Denver Post sports writer Adrian Dater posts his Avs Mailbag each Monday during the 2005-06 NHL season on DenverPost.com. With the NHL on a temporary hiatus for the in Turin, Italy, the next installment is slated for Feb. 27. The Avs resume play the next day at Pepsi Center vs. Minnesota.
To drop a question into the Avs Mailbag or visit DenverPost.com’s .
I’ve been a fan of Brett McLean’s since he played in the WHL. Looks like he finally got some extra ice time to show everybody else what a good, gritty player he can be. What do you think his future is with the Avs – will he be back next season? And, please tell me that he’s still single (one can always hope)!
— Nancy, Avon, Ohio
Nancy – As far as I know, McLean is single, available. So, good luck there.
I think McLean will be back next season, based on his play. He’s been one of the Avs’ best players in the last two months. He’s got pretty good speed and stickhandles pretty well. He’ll never be among the league scoring leaders, but if he can put up 30-40 points a year as a third-liner, he’ll have a job in this league.
Adrian – God bless the Avs Mailbag! You’ve explained in the past how a player can still get his name on the Stanley Cup even if he misses a portion of the playoffs (e.g. Peter Forsberg in 2001). What about Olympic medals? If a player is injured in the first or second game of the competition, and his team goes on to medal, does the injured teammate get a medal? What about a member who was named to the team but never played, such as Avalanche defenseman Ossi Vaananen?
— Brenda Gallagher, Niwot
Brenda – Yes, injured players who were part of the original Olympic roster get medals. It’s that simple. Vaananen will get a medal if the Finns win a gold – and they are my sleeper pick to win one. With Miikka Kiprusoff in goal and just enough offensive skill, they can win.
Maybe I’m losing my mind … but I seem to recall reading somewhere that during games, officials would be referring to “diving” as “unsportsmanlike conduct” when announcing the penalty in games. I watch every televised game (Avalanche or otherwise), and I’ve seen several cases where the officials actually say “diving” when they’re announcing the penalty. Have I gone completely ’round the bend, or am I right to be annoyed with the officials who call the penalty that way?
— Maggie, Denver
Maggie – No, you’re right. The technical call is “unsportsmanlike-diving.” When they just say “diving,” they are probably just trying to save a little wind.
Hi, Adrian. What’s up with OLN’s camera crew? Is it just me, or do you also think they zoom in way too much? Not only is it hard to see every play developing, but they also lose sight of the puck way too much.
— Marco, Chicago
Marco – Actually, I’d agree with you. I hate to pick on fellow media brethren, but I do agree the camera work has been a little subpar so far. I also don’t think the game looks “bright” enough on their channel, if that makes any sense. I’ve noticed kind of a dark picture. Maybe I need to take my TV set to the repairman, but I don’t think so. It’s their first year doing this, so let’s cut OLN a little more slack before we really bring out the long knives of criticism.
I seem to be growingly suspicious that Joe Sakic may be dealt. He has clearly lost a step and will command a pretty high salary in the coming years, probably more then his actual worth. Last week the Pepsi Center store was completely out of Sakic sweaters, when sweaters such as Rob Blake’s, Ray Bourque’s, Theo Fleury’s and Patrick Roy’s seemed to be in stock less than 24 hours after the deal was done. Do you think that Avalanche GM Pierre Lacroix is thinking of dealing Super Joe?
— Chris Baerns, Westminster
Chris – No, I just don’t see Joe Sakic ever being traded by this team. Pierre Lacroix is cognizant of Sakic’s stature with this organization, and I don’t think he wants to do that. Sakic has been with this team since 1988, which is amazing when you think about it in the framework of today’s pro sports world.
Sakic is still a great player, and vital to this team’s success. He’s also the face of the organization. You don’t just trade guys like that.
I would love to know what causes a player to be thrown out of the faceoff circle. I have been watching a long time and have read more hockey books than I can count, and still I can never see anything happening when they are tossed. What’s going on?
— Kat, Denver
Kat – Ninety-nine percent of the time, a player is tossed for moving too early before the puck is dropped. A player who is “cheating” too much (i.e., moving his shoulders into the faceoff dot too quickly or moving his stick before the linesman drops the puck) is tossed out.
Adrian – Another Red Wings loss at home punctuated by the cheers of an inordinate number of opposing team’s fans. Would it be possible for a team owner to simply refuse entry to the opposing team’s fans? Is there some NHL rule, or does the normal we-reserve-the-right-to-refuse-service-to-anyone rule apply? Do this a few times and opposing teams fans would get the hint
and stay away.
— Brian Finlayson, Littleton
Brian – No, there is no such rule. If the entire arena were full of Red Wings-wearing fans, the Avalanche wouldn’t care – as long as they all paid for their seats.
But, of course, they wouldn’t like to see every fan wearing a Wings jersey. I definitely have noticed a lot more Wings sweaters in the two games at the Pepsi Center this season. Maybe that’s a product of other Avs fans jumping off the bandwagon, and Detroit transplants snapping up the seats? Who knows, but if that’s the case, then all’s fair. If Avs fans don’t want to buy the seats, then they are fair game to other hockey fans – no matter their allegiance.
Adrian – It has become apparent that something MUST be done with our beloved Colorado Avalanche. We are clinging onto the eighth and final playoff spot, but I’m sure we can all agree that the Avalanche needs to acquire somebody for our squad. If you were in Pierre Lacroix’s shoes, would you be wanting to deal? Who would you want? What would you want to give up? Thanks!
— Chad Lysohirka, Maple Ridge, British Columbia
Chad – Well, as I write this, the Avs have moved up to the fifth spot in the Western Conference. So, let’s not panic here.
I am the first to admit that I’m actually surprised the Avs have played as well as they have this season. I expected a much lower-scoring team, one that would hover around the .500 most of the year. Instead, they are the highest-scoring team in the West, third in the league. To me, that’s amazing.
If I were Lacroix, I’d look for a power forward to take Steve Konowalchuk’s spot on the second line. I’d go after a guy like Gary Roberts from Florida. He’s a guy who can play in the tough areas, who knows how to win and would give the Avs more of a reliable scoring touch as a replacement for Kono. The problem is, Roberts has another year left on his contract, and his $2.25 million salary for next season would count against the Avs’ salary-cap number for this season. So, it would be a close shave to fit him in, but if it’s possible, I think Lacroix owes it to himself and the team to try and get him.
Hey, Adrian. I always liked your Avs Mailbag, but living out of Denver for the first time has me appreciating it more than ever! Might this be the first year ever the illustrious GM that is Mr. Lacroix will not trade for anyone? With the cap and overall depth of the Avs, I can’t see much movement other than perhaps Bob Boughner or Kurt Sauer for an equivalent utility man. Thanks a bunch!
— Loic, Port-of-Spain, Trinidad
Loic – No, I guarantee you’ll see some kind of move by Lacroix by the March 9 deadline. As I said in the previous question, the Avs, I think, need to find a forward for the second line for the playoffs. And, with Ossi Vaananen out for the season, they need a defenseman for depth purposes. You have to have that extra guy in case another D-man goes down. Maybe they don’t if they use Boughner on the blue line, but that opens another hole on the fourth line. Lacroix knows this, of course, and you’ll see him do something.
Adrian Dater has covered the Colorado Avalanche since the team moved to Denver in 1995. To drop a question into his Avs Mailbag or visit DenverPost.com’s .
