Avs-Stars player grades: Turn out the lights

Andrew Agozzino (D) – He lost his coverage defensively on the first goal against and had an ugly turnover early that created an extended Dallas possession. That’s not how you convince a head coach to keep you in the lineup.

Sven Andrighetto (C-) – I start everybody at a ‘C’ grade and go from there depending on what happens in the game but some nights I feel like starting the entire team with a ‘D’ because they just didn’t really do much. Andrighetto is one of those guys tonight where I can’t say I noticed much from him at all.

Tyson Barrie (C-) – His shot share numbers are some of the better ones on the team tonight but I really didn’t think he was an impact player tonight. The power play he quarterbacked accomplished nothing and I legitimately don’t know what he was doing on the third Stars goal.

Derick Brassard (C) – This might have been his first game in an Avs uniform that I just didn’t notice him.

Matt Calvert (C-) – He was part of the clown car fiesta that led to the first Dallas goal and when he got involved in the offense it usually died on his stick. A night where his little details weren’t good.

Ian Cole (F) – A day after I apparently went out on a huge limb to say Ian Cole was Colorado’s fourth-best defenseman, he completely bombed. By far the worst D for the Avs tonight.

J.T. Compher (C) – Another guy who I just didn’t really notice. He was a wallflower tonight.

Samuel Girard (C+) – I guess he played well? On a night where I didn’t think many Avs played that well individually, Girard has a case to be made. I didn’t notice anything very good or bad but I did like his willingness to shoot the puck on a pass-happy power play unit that gets too cute sometimes.

Ryan Graves (C+) – Not a difference maker but good things were happening with him on the ice. That’s a lot more than can be said for most of his teammates tonight.

Erik Johnson (C+) – Like Girard and Graves, I didn’t have any strong issues with Johnson tonight. As Colorado’s highest-paid defender, the Avalanche flat out need more from him. He’s gotten way too much of a free pass from all of us this year.

Tyson Jost (C) – Too low impact of a player too many nights, even if there were some positive moments tonight.

Alexander Kerfoot (D) – Things are a mess for Kerfy right now. This wouldn’t be so frustrating if we haven’t seen so much better from him. He can be a legitimate top-six forward in the NHL. Is it more him or coaching that is responsible for his lack of meaningful leap this year?

Gabriel Landeskog (INC) – I thought he played well but the status of his health is all that really matters right now. He’s a linchpin to this entire forward corps.

Nathan MacKinnon (D) – He got beat up by Jamie Benn and it seemed to really bother him the rest of the night. He’s Colorado’s best player. He needed to get it done.

Patrik Nemeth (D) – He played, they tell me.

Mikko Rantanen (C+) – I…thought he played really well? I liked his game tonight. He didn’t get much help from his linemates and I thought he was a kind of a boss.

Carl Soderberg (C+) – I dig this dude. He’s easy to root for. He showed up tonight. His teammates could learn a thing or two from Carl. He’s a beast. Be more like Carl.
Semyon Varlamov (D) – The first goal is a huge defensive breakdown. The last two goals…Varly could do more.

Colin Wilson (C-) – My problem with Wilson is that he’s just okay. They don’t really have anything substantially better to offer up when he’s healthy and he chips in enough points to justify being in the lineup.