Denver Post NHL reporter Adrian Dater posts his Avs Mailbag every month during the 2010-11 NHL off-season. Find his next installment in mid-May.
for future Avs Mailbags.
With news this week that the NHL may be FINALLY willing to cut its losses in Phoenix and relocate the Coyotes back to Winnipeg, this longtime Avs fan cannot help but see the Avs returning to a former “home” of their own: The
Pacific Division. Three questions: 1. How likely is such a divisional realignment? 2. Could the move relax Kroenke’s
frugal rebuilding plan (because travel would be cheaper!)? 3. How can the Avs compete in a division that sent almost
all five of its teams to the playoffs (a new starting goalie is a given)?
—Rob Schiefelbein, Sidney, Neb.
Rob, first off, any nickel-and-dime travel savings aren’t going to be any big deal to billionaires like the Kroenke
family. The Kroenkes aren’t going to say, “Hey, we just saved $2,163 on fuel because we only had to fly to LA three
times instead of Vancouver three times, so let’s go shopping for players!”
Second off, I don’t wish for any franchise to relocate. Yeah, I’ve dumped on Coyotes fans here and elsewhere for not
showing up more to games — especially the last two years, being a playoff team — but the goal was always to make
them realize they have a good team and show up, not relocate.
But if they do move to Winnipeg? Yes, divisional realignment is very possible. The Avs, of course, started off in
Denver playing in the Pacific Division, and it would make sense to move them back and move Winnipeg into the
Northwest should that happen. Winnipeg not only would have a more natural rivalry with three other Canadian teams
already in the division, but Minnesota is very close by geographically. So, I would bet that is highly likely to
happen should the team move.
Would it hurt the Avs in the won-loss record? It can’t get much worse than last year, so that’s not something I
would concern myself with if I were an Avs partisan. Just make your team better and don’t worry about the opponents.
You have to play them all eventually, and the league is cyclical.
Will it be the same for the Avs next year? Same coach, same GM, same owner? Another rebuilding year? Why not make
changes in January, February or March and not make everybody suffer through that end of the season. Will Joe Sakic
have any power? If not, it’s over before it
—Mark, Western Slope
Mark, thanks for all kinds of impossible-to-answer questions. Well, except for the first couple. Yes, Joe Sacco and
Greg Sherman will be back to start the season. Take it to the bank.
I’ve detailed why Sacco, in my opinion, deserves to come back and not going to repeat it all here. Same with
Sherman.
Joe Sakic will have some power, of course he will. He’s Joe Sakic. No, probably not the kind of power he’ll likely
earn in coming years, but he’ll have an important say at the table, and people in the organization are going to
listen to him. He’s Joe Sakic.
It’s too impossible to forecast how the team will do. All kinds of variables, some of which have yet to be
determined, such as their off-season spending plans on the free-agent market, etc.
Adrian, any chance we will see David Koci on the blue line full time next year? His physical presence could give the
Avs another big body that they need.
—Simon Chen, Telluride
I really thought Koci looked pretty good back there! I was shocked, in fact, at how well he skated and moved the
puck. That said, I didn’t see quite enough of him back there to offer a very firm answer to your question. But, yes,
having a huge guy back there who likes to be physical is OK in my book. Much better than the kind of defense I saw
otherwise this season.
With the Avs rebuilding, and a new era of Avs, perhaps it’s time to revamp the uniforms. Make them new and fresh.
Maybe more black to look tougher. Any chance they will unveil new uniforms soon?
—Brian, Denver
Not that I’ve heard. And, sorry, but I’m not a fan of black uniforms — unless they have traditionally been that
way. I think the San Jose Sharks, for instance, look silly in their black uniforms. They are associated with the
color teal, so embrace it and don’t try to look “bad” in black.
Why would The Denver Post try to stir up discontent with Fighting Sioux fans with their latest title: “Avalanche
signs Brad Malone, whose hit broke the neck of DU’s Martin.” Is that really necessary?
—Eric B, Grand Forks, N.D.
Yeah, there were a few complaints about that headline. I think I can speak for The Denver Post here and say there
was never any goal to “stir up discontent.” But it’s a bit of a tricky line here. It shouldn’t define his whole
life, but the fact is Malone was the guy involved in a very high-profile story here. You have to mention it.
Maybe it didn’t have to be so blatantly displayed in the headline, and saved instead for the body of the story, but
this was also the Internet version of the story. There tend to be longer and more subject-heavy headlines now on the
‘Net, because of search engines and rankings on them.
The fact is, though, there was nothing untruthful in the headline. It’s a fact. Let’s hope Malone creates better
things in his biography around here, to change the headlines.
Adrian Dater has covered the Colorado Avalanche since the team moved to Denver in 1995. for the Avs Mailbag.
