It might feel a little disconnected to talk about a team that has been the best in the NHL all season “facing adversity” but that has been the case for the Colorado Avalanche of late. Prior to the start of a three-game winning streak, the Avalanche were a very pedestrian 15-11-3, way off from their previously historic pace.
Yet with a decisive 6-2 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Avalanche are suddenly looking like themselves again. With a dozen games remaining in the regular season, the Avalanche seem to be finding their stride once again.
Reinforcements Help
Perhaps the most important development is the return of several key contributors to the lineup. Valuable defensive center Logan O’Connor returned after recovering from offseason hip surgery. Ross Colton made his return the very same game. Gabriel Landeskog returned from a gruesome injury after a bit of friendly fire.
Gabriel Landeskog, Colorado Avalanche (Jess Starr/The Hockey Writers)
It goes without saying, but the Avalanche are significantly better with those guys in the lineup. O’Connor is capable of playing throughout the bottom six depending on the whims of head coach Jared Bednar. Colton played on the second line while Landeskog filled in on the top line.
When everyone is healthy, the Avalanche are capable of matching up against their opponents as they see fit. They have the kind of depth that virtually every other team simply dreams about but never achieves.
Top-to-Bottom Lineup Contributions
Speaking of that depth, the one thing that makes the Avalanche truly dangerous is that they get contributions from all throughout the lineup. While Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar, and Martin Necas do much of the heavy offensive lifting, they aren’t on their own.
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Brock Nelson is on the verge of a career season. Artturi Lehkonen was on pace for a career-high in points before injuries slowed him down. Parker Kelly has 16 goals playing on the bottom six. Even defensemen Sam Malinski and Brent Burns have been pleasant surprises offensively.
For the nights when Makar or MacKinnon just don’t seem to fully have it, there are four or five other guys there to pick up the torch and score the big goal. When the playoffs begin and space becomes harder to come by, the Avalanche will have a leg up because of their depth.
Three in a row might not be a huge deal, but it is when it is the best team in the league trying to get out of a bit of a funk. With a softer schedule than most, it could roll into five, six, or seven (or more) wins by the time the playoffs arrive.
Elite Goaltending
The Avalanche also have the distinct advantage of having a pair of goaltenders they can lean on. While Mackenzie Blackwood would be the clear starter on more than half the league’s teams, he has been slowly becoming the No.2 option in Denver.
Wedgewood has been absolutely sterling this season. He has already set career-highs in starts (38) and wins (26) while sporting a dazzling 2.19 goals against average and .916 save percentage. In his last dozen starts, Wedgewood has allowed more than two goals just twice. He continues to play at a level that makes any team tough to handle in the playoffs.
Health is Critical
The Avalanche have a seven-point lead over the once surging Dallas Stars, their lead in the Central Division seeming safe. Down the stretch, getting everyone healthy and keeping them there will be critical.
Lehkonen has been out with an upper body injury but is anticipated back within the next week or two. Nicolas Roy is day-to-day but it doesn’t appear to be anything serious. Getting everyone to the playoffs as close to healthy as can be is the key.
When the Avalanche are at full strength, there is no one on paper that can touch them. Injuries are the great equalizer, however. Everyone will be dealing with something by the time the playoffs begin, but the Avalanche at full strength should overwhelm the rest of the pack.
