Welcome to the Avs mailbag, where we answer whatever Avs questions you have on your mind. If you have any questions for the mailbag, leave them for Evan Rawal on Twitter, Discord, or respond in the comments.

https://twitter.com/FlyByCygnus2112/status/1353386122680782851?s=20

For starters, the salary cap implications played a role in the Avs running 7 defensemen in one of the games, as they just didn’t have the space to make any moves and were basically forced into playing Erik Johnson earlier than they ever wanted too.

But to get to the real question…Bednar did not seem as happy with Kaut’s camp this year as he was last year. Now, none of us media folk actually got to see camp, and there were no preseason games for him to play in, but last season, he looked great and then did well in his callup. Bednar said “he had more to give” when asked how his camp was this year but didn’t really sound too mad about his play in the Anaheim game. He was sent down because Burakovsky was healthy again, so no need for him on the roster to take up cap space.

It’s an important season for Kaut, but also a weird one, with how the AHL is going to work out. I imagine he’s headed to the AHL when it all starts up to get him in games. I have a feeling, given how Bednar mentioned Shane Bowers by name a few times in camp, that Bowers might not be far behind in terms of getting a look, putting more pressure on Kaut.

Biggest disappointment so far, and why is it Kadri?

— Dan Winkler (@Jhondeaux) January 24, 2021

There have been plenty of early-season disappointments on this team (the amount of players meeting/exceeding expectations is pretty small), but Kadri is probably the biggest just due to his role on the team. It’s amplified even more when the two centers behind him, Compher and Bellemare, have created zero offense as well. No even-strength points thus far for Kadri, and that line looks like they have zero chemistry at all.

Perhaps more concerning, above all else, is that he is getting torched defensively. I’m fairly certain his luck will have to turn around at some point, as it seems like every good chance is going in, but he does not look good at the moment. He did cross the 30 threshold in October. You never know when Father Time will catch up to a player these days, and I have my doubts that’s what’s happening here, but it seems to hit players earlier than ever. Kadri has never been a burner, but my biggest concern is how slow both he and Saad look on the ice. The Avs can’t play with pace if 2/3 of their second line can’t skate.

I have a feeling Kadri will turn it around, as he started relatively slow last season, but I’m not sure he and Saad are going to be a fit.

Has Girard really gotten better or are people now just finally fully appreciating him?

— Jackie Kay (@tigervixxxen) January 24, 2021

Well, I’ve always been a Girard appreciator, so this start is no surprise to me at all, but yes, I do think he has improved. The biggest area I think he’s improved on this year is his aggressiveness. He seems to be more willing to push the play than he was in years prior and is getting a little deeper in the offensive zone. I would also say that while he’s a great skater in terms of his edgework, I’ve never found him to be “fast” like a Makar, but I do think he looks quicker this year. They’ve also seemed to put him a spot on the powerplay where he is infinitely better compared to running the point. Playing the half-wall allows him to use his vision and create some cross-ice plays with his IQ. Great start to the year for G.

https://twitter.com/on_the_jFritts/status/1353391763893850112?s=20

I was not a fan of the contract from the start, as I didn’t feel like one year was enough to earn three years of security from the team. That being said, Bednar healthy scratched him early in the year last season when he saw a dip in his play, so maybe that gets him going this year. The biggest issue this year is that unless something changes, he’s not going to be playing with Cale Makar, and from what we’ve seen so far, he’s not at his best if his defensive partner also struggles to move the puck. He needs a guy like a Makar or Girard to handle the bulk of that, which is why I would not be surprised if Byram ends up on his side at some point.

Bednar loves to give him praise but Bowers is now the only 2017 first rounder yet to play in the NHL, what’s the disconnect?

— Jackie Kay (@tigervixxxen) January 24, 2021

That statistic surprised me, and I sure hope this is the year we see what Bowers can do in the NHL. You have a coach that loves him, and at the moment, three centers who are really struggling to get anything done. Based on this small sample size so far, you have to wonder how much Bellemare has left in the tank. At some point, you have to give Bowers a look, and I really do think once he gets that look, he’s going to make it difficult for coaches to take him out.

The reason he hasn’t gotten that look so far is probably just a patience thing. They wanted him to get a full year in the AHL, and this year is likely the chance for him to get a chance to play. They also “like their guys”. An injury or two to a center will change things real fast.

is your couch comfortable?

— Avalanche Germany (@Avs_Germany) January 24, 2021

Very! Jake Jab never lets me down.

Avs have yet to play a complete game, with the possible exception of the second Blues game, which was a nil-nil first period. The talent on this team suggests they should be putting a boot heel on the throat of most teams, but they haven't. What is the issue at this point?

— John Reed (@Olreedy) January 24, 2021

For me, it really all comes down to the fact that a good portion of the team (maybe 60%?) is just underachieving. As great as the first line is (and boy does Mikko Rantanen look incredible), it’s hard to win when the three lines below it all are playing like NHL fourth lines. The goaltending has been good, the defense hasn’t been bad, but five on five, they can’t buy any goals from their other nine forwards. You just can’t win consistently like that.

My gut tells me the second line will figure it out. They’re too proven and have the track record to back it up. The problem beyond that, really, is the “third line”. I put them in quotations, because most nights, Bellemare’s line plays more than them, and that creates even bigger issues. The Compher/Nichushkin/Donskoi trio has no identity as a line, and is, to me, the team’s weakest spot. If there’s somewhere for Sakic to look to improve, it’s that third-line center spot. A better, more consistent player there would allow them to ice that line more consistently, and not overplay a guy like Bellemare, who just isn’t going to give you anything offensively. And by picking up a center, you can maybe move Compher to the position he’s better suited for: right wing.