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 .
What is going on with Riku Hahl and the Avs? Did they re-sign him, and I missed it?
— Nell, Vail
Neil – No, Riku is history. He will play in Europe this season, for Davos of the Swiss League. I don’t think he was all that happy with his qualifying offer from the Avs, which was the NHL minimum of $450,000. So, that creates an opening for a fourth-line center, which Jason Krog seems to have the inside track at getting.
Adrian – Why didn’t the Avs lock up two of our younger stars – Alex Tanguay and David Aebischer – to four- or five-year deals like they did with Milan Hejduk, or our two veterans Joe Sakic and Rob Blake to two- or three-year deals? Did Avs general manager Pierre Lacroix try, but they all just wanted to become unrestricted free agents after this season to sign big contracts elsewhere?
— Rob Duwa, Iowa City, Iowa
Rob – First of all, Tanguay and Aebischer can’t be unrestricted free agents after this season. They are still too young to qualify under the collective bargaining agreement.
That said, I’m surprised the Avs didn’t sign at least one of them to a longer-term deal. I would think that either player would have been receptive to a long-term contract, but apparently things just couldn’t be worked out in that regard. I’m sure Pierre Lacroix will explore a multi-year deal with one or both players after the season, but you never know. There will be a lot of free agents on the market next summer, so anything can happen.
Hey, Adrian. What’s your take on the possibility of Brad May getting booed by his new hometown crowd? How would this affect team morale?
— David Hoaglund, Pueblo
David – Well, May was booed pretty strongly in Friday night. I’m sure the Avalanche brass sitting upstairs didn’t enjoy hearing them much. May then left in the second period with a groin pull.
It’s going to be interesting. Like I said before, the best thing May can do is get the fans on his side quickly. He can do that any number of ways, including scoring a goal or, more likely, getting in a fight right off the bat with an opposing player. He could really boost his stock in Denver by dropping the gloves with somebody on Vancouver the first time they meet. I’m sure that is in the forefront of May’s mind, as something he knows he probably should do. Right now, he’s still being thought of as a Canuck, I think, by Avs fans. But the first big scrap he gets into with an Avs logo on his sweater, I think things will change fast.
As a former Avalanche season-ticket holder (I’ve moved to New Jersey and am now a Flyers season-ticket holder), I am very interested in how you see the Flyers coming up as Stanley Cup Finals contenders this year?
— Maryanne, Williamstown, N.J.
Maryanne – Well, I think Philly has the best chance of any Eastern team – although I’m not much of a Robert Esche fan.
But with the offensive weapons they have – Peter Forsberg now included – the Flyers probably have the most dangerous offensive team in the conference. That said, what about those Penguins! Man, how they have changed. They add Sidney Crosby, Ziggy Palffy, John LeClair, Sergei Gonchar and Mark Recchi to a team that already has Mario Lemeiux and a top young goalie, and I think they’re real dangerous looking.
Adrian – Can you give the fans a summary of Avs training camp and the potential you see on the team? Particularly the new players on the rosters and prospects trying to make the team!
— Rick Sallee, Colorado Springs
Rick – Obviously, Wojtek Wolski has been the most impressive rookie, and I’d be surprised if he didn’t make the team. The Avs need all the young offensive talent they can get, and I doubt another year of junior hockey would be the best thing for his career at this point. Still, he’s only 19 and raw.
I think Brad Richardson is a solid prospect and has looked pretty good in camp. I haven’t been all that impressed with the young defensemen in camp, but it’s still early. I think the most important new, veteran player on the roster will be Pierre Turgeon. If the Avs can get at least 70 points out of him, I think they’ll be a good team. He needs to come close to that mark, at least, if the Avs are to effectively make up for the loss of Forsberg.
Greetings, Adrian. Been suffering major Mailbag withdrawals! Now that there is a hard salary cap, and with the Avs like other teams pushing right up to the cap limit, how do you think this will impact the ability of Avalanche GM Pierre Lacroix to wheel and deal come the trade deadline?
— John, Hooksett, N.H.
John … Hooksett, N.H. – I know it well. Lived in Concord for a few years myself.
Lacroix will have to make apples-to-apples trades from now on, at least for this year probably. He’ll need to trade for players that are close in salary to the ones he gives up. But I still think you’ll see Lacroix make a couple deals before the season is through. He loves to make trades, and he’s never had a trade deadline that passed quietly. Don’t forget, the new deadline is two weeks earlier than previous ones.
Hi, Adrian. What happened to Philippe Sauve? Thanks.
— Brian Field, Thornton
Brian … You mean, you didn’t read it in The Denver Post a few weeks ago? Shame on you.
He was traded to Calgary for a seventh-round draft pick. Bon Voyage, Philippe.
With the departures of Peter Forsberg and Adam Foote, who do you think will be the new alternate captain(s)?
— Evan Hassinger, Boulder
Evan – Good question. Right now, I would bet that Steve Konowalchuk and Dan Hinote will be chosen. Possibly, a guy like Curtis Leschyshyn could be selected, but I think those two are the best bets.
I was a season-ticket holder (four seats behind Avs bench). Because of the team’s and the NHL’s posture, I felt compelled to give them up. When I called to cancel, they didn’t seem to care. What are the numbers on season’s seats, and were the Avs hurt by strike, etc.? Am I in the minority? I will still watch them on HD big screen, but I won’t financially back them by
spending $20,000 per year on seats!
— Jeffrey Mishell, Denver
Jeffrey – According to the Avs, you are one of only a few who gave up your seats. They claimed last month only to have lost about 100 season tickets, and they say they are selling them at rates of old. Time will tell what the actual arena is like during games, but so far they say full steam ahead.
Hi. A month or two ago, I read in The Denver Post something about Marek Svatos having a bad season in Hershey and even being suspended for a few games. I can’t find a note about the suspension anywhere on the AHL website. Can you tell me what happened? Thanks.
— Radovan Grezo, Bratislava, Slovakia
Radovan – Yes, Svatos was suspended for a game for flipping a puck at a linesman during a game, after he’d been called for a penalty.
He did not have a great season in Hershey numbers-wise, and I know the coaching staff wasn’t always happy with his attitude. He didn’t want to play in the minors last season, but the lockout forced him to. He just wasn’t a happy camper, but he didn’t ingratiate himself to Avalanche brass for his attitude. That’s why he needs a big training camp, otherwise the Avs might let him go.
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 .
