Denver Post sports writer Mike Chambers posts his Avs Mailbag every other Thursday during the regular season.
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Hi Mike, with talk of the NHL awarding Denver the Winter Classic, has anyone considered hosting a college tournament around the same time? A DU/CC/Air Force/UND three-game tourney at Coors Field in the days right before or right after the NHL game would be a great event.
— Chase, Denver
Greetings Chase. Yes, a college game or two will be included at the Avalanche-hosted outdoor game next season, which is more likely to be a NHL stadium series event. Josh Kroenke has said he is looking at the local Division I college programs to be included and having all three would be great. How does a Colorado College-Denver and Air Force-Army doubleheader sound? Not sure North Dakota would be included, but the school without an official nickname sure does travel well.
Around the NHL I’ve noticed the prevailing opinion that last season’s Avs success was a fluke, with pundits proclaiming that Colorado’s advanced stats were more important than its division title. This season so far has reinforced those claims. In your opinion does hockey boil down to statistics now, or is there some other way to measure last season’s magic carpet ride?
— David, Crestone
I like your style, David. It was a magic carpet ride, the 52-win, 112-point season that saw the Avs finish with identical home and road records (26-11-4). But being that good wasn’t a fluke. Goalie Semyon Varlamov was sensational in hiding the Avs’ defensive flaws and the offense was consistently good. Stats are good — shots for compared to shots against measure possession and actual attack time — and the talented Colorado forwards have spent too much time defending this season.
Why is Zach Redmond being scratched for Nick Holden, who is minus 16 and playing poorly? On the other end Redmond has 10 points and is plus 3, why scratch him for Holden?
— Patrick Coyle, Arvada
Avs Mailbag:
Thanks for the question, Patrick. Redmond had a bad game in that terrible 16-shot, 3-0 loss Dec. 23 at St. Louis and I think the Avs believe Holden can do more. Like it or not, Holden plays in every situation. But it is surprising because, not long ago he was the scratched seventh defenseman and Redmond looked pretty good.
Last year, it seemed like the Avs got every single possible break. This year has been the exact opposite. Maybe last year’s team was not as good as its record. Is this team better than its record?
— J.T. Nutt, West Des Moines, Iowa
The Avs are where they belong in the standings. They are inconsistent, unable to win more than three in a row and figure out how to lower the shots against. Good teams find ways to win one-goal games, and that’s what Colorado did the majority of the time last season.
What do you think is the team’s biggest need is in order to stay competitive? A trade for defense or better leadership?
— Brady Greening, Regina, Canada
Thanks Brady. Leadership is there, no doubt in my mind. Chemistry is not where it was last season and, yes, the Avs’ primary offseason goal will be improving its blue line. That may happen later this season via trade, but I suspect those moves won’t be made until free agency.
Used to be an Olympic hockey fan and now I’m in a hockey market for the first time, enjoying full time fanship. It seems to me that the Avs play vertical hockey and often exhibit panic over the puck and rarely break teams down with passing. Also, spacing seems to be a problem when the Avs get an opportunity to break out with numbers. Opponents seem so comfortable in possession against the Avs that it looks like a power play for them. Is my observation accurate or do I have more to learn?
— Jason, Denver
Jason, north-south hockey is the way to go and the Avs are built to play the North American game. The European style with all the D-to-D passes and forwards going back to the D before entering the offensive zone is much more difficult on the smaller sheet. Watch the Chicago Blackhawks move the puck up ice. They hold the patent on that.
After a rough start to the season and the season is still going downhill, do you really see the benefits of new free-agent acquisitions we had last summer into Ignila and others? Are we expecting to hear more trade rumblings or signing towards goalies and some other respective positions?
— Nouri Marrakchi, Broomfield
Thanks for participating, Nouri. You will undoubtedly continue to hear trade rumors up until the March deadline but it’s too early to identify Colorado as a seller or a buyer. If the Avs continue to fall in the standings they will make moves sooner than later, but certainly, changes will be made to a team that will free up nearly $10 million in expiring contracts to defensemen Ryan Wilson and Jan Hejda and forward Daniel Briere.
I haven’t done a whole lot of research, but it seems the Avs have a lot more time off in between games than other clubs? Yet still seem to get outskated. Explanation for both? Either?
— Chris Shine, Arvada
Hi Chris, the Avs’ schedule isn’t much different than other team. Many clubs play back-to-back games in two cities and occasionally don’t play until Thursday following a Saturday game.
Is the Colorado Avalanche minor-league team going to be part of the proposed AHL Pacific Division? Are the Denver Cutthroats going to be revived to play in the ECHL or AHL? Wouldn’t Salt Lake City be the best option as opposed to Colorado Springs (Olympic size rink bad for development) or Denver Coliseum (low attendance in formerly the Central League) for the Colorado Avalanche to have its primary minor-league team?
— Carl Kay, Stow, Ohio
The AHL wants to move to a Western-Eastern conference setup where NHL teams and their affiliates are in the same time zone, with no nonconference regular-season games. I believe this will happen. But taking away good AHL franchises like Lake Erie in Cleveland and moving the Avs’ affiliate to Colorado Springs, Denver (Cutthroats) or Salt Lake City won’t be easy. Certainly, making the Cutthroats your Avalanche AHL affiliate would be ideal.
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