.D.: I take solace in seeing the defensive effort and in the overall improved play by the team, earning them a point.  With nearly a third of the team being new, It’s going to take awhile for the Avalanche to gel. Seeing both the offense and defense playing a solid game this early is promising.  I relished the effort by Gormley and hope we get to see more of him. Sometimes you run into a hot goaltender, and Cam Ward played an excellent game.

Cole: It’s nice to see the Avalanche limit the shots against totals after allowing a staggering number of shot attempts since the beginning of the season.  That said, Carolina ranks in the league’s bottom ten in shots and goals per game as well as goals against per game.  In short, they are a bad team who most pundits pegged for a bottom five finish in the NHL this season.  Not only did the Avalanche fail to take care of that team with rest and on home ice, but they were shut out in 60+ minutes of play.  You won’t see other teams in the Central Division dropping many games like that.

Austin: I certainly take solace in a few positives in the process from the Avalanche against the Canes, but the Central Division will outpace the Avs in a hurry if they don’t get results, especially against weak opponents at home. The average pace after Thursday night’s games for the six teams the Avs are chasing is currently 119 points. That is ridiculous.

Patrick Roy mentioned in Thursday’s practice presser that he likes matching Carl Soderberg against the opposing team’s top line. Do you feel this is the best usage of the forward corps and if not who would you play in that role?

Cheryl: I get why he chooses to do that, but I’m not sure it’s setting him up for the most success. I think we need a little more time with him in that role, though, before making any definitive statements.

Andi:  In an ideal world, MacKinnon would be the Avs #1 center and able to handle those defensive minutes while still contributing offensively, but realistically, that’s too much to lay on a 20-year-old just returning to the position.  Duchene is okay defensively, but he’s also a major cog for this team’s offense and can’t afford to be overly bogged down in the D-zone.

That leaves Soderberg.  It’s going to drag down his individual scoring numbers, but it’s still a very important role for the success of the team.  If he can’t do it, management will likely have to look outside the organization for a trade to fill that role, but at the moment, Soderberg’s simply the best option available.

J.D.:  Cheryl and Andi make good points. Again, I can’t stress enough that Soderberg is new to the Avalanche. He managed to earn 48 and 44 points, respectively, in his last two years with the Bruins.  Right now, I think he is the best option for the position. The Avs are showing a willingness to move pieces around so it will be interesting to see how things progress over the season.

Austin: On paper, I’m not seeing too many elegant matchup solutions right now. Soderberg and his linemates have yet to really get going. The MacKinnon line has been inconsistent and prone to getting shut down against tough competition. Duchene’s line hasn’t been nearly as impactful as it needs to be for the Avalanche to be successful.

If Roy chooses to match Soderberg vs. the other team’s top line, MacKinnon and Duchene need to start eating greedy against weaker competition. I think that’s why Roy is playing his cards this way.

Andrew Agozzino is continuing to light up the AHL early on for San Antonio. At some point, do you feel the Avalanche might need to give him an extended look in the NHL or is he another T.J. Hensick type player who is built for success in the AHL but doesn’t have the game for the NHL?

Cheryl: Extended look, sooner rather than later. He has the skills. No, he doesn’t have Roy’s beloved size, but he’s not a pushover. I’m not sure what else Agozzino can do to prove he deserves a real shot at NHL ice time.

Andi:  Just like with Stefan Elliott, I think there are certain players who need to change organizations before getting the shots they deserve. Agozzino is one such case. He has skills that would potentially make him a valuable at the NHL level, but I don’t think he’s a good fit for the system or style of play that Roy wants to run.  With any luck, he kills it in the AHL this year and is traded either at the trade deadline or early in the summer before he becomes a  restricted free agent.

J.D.:  I think the call up of Everberg means it will be awhile before Agozzino sees time on the ice for the Avs.  He accumulated 64 points last year with Lake Erie but he didn’t play well enough in training camp to earn a starting roster spot.  I’m expecting he will get called up later in the season to see if his excellent two-way game and high shot count can translate to NHL level competition.  He’s on a one year extension so it appears as if the Avalanche are interested in seeing what he can do, I’m just not sure of the timing.

Cole: It’s easy to forget that Andrew Agozzino is just 24 and still has plenty of time to become whatever he’s going to become in professional hockey.  The 5’10 forward has extremely impressive numbers in the AHL, but I don’t see him playing a game for the size-obsessed Avalanche any time soon.  With Borna Rendulic, Mikko Rantanen, and Andreas Martinsen towering over Agozzino physically, and Joey Hishon bearing the better pedigree, his road to an Avalanche uniform is a tough one.

