Can Anyone Stop the Avalanche This Season?

Can Anyone Stop the Avalanche This Season?

Welcome back. All right, the spotlight today goes on to the Colorado Avalanche. Uh the Colorado Avalanche off to an amazing start to the season. One regulation loss in 20 games. So, it’s definitely worthy of a discussion. Uh this is a team that has played really, really well right out of the gate. Um 141 and five this year, and I wanted to compare it to their previous four seasons. Uh last year through 20 games, they were 11- n. They ended up with 102 points. They lost in the first round against Dallas. The previous year they started 14-6. So very similar to the record they have now except they have five losses in extra time and one loss in regulation. 107 points that season. They lost in the second round against Dallas that year. Uh 2022 2023 they were 127 and1. They lost in the first round against Seattle after a 109 point season. And of course 2122 they were 127-1. They finished with 119 points and won the Stanley Cup. So, the team that they have this year is on pace for what, 135, 140 points, something ridiculous. I don’t think they get there. Every team goes through their their struggle at some point in time. It’ll happen. But these players so far, we really haven’t seen it. So, I wanted to compare the October and November numbers for these Colorado players. Some of them have got better after a pretty good October. A good example would be Nathan McKinnon. 12 games in October, nine goals, nine assists, 18 points. He has equaled the 18 points in November in eight games. Uh seven goals, 11 assists for 18 points in eight games this month. Absolutely ridiculous numbers for McKinnon. For Mar last month, 12 games, four goals, 13 assists, 17 points. Uh this month so far, eight games, four goals, seven assists for 11 points. So consistent numbers for Kale Mar who looks like he’s ready to just go get another Norris trophy. And we can have a debate on that another time, but I don’t see how Macar doesn’t win the Norris. And if Colorado keeps this up, I don’t see how McKinnon doesn’t win the heart. Uh, Nius, 12 games, eight goals, eight assists, 16 points in October. This month thus far, eight games, five goals, seven assists, 12 points. So, no drop off from Nas after he signed the extension with Colorado. Good on him. Uh, Lechinan continues to be a very solid performer as well. 12 games last month, four goals, seven assists, 11 points. this month, eight games, three goals, four assists, seven points. Olivesson seems to be enjoying himself in Colorado. Uh 12 games last month, three go three goals, seven assists, 10 points. This month, eight games, three goals, two assists for five points. Valari Nushkin, 12 games last month, five goals, three assists, eight points. This month, five games, and four assists. And what’s interesting is Nushkin’s playing all right, but I do think he can play better than he has when he’s been in the lineup. I know he’s injured right now, but I still feel like we haven’t seen the best from him. Brent Burns seems to be adjusting really well in Colorado. 12 games last month, one goal, five assists, six points. This month, four assists in eight games. Colton, 12 games, one goal, four assists, five points last month. This month, eight games, three goals, three assists, six points. And then Nelson had a slower October. 12 games, three goals, one assists, four points than he has November. Eight games, three goals, four assists, seven points for Brock Nelson. Uh Devon Taves, 12 games last month, just the two assists. This month so far, eight games and five assists. So just ridiculous that everybody’s numbers seem to be getting better as we get into November than they were in October. So the only loss this team has suffered in regulation was about a month ago. On October 25th, they lost in Boston 3 to2. And that game was close. Uh then they have overtime losses against the Mammoth, the Devils, and the Sharks. It is interesting that two of those three teams are below the playoff line, but it happens. Uh, shootout losses against Dallas and Carolina. So, Dallas and Carolina, really strong teams. I’ll talk about them again when we get to the end of this. The goalending has been very good and Wedgewood has been two things, good and they’ve done a good job of keeping his workload down. the shots against have not been anywhere near uh as high as they have been for some other teams I guess we could say but Wedgewood 71 and2 in October 900 safe percentage he’s got better in November he’s 5-0 with a 939 save percentage miner played uh to an 0 and2 record last month 909 save percentage this month 20-1 but his safe percentage dropped to 870 uh then you’ve got Blackwood Blackwood did not play in October let me just go ahead and grab his November numbers. No, I put the wrong numbers under the wrong spot. Uh 20 and one record for Blackwood in November. 