Concerns About The Avalanche After Beating Vegas

The Colorado Avalanche are starting to get healthy, putting some wins together, and settling in for the playoffs. They beat Vegas last night 3-0, and seemingly had the game in hand from 14 seconds into the contest when Mikko Rantanen scored a goal with a great play to knock the puck out of the air, and put in the back of the net. The Avs looked fast, and Alexander Georgiev had another amazing game in net! On the surface everything looked really good, but as the game went on I began to have some concerns.

The first thing I thought of was that Vegas has completely changed the way they play, and they are going to beat teams by grinding them down, and playing a more "boring" style of defensive hockey where they wait for you to make a mistake, and generate their offense that way. They really try to take away all the open ice, and make it hard for us to use our speed. I realize the Avalanche will be getting Cale, and hopefully Gabe back, but even with them back Colorado still needs to make a couple moves to set themselves up in order to repeat. 

Vegas has built a roster of players who have all bought into the defensive, grinding style they play. They have plenty of playmakers on the team, but they have bought into the system. It's almost like they know they have to play us that way because trying to skate with us, or get into a high scoring game with us doesn't work. While we won the game last night, the way Vegas plays is tailored to winning in the playoffs. Watching the game last night I couldn't help but think that Vegas is going to be a problem for a lot of teams, and I started thinking about all those years prior to last year when we would get beat in the 2nd round of the playoffs. All season we would look amazing being able to out skate, and out score teams, but the playoffs are a grind which is why we would get beat in the 2nd round. Last years team had guys like Kadri, Sturm, Aube-Kubel, Landeskog, and Darren Helm who all had different roles, but were either just under, or over 200lbs, and would throw their weight around. Eric Johnson was also healthy, and he plays a crucial role in shutting other teams top players down.

Even once we get Landeskog back I am hoping we make another move for a top 6, two way player with some size. The two names I am hearing the most are Max Domi, who is the style of player we need in our top 6, and the other name is Kevin Hayes from the Flyers who is 6'5 and 220lbs. Either one could slide right into the second line center position. I personally also think we need another bigger, stay at home defenseman because while Manson and Jack Johnson are great players, last year they had Eric Johnson who played a big role in the playoffs against opposing teams top players. I don't think it would hurt to bring a veteran guy to play the role Ryan Murray played last year where if he is called upon due to injury he can step in, play consistent, and won't get rattled. Regardless of what happens at the trade deadline this week the NHL playoffs are shaping up to be pretty incredible!

It's Time For The Avalanche To Make Moves

I didn't realize it had been so long between my posts! Seems fitting that my last post was about the Avalanche, and that's what my first post back will be about as well. 

Watching the Avalanche win the Stanley Cup brought back a lot of memories of the Cup runs with Joe Sakic playing, and not running the organization, Peter Forsberg, Adam Foote, Patrick Roy, and all the other big names of those teams. Something that I don't think people who aren't hockey fans truly grasp is just how hard it is to win the Stanley Cup. Winning back to back Cups is so difficult only 8 franchises have ever accomplished that feat. There are a number of concerns on this team going into the playoffs, and it is getting to that time where Chris Macfarland, and Joe Sakic need to make some moves in order to give the team the best shot to repeat. 

Going into the season there was talk that Colorado's one weakness could be their second line center. Losing a player like Kadri was going to leave a noticeable gap in our top 6, and team goal scoring prowess. The Avalanche have also been hit hard by the injury bug this season. All year the Avs have been playing without major pieces in their line up, and it doesn't look like that is going to improve anytime soon with Eric Johnson, and Cale Makar both missing time.  Here are a few moves I feel would benefit the team to make a push to be the 9th team win back to back Stanley Cup Championships. 

Trading Chicago for Jonathan Toews. 

Chicago is rebuilding, and are looking to trade Jonathan Toews, and Patrick Kane, who are the last two remaining members of their most recent Stanley Cup runs. He has a considerable cap number, but I am sure the Avs front office would be able to negotiate Chicago eating a good chunk of it. Toews would bring a bigger bodied, two way player, who is also very good at faceoffs. 

Trading Montreal for Sean Monahan

Monahan is another player similar to Toews. Both are team captains of their respective teams (Toews and the Blackhawks, and Monahan the Canadians), both are good at faceoffs, they are similar in size, but I would say Toews has the advantage on scoring ability, but Monahan is the more physical, and plays with more of an edge. 

Trading Florida for Radko Goudas

Eric Johnson just went down with an injury that is going to keep him out for what they said will be "weeks". Losing EJ takes away one of our two bigger, physical, shut down defensemen. One thing we know for sure is in order to win during the playoffs you need veteran, physical players for when the series start to "grind". Goudas has been linked to Edmonton, Pittsburgh, and Tampa Bay. He only has a $2.5 million dollar cap hit, and is a free agent next year. 

Trading St. Louis for Igor Barbashev

He's 6'1 195lbs, has a $2.25 million dollar cap hit, and he could provide us with the number 2 center we need. He can skate, score, and would provide a bigger forward that would wear on the opposing teams defenses.

Trading Chicago for Jack Johnson

After Eric Johnson going down bringing back Jack Johnson who played such a huge role for the team last year back.  

Trading Edmonton for Jesse Puljujarvi

There has been talk all year that Edmonton is going to trade him. We currently have another 6'4 Finnish guy on the team, but he is a goal score. Puljujarvi is a player who plays a physical, gritty game, and that is something we need, and especially in the playoffs. 

Finally......for my last suggestion, any player from the Vancouver Canucks. That is a dumpster fire if I have ever seen one, and if we can get a player like a Luke Schenn from them it wouldn't be the worst thing that's happened.