Mile High Pollster: Voters say trading Sam Girard would be a lateral move

How satisfied are we with Jared Bednar and Chris MacFarland? Was game three of the SCF entertaining?

On this week’s version of Mile High Pollster, we ask fans if they really want to trade Sam Girard (again), if they are satisfied with the coaching and management, and invite them to weigh in on the goonery of Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final. Let’s see how it went!

Sammy Sweetheart

Sam Girard has been on some fans’ trading block since 2020, but number 49 is still rocking the burgundy and blue. Given Colorado’s cap situation, fans are beginning to pick and choose who they think should be dealt next, and of course, Sammy G is a part of the list that includes Ross Colton, Miles Wood, and Josh Manson. Thankfully, while I write this article, the vote is leaning slightly toward no, and I agree.

Girard was among the better performers in round one and more than held his own. He suffered slightly in the team defense department, but more than made up for it on the offensive side. Just take a look at this chart and tell me if Sam Girard was the issue in round one!

I agree with Val Drury (great handle) in that moving Girard would at best be a lateral move, seeing as you have other holes to fill in the D group. A deal involving G would have to involve his replacement, and at that point, there isn’t much trade value to land another piece, even if that piece is a late-round pick. Let’s not pretend like the Avalanche has a track record of landing great players with late-round picks.

Satisfaction Survey

These two polls have inspired next week’s pollster, as I’ll be conducting a satisfaction survey after receiving some intriguing results and responses to questions about Jared Bednar. It appears that fans are still satisfied with Bedsy, which makes sense, given that he is a Stanley Cup Champion. However, I bet that if I had put this poll out a year ago, his results would have leaned even more towards ‘very satisfied’. I, for one, am still cool with Bedsy, but do save space for the idea that he can learn from mistakes and grow still. That’s a reasonable expectation for any human being, if you ask me!

I think Colleen’s criticism here is valid, and something Bednar can adjust. It’s a game of give and take when you have superstars on the roster, but if your GM is claiming to have established depth in the lineup, you gotta trust that and roll all four lines. Sometimes Bednar keeps the big guns out too long, too early, and toward the end of contests, they don’t have much left in the tank. Trust your systems, trust your roster, and earn your opportunities!

After I fired off the Bednar poll, a follower requested I put out the same survey for Chris MacFarland, and so here it is! It appears fans view MacFarland a bit differently than Bednar, with many fans pointing to the way a pursuit of 2C has hurt the Avalanche over time.

I would agree with that, but I’m still giving MacFarland the benefit of the doubt. What he did to secure the net shouldn’t go without praise, even though I agree that the Compher, Johanssen, Mittlestadt, Nelson experiment has been costly.

Frenzy in Florida

Game three of the Stanley Cup Final in Florida got a bit out of hand in more than one regard. The Panthers beat the Oilers in every facet, including with their fists, but I thought the level of goonery that Edmonton stooped to was laughable and shameful. The team that ices Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid decided not to focus on the next goal but rather the next cheap shot or opportunity for retribution. For reference, the Oilers finished the regular season with the fewest hits of any team in the league, but now all of a sudden want to play tough guy when it matters most.

I don’t think this series is over, but Edmonton showed they are susceptible to being rattled to the point of packing it in midway through a SCF so they could get a few licks in. If the Oilers stand a chance, they will have to pivot and get back to playing hockey. It remains to be seen whether any of the debauchery that occurred will be punished in the form of a fine or suspension, but some fans are calling for just that. What do you think?

Let us know your response to all of these poll questions in the comments!