870 safe percentage. That works. Uh so either way, uh the goalending has been good. Blackwood’s numbers not great, but he’s coming back from injury, so that happens. Uh and Wedgewood’s playing well enough that Blackwood can take his time getting back up to to where he normally is goalending wise. So as a team 14-1 and five, 13 of those wins in regulation. So in that first 60 minutes, they’re very effective. They’re very good at holding on to victories. They’re scoring 4.2 goals per game and allowing 2.4 goals against per game. Uh their power play 16.7% that can come up a little bit. Their penalty kills excellent at 85.9%. They’re getting 33.8 shots per game and they’re allowing 25.7 shots per game. And it doesn’t matter what period you’re looking at with them. They’re just very good. They’re outscoring their opposition in the first, second, and third period. Not overtime, but in the first period 23-19, second period 28-7, and in the third a ridiculous 32-9. Then in overtime, they’ve been outscored 3 to1. But overtime threeon-ree hockey, you don’t have that in the playoffs, so that’s not really a big deal. One thing that I think is notable, and I I do want to point this out, normally Colorado’s dealing with a lot of big injuries. Right now, they’re not. Uh any other season, they’re normally dealing with a lot of injuries, and there’s a lot of guys coming in out of the lineup. While there have been, you know, a couple of injuries, they’ve stayed relatively healthy. That’s part of how they’ve been able to put this record together. Everybody’s healthy. Everybody’s got their chemistry. Everything’s working really well. And that is unusual for a Colorado Avalanche team. It feels like every year Colorado, Pittsburgh, Minnesota are just decimated by injuries. And this year’s been a little bit different. So, if they lead after the first, you can almost turn the game off. They’re 70 and1 if they’re leading after one. You can probably turn the game off if they’re leading after two because they’re 11 and0. Uh if they’re trailing after two, uh keep watching. They’re 1-1 and two. If they’re trailing after trailing after one, I should say they’re 1-1 and two. If they’re trailing after two, they’re 01 and4, which means that they’ve tied games and then lost in overtime, which they still get the point, right? So that’s the thing now. It’s all about point farming. It’s very different. Um, it’s always weird to me when a team loses and the fan base is like, “Yeah, but you know, we got a point out of it and and I just look at that and go, it still feels like a loss.” But that’s me. Um, Coach Bedar has done an amazing job since taking over in Colorado. Uh, 404 wins, 247 regulation losses, and 59 losses in extra time since 1617. And it’s noteworthy that in 1617 they went 2256 and 4. So that is included in those totals which are very good meaning that if you subtract that first season his win loss record is just absolutely ridiculous. So coach Pedner has done a very good job with this team and just this is a well-run organization from top to bottom. So their upcoming schedule doesn’t look that difficult and at some point as I’ve said they’re going to lose a game against a team that we look at and go they shouldn’t have lost there. Happens to everybody. Uh today they’re at Nashville. Tomorrow they’re at Chicago. So those are two winnable games there. On Wednesday they’re at home against San Jose. Uh then on Friday they’re at Minnesota. Of those four upcoming games, that San Jose one should be absolutely fantastic. Uh then Saturday the 29th, so a week from the day I’m making this, uh they are at home against Montreal. Tuesday the 2nd of December, they’re at home against Vancouver, who play them pretty tough when they play them. Uh then they go on the road for four. Starting with Thursday the 4th, they’re at the New York Islanders. Then Saturday the 6th, they’re at the New York Rangers. Sunday the 7th, they’re at the Philadelphia Flyers. And Tuesday the 9th, they’re at Nashville. There isn’t a team in this upcoming 10ame stretch that you can look at and say, “Well, that’s the team that’s going to stop Colorado. That’s the team that’s going to going to, you know, beat him 5 nothing or 6-2.” I don’t think it’s it’s capable of happening. The one thing that I’ve noticed recently, too, is that Colorado will have like a slow start. they might have kind of a a first period where they’re kind of kind of dopey and they don’t they don’t look as dangerous and then all of a sudden they just turn it on. So the trick really is to have them down and and not give them that spark and let them turn it on. So with all of this momentum and with so many wins and with clearly Colorado being a favorite to finish first in the West and very likely win the President’s Trophy, what could stop them? So uh getting into what could stop them? Well, the President’s Trophy is going to get a lot of credit if they end up finishing first overall, right? Because if Colorado loses in the playoffs, that’s where people go, President’s Trophy. That’s what it does. Although, there’s no guarantee they’re winning the President’s Trophy at this time. I do want to take a look at some some records through the first couple months of the season and and and do some some deep diving there at some point. But for this video, for what we’re discussing here, I wanted to get into who could stop them and be realistic about it. And the first team that came