Avs Game 1 Grades: A new journey begins

Bowen Byram – B-

A bit of a nondescript start for Byram, coming off a massive postseason. Didn’t really create a ton offensively but didn’t give up much of anything defensively, although he did drift a little too far to the right on the Blackhawks’ second goal. The 3D power play is…interesting, but he had some moments along the right half wall.

Andrew Cogliano – B+

Wasn’t brought back to score goals, but got the team started the right way with a nice deflection in front off the MacKinnon shot up high. Had another good look in the second period in the slot but got deflected over the net. Had the best shot share numbers of any non-top-line forward. Him falling over kind of led to some of the issues on the first Blackhawks goal.

J.T. Compher – C

J.T. Compher…played. Not sure what has been ailing him all pre-season but he registered zero shot attempts on the evening and just kind of existed.

Alexander Georgiev – B-

A very tough game to get a read on the new starting goaltender for the team. The Blackhawks had very little in terms of high-danger chances, and the two goals that they did get were pretty bad breakdowns by the Avs’ penalty kill. Then again, he’s going to have to get used to facing fewer shots than he did in New York. I’m still getting a read on him as a goaltender and how he plays, but he still seems a little uneasy in net adjusting to a new environment.

Samuel Girard – B

More than anything, it was good to see Girard back out there. Of the non-top pair defenders, he was the most noticeable, skating the puck up the ice. If I was to remove one of the defenders from the powerplay, it would probably be him just due to him lacking a dangerous shot, but not sure that’s what happens. Did throw a decent hit after pinching in the third period.

Erik Johnson – B-

Had some good looks pinching into the play as the late man, including a shot that went off the knob of Mrazek’s goalie stick. He and Manson will have to communicate a little bit on the PK as two right-handed shots because they both ended up drifting to the right side on the first Hawks goal.

Artturi Lehkonen – A+

I predicted 30 goals in our roundtable and he already got 1/15 of the way there. He’s going to be the benefactor of playing on the top line and getting top powerplay minutes without Landeskog in the lineup, and if you watch him, he attacks the net any chance he can get. The chemistry with MacKinnon and Rantanen was off the charts.

Kurtis MacDermid – B

He did the one thing he’s really asked to do when inserted onto the fourth line, and that’s forecheck and play physical. Looked like he was going to open the scoring in the first with a shot from a weird angle that Mrazek struggled with. He didn’t even play 10 minutes on defense at times last year, so the fact he almost hit that tonight shows how in control the Avs were.

Nathan MacKinnon – A+

Came out flying and never seemed to let up. Somehow ended up with only two points despite dominating the entire game. This game could have gotten out of hand really early if Mrazek didn’t rob him once with his stick and then force MacKinnon off the angle on another.

Cale Makar – B+

A two-point night but seemed to have some trouble at times keeping the puck on his stick, which was bizarre. The skating was certainly there and he was flying through the neutral zone with ease. The Blackhawks didn’t sniff anything in the Avs end with the top pair on the ice until the third period.

Josh Manson – C+

Manson is going to be an interesting guy to watch during the regular season. He was lights out in the postseason, but I anticipate it being a bit more up and down over a full schedule. Did throw a nice hit along the wall in the second on a rushing Hawks player. The fight at the end was pretty uneventful.

Ben Meyers – C

I was hoping he would get a look on the “third” line but spent the evening with Sedlak and MacDermid, which is just a bizarre trio of players to stick together. As expected with that trio, a pretty quiet night offensively and the only time I really noticed him was with some nice patience breaking the puck out of his zone in the third.

Alex Newhook – C

For one game at least, I was left wanting a little bit more. At one point in the second period, he had a clean look at the net for a shot, but instead deferred to Nichushkin, who had a worse angle, for a shot. Had some good moments entering the zone on the power play.

Valeri Nichushkin – B+

Two of the easier goals he’ll score, but they’re the Landy goals that the powerplay needs without Landy around. At even strength, that line looked like they’ve got some kinks to work out and not a whole lot happened offensively.

Logan O’Connor – D

Had good metrics at even strength, but he’s a big penalty killer on this team and that seam pass got through a few times on him. I don’t believe it’s all on him, as the defenders on both of those goals were a little too close together, but you want him to be a little more aware on the back door.

Mikko Rantanen – A+

Four assists, including three beautiful primary assists, and the Moose is loose to start the year. Beyond just that, I really liked his board work. He was protecting the puck from defenders and that board work led to more zone time and shot attempts. I think he and Lehky have some chemistry…

Evan Rodrigues – D

First official game in an Avs uniform and probably not the start he was hoping for with two offensive zone penalties. Will need to clean that up, as well as some of his execution in the offensive zone. Top line carried the load in game one, but against a better team in Calgary, they’ll need some more from this line.

Lukas Sedlak – C

His most noticeable play came in the third period with a big sliding block in front of Georgiev. Also the only center that was positive in the face-off circle.

Devon Toews – B+

Had his standard stick work that doesn’t allow anything to enter his zone, but the movement between Toews, Makar, and the top line is so incredible to watch. It’s no wonder teams can’t defend them, because they all work off each other so well and never stay in the positions you would traditionally expect them to be in.