Rick Sadowski: Avalanche claims Cliche off waivers from Kings, sends Pickard to Lake Erie

not surprised about the Pickard cut, Aittokallio is looking really good and he deserved another game in the pre-season, he will be monsters bound eventually.

The Cliche claim is a bit puzzling and interesting, not really sure why they would do that, but its nice to see the Avs actually be aggressive on the waiver wire now, too many times in the sherman moves did we let guys pass on waivers just to go and trade prospects for plugs....Hunwick for Cohen, and O'Bryne for Bournival.

Pickard was solid in tryouts and his preseason game. I really think with him, Sgarbossa and Siemens that the avs are sending down players that they think they have a good feel on and keep ones they still want to watch a little more to see where they are at.

i agree with meeqsb

Pickard was solid in tryouts and his preseason game. I really think with him, Sgarbossa and Siemens that the avs are sending down players that they think they have a good feel on and keep ones they still want to watch a little more to see where they are at.
- Meeqsb

thats a good point, never really thought about it that way. To me those 3 are the logical mid season call ups in those positions anyway. I am curious at whats going on with Hishon, wonder if he will get into a preseason soon. I want Heard to pull it around too, but he seems like he needs a few more seasons of development.

Stanley Cup, here we come!

thats a good point, never really thought about it that way. To me those 3 are the logical mid season call ups in those positions anyway. I am curious at whats going on with Hishon, wonder if he will get into a preseason soon. I want Heard to pull it around too, but he seems like he needs a few more seasons of development.
- DDM-Coga

Hishon and Van Der Guilk were both sent to Lake Erie with the first set of cuts.

Hishon and Van Der Guilk were both sent to Lake Erie with the first set of cuts.
- westonie

I missed that, makes sense since he was injured for most of training camp

I missed that, makes sense since he was injured for most of training camp
- DDM-Coga

At this point if the Avs can get anything out of him it will be a plus. However coming back from that many concussions would be nothing short of a miracle.

Don't forget the avs have played most of their home preseason games, and while the road games are usually for the B squad players, the Avs will probably send down players they don't want getting injured while the final preseason game in Las Vegas will most likely be a majority of roster players warming up for the season opener.

At this point if the Avs can get anything out of him it will be a plus. However coming back from that many concussions would be nothing short of a miracle.
- Meeqsb

I hope he overcomes them, I just hope the Avs dont give up on him after his entry level contract is up bc of it. He has battled pretty hard to get back to where he is now.

I hated the pick when we made it bc there was so many players still available at the time. I was big on Etem that year. But after the OHL season following the draft and his playoff performance, I thought we hit a home run with him.

Kid has talented hands, and if he didnt have his concussion issue, I am convinced he would be in the line up now.

I hope he overcomes them, I just hope the Avs dont give up on him after his entry level contract is up bc of it. He has battled pretty hard to get back to where he is now.

I hated the pick when we made it bc there was so many players still available at the time. I was big on Etem that year. But after the OHL season following the draft and his playoff performance, I thought we hit a home run with him.

Kid has talented hands, and if he didnt have his concussion issue, I am convinced he would be in the line up now.
- DDM-Coga

The player the avs had their eye on was Tarasenko and thought they had him, but STL traded up to get him 2 spots before us. Hishon was at the time the best playmaker available so the avs went with him. The injuries were just an awful string of luck.

Etem was very risky because the style he played at the time was very unlike how he would have to play in the NHL so it was difficult to judge what you were getting which is why you saw him fall so far eventually to ANA that year.

The player the avs had their eye on was Tarasenko and thought they had him, but STL traded up to get him 2 spots before us. Hishon was at the time the best playmaker available so the avs went with him. The injuries were just an awful string of luck.

