The NHL is back, as is the Avs Mailbag! Denver Post sports writer Adrian Dater posts his Avs Mailbag each Monday during the 2005-06 NHL season on DenverPost.com.
To drop a question into the Mailbag or visit DenverPost.com’s .
Adrian – Long time no type. It’s so nice to talk hockey again! I have two simple questions. First, what do you expect from this year’s Avs team? Second, do you see any surprise teams (like Calgary in 2003-04) that look like they could make a run at this year’s Cup? Thanks, and welcome back!
— Robert Wilson, New Windsor, Ill.
Robert … great to be back. After a year of writing game stories on kids playing video hockey games, and everything from bowling to prep girls soccer, it’s nice to be penning words on toothless guys playing on a frozen pond again.
What do I expect from this year’s Avs team? Well, good question. Right now, I can’t say I am overly enthusiastic about their Stanley Cup chances. The losses of Peter Forsberg and Adam Foote are going to hurt, and hurt a lot. It’s not so much the games in October and November that they’ll most be missed, it’ll be the big games next spring, late in the year and into the playoffs. Those were the kinds of players who could go into a hostile building on the road in the playoffs and silence them with big plays. Right now, I don’t see Pierre Turgeon and Patrice Brisebois doing that. I could be wrong, but those were two marquee players who have been replaced by two guys getting on in years, who haven’t had great recent seasons.
As far as surprise teams, keep an eye on Chicago. The Blackhawks have some good young prospects, and they made a big addition with Nikolai Khabibulin in net. This guy was the backbone of Tampa Bay’s Stanley Cup win, so that’s a big signing for the Hawks. Also, Columbus will be a lot better, with Foote and some good young talent.
Who do you think will be missed more: Peter Forsberg or Adam Foote?
— Bill Daly, Utica, N.Y.
Bill – Nice work on the NHL CBA.
I think Forsberg will be missed more. He’s still the best player in the league when he’s healthy – which I know is always a big “if” (he’s hurt already in Philly, will probably miss all of the preseason).
No Forsberg means teams will be able to concentrate more on the Avs’ top line. Before, teams would always get worn out trying to check a Forsberg and a Joe Sakic line. You have to worry about Sakic being possibly mentally and physically fatigued by next spring, after a full season of seeing a team’s top checking line every shift.
Who do you see as the first center?
— Jean-Philippe Desrosiers, Montreal
Jean – Well, obviously that will be Mr. Sakic. Super Joe, as radio voice Mike Haynes calls him, says he is rejuvenated from sitting out a year, and now wants to play until he’s 40 years old. That’s good news for Colorado fans.
Sakic still should be a point-a-game player, especially in the new NHL, and I think he’s a good bet to crack 100 points for the first time since 2000-01. Yes, he’s 36, but I think he’s in good condition and can still outskate younger opponents.
Hi, Adrian! Did the Avs sign New Hampshire Wildcats star Sean Collins?
— Nicolas, Quebec
Nicolas – No, and Collins is no longer part of the Avalanche organization. The team apparently decided against signing him, after drafting him out of UNH in 2002. He is currently a free agent.
The Avs have more than one Wildcat already in their system, with Brett Hemingway and former Mighty Ducks center Jason Krog around.
Collins had a big year for UNH in 2004-05, and I’m sure somebody’ll pick him up.
Hi, Adrian. Great to see the Avs Mailbag coming back. You were sorely missed. Do you have any news about Andrei Nikolishin? I thought he was great for the Avs, and it’s kind of sad not to see him on the roster. Was there no new offer for him? Thanks for your insight.
— Beat Muller, Hong Kong
Beat … thanks for chiming in from the Orient.
Nikolishin apparently will play in Russia this season. He would have played there last season, too, even if the NHL had not canceled. He had some family issues, and didn’t want to play in North America without his family around.
I thought Nikolishin was an excellent player for the Avs, and his defensive presence might be missed.
Who do you think will be David Aebischer’s backup?
— Dovan Grezo, Bratislava, Slovakia
Dovan … the questions just keep coming from all over. It’s a very international Mailbag this week.
I’d like to see some of the rookies play in the preseason before offering a guess, but right now I guess you’d have to say Peter Budaj is the favorite. He was the No. 1 guy in Hershey and had a pretty good year during the lockout. He didn’t look good at Avs camp a couple years ago, but scouts say he’s improved. Don’t know much about the other prospects at the moment, so seeing them in camp will be good.