to mind for me was Florida. Florida’s going to get Kachchuck back. They’re going to get Bararkov back in time for the playoffs in all likelihood. And I would not be surprised if Florida goes on another run. And when they’re dialed in, they’re really scary. As much as Colorado’s scary right now in this regular season, Florida can be a very scary team to watch. Dallas, Dallas has stopped them the last two years, I think Dallas still is capable of doing so. I still think Auer is the better goalender whether Colorado has Blackwood as the starter going to the playoffs or Wedgewood. I would I would lean towards Auter in that matchup. I think the rest of the ABS really scare me though in terms of that forward group and that defense. Um Dallas though has a lot of good offense and defense too. I think if they clash again in the playoffs, it’s going to be absolutely fantastic. Vegas. Vegas is a team that is it’s in a similar position. They’ve got Stone out of the lineup which has seriously affected their attack, but they’re starting to get things rolling a little bit again. They’re close to first in the division and in a playoff series between Colorado and Vegas. Uh I do think Vegas can pull off if if it would be seen as an upset an upset over Colorado. Um the Vegas Golden Knights won the Stanley Cup in 2023 and I I don’t think they’re that far off from being a team that could win it again. Um they they are my cup pick for this year and I don’t change that until the playoffs if I need to. Uh Carolina, I think Carolina will play them tough if they meet him in the final. Um the the the nature storyline there with Carolina would be interesting as well. Uh I I do think Carolina if they make it all the way to the Stanley Cup final are going to be very difficult. I do wonder how that goending matchup would work. So right now it’ be Wedgewood likely against would it be Kachov? Would it be Anderson? That’s where things get interesting for me is in net. But I do think Carolina, and this is just who could, not who will. So, who could? These teams could. And I have Color on the board. Why would I have Colorado on the board? Because there are times over the last few years, first against Seattle and then the last two times against Dallas, where it’s kind of felt like Colorado beat themselves. where I have been as a fan of the Dallas Stars, grateful that Colorado, you know, was a boneheaded turnover or just something that happens in game that turns the momentum. And I think, you know, if Colorado hadn’t have done that and and there are times where in the playoffs over the last few years, I felt like Colorado has beaten themselves because this team has been very talented, very deep team, confident team, and they’ve just they’ve not had that luck in the playoffs the last three years. But they did win the cup in 2022. I would not be surprised if they won it in 2026, but h it is it is difficult to make that call, especially considering that whole President’s Trophy thing. One team that’s come to mind for me recently, obviously last year, Winnipeg got off to a ridiculous start. 2022, 2023, Boston got off to that absolutely insane start to the season. So, we’ve seen crazy starts to the season before, not necessarily one regulation loss in 20 games. Thus, the video, but it is a matter of you’ve got to make sure you’re peing at the right time. And uh they need they need for their players to stay healthy obviously, right? So, when I talk about, you know, going to a bit of a slump, if they were to lose McKinnon for a couple weeks, Mar for a couple weeks, that could lead to problems right there. having a healthy lineup, having all the lines able to stay intact, having them all confident, having that chemistry, it’s just deadly to the rest of the league. And we’ll find out later today against Nashville whether or not a trap game exists for Colorado. Um terminology I’ve started using a little bit now. It’s late in the season for me to just start using it, but Colorado’s in that position where they’ve won so many games and they’ve got such a cushion at the top. It would be understandable if they had sort of a down game and the intensity wasn’t as strong as their opponent’s intensity, but we’ll see because we haven’t seen that yet so far this year. Like I said, just the one loss in regulation and that was uh almost a full month ago now. So, are we going to see this team just lose one game in regulation every month? At what point in time will they start talking about the Montreal record? Montreal’s record of at least the lowest amount of losses in a season with eight. That is seen as unbreakable. That is one of those few unbreakable records that remain. Colorado right now is on pace to break that record. Can they? Will they? Well, we’ll find out. Let me know your thoughts in the comments section below. As always, hit like and subscribe in the event you may not have done so already. Uh thank you guys so much for all your support. It’s greatly appreciated. I will talk to you again soon.

The Avs have put together a ridiculous first quarter of the season. Can they keep this up over a full year?

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