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Christmas Q&A: Who needs a hug from Santa?

Colorado Avalanche Introduce Patrick Roy

DENVER, CO - MAY 28: Joe Sakic Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations of the Colorado Avalanche addresses the media as Patrick Roy is introduced as the new Head Coach/Vice President of Hockey Operations of the Colorado Avalanche during a press conference at the Pepsi Center on May 28, 2013 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

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Brough: I’ll say Joe Sakic. The Avalanche are a total disaster, the worst team in hockey. And as general manager, he’s got some big decisions to make about the team’s future. Should he trade Matt Duchene? What about Gabriel Landeskog? While it might be tempting to do major surgery on an underachieving roster, there’s always the potential to make things worse. I think Sakic would love a hug from Santa. And if Santa could score a goal or make a few saves, even better.

Gretz: I think John Tavares could use a hug from Santa. Here you have a player that has been one of the best in the NHL for several years, playing on a below-market contract, for a team that is at the bottom of the Eastern Conference. There have been a lot of head-scratching decisions made by the Isles over the past year, from letting Kyle Okposo and Frans Nielsen go, to signing a 30-year-old Cal Clutterbuck to a long-term contract (I know, Tavares and Clutterbuck go back a long way, but you still have to be sensible about this stuff), to having that Andrew Ladd contract hanging out there. Tavares deserves better.

Alfieri: I think Santa should take some time out of his busy schedule to give Steven Stamkos a hug. Stamkos was fortunate enough to have signed a huge contract this summer, but he’s also faced plenty of adversity. The Lightning captain has been sidelined by injuries multiple times over the last couple of years and 2016-17 has proven to be no different. Thanks to a knee injury he suffered in November, he’ll be out of commission until March. This comes less than a year after he missed time with a blood clot and just three seasons after he suffered a broken tibia.

Tucker: You mean besides Gerard Gallant? How ‘bout Willie Desjardins. He’s been on the hot seat in Vancouver for about a year now, and the criticisms about his coaching — player deployment being one — are fair. But he’s not responsible for what’s happened in Vancouver. The way their roster has been built, the Canucks are not playoff contenders and never should’ve been considered as such by management.

O’Brien: This season hasn’t been especially kind to goalies who are in pivotal contract years, but my goodness, it’s hard not to feel bad for Brian Elliott. After years of being bypassed for options like Ryan Miller, Jaroslav Halak and ultimately Jake Allen in St. Louis, he gets a chance with the Flames ... and flops. Worse yet, Chad Johnson puts up blazing numbers, limiting Elliott’s opportunities to make things right. Elliott could lose millions from this bumpy season, and even if you think Hitch’s system inflated his numbers in St. Louis, that’s a rough break for a guy who put up a fantastic .925 save percentage in his 181 games with the Blues. Along with a hug, Santa should save one of his cookies for Elliott. It’s been a tough haul for the poor guy.

Halford: While I remain somewhat skeptical about Santa’s proclivity for hugs -- aren’t his handouts strictly candy canes and bad mall photos? -- I’ll play along and say Riley Sheahan could use one. No forward in the NHL has played more games (34) and had more shots on goal (51) without scoring a goal. And that deserves a hug, and maybe a shoulder to cry on.

Editor’s note: In all seriousness, we’d like to pass along our best wishes to Bryan Bickell, Nicholle Anderson, Dave Strader, and any others in the hockey community who are courageously battling life’s challenges.