Think winning the Stanley Cup is hard? Try winning two in a row.
The Avs have not done it since moving to Colorado in 1995, with both of the franchise’s previous Stanley Cup champions (’96 and ’01) getting eliminated in the conference finals the next year by You Know Who (rhymes with “Ted Stings”). Over that same time, just three franchises have won back-to-back Cups — Tampa Bay (2020-’21), Pittsburgh (2016-’17) and, yes, those flippin’ Red Wings (1997-’98).
The good news: Colorado brings back nearly all of its key players from last year’s title team. The bad news: That doesn’t include forward Nazem Kadri (off to Calgary) or goaltender Darcy Kuemper (D.C.-bound).
That brings us to our four keys for the Avs to drink from the Cup once again in June:
Replacing Kadri
There is no argument as to who the biggest offseason loss was for Colorado: Kadri, with a bullet.
The heart and soul of last year’s title run, the veteran center masterfully toed the line between aggressive and reckless while putting up career highs in points (87), assists (59) and average ice time (19:14).
While it would be asking a lot for one player to replace that much production, the Avs hope one of Alex Newhook or Evan Rodrigues can take the lead centering the second line.
Newhook will get first crack at it, and there’s reason to believe the 2019 first-round pick can be that guy after tallying 33 points (13 goals, 20 assists) in his first full NHL season. Rodrigues, a September free-agent acquisition, is coming off a career year in Pittsburgh with 43 points, but he also faded down the stretch.
New in net
For the second year in a row, the Avs will have a new No. 1 goaltender.
Things turned out just fine with Kuemper as last year’s top guy — in part because the Avs’ ability to dominate the puck meant he rarely had to see an avalanche of shots. And when he did get peppered, Kuemper was sturdy enough that soft goals were not a significant problem.
An offseason trade for New York Rangers backup Alexandar Georgiev brought in a potential Kuemper replacement. There’s also the possibility that backup Pavel Francouz could seize the top spot. Although, given Francouz’s ability to perform in a pinch as a change-of-pace right-hand-catching goalie, the optimal outcome is likely that Georgiev steps up in his first opportunity to be an NHL No. 1.
Load management
Among the biggest challenges facing the Avs’ repeat bid: Withstanding the grind.
Colorado played 102 games en route to raising the Cup last season, and it will likely take another 100-plus for them to get to the finish line this season.
Center Gabe Landeskog is already nursing a lower-body injury that he suffered last spring. Inevitably, more bumps and bruises will pop up along the way. The question is how the Avs plan to manage that wear and tear while also trying to maintain a position at, or near, the top of the standings.
The Avs proved last season they didn’t need home ice to advance in the playoffs — all four of their series-clinching wins came away from Ball Arena. If it comes down to chasing a Presidents’ Trophy or ensuring Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar, Mikko Rantanen and Landy are all healthy for the playoffs, the choice is clear for head coach Jared Bednar.
Trade chips
While it can’t be said for certain that the Avs wouldn’t have won it all last year without trade deadline acquisitions Josh Manson, Nico Sturm, Artturi Lehkonen and Andrew Cogliano, there’s no arguing that then-GM Joe Sakic’s handiwork made a significant impact.
The Avs still have picks and prospects to deal if they want to add around the edges. If they want to make a splash move for, say, a second-line center, there’s one very big chip hanging out there: defenseman Samuel Girard and his $5 million annual cap hit.
Will new general manager Chris MacFarland be willing to part with Girard or another first-round pick — the Avs still have all of their future first-rounders, but raises are due for MacKinnon, Newhook, Bo Byram and potentially others — to improve the team’s title chances?
Knowing how to balance the franchise’s long- and short-term goals only gets more difficult from here.