Austin: Look at what Tyler Johnson is doing for the Tampa Bay Lightning if you want to know how I feel about giving Andrew Agozzino a shot. I’m not saying I expect Agozzino to play at that level, but you never know. The Avs could certainly use another infusion of talent, even if it does come in a small package. Size isn’t everything. He’s a point-per-game player in the NHL for his career, after all (Ed. note: He has one assist in one NHL game).

The Avalanche just sent down Mikko Rantanen and recalled Dennis Everberg. Ultimately this could prove to be an extremely wise decision. Do you feel this was the best route for Rantanen and the Avalanche this season?

J.D.:  I am of two minds about the move. As I said before, I have really enjoyed watching Rantanen adapt his play over the last few games and believe he is a great addition to the team. I understand the value of allowing a young, talented player time to develop, but since he played in Finland against grown men, I’m not sure how much good an AHL stint will do him.

On the other hand, I think Everberg brings a lot to the team and I had hoped he would make the opening day roster. Hopefully, he plays well enough to keep his spot.

For the Avalanche, the switch indicates a big win for the organization. Just last year they were calling up anyone close to NHL caliber to fill in the injury void.  Now, they are deep enough to have quality options and the team will benefit from the healthy competition.

Cole: I think the Avalanche made a mistake with Mikko Rantanen and I’ll have more on that here at BSN soon, but all in all it’s hard to argue with Rantanen’s demotion. There’s no doubt that he’ll learn more from playing bigger minutes in bigger situations with talented linemates in the AHL than he will with very limited minutes with 3rd liners on the Avs.  But the timing of the move is odd, as Rantanen played his best NHL game thus far Wednesday night and brought a much needed spark to the otherwise dysfunctional Duchene and Iginla line.

As for Dennis Everberg, he’s belonged in the NHL all season and his demotion to the AHL seemingly had more to do with his waiver and injury status than his on ice play.  Everberg is a bona fide NHLer and will provide some quality two-way play in the Avs’ bottom six.

Andi:  It’s really hard to argue with this decision.  Yes, Rantanen is the shiny new toy that was just getting his feet under him, so I’m sure there are large segments of the Avs fanbase who aren’t thrilled with the move.  However, it’s pretty clear Roy doesn’t trust him defensively, so he’s just not going to get the minutes an 18-year-old adjusting to the North American rink deserves.  It’s best for his development to go to San Antonio, eat some salsa, get a tan, and grow his game by playing in every situation and absolutely terrorizing the AHL.  We’ll see him again in a year or two.

It also signals a big change for the organization.  For the first time in a very long time, the Avs didn’t feel the need to rush a top six forward into the NHL.  Rantanen got a taste of what’s expected of him, but since he’s played fewer than 10 games, his contract can slide for a year and delay his UFA eligibility.  The Rampage are pretty good this year, so he gets to develop in a competitive environment, the Avs have depth options they’ve practically never had before, and he’ll only bring more success to the other Avs prospects around him.  It’s a win-win for everyone…. well, except Duchene, but he’s probably used to the revolving door on his left by now.  Poor Duchene.

As far as Everberg is concerned, he’s a defensively responsible bottom six player that belongs in the NHL.  It’s good to have him back.

Austin: Everberg is back in the NHL where he belongs, and ultimately I think this was the right move for Rantanen’s future. Playing 8 minutes a night, on the left wing where he is far less comfortable, with no special teams time is a recipe for stalled development.

I don’t think Rantanen looks out of place at the NHL level, but that’s not enough justification in my mind to keep him there. Big minutes in all situations at the AHL level gives him the best chance of developing into a stud for the Avalanche down the line. Use your development league to develop your kids.

AJ: I believed all along that a year of AHL development would be best for Rantanen and I’m glad the Avalanche have resisted the temptation to keep him around all year. I think it’s a smart hockey and business decision and another encouraging sign that the Avalanche front office is quickly evolving into a savvy group.

On the ice, Rantanen showed off plenty of his skills and he looks like he’s certainly going to be able to handle the rigors of the NHL game in time but far too often he appeared lost, especially defensively, and unsure of himself. Given that he only played six NHL games, that’s to be expected but also a reminder that he’s still a kid learning to play in the most difficult hockey league in the world. His usage could be questioned given that Roy moved him to left from the right and his ice time was consistently reduced later in games but the early results from the Avalanche indicate they need to start winning games immediately.

Dennis Everberg is a stronger option in the NHL right now and Rantanen is now free to develop in a lower pressure environment. I’m happy for the decision and look forward to seeing him play big minutes for the Rampage.