2009-2010 Colorado Avalanche Preview
The Colorado Avalanche has long been associated with excellence in the National Hockey League. Since their move to the Rocky Mountains in 1996, the Avalanche has won two Stanley Cups and has boasted some of the games brightest stars. This is the team of Sakic, Forsberg, Hejduk and Roy. Will Colorado return to its winning tradition in 2009-2010?
Looking Back at 2008-2009Last year was a very tough season for the Avalanche. Captain Joe Sakic was injured in a freak snow blower accident and only played in 15 games and young star Peter Statsny only played half of the season after falling to injury as well. Unsurprisingly, the offense suffered in their absence. The Avalanche scored the fewest goals in the entire league last year and only wingers Milan Hejduk and Ryan Smyth scored more than 20 goals! The Avs also finished in the bottom five of the league in goals allowed and fell to the bottom of the Western Conference with a 32-45-5 record, which was the 3 rd worst in the National Hockey League. To cap off a terrible season, Sakic announced his retirement after 19 seasons, leaving the Avalanche with a major leadership void.
The OffseasonThe Avs had a very rocky offseason as President Pierre Lacroix tried to woo former star goaltender Patrick Roy to take over behind the bench. Unfortunately, he did so while Tony Granato was still the head coach, creating a very awkward situation. When Roy decided to stay in the QMJHL, Lacroix fired Granato and brought in a new general manager (Greg Sherman) and a new head coach (Joe Sacco), both of whom enter their first season at the NHL level at their current positions. To say it was a tumultuous offseason is an understatement. As for on-ice matters, Colorado was awarded the 3 rd pick in the NHL entry draft after the lottery and the Avs selected center Matt Duchene, who promptly signed a three year entry level contract. Unfortunately, he’s going to struggle to find talented wingers to play with as the Avs dealt Smyth to the Kings for a pair of defensemen, leaving veteran Hejduk and youngster Wojtek Wolski as the only proven scoring wingers. However, the return on the Smyth deal was a pair of solid young defensemen: Tom Preissing and Kyle Quincey, both of whom have the skill to help the Avs’ breakout and power play. Otherwise, this remains largely the same team that ended last season in the Northwest Division basement.
2009-2010 OutlookUp front, there is no question that the top two centers on the team going into the year will be Statsny and Duchene. Expect a combination of Tyler Arnason, T.J. Hensick and Cody McCormick to fill in behind them but none appear to be more than your average muckers and grinders. As for proven scoring options at wing, Hejduk and Wolski seem to be the only two goal scorers, though Marek Svatos has the potential to be a 20 goal man. There is a clear lack of depth up front and the Avalanche will struggle to produce goals once more. Defensively, there are some good pieces in Preissing, Quincey, John-Michael Liles and Ruslan Salei. Veterans Scott Hannan and Adam Foote are slower but should provide solid depth for the Avs and it wouldn’t be hard to argue that their defense is the deeper of the skating units. However, Foote is on the downside of his career and Hannan logged a team-worst minus 21 rating last fall. Needless to say, the Avs won’t be among the stingiest teams in the league this year. In goal, Peter Budaj is expected to be the team’s starting goaltender once more, though his backup will now be the newly acquired Craig Anderson. But make no mistake; Budaj’s play will largely define the Avs’ ability to stay in many games this year. However, Budaj isn’t a lock as the Avs’ goalie of the future and his contract is up after this season, so his longevity in Colorado will be defined by his performance. Overall, there are a number of major concerns surrounding the Avalanche this year. They’re extremely young, highly inexperienced, and most of their veterans are entering the last season of their contracts. While the defense might be improved thanks to the Smyth trade, there is next to no depth up front. What will happen when Colorado inevitably trades away veterans like Foote, Svatos, Salei and Hejduk? Colorado appears to be planning to move most of their expensive veterans during the year and it would be surprising if the mixed group in Denver produced a playoff contender this season. Expect the Avs to begin dealing their high-priced veterans beginning in January after they’ve fallen behind in the standings and begin a full-fledged youth movement in earnest surrounding the core of Duchene, Statsny and their young defensemen.
By Matt Baxendall Feel your team is underrated? Tell Matt Baxendell why at matt.baxendell@gmail.com
> Check out all of the 2009-2010 NHL previews online with Pro Hockey Fans! > Find all of the NHL news & articles online from Pro Hockey Fans.
|
|