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earl08

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Forum: Armchair-GMYesterday at 4:19 p.m.
Thread: 29 and 4 and 18 and 35
<div class="quote"><div class="quote_t">Quoting: <b>littlejerryseinfeld</b></div><div>You didn't answer the question.

Macavoy got 3x4.9 Byram getting 4.5x2 means a huge year.

Sam Reinhart got 3.25x 2 after 43, 47, 50 points. What is newhook doing? 60 points?</div></div>

I'd say the sky's the limit. Byram takea over PP2 to give G and his bad back a rest. Newhook finally earns his veteran card and rides with Lehkonen on line two.

See, Bednar is a smart man. He knows once you enter the NHL head coach fraternity, you are a lifetime member. In the NHL, like many other industries, its all about trust and who you know. All these recycled coaches: DeBoer, Bowness, Maurice, etc, they have stuck around because they honored the members only club, and have made millions doing so.
Jared won't do anything to risk that membership, or even bad credit score, by playing a rookie over a respected vetetan, in a top six role. Imagine, instead of JT Compher consistently getting 2C last season when MacK and Naz were out, it was Newhook. Then imagine if Newhook fails in that role, and the team falls short due to that choice. Whenever Bednar has to sell himself to a GM, he would have to explain that decision. This is why, in every similar scenario, the coach goes with the vetetan, much to fan anger. Newhook is ready to take the next step and is bursting at the seams. He looks so fast, so skilled, that he might score 70 pts as COL 2C next season, after Naz leaves.

The Avs have treated both Byram and Newhook with white gloves. Byram was a monsterous offensive force for VAN his draft year. After going 4th ovetall to COL, they gave him a mandate to focus on defense, and to be more of a two way guy, an NHL defenseman, going forward. Next Giants season he had more modest point totals, as he took that mandate to heart. This is well documented within the Avs online community. You look at his NHL play so far, its been very mature. But he started the 21-22 season on fire until his injury, making me think he's ready for a huge breakout.

Newhook was also given that mandate as a bigtime scorer in college. His first games last playoffs, you could see his defensive commitment, a style he embraced this year as well. This, combined with limited minutes, kept his point totals down this year (although he hilariously matched JTC points). Newhook looked good in his limited top six mins, but I predict he explodes next season as 2C for 60+ pts. And then this bridge will also look like a steal from McFarland (who I expect to succede Sakic soon).
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