Editor’s note: This is a transcript of a live Avalanche chat with Adrian Dater that took place on April 11, 2007.
DenverPost moderator: Thanks for joining us for today’s chat. We will begin in five minutes. Please keep asking your questions.
DenverPost moderator: Alright let’s get started. Adrian, are you ready for your first question?
Adrian Dater Go for it
Q2) Mike M: If we didn’t have the Over Time Loss (a point for the losing team in an overtime game), Nashville, San Jose, and Tampa Bay would be division champs. The Canadians (not the Oilers) would be the eigth seed in the East, and we would be gearing up for a first-round match up of Peter Forsberg and Paul Kariya against Joe Sakic and the Avs. Let’s just say I’m not a fan of the OTL. Your thoughts?
Adrian Dater Well, what if the Avs had made it in based on those extra points? Would you be a fan then? Rules are rules, and you just have to live with them
Q13) Trisha: Hi Adrian, Given the better defensive play by the Avs down the stretch, don’t you think Jose Theodore looked better in net in his last three games? I don’t think the Avs have any goaltenders in their system to replace Theodore, so I think he will be back as the backup next year. Your thoughts? Thanks, Trisha
Adrian Dater It sounded a little like it the other day, when Giguere was talking about his plans for next year. But I think it would be a mistake. Read my Mailbag from today for more of an explanation as to why I think that’s the case
Q0) Drj: How fitting that the Avs are knocked out of the playoffs by two of the best players ( Forsberg & Kariya) that they let get away in recent years. Helloo — how many great players can they let go in so many consecutive years ??? Any wonder they aren’t in the playoffs for the 1st time as Avs ???
Adrian Dater It was definitely the final irony of the season. There are a lot of very good ex-Avs out there, no question. They never should have traded Chris Drury, and letting Peter Forsberg for absolutely nothing in return was a big mistake – although I give the Avs more of a pass on that because of the salary cap stuff.
Q3) kenny: Hey Adrian, what’s it like not to work during the playoffs?
Adrian Dater Well, it’s a lot different. The new rules really changed things. I think it’s a better game, for sure. As for what it’s like not to work in the playoffs, so far so good. I got to play with my kid last night, instead of being in Detroit in a hotel room. I’ll take that
DenverPost moderator: If you had to guess, which free agent ends up with the Avs?
Adrian Dater I’d say the Avs will make a major push for Drury or Ryan Smyth, plus a defenseman (Souray, Hannan). I think Forsberg wont’ be back here
Q11) foppa: Is Fantasy Hockey anywhere close to as big as Fantasy Baseball or Fantasy Football?
Adrian Dater No, not in this country. I’m a fantasy baseball geek myself, but don’t do hockey. It’s very big in Canada though. Huge.
Steph: Following up on that earlier free-agent Question…if they bring in Drury, where would he fit? Center? Wing? Would they bump stastny down one line?
Adrian Dater I think they’d try to play Drury as a winger, probably on a line with Sakic and Brunette, and bump Wolski down to the second line. If they got him, that is
foppa: What’s the deal with the cartoon character on Peter Budaj’s helmet?
Adrian Dater It’s Ned Flanders from the Simpsons. It’s because he’s a religious guy, plus he likes the show and is funny in a way like Flanders. So, that’s his nickname
Jeremy: In Monday’s press conference, Avs GM Francois Giguere made a big issue that the losses of Steve Konowalchuk and Jordan Leopold hurt the team this season. To me it came off as making excuses but I also found it interesting that he made no mention of Patrice Brisebois or Pierre Turgeon, who also both missed significant time with injuries. Can we read between the lines on this one?
Adrian Dater Yes, that was very telling. I didn’t much care for Giguere’s injury lament. Every single team in the NHL has injuries, and actually the Avs had a pretty injury-free year with their top guys. Leopold was the exception, and that did hurt. But every team can say that. Brisebois and Turgeon are gone, I’m sure.
Jeremy: With the salary cap, I don’t blame the Avs for having to let certain players go. Unfortunately, there was no way to tell Theodore wouldn’t work out. It would’ve been much easier to swallow paying Forsberg 6 million but then again, injuries just seem to plague his career right now.
Adrian Dater As you say, Theodore just didn’t work out. The problem is, they have to swallow a lot of salary for next year, too, with him. They should have been more sure of a guy like him before taking on such a huge salary in a cap era. That’s hindsight, of course, but that’s just a fact
Q10) roy rules: What kind of response have you had to your recent book about the Avalanche-Red Wings rivalry?
