Waiver Draft

Looks like Aubin and Willsie are gone.

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/article.jsp?content=20031003_122348_4740

******, Keefe gets picked by the Rangers :rant: :rant:

A list of other notable moves made on Friday:

Pittsburgh takes D Nolan Baumgartner from Vancouver
Nashville takes F Wade Brookbank from Ottawa
Atlanta takes F Serge Aubin from Colorado
Montreal takes F Darren Langdon from Vancouver
New York Rangers take F Joel Bouchard from Pittsburgh
New York Rangers take F Sheldon Keefe from Tampa Bay
New York Rangers take F Mike Siklenka from Philadelphia
Nashville takes G Chris Mason from Florida
Atlanta takes F Ronald Petrovicky from New York Rangers
Montreal takes F Steve Begin from Buffalo
Washington takes F Brian Willsie from Colorado
Washington takes D Denis Hamel from Ottawa
Anaheim takes D Todd Simpson from Phoenix
St. Louis takes F Jeff Heerema from NYR
Florida takes G Steve Valiquette from Edmonton
Atlanta takes D Shawn Heins from NYR
Ottawa takes F Glen Metropolit from Washington
Carolina takes G Jani Hurme from Florida, trades Hurme to Atlanta for a fourth-round pick

Aubin was definately a Hartley guy, that makes sense. I think Wilsie will eventually prove he was never given the right chance.

That being said, good luck to both Biran and Serge.

That makes the rest very easy. Cut DJ Smith and we are down to 23. I still think Svatos and McCormick should be in the AHL for a year but you got to do what you got to do.

Carolina takes G Jani Hurme from Florida, trades Hurme to Atlanta for a fourth-round pick
Atlanta wont need four goalkeepers. So, soon Hurme will be at Colorado!? That would be kind of cool since he is good goalie after all.

Ciao,
Tommi

Atlanta wont need four goalkeepers. So, soon Hurme will be at Colorado!? That would be kind of cool since he is good goalie after all.

Ciao,
Tommi

I was thinking Dafoe. I can't imagine what Atlanta needs with all of those guys.

Does that mean the roster is down to 25 and there are two more cuts to make??

yup. I know Aubin would be picked up

i hope we don't end up with Dafoe. Hurme would be better.

I was thinking Dafoe. I can't imagine what Atlanta needs with all of those guys.


They traded Hlnicka to LA. So are there 3 now? Dafoe, Nurminen, and Hurme?

They traded Hlnicka to LA. So are there 3 now? Dafoe, Nurminen, and Hurme?


To clarify, is Lehtonen playing in the NHL this year?

Colorado is now at 24, having only to cut Smith....

Colorado does not need Dafoe, Nurminen OR Hurme....if they were going to get a goalie, it'd be a sure fire number one that would be around for years....

Losing Aubin and Wilsie is good for the team, as neither would have played more than 15-20 games this season....Hahl and Nikolishin will pick up the slack just fine, and also gives a little more freedom on the 4th line....

BTW, the 4th goalie people are refering to is Lehtonen....

Losing Willsie hurts the Hershey Bears more than Colorado. Yet if Smith is cut (as he should be), the Avs will start the season with four rookies. It makes Granato's job easier unless he decides to recall somebody.

couldn't we have gotten a 6th or 7th for aubin....;(

couldn't we have gotten a 6th or 7th for aubin....;(

Well, I doubt it, considering Columbus got a sixth for Green. I'd take Green before Aubin.

couldn't we have gotten a 6th or 7th for aubin....;(

Guys like Aubin aren't exactly rare. The problem with trying to trade someone like him now is that everyone knows waiver draft is coming and there will be plenty of opportunities to pick up an Aubin-ish player for free. Atlanta wouldn't have traded for Aubin two days ago since they knew they could get him or someone like him for free. If it was two months ago perhaps PL could have gotten something for him.

To clarify, is Lehtonen playing in the NHL this year?
No, he's been sent to Chicago of the AHL where he's expected to spend the majority of the year 'learning the north american game'.

I never saw the hype on Willsie. He was called up five times last year, and never did anything. The only point he had was an assist. I was baffled when he took a roster spot for the playoffs, instead of someone who deserved it more(I can't remember who it was, I just remember it confused me) Both Hartley and Granato seemed high on this guy, as they gave him plenty of shots to be on the team. He just seemed invisible to me out there, and I don't usually say that about players, because I usually can notice how a player is contributing defensively. Maybe he will find a home in Washington and prove me wrong, he has probably earned it considering I never saw a problem with his work ethic.

