- Oct 24, 2008
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I can't believe I recorded this game and put myself through that 2nd period, even after knowing the result.
Downie was so frustrating...
Downie was so frustrating...
I can't believe I recorded this game and put myself through that 2nd period, even after knowing the result.
Downie was so frustrating...
At the exception of a goal against on a 5-3, where did TB falter? I thought he had a decent game all things considered.
Every player is going to make mistakes. When I said he didn't look awful at any point last year, I meant for extended periods or entire games. You can cherry pick out a terrible play from anyone in every single game. Unfortunately, his happened to come in OT.
Then again, I don't know what LAST season has to do with this season. He had a strong camp, and he's had a real strong year in the AHL.
Last season has to do with evaluating Barrie, because it's used as a bar for improvement. If he's still making the same mistakes, it's a problem, and he was still making the same mistakes. Looking lost in his positioning, chasing forwards around the ice in his own zone, skating his way with the puck into trouble instead of making simple plays, being overwhelmed in front of the net, and in the corners.
It's not an indication of whether he will ever round out his game, it's simply an indication of where his game is at now. It happened with enough regularity in the last game, I don't see any reason to give him another game and expect it to disappear forever.
Of course, they can send him down, and go with the exact same defense as last year. That sure seemed to get the Avs real far. Everyone knows what they have in the other defensemen on the team. Might as well see what Barrie brings to the table, because it's a hell of a lot different then what the other 6 bottom pairing guys the Avs are carrying can.
The exact same defense from last year argument doesn't really make much sense, since Barrie was part of that. O'Brien, Wilson, and likely even Hunwick are better options for bottom pairing defenseman at this point. Barrie can have his shot when injuries hit, not force him in there and ignore his mistakes, hoping they will eventually go away.
If I shouldn't base his NHL readiness off points in the AHL, then you shouldn't base his NHL readiness off last season (which has no bearing on anything right now) and a single game this season. I haven't even seen the posts about Barrie's mistakes in the AHL. Every time I go into the Lake Erie thread, everyone is raving about him.
I don't think that's a fair comparison at all. How can you say point production in the AHL, is as important as overall NHL performance from the season prior in terms of NHL readiness.
I mentioned this somewhere else here, but I don't put a lot of stock into AHL point production. There is just so many different factors that keep this from being an accurate way to evaluate their overall NHL game. Smaller players like Hensick or Cumiskey can light up the AHL, but have all their weaknesses exposed in the NHL, while more all around players like Shattenkirk can go scoreless in his AHL career, get called up and instantly become an NHL regular. Barrie is having his weaknesses exposed, and not putting up any offense. He simply should not be playing in the lineup over O'Brien, or even Hunwick, especially when the margin for error is that much smaller with a 48 game season.
Offense isn't Barrie's problem anyway, despite him having 0 points in 11 career games. His problem IMO, as I mentioned is his defense. It's beyond the point where it can be an acceptable trade off for offense. Especially when said offense hasn't been there.
In a perfect world, Barrie wouldn't have even been out on the PK last game. That's not why he's even in the NHL. Unfortunately, O'Byrne and Hejda can't stay out of the box, and Johnson knocked himself out, so he was put in that situation. To make matters worse, it was a 5 on 3, and for some reason, Barrie was covering the front of the net instead of Hejda, the other defenseman on the ice who was far more suited for that job.
I won't disagree with you on that. He had to be out there, Sacco had no choice. He did the best he could, and it will likely never be his strong suit, but it was just one example of an area of his game where he struggles. Containing forwards, and preventing easy rebound tap ins applies just as much to 5 on 5 play for a defenseman.
Barrie isn't up here for his defense. He's up here because outside of Johnson and occasionally Wilson, no other defenseman on this team can provide offense. I'm sure the Avs organization knows he'll have his hiccups defensively, but the team has a need for the offense he can provide and that's why he'll probably be up here for a bit. If you want the Avs to continue dressing 6 defensemen who can clear the crease but can't make a pass more than 5 feet, then it looks like we're in for more of the same from last year.
Absolutely. It's a HUGE need, and I don't have a big issue with them giving him a shot for one game, especially when he was one of the most in shape players on the team. What I will have an issue with is him continuing to play in the lineup. He's not providing enough offense to make up for the rest of his game, and the rest of his game is not just at a level that can be acceptable in a 3rd pairing role like O'Brien or Hunwick, it is a few nothces below that. It's Hunwick's game when he first came to Colorado. He's just too soft and easy to play against, and it's on nearly every shift.
The team can't afford that right now, and him working on these holes in his game playing 1st or 2nd pairing minutes in Erie is a perfectly acceptable alternative. There's not reason to force him into the lineup for offense at this point in his career, when he's not scoring, and when Hunwick can play the same role offensviely, and even O'Brien put up 20 points year.
I said quite the opposite a few posts above my previous post (the one with if not showing improvement in 15-25 games then send him down again as he then has had enough time to get used to the NHL and should have adjusted accordingly), so I'm done arguing with you as you clearly don't read my posts.
You cherry picked one bad play and took it as some kind of a fail proof evidance that he was subpar last season. That makes absolutely no sense whatsoever. He's was a rookie defenseman who looked very good considering his experiance at the highest level and the talent of the players around him.
Hmmm...I'm honestly surprised about how hard everyone is being on Barrie. Both myself and my brother we impressed with him overall as was my friend who isn't an avs fan. I thought he did pretty well overall. Oh well, everyone is entitled to their opinion I guess.
Downie made me almost go into a blind fit of rage though.
Hmmm...I'm honestly surprised about how hard everyone is being on Barrie. Both myself and my brother we impressed with him overall as was my friend who isn't an avs fan. I thought he did pretty well overall. Oh well, everyone is entitled to their opinion I guess.
Downie made me almost go into a blind fit of rage though.