Adrian Dater It’s been a great response. Very surprising to me actually. The book sold out its first printing and has gotten good reviews. It’s been fun
Q6) jen: How much better would the Avs have been with a healthy Jordan Leopold?
Adrian Dater I bet they would have won a couple more games with him. By that number, they would have made the playoffs. His loss hurt, no doubt.
Q9) roy rules: If the Avs had made the playoffs this season, would that comeback rank among the best in sports history? What compares?
Adrian Dater I think so, definitely. They got points in 17 of their last 19 games – with some injuries, too. It was a great run. But you know the old saying: too little, too late
Q17) Steph: Once Sakic is gone, whom do you see the organization building around? Who, in your opinion, is/are the future leader(s) of this team?
Adrian Dater Paul Stastny, for sure. Maybe Liles and Wolski, but Stastny is the man right now
DenverPost moderator: Did you get the sense from Peter Forsberg last week at Pepsi Center whether he’d consider a return to Colorado?
Adrian Dater Yes, I did. I think he’s very intrigued by it. He was pretty down in the locker room afterward, knowing that he had basically knocked the Avs out of the playoffs. It was kind of funny to see. But I don’t think Giguere wants to give all his free agent money to a center, one that is 33 and has a huge injury history. I think he’s thinking about a defenseman or Drury/Smyth
Q4) kenny: How many years does Sakic have left in him?
Adrian Dater He wants to play until 2010, to get a shot at playing in the Olympics in his hometown of Vancouver
Q18) Jeremy: With the poor performance of Marek Svatos this year and being relegated to the fourth line, do you think that Avs will trade him or use him as trade bait? I mean, Radim Vrbata once had a great year with the Avs but has turned out to be an average player.
Adrian Dater Yes, I think it’s a strong possibility Svatos will be traded. He had a bad year. Defensemen caught on to his little stutter step move that was so successful in his rookie year. I don’t think he did that once this year.
Q8) jen: Will the Avs buy out Jose Theodore? If they do, do you think another team would pick him up and pay him?
Adrian Dater I think the odds are that the Avs will buy out Theoodore. But the Avs are funny sometimes. They are stubborn, and it would be a blow to the massive ego of Pierre Lacroix if they did buy him out. So, they may keep him just to be stubborn
Q20) Steph: do you know if any of the guys are going to the World championship in Moscow??
Adrian Dater Sakic isn’t. I think Brett Clark has a shot at being invited, and I think guys like Vaananen and Skrastins will play. But I haven’t heard of any other strong possibilities
Q5) kenny: Are Paul Stastny and Wojtek Wolski the future of the Avalanche?
Adrian Dater Well, of course they’re a big part of it. Stastny is a star NOW. But don’t forget about this kid Chris Stewart, their No. 1 pick of last year. He has a real shot at making the team next year. Dont’ forget about Budaj either
Q21) Jonas P: Has hockey fully recovered in your estimation after the missed year?
Adrian Dater Well, attendance this year actually set an all time record in the NHL. And, believe it or not, the NHL actually got as good a rating on NBC two weeks ago in their game of the week as the NBA did with theirs on the same time slot. So, I think things are picking up a bit again for the game
Q22) Jeremy: I’d hoped that the Avs would go after Sheldon Souray but now he says that he would take a pay cut to stay in Montreal so who could the Avs, realistically, go after to upgrade the D?
Adrian Dater I think Scott Hannan of San Jose is a guy they’ll really target. Problem is, so will 29 other teams probably. D-men are hard to find.
DenverPost moderator: Any ather questions folks?
Q23) Steph: Do you think they will re-sign Marc Rycroft?
Adrian Dater Hard to say. He had a real good final third of the year, but didn’t do much before. I bet they will sign him, though
Q24) Jeremy: In talking about ratings, do you think we will ever watch another NHL game on ESPN?
Adrian Dater Not in the near term. There is still some bad blood between the league and them. But, obviously, being on ESPN would be better than the awful Versus. I still can’t find that channel
DenverPost moderator: Adrian, I believe we are out of questions. You are a speedy typer! Thanks to everyone who participated in today’s chat, and thanks to Adrian.
Adrian Dater OK, thanks folks. I’m off to see the film, “The Hoax”. See, this is better than working!
DenverPost moderator: We will post a transcript of the chat shortly on denverpost.com.
