Denver Post sports writer Adrian Dater posts his Avs Mailbag on Mondays during the 2009-10 NHL season. The next installment is slated for Dec. 21.
for the Avs Mailbag.
Adrian – Great team analysis on . Got me thinking, do you think the lack of a booming shot from the defense is significantly hindering the power play? I remember the days with Rob Blake. Do the Avs have someone in their system with a strong shot who can also get it on net? Thanks.
— Patrick, Denver
Patrick – Kyle Quincey has added a nice slapper to the PP, but it’s still something of a weakness on the team. John Liles isn’t a booming slap-shot guy and neither is Brett Clark, the usual two other D-men on the PP.
Blake had/has one of the better slap shots in the league, so comparisons to him are always going to be tough. But it was a definite weakness the previous couple years, until Quincey arrived. A guy with a big slap shot not only scores more, but also he creates more rebounds for teammates in front and also makes the D back off more.
Are the Avs too cheap to buy Wojtek Wolski a ticket to Cleveland?
— Milo, Parker
Milo – Another entrant for the “He wrote this before the guy he ripped had a great game” file. Wolski was the No. 1 star , and played pretty well , too. Yes, he’s maddeningly inconsistent though. Hence, your contribution to the Mailbag.
Wolski drives coaches crazy because he’s got great hands and can really finish plays off. The problem is, he doesn’t always do the other things necessary to be able to get in position to finish those plays off. He’s a great finisher when he wants to be, but not always a great table-setter, in other words.
I don’t think it’s a question of effort, though. Wolski wants to do well and is very tough on himself. He might be one of those guys who thinks a little too much at times. I think he’s been confused at times at what his role should be on this team. He’s been in Joe Sacco’s doghouse a couple times this year, but Sacco is a pretty stubborn guy, and I’ve noticed that he doesn’t give up on guys too fast. As long as a guy cares, I think Sacco is going to keep working with him, and Wolski does care. And he’s also on pace for about 26 goals this year, so this year has not been a bust at all.
Hey, Adrian, maybe I missed it — but what happened to Peter McNab’s eye? Did he decide to practice with the team and take one to the eye? Or maybe he had a fight with an announcer from Tampa Bay.
— Cathy, Grand Junction
Cathy – Peter got a little lippy with me over something I wrote, so I had to cuff him one. He won’t do it again.
But seriously, Peter fell on some stairs after the Avs-Lightning game last week, and hit his eye on a railing. Honest, that’s what happened. I was walking by him that night on my way back up to the press box, and he had a towel to the eye. Of course, we’ve just regaled in kidding him about it ever since. Now he’s a real hockey announcer, right?
Peter McNab is the nicest guy of all time, though, so we kid out of pure affection. Honestly, Peter never seems to have a bad day. Always smiling, always asking how you are and ALWAYS wanting to talk hockey. He lives and breathes hockey. He will talk hockey all day long to anyone. We’ve all been lucky to have him around. And I still can’t believe it sometimes when I talk to him, because, as a lot you know only too well probably, I grew up in New England and was a huge Bruins fan, of course, and McNab was a guy I cheered a million times watching on Ch. 38. Even after 15 years working with the guy here in Denver, sometimes I still go “Wait a minute, that’s PETER MCNAB FROM THE BRUINS!”
When are the refs going to step up and start protecting Craig Anderson?! Every game this season , and nothing happens. Wednesday night was about time Adam Foote or someone else got a little payback, but still, the refs tossed Foote, not the other guy. Are we gonna have to start knocking over the other goalie every game to get someone to pay attention, or what?
— Walker, Littleton
Walker – Two things: yes, Andy has been run one too many times this year without a lot of retribution and, two, I don’t want any rules changes.
Goalies were protected way too much before, especially in the days of the ridiculous “Nobody can put a skate in the crease” rule. Goalies have more equipment on than anyone, so they can take a little bump now and then. And if they do, teammates can stand up for them and make them think twice about doing it again.
I’m old-school. I like my hockey rough, and I think it’s good hockey when guys crash the net. Andy got hurt in Florida after Keith “Marquis De Sade” Ballard ran into him, but I don’t think it was as dirty as some Avs fans think. He got around Brett Clark and fell down and just slid into him. Adam Foote didn’t think it was that innocent, and pounded Ballard behind the net. That’s fine, that’s hockey. But I don’t think goalies need special jerseys on like soccer goalkeepers. They’ve got about 12 feet of padding on, so they can take it.
Hey, I was wondering if you might be able to give an update on the progress of Ruslan Salei. I know he has been out all season with a bad back, but I thought I read about a month ago that he was skating again. Any news as to when he might be back in the lineup? The Avs could use another steady hand back there.
— Wren, Eugene, Ore.
Wren – Rusty has a bad back. It’s a legit injury and those are completely unpredictable. So, as it stands right now, it’s completely unpredictable when he’ll be back, if at all. He had a setback recently, and hasn’t been with the team in over a week now. Yes, he would be some nice veteran insurance back there, and so we’ll just have to see if he can overcome this.
Who gives the players their nicknames? Is it teammates, coaches or the fans? Because I have a great one for Ryan O’Reilly — “Rhino.” Every time I hear his name announced, I would swear I hear it as Rhino Riley.
— Adam, Farmington, N.M.
Adam – Most hockey nicknames end with either “ie” or “er.” And it’s the reverse for guys with real last names that end in those letters. Aaron Miller used to be known as “Millsie,” for instance. Brian Willsie is “Wills” or “Willer.”
Guys with names like O’Reilly, though, it’s a little trickier. Some guys call him “Riles” and a lot of fans already call him “Radar,” in honor of the old M*A*S*H character. Rhino isn’t bad, though. That would be the second Avs player with said nickname, with Steve Reinprecht being the first.
So, (who took Victor Hedman with the second overall pick). Might we see a hat trick from Duchene against the Islanders?
— Mike, Austin, Texas
Mike – I’m sure Dutchy and Joe Sacco would have no problem with that at all.
I don’t see many games, so haven’t been able to determine whether O’Reilly has been able to hold up his end on the PK, given the recent lapses. Is his impressive plus-minus due to playing on the third line or should he be moved up? Obviously, he has impressed so far, even though Duchene is much flashier and speedier (he’ll come around, too, given more experience).
— Rollieroger, Hendersonville, N.C.
Rollieroger – O’Reilly is struggling a bit of late, after his tremendous start. Doesn’t seem like he’s been as involved in the play as much, and, yes, the PK has struggled mightily at times. The PK is never about one guy, though. It takes four committed guys and a good goalie for any good PK percentage to occur. But I love the kid’s game and he’s going to be a good player for a long time to come in Denver. I will bet right now, too, that he’ll be a captain of this team some day.
Adrian Dater has covered the Colorado Avalanche since the team moved to Denver in 1995. for the Avs Mailbag.