Etem was very risky because the style he played at the time was very unlike how he would have to play in the NHL so it was difficult to judge what you were getting which is why you saw him fall so far eventually to ANA that year.
- Meeqsb

Hishon was a 2nd rounder at the time bc of his injuries, he didnt get a lot of coverage about being a first rounder bc of that, so when they drafted him, it was definitely an off the board pick,

I do remember that draft, Tarasenko was falling and then St Louis drafted Schwartz 2 picks earlier than his pick, they traded Runblad for Otts pick to draft Tarasenko...they must just have valued him more than Runblad and jumped at the chance

looks like a solid showing for Varly, thats encouraging once you see the B-Squad that was iced for tonight. Hopefully thats a sign for things to come

Hishon was a 2nd rounder at the time bc of his injuries, he didnt get a lot of coverage about being a first rounder bc of that, so when they drafted him, it was definitely an off the board pick,

I do remember that draft, Tarasenko was falling and then St Louis drafted Schwartz 2 picks earlier than his pick, they traded Runblad for Otts pick to draft Tarasenko...they must just have valued him more than Runblad and jumped at the chance
- DDM-Coga

On the official rankings he was in the 2nd round, however 3 GM's drafting after the Avs said if he was available in the 1st round that they would have taken him in the 1st, although I am not sure which Gms were ever mentioned.

I still hate them for it, the kid is going to be a stud and he would have been a perfect fit on this team, he is exactly what we need. I trade for him in NHL 14 every year.

looks like a solid showing for Varly, thats encouraging once you see the B-Squad that was iced for tonight. Hopefully thats a sign for things to come
- DDM-Coga

Varly dominated with a bunch of NO ONE playing in front of him.

Listened to the game on the Anaheim radio... sounded like Varlamov made a lot of big saves throughout the night.

Hoping some short clips pop up here and there showing some of his saves tonight. Hopefully he can carry that "takeover" mode into the season with the actual team in front of him.

question for you guys, how is mackinnon looking? Lock for the team? Line two skating with PA and OReilly?

question for you guys, how is mackinnon looking? Lock for the team? Line two skating with PA and OReilly?
- Mentalorgasm5

As of right now he is skating with McGinn and PA on what is the third line or the 2b line.

Combos right now are:

O Reilly Duchene Downie
Tanguay Stastny Landy
McGinn Mack PA

As of right now he is skating with McGinn and PA on what is the third line or the 2b line.

Combos right now are:

O Reilly Duchene Downie
Tanguay Stastny Landy
McGinn Mack PA
- AvsAnonymous

think that is gonna stick? Im surprised Downie is on the first

think that is gonna stick? Im surprised Downie is on the first
- Mentalorgasm5

Have to see... Roy is liking the grit Downie adds to the Duchene O' Reilly pair.

I mean in their first pre-season game together they combined for 3g and 4a but it was against an LA team missing a lot of key players and a world class goaltender so time will tell whether it sticks or it gets switched around. Mackinnon will be staying this year it is just a matter of where he ends up at the end of the year and if he develops well I wouldn't be surprised to see him in the top 6

think that is gonna stick? Im surprised Downie is on the first
- Mentalorgasm5

Mackinnon should spend the entire year on the 3rd line. Even with Injury RoR would probably move from wing before Mackinnon moves up. He will get easy minutes and my guess is between 40-50 points.

Downie was moved to the Duchene line because him and RoR were playing so well but played a strong puck possession play so they needed a little more grit and could afford to place PA with Mackinnon to help him as well.

I think you will see wingers rotate throughout the season but the centers should stay the same.

Listened to the game on the Anaheim radio... sounded like Varlamov made a lot of big saves throughout the night.

Hoping some short clips pop up here and there showing some of his saves tonight. Hopefully he can carry that "takeover" mode into the season with the actual team in front of him.
- AvsAnonymous

Varly has always been a strong goalie, last year the D was just AWFUL beyond belief and left him out to dry so often he seemed to get discouraged as a young player.

Avs also didn't have a goalie coach and Sacco's system was so bad offensively, we didn't score any goals. So I am not surprised he struggled last year but he is still a very good goalie.

Mackinnon should spend the entire year on the 3rd line. Even with Injury RoR would probably move from wing before Mackinnon moves up. He will get easy minutes and my guess is between 40-50 points.

Downie was moved to the Duchene line because him and RoR were playing so well but played a strong puck possession play so they needed a little more grit and could afford to place PA with Mackinnon to help him as well.

I think you will see wingers rotate throughout the season but the centers should stay the same.
- Meeqsb

I hope Mackinnon ends the season as the 2nd line center. The Avs are making a huge mistake if they don't trade Stastny at the deadline. There is no way he signs with the team this offseason with Duchene and Mackinnon being the obvious long term plan down the middle.
As a free agent, he's going to get longer term, more money, and more ice time. In Colorado he would end up on the 3rd line, taking mainly defensive zone draws and watching his stats and value continue to go down.

Has Parenteau played any preseason?