Coming into the season, there was plenty of optimism around the Colorado Avalanche and for good reason. They’ve started strong, sitting near the top of the standings with only one loss and a handful of overtime wins. Still, something feels just a little off. The team is good really god, but they’ve got a few things to clean up if they want to stay in that top spot.
At the center of it all, Cale Makar and Nathan MacKinnon continue to look like absolute monsters. Makar’s leading defensemen in scoring, and MacKinnon’s right there among the top forwards in points. The stars are doing their job. But the Avalanche’s power play? That’s another story.
The man-advantage unit has been sputtering. In recent games, they’ve gone one-for-seven, one-for-two, and even put up a zero on the board the night before that. The system all those drop passes and zone entries feels too predictable. Too often, they’re forced to dump and chase or end up losing possession after just a few passes. They’re getting chances, but not capitalizing, and that’s leaving valuable points on the table.
It’s early, and compared to last year, this is hardly cause for panic. The Avalanche have been playing strong teams Utah, New Jersey, Dallas — and hanging right there with them. Still, for a team with this much talent, they can’t afford to keep letting opportunities slip away.
Goaltending has been another talking point. Scott Wedgewood’s done well stepping up in relief, especially while the true number one has been out, but even he could use a breather. Miner got a start recently, though it ended in a loss not entirely unexpected for a young backup finding his footing.
The team will be fine once they find their rhythm. Injuries haven’t helped, but reinforcements are on the way. When LOC, the “Mayor” of Hockey Town USA is back, the penalty kill will get a huge boost. He’s one of the best short-handed threats in the league and brings a spark that’s been missing.
And here’s the thing, if this is what a slump looks like for the Avalanche, second place with just one regulation loss? That’s a pretty good problem to have. Once the power play starts clicking and the lineup gets healthy, this team’s ceiling is as high as ever.
For now, a little patience. A few tweaks. And maybe, just maybe, another deep playoff run in the making.
Add comment
Comments