October 18th 2024.
Nathan MacKinnon may not always enjoy talking to reporters, but there's no doubt that he is one of the most honest and straightforward superstars in the NHL, and even in all of professional sports. He never hesitates to speak his mind, and he's not one to sugarcoat things, especially when the Colorado Avalanche are struggling. And right now, with the team starting off the season with four straight losses for the first time in 26 years, the absence of some key players is definitely causing some problems.
"It's frustrating every year when we don't have our full team," MacKinnon expressed on Thursday. "We're like $40 million under the cap right now, which is definitely not ideal. We have a lot of guys out, and it would be great to have them back because they're really good players."
The actual number is closer to $30 million, but MacKinnon's point still stands. The Avalanche are currently missing five of their top 10 players, which is a much higher number compared to any other team in the Central Division, with no other team missing more than two key players.
It's difficult to fully analyze and diagnose what has gone wrong for the Avalanche this season without taking into account the roster issues. So, should fans start to panic? Should they have their finger ready on the panic button if the team loses again on Friday night? Or should they just be patient and wait for the missing players to return?
The logical answer would be the latter, to be patient and wait for the reinforcements. However, as we all know, sports fandom isn't always logical, and there are other factors at play that go beyond just the shorthanded roster.
While it's definitely possible that the Avalanche can turn things around and look like a Stanley Cup contender later in the season, they do need to start collecting some points now to alleviate the pressure on the team later on.
"The urgency for us to get a win is definitely here," stated Avs coach Jared Bednar.
Amidst the four losses, there have been some positive developments, but also some areas of concern. Let's take a closer look at both and what they could mean for the rest of the season.
On the positive side, with four key forwards out, Casey Mittelstadt and Ross Colton have stepped up to support MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen. While Mittelstadt's stats may not look great on the surface, a closer look at who he's been playing with shows some promising potential. Once Artturi Lehkonen, Valeri Nichushkin, Jonathan Drouin, or Gabe Landeskog return, the Avs could have a strong second line for the rest of the season.
There's also the possibility of Colton staying in the top six as a wing, rather than being used primarily as the third center. This could allow the team to potentially find a third center through a trade and keep Colton on the wing.
On the other hand, Logan O'Connor seems to still be adjusting and finding his peak form after last season's hip surgery. He hasn't had the impact that the Avalanche could use right now, given the missing players, but it's not uncommon for NHL players to need some time to recover and adjust after such a surgery. If he can get back to his best by April, it will be a huge boost for the team's playoff run.
Another positive is the power play, which has been performing well even without key players. Mittelstadt and Colton have been doing an excellent job filling in.
However, the penalty kill has been struggling and currently ranks last in the league. This is likely due to the absence of critical players like Lehkonen, Nichushkin, and Devon Toews.
The 5-on-5 offense also hasn't been as effective, and the team can't rely on scoring 1.5 power play goals per game. Bednar may have found a good second line combination with Nikolai Kovalenko and O'Connor playing alongside Mittelstadt, which would allow him to load up the top line with Colton and Rantanen on either side of MacKinnon.
Ivan Ivan has also been a pleasant surprise and looks like a solid NHL player. If he can continue to prove himself, he could become a dependable player for the team's bottom six, which would be a great success for the scouting department.
On the downside, Calum Ritchie doesn't seem quite ready for the NHL yet. He may get a few more games, but he's been struggling to adjust to the pace of the game. It's not easy for a teenager drafted outside of the top picks to make it in the NHL, so it's likely that he'll be sent back to Oshawa at some point.
Finally, there's Alexandar Georgiev, who has shown improvement in the past two games. He's the healthiest player on the roster right now, and his performance could have a significant impact on the team's immediate future.
However, he still has some work to do, as seen in the four goals against in the game against Boston.
The Avalanche are currently in a precarious situation, with little room for error. Even with their best efforts, it's not easy to win games with a shorthanded roster. However, if they can get league-average goaltending, they still have a chance to turn things around. It's crucial for them to start collecting points now, as they desperately need to start treading water after the tough 0-4 start.
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