Should Joe Sakic and Rob Blake have gone to Avs GM Pierre Lacroix and offered to reduce their salaries to help create cap room for Adam Foote and Peter Forsberg?
— Chris Rahn, Arvada
Chris – There has been a common misperception that either player could have done that. The fact is, under the new CBA, players under contract cannot do what you are suggesting. That was one of the things the authors of the CBA wanted to avoid – teams with already rich players taking no money so they can load up with other stars – a la Paul Kariya and Teemu Selanne with the Avs in ’03-04.
So, while I’m sure Sakic and/or Blake might have considered doing that to keep a Forsberg around if it were allowed, the fact is they could not restructure their contracts. Hope this helps get some fans off the case of those two players, when they don’t deserve it.
Hi, Adrian. I just want your thoughts on the signing of Brad May. I don’t understand it. I don’t know what role he fills for the team that could not have been filled by someone (anyone?) else. It’s a slap to both Steve Moore and Avs fans.
— Tim, Arvada
Tim, I’m sure this will be a favorite topic in the Mailbag for a while.
Personally, I thought it was a weird signing, like a lot of people. I mean, the fact is it IS a slap in the face to Moore. One thing that now seems very clear is that the Avalanche organization somewhere along the way has lost some respect or liking of Moore, and I can’t quite figure out why. Is it because Moore broke the hockey “code” by taking his case to court? My hunch is that the answer to that is yes, although you won’t hear anybody admit that.
Some observers have tried to rationalize May’s “bounty” comments toward Moore as just a joke, taken from the film “Slap Shot.” That’s all fine and good, but the fact is Moore WAS severely injured, and May was the one who said “it’ll be fun when we get him.” I don’t care how you try to rationalize it – that he didn’t mean it, that he didn’t have anything to do with Moore’s injuries on the ice. The truth is he said the Canucks would get him, and that’s exactly what happened. For the Avs to turn around and sign a guy who disparaged one of their own players, a player who was contributing greatly to the team at the time and seemed to have a decent NHL future in front of him, strikes me as bizarre and disrespectful.
That said, a lot of players have personally told me that May is a very good guy and good to have as a teammate. I think he should apologize for saying what he said to Moore, but maybe legal issues right now are preventing that; I don’t know. All I can say is I hope, for May’s sake, he plays well to start the year for the Avalanche. Because if he doesn’t, he’s going to get booed right out of the building.
Hi, Adrian. Great to see this feature and NHL hockey back. While most people are justifiably focused on the health of Steve Moore, please give us a status update on former Av/Nord Adam Deadmarsh. He is an unrestricted free agent and has had another year off to recover from his concussions. … What are the chances of Avs GM Pierre Lacroix taking a flyer on him? Or has Adam really been rendered “damaged goods”?
— Andrew Holland, Fredericton, New Brunswick
Andrew – Good question. Deadmarsh was always one of my favorite players to deal with, and it would be great to see him back in an Avs uniform – or that of any NHL team. Alas, it still seems unlikely that will happen this year. From what I hear, Deadmarsh still isn’t fully recovered from the concussion problems he had, and isn’t all that hopeful of resuming his career. That’s too bad, and I hope things turn around to where he can.
Adrian – I love the Avs Mailbag! Like the majority of Denver and all Avs fans, I still feel this huge void knowing Peter Forsberg will not be back this year. What are your thoughts on Peter coming home to Denver and the Avs after his stint in Philly?
— Matt, Fargo, N.D.
Matt – Don’t think it’ll happen. From what I gather, Forsberg doesn’t want to go near Denver for a long time, mostly because he’d have too many ghosts around town. I think Denver will always be a special place to him, and right now it would be too painful for him to be here, friends of his say. He sold all his interests here, and has moved on. I’m sure he’ll step foot in Denver again at some point in his life, but I don’t think there’s any way he’ll ever play for the Avs again. It’s still hard to believe he won’t be here. The fans and the team are going to miss his great skill, more than I think some realize.
Adrian Dater has covered the Colorado Avalanche since the team moved to Denver in 1995. To drop a question into his Mailbag or visit DenverPost.com’s .