At least Aubin will be able to play in the NHL and have a role this year, which probably couldn't be said if he had stayed with the Avs. I kept thinking Aubin was going to break out last year but he never did. I remember a bunch of games where the line of Aubin, Hinote and Hahl looked strong, and actually looked like the best line out there, but just couldn't finish. Oh well good luck to him too, maybe Hartley can bring it out of him.

So now how do the bottom two lines look? I assume along with everbody else that Smith gets sent down. So that makes Svatos, McCormick, and Cummins(by the way what are the chances of the Avs signing Cummins and sending him down, I wonder if he would play in the AHL, maybe its NHL or bust at this point for him) as the natural fowards that could be sent down. And Liles and McAllister as the natural defensman with McAllister possibly filling in as a foward. Am I missing anybody? I was kinda surprised Slovak got sent down, I thought he would have been a steadier guy out there, but I guess Liles just impressed the hell out of everybody. From what I hear, he is sound defensively as well, and has a good stick.

I'm guessing...

Battaglia - Nikolishin - Svatos

Worrel - Hahl - Hinote

extras:
Cummins to take Hahl's spot when someone goes down with an injury.
McCormick to take the same spot under the same circumstances.
McAllister to fill in as a foward or D depending on how bad they need toughness and size. (i.e Worrell being out)

I don't like the idea of a rookie like McCormick sitting in the stands, but I don't see how he can take anybody's spot on the roster. I think Svatos has done more to impress, and show he can play in the NHL, but McCormick is bigger and can throw is weight around out there, and would be a good fit as a fourth line center. Maybe Smith will stay and McCormick will go down and get some playing time, being the first to get called up.

Smith should be the next to be sent down, IMO.

And I see that you are new here, Foppa2118. Welcome.

I never saw the hype on Willsie. He was called up five times last year, and never did anything. The only point he had was an assist. I was baffled when he took a roster spot for the playoffs, instead of someone who deserved it more(I can't remember who it was, I just remember it confused me) Both Hartley and Granato seemed high on this guy, as they gave him plenty of shots to be on the team. He just seemed invisible to me out there, and I don't usually say that about players, because I usually can notice how a player is contributing defensively. Maybe he will find a home in Washington and prove me wrong, he has probably earned it considering I never saw a problem with his work ethic.

At least Aubin will be able to play in the NHL and have a role this year, which probably couldn't be said if he had stayed with the Avs. I kept thinking Aubin was going to break out last year but he never did. I remember a bunch of games where the line of Aubin, Hinote and Hahl looked strong, and actually looked like the best line out there, but just couldn't finish. Oh well good luck to him too, maybe Hartley can bring it out of him.

So now how do the bottom two lines look? I assume along with everbody else that Smith gets sent down. So that makes Svatos, McCormick, and Cummins(by the way what are the chances of the Avs signing Cummins and sending him down, I wonder if he would play in the AHL, maybe its NHL or bust at this point for him) as the natural fowards that could be sent down. And Liles and McAllister as the natural defensman with McAllister possibly filling in as a foward. Am I missing anybody? I was kinda surprised Slovak got sent down, I thought he would have been a steadier guy out there, but I guess Liles just impressed the hell out of everybody. From what I hear, he is sound defensively as well, and has a good stick.

I'm guessing...

Battaglia - Nikolishin - Svatos

Worrel - Hahl - Hinote

extras:
Cummins to take Hahl's spot when someone goes down with an injury.
McCormick to take the same spot under the same circumstances.
McAllister to fill in as a foward or D depending on how bad they need toughness and size. (i.e Worrell being out)

I don't like the idea of a rookie like McCormick sitting in the stands, but I don't see how he can take anybody's spot on the roster. I think Svatos has done more to impress, and show he can play in the NHL, but McCormick is bigger and can throw is weight around out there, and would be a good fit as a fourth line center. Maybe Smith will stay and McCormick will go down and get some playing time, being the first to get called up.


I just can't see both McCormick and Svatos staying with the Avs.

I believe that if they both stayed, their development would be seriously hampered. It would be a total waste. Svatos seems like the more mature player from what I can tell ...but he also seems like the ideal call up if someone on the top 6 gets injured. With that line of thinking ...maybe McCormick is the guy who stays. His future potential seems to be that of a 3rd liner anyways ...IMO. He's more of a Granato/Tocchet player. He can hit, fight, play a decent defensive role, and score the odd goal. He's also something like 6'2" and 210lbs. I think the plan is to bulk up on the 3rd and 4th lines in order to make up for the softness up front.

