With the Avalanche's 2008 campaign for the Stanley Cup coming to abrupt halt May 1, it is time to look back on the last season and grade the team's performance.
Last season's review:
This Avalanche team showed a lot of heart this season. The team played through a lot of adversity and injuries. Every game for most of the season, it seemed like the Avs had a new player to add to the injury list. Early on, it was Joe Sakic, and then it was Ryan Smyth and Paul Stastny and that's just the headliners. Only two Avalanche players, Andrew Brunette and Scott Hannan, played all 82 games with this team. Ruslan Salei also played 82, but also was out a game with an eye injury. None of the injuries were really the same. By the end of the year, the injury list started looking like Santa Clause's, it had to be checked twice to see who's healthy or not. Kurt Sauer had a concussion, Sakic a hernia, Smyth an assortment of ailments, Ian Laperriere a knee, Stastny an appendectomy/groin pull- the list goes on.
It would have been fun to watch this team when healthy, but no respectable hockey player is going to think of "what would have been." Though the injuries did make things tough on this team, good did come from the injuries. They gave a chance to young guys like T.J. Hensick, David Jones and Cody McLeod, to make a name for themselves on this team. Over the course of the season, it became very obvious that this is an Avalanche team in transition. For them to be successful in years to come, the young guns will have to continue to produce.
Grades
Forwards: BThe Avs survived through injuries and continued to score goals enough goals to win their games to make it to the playoffs. However, the offense was inconsistent. Some nights, they had times where they couldn't put the puck into an open barn, as every team does and other nights they could put the puck into a mouse hole. The most consistent performer was Paul Stastny 24 goals and 47 assists in 66 games. However, before he can blossom into full-blown star, he must produce on the road, as well as at home. Of his 71 points, 46 points were recorded at home.
Of the forwards, the surprise of the year is David Jones. He didn't do much on his first call up to the Avs but over the year, he started to play better. He is very strong on the puck and has a good shot. It won't take long for teams to notice this diamond in the rough.
The Mr. Clutch award goes to Andrew Brunette. He is the only Avalanche player to play every game this year, including playoffs. Brunette is a master at doing the little things; getting back on defense, the easy chip-in and working down-low. Most of what Bruno does isn't noticed but it makes all the difference on this team.
On the whole, the forwards were weak in their own zone, leaving too much pressure on the defense and their goalie. The forwards need to get the sticks in passing lanes and be very committed to defense.
Defense: C The defense was hard to figure out. For most of the year, until Ruslan Salei and Adam Foote arrived, the defense was soft. It wouldn't defend it's blue line and would collapse down too low. Once Foote and Salei arrived, the defense got a lot better but it still was a little soft and in the playoffs, a little slow. Detroit magnified the faults of Kurt Sauer and Jeff Finger. Both players are a little slow and can be lured out of position. The forwards constantly got caught up ice, leading to odd-man rushes The Avs need to establish a back check to help their defensemen out. Their defensive faults might have been the system, it might have been the players but, if the Avs are going to become contenders, they will have to become tougher to play against.
Goaltending: C+. One word to describe the goaltenders: inconsistent. Budaj and Theodore fought over who would be the number one goaltender for most of the year, usually resulting in two