So, waking up this morning, all the talk about the game last night centered around one thing: the hit on Dach. For the sake of not stirring the pot, I’ll keep my in-depth opinion on this to myself (spoiler alert, a fine, not a suspension). Instead, I wanna look at something I’ve been waiting for for nearly two and a half years: Dach vs. byram at long last.
Let’s get the easy out of the way: Dach was, quite possibly, the better forward on the team last night. Insofar that the puck found him a lot and he tried to do a lot of positive things. However, no question he missed two chances a player of his “caliber” should have taken advantage. Darren pang said on numerous occasions last night that Dach has a phenomenal shot, and to that I simply say Darren doesn’t watch the hawks that much. Then there was byram. Byram, without much question in my mind, was the best skater, SKATER, on the ice for the Avs. In a team with cale Makar, that’s saying something. He was the number one star of the game with a goal and an assist and he was excellent throughout. It was a culmination of a draft that finally built towards this moment. I have to say, byram is looking exactly like he’s suppose to at this moment. I can’t really give him much more credit than that.
I said back in 2019, I don’t care what Dach does until byram is in the NHL full time, then it’s game on. Well, due respect, game 1 goes to byram. He’s a #1 D in the making and Dach is still improving. My only question is: shouldn’t it be the reverse between these two? Byram just gave me vindication, please prove me wrong though Dach. Friendly reminder: Dach’s gotta face this prime Avs team for ten more years.
My only response to a post like this is, “What would change if Byram was on Chicago and Dach was on Colorado” my answer is that the better player from a fan perspective will always be on Colorado. They are better at developing players, and creating good hockey teams. It’s just the way it is.. if Byram was drafted by the hawks my guess is that he would have been traded by now, probably a throw into the Jones deal in all likelihood. It’s because Chicago rushes players and gets disillusioned at the first sign of struggle… that’s why Mitchell will be in RFD, why Boq will be in CBJ, and why Joki will be in BUF.
My only response to a post like this is, “What would change if Byram was on Chicago and Dach was on Colorado” my answer is that the better player from a fan perspective will always be on Colorado. They are better at developing players, and creating good hockey teams. It’s just the way it is.. if Byram was drafted by the hawks my guess is that he would have been traded by now, probably a throw into the Jones deal in all likelihood. It’s because Chicago rushes players and gets disillusioned at the first sign of struggle… that’s why Mitchell will be in RFD, why Boq will be in CBJ, and why Joki will be in BUF.
The problem with your response is you’re assuming the Avs would have taken him. I’ve heard all the stories of people saying the Avs would have, but that’s pure he said, she said. I’d honestly make the case they’d still take a dman of some kind, but again, who knows. Seider looks perfect for their defense.
Having said that, I don’t disagree with you on development. I don’t think Dach will ever be as good as he could have been simply cuz the hawks were too high on him. Letting him go to the NHL in season 1 and letting him go to world juniors. Correction, go to wjc camp and not even get to the tournament. There is a fundamental flaw in how this franchise runs itself these days.
What doesn’t change is simply this: both players are here now, and round 1 to byram. He looks exactly like he’s suppose to. Dach isn’t gonna get it easy against the Avs for another ten years.
I can also admit that I was Byram guy at the draft. I thought getting a Keith replacement would be a good thing and it would be nice to have a puck moving LD right about now. I REALLY liked how Byram elevated his play during the WHL playoffs. He was huge. I also agree with @stan_bowman that the Hawks rush kids too fast. Why is Reichel in Rockford? Why not the WHL or DEL for one more year? Why did Boqvist only get 15 games in Rockford...Dach got literally 3.
I would say Dach was clearly our best forward last night. If you want to be frusterated with any forward last night start with Kane. He created absultly zero offesivly the entire game till we pulled the goalie. Be mad at Johnson for two dumb penalties. Be mad at Borgstrom for being invisible. Yeah Dach needs to learn how to finish, but I would be waaayyy more concerned if he wasn't generating chances at all
The problem with your response is you’re assuming the Avs would have taken him. I’ve heard all the stories of people saying the Avs would have, but that’s pure he said, she said. I’d honestly make the case they’d still take a dman of some kind, but again, who knows. Seider looks perfect for their defense.
Having said that, I don’t disagree with you on development. I don’t think Dach will ever be as good as he could have been simply cuz the hawks were too high on him. Letting him go to the NHL in season 1 and letting him go to world juniors. Correction, go to wjc camp and not even get to the tournament. There is a fundamental flaw in how this franchise runs itself these days.
What doesn’t change is simply this: both players are here now, and round 1 to byram. He looks exactly like he’s suppose to. Dach isn’t gonna get it easy against the Avs for another ten years.
I think this is mostly your bias right now. I admit I was a Byram guy, but he's played 1 game and in sheltered minutes on the bottom pair. They also play a really aggressive game and pounced on a team that wasn't ready.
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