What will need to happen for the Avalanche to make the playoffs again this season? Now that we’re almost to the halfway point, we have a good idea about this team’s strengths and foibles.
The Avs need another defenseman. It has gone a bit underreported, but the loss of Kyle Quincey on defense has hurt the team and needs to be addressed via trade.
Quincey wasn’t having a very good year but was starting to play better when he was lost for the season because of a shoulder injury. The Avs have missed his size in the defensive zone. They had allowed three or more goals in eight of the nine games he missed entering Sunday’s game with Vancouver. There is concern about overkill with three of the same type of D-men (John-Michael Liles, Kyle Cumiskey and Matt Hunwick) and that Kevin Shattenkirk is starting to fall back to Earth.
The Avs need to use some of that significant cap room to get a veteran rental guy, one with some size and toughness, at the trade deadline or sooner.
Craig Anderson needs to be Craig Anderson of 2009-10 again, or somewhere close. The worry among Avs fans is that Anderson’s superb play of last season will prove to be the aberration year of his career.
Anderson had seven shutouts last season but none so far this time. His save percentage (.900) entering Sunday was his lowest since 2005-06 (.886 in 29 games with Chicago).
If Anderson isn’t better in the second half, the Avs almost certainly will miss the playoffs.
Chris Stewart can’t be rusty when he comes back. The rugged right winger has really been missed, even though the Avs’ offense has overachieved at times in his absence.
Stewart was the team’s best offensive player when he broke his left hand in a silly fight with Minnesota’s Kyle Brodziak. The Avs will need him to step right back in and contribute when he returns, which should be soon.
And, for goodness sakes, no more fighting.
More killer instinct.
Though they have been better about this than they were last season, the Avs still let up too often. Blowing a 3-0 lead to last- place Edmonton on Thursday and letting a mediocre Calgary team outwork them one night later were prime examples. This team should realize it hasn’t won anything as a franchise in a while now, and not get satisfied about anything.
You can’t win ’em all, but the Avs should never be outhustled with all of that youth on their roster.
