Minnesota Wild coach Jacques Lemaire sent the message loudly and clearly: The Avs were the team he wanted to face in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs.
Here’s my question: How would he know?
The Avs going into the playoffs were the NHL’s premier mystery team. They’ve been a work in progress throughout the season, what with all their injuries, short term and long, mixed in with all those acquisitions at the trading deadline.
Even after the arrival of Adam Foote, Ruslan Salei and Peter Forsberg, the injuries kept coming. It left the Avs wondering whether they would make the playoffs, much less make something happen once they got there.
Well, they made the postseason, all right. And lo and behold, they’re as healthy as they’ve been all season. And now, they have a 1-0 lead over the Wild in the series.
It makes you wonder, doesn’t it? As in, it makes you wonder whether Lemaire should have been careful of what he asked for.
Follow Jim Armstrong’s daily sports commentaries on The Jimmy Page midday during the week. And read his columns on Sundays at .
He can be reached at 303-954-1269 or jmarmstrong@denverpost.com.