I wouldn't be surprised if Smith stays. Another guy who likes to drop the gloves ...and if he stays we then have a possible 8 dmen. Seven and 8 being Big Mac and Smith ...who have also been played as forwards this preseason. I guess there is some flexability with them both.


Tanguay/Forsberg/Hedjuk
Kariya/Sakic/Selanne
Battaglia/Nikolishin/McCormick
Worrell/Hahl/Hinote

(Hinote and McCormick could switch places)

Cummins

Blake/Morris
Foote/Skoula
Skrastins/Liles

McAllister and Smith

Aebischer
Sauve

Theres your 23 man roster in my opinion.

Svatos being the first guy called up if something happens to one of the top six.

Smith should be the next to be sent down, IMO.

And I see that you are new here, Foppa2118. Welcome.

Thanks, looking foward to some intelligant hockey talk for once. You guys seem to be on top of your game, instead of some of these other hockey boards which are interesting, but have mostly people looking for every opportunity to bash somebody's post. Happy to find a place where I can share my ideas on the Avs, and hear others. Great info on this site about the prospects. Appreciate the spreading of the knowledge guys.

Out with the old in with the new. I like our team even better now.

Tanguay-Forsberg-Hejduk
Kariya-Sakic-Selanne
Battaglia-Nikolishin-Svatos
Hahl-McCormick-Hinote

Extras: Worrel, Cummins

Blake-Morris
Foote-Skoula
Skrastins-Liles

Extra: McAllister

Aebischer
Sauve

I always get a kick out of when people make comments about older players whose games have slipped. They only see what that player ended up as, not what he was.

ie. Rick Tocchet scored 440 "odd goals" in his career.

If we could get even 1/4th of that from McCormick in his career, he was a wonderful pick.


I don't mean it in that way.

I mean that Granato and Tocchet like this type of player. A guy who can crash and bang. A guy who will drop the gloves and score every now and then.

I don't mean it in a way that Granato and Tocchet were garbage players when they played. They were very good. I agree that if McCormick turned out anywhere near as good as either of those guys were in their careers, we'd be cooking with gas.

To clarify, is Lehtonen playing in the NHL this year?

Lehtonen was sent down to the AHL last week.

I think Aubin and Willsie being claimed in the waiver draft actually helps the team (but hurts the Bears) a little bit.

Nikolishin and Svatos seem to have some chemistry, so I don't see why they should be split up. McCormick could play in Svatos' spot if he is injured or the coaching staff decides there needs to be some more toughness into the lineup for an odd game. Same can be said about Cummins or McAllister.


Tanguay - Forsberg - Hejduk
Kariya - Sakic - Selanne
Battaglia - Nikolishin - Svatos/McCormick
Worrell - Hahl - Hinote

Scratches: Cummins, McCormick/Svatos (McAllister)

Blake - Morris
Foote - Liles
Skoula - Skrastins

Scratch: McAllister

Aebischer
Sauve

Nikolishin and Svatos seem to have some chemistry, so I don't see why they should be split up. McCormick could play in Svatos' spot if he is injured or the coaching staff decides there needs to be some more toughness into the lineup for an odd game.

Don't you think it would be a better idea for McCormick to get some playing time with the Bears, to help him mature, and then get called up if we need him, instead of him sitting in the stands and watching.

Don't you think it would be a better idea for McCormick to get some playing time with the Bears, to help him mature, and then get called up if we need him, instead of him sitting in the stands and watching.

Yeah, that was what I intended to post originally, but then I thought, if McCormick went down to Hershey, then Smith would have to stay with the Avs, which would have gone against what I said before.

:yo:

Heres my take. Svatos has shown that he has a great set of hands, and has been playign very well with Niko this preseason. I think a Battaglia - Nikolishing - Svatos line can grind if needed, but still has a scoring touch. Battlaglia had 20 goals 2 years ago as did Niko, Svatos's devolopment would probably still be right on par. McCormick would fit in just as well. I would much rather have Svatos *i'm a sucker for rookies with a chance to score*. That being said, one of the two has to go back to Hershey, b/c otherwise development time is being wasted.

As for the *Svatos being an ideal top 6 call up* He could still shift to the top 6 line and have McCormick called up to fill in his spot. :dunno: This shouldn't matter. Granato and Tocchet just need to decide if they want a goalscorer, or another tough guy on the thrid line. They also need to look at Svatos's injury last year and decide if he is too injury prone as of now to play on a predominately grind-type line.