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Colorado Avalanche year in review


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PRESEASON OUTLOOK

Lots of young talented players, one of the most iconic players in franchise history taking the club over as coach, but not a whole lot expected as the season started.

FINAL RECORD 52-22-8 112 points 2nd in the West.

STRANGE STAT OF THE YEAR

Last season the Avalanche d-men scored 4 goals all year dead last in the NHL. This season it was a whopping 48 from the blue line fourth in the NHL with the same players.

HIGH POINT OF THE SEASON

The Avalanche shocked the world by winning their first six games and twelve of the first thirteen. In the opener against the Ducks new coach Roy pushed over a divider at Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau setting the tone. The team was off and running and never looked back eventually winning the division over powerhouses St. Louis and defending champion Chicago.

LOW POINT OF THE SEASON

Game 7 against the Wild. Four separate times the Avalanche scored to take the lead to see the Wild come back and tie, including twice in the third period before finally losing a heart wrenching game in overtime ending their season.

WHAT WENT RIGHT.

Matt Duchene (23-47-70) had a solid year as did Gabriel Landeskog (26-39-65), and Ryan O'Reilly (28-36-64). Nathan MacKinnon (24-39-63) seems a lock for the Calder. Paul Stastny (25-35-60) had a solid year. Erik Johnson (9-30-39) bounced back nicely. Semyon Varlamov had a breakthrough year and has to be the favorite to win the Vezina. Coach Paddy Roy put his stamp upon the club. Tyson Barrie over the second half of the year was as good of an offensive d-man as there was. Nick Holden banged in 10 goals from the point. Gritty Jamie McGinn scored 19 goals.

WHAT WENT WRONG

Alex Tanguay was injured and relatively ineffective when he did play. P.A. Parenteau was in Roy's doghouse and injured much of the year. Max Talbot was meh after coming over from the Flyers. Ryan Wilson fell off production wise and spent a good time of the year in Lake Erie.

MVP

Varlamov. The Goalie went 41-14-6 with a .927 save pct.

UFAs

Paul Stastny

Andre Benoit

Cory Sraich

OFFSEASON EXPECTATIONS

After the pain of the way the season ended passes the Avalanche will realize they have nothing to be ashamed of. A veteran but young core of forwards, a star goalie and an improved defense make them a contender. Stastny is almost certainly gone, Parenteau will likely be dealt so it is a matter of rebuilding a second line before next year. MacKinnon has just scratched the surface of his potential so how high can this team go is the number one question.

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The Avs season may be over, but I'm a bit jealous of their team going forward. They're about where I hoped the Leafs would be at this point of their "rebuild".

 

I wonder if Stastny will be back?

 

Improve that defense and the Avs will be a force to contend with.

Stastny is almost certainly gone like a cool breeze. The rumors were he was on the block several times throughout the year. Supposedly he does not get along with Roy which is the kiss of death.

I think he would be the perfect fit for your boys. Stastny, Kadri and Bozak, in that order would be a solid trio of centers.

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Yet another good capsule, Yave....

 

I will add as a 'What went wrong' (for the post season anyways).....Matt Cooke.

 

Even though I do feel Minnesota did deserve to win the series, I still wonder how different things could have been had Colorado had Tyson Barrie, a VERY promising and developing D-man, for the duration of the series.

 

Sure, Minny lost Cooke for the duration as well, but in all honesty, I think anyone with half a brain can see that trade off was grossly unfair for the Avalanche.

 

Obviously, having Barrie back to start the season alone next year is an improvement on the defense in and of itself. The team as a whole will certainly get better....lessons learned throughout this season and the playoffs...and like you said, they reconstruct the 2nd line if Statsny does not return and if Parenteau really won't be part of the team moving forward.

Recontructing should not be a problem given how much talent the team has, and I am sure attracting good FA players won't be an issue either.

 

As a hockey fan, was glad to see the Avs stay with Semyon Varlamov from last season to this....as a division rival fan, perhaps not so much...  ;) ...but crazy as it sounds, there were more than just a few twits at the time of Roy's hiring that suggested St. Patrick would do away with Varlamov and "get a real goaltender".

I argued that Varlamov was pretty good even in the Avs awful 2012-13 season and he should be retained, but I was labeled as "on drugs" and a "ditzy broad who knew nothing of hockey".

Hah...eat THAT doubters... 

 

In any case, I fully expect this Avs team to come back strong once again (perhaps even stronger) next season.

So you have a talented bunch in the Avs, the by-then grizzled Hawks veteran team, rising stars in Minnesota and Dallas, a still rough n ready and good St. Louis team....and possible improvements from both Winnipeg and Nashville...and that Central Division will be looking like one of the toughest in the league, bar none!

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I'm still bummed ooot that the Avs lost game 7 in overtime. But I have to remember that the Avs gave we fans a fantastic year, and I have to remember too that we scored one incredible coach. I see nothing but good things in the Avs future. Thanks for an amazing season, boys. 

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I'm still bummed ooot that the Avs lost game 7 in overtime. But I have to remember that the Avs gave we fans a fantastic year, and I have to remember too that we scored one incredible coach. I see nothing but good things in the Avs future. Thanks for an amazing season, boys. 

 

Welcome.

 

It was an exciting season, no doubt.  Once the Aves tighten up the defense a bit this team will be a force to reckon with for a long time.  As a fan of the Wild I know there were a couple of calls in game 5 that could and should have allowed the series to end in Minny in 6.  The Wild were a determined bunch to make it out of the first round.  I see the Aves learning from that game 7 loss and have that determination next year.  

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