Did we miss something? Wasn’t goalie Jose Theodore brought to Colorado to be the man? In return for a hefty investment, was not this team counting on Theodore to be the fresh face of the new-era Avalanche?
Well, the defending Stanley Cup champions skated into town Monday night, and the $5 million man was sitting on the bench.
Theodore, who won the Hart Trophy as the MVP of the NHL in 2002, was among the 17,214 spectators in the arena watching, as the Avalanche beat Carolina 5-2.
It was Peter Budaj in goal, earning his 13th decision in 30 regular-season games for Colorado.
It certainly appears Avs coach Joel Quenneville, who never has been easy for a goalie to please, is having trouble making a long-term commitment to Theodore.
Did we not get the memo?
On this evening, Budaj stopped 26 shots by the Hurricanes and looked to be every bit as reliable between the pipes as Theodore, at a small fraction of the price. And, in salary-cap hockey, that counts for a lot.
So what’s up in the Colorado net? If Theodore is No. 1, then must Budaj be considered 1A? I’m confused. So let’s go directly to the source, and ask Quenne- ville if he knows.
“When you win a game, you’ve got a chance to sustain it. That’s the message we’ve sent Peter: You’re not a backup, you can push and challenge for more playing time,” said Quenneville, who is paid to win, not massage the ego of a veteran goalie being paid in excess of $5 million.
“We make the call based on who gives us our best chance.”
When does Budaj get his next start in net? Stay tuned.
“That’s a question for Coach. I’m going to be ready whenever I get a call,” said Budaj, much shakier facing any hint of a goaltender controversy than the coolness he displayed against Carolina’s power play. “I’m not here to say who’s going to play in net. I’m here to help my team win a hockey game.”
Although the end to the Avalanche’s incredible run of sold-out home games grabbed headlines in October, the real story might be how local fans have nurtured a young team with unconditional love. The Stanley Cup bandwagon is parked in the bus barn, but not many Coloradans have jumped off.
With the league still reeling from a lockout that tried to kill the sport during the long, cold winter of two years ago and the Avs having slipped from legitimate championship contender to a wannabe working hard to make the playoffs, the attendance at the Pepsi Center has been nothing short of remarkable.
Despite all the bang and hum for Carmelo Anthony and the Nuggets, the Avalanche is outdrawing its fellow arena tenants by an average of more than 1,500 fans per game.
“It goes to prove this is a great hockey town,” Sakic said. “You look around Colorado and minor hockey has taken off, you can’t get ice time for the kids, it’s a great sport. People here love it.”
To be honest, it would be far too simplistic to suggest goaltending is the reason the Avalanche has spent too much time stuck in the dark, fumbling for a way out of the Northwest Division cellar.
This is a franchise that got blindsided by the salary cap, is squeezably soft on defense and must rely on Sakic to carry more load than any 37-year-old man should be required to lift.
The Avalanche mystique was built on the belief Pierre Lacroix could make a deal with the devil and never get so much as a sunburn.
But the general manager now handed the unenviable task of recreating lost glory is Francois Giguere. In his first year on the job, Giguere has made one major deal, swapping Alex Tanguay for Jordan Leopold.
Anyone who has seen 20-year-old center Paul Stastny channel the skills of his Hall of Fame father knows there is ample hope in Colorado’s future for a season-ticket holder to renew those seats.
Giguere deserves time and must be afforded patience to put his imprint on a franchise.
But here’s one of the first big issues the new Avalanche general manager must deal with: If Theodore is not the man, what is he doing here?
Staff writer Mark Kiszla can be reached at 303-954-1053 or mkiszla@denverpost.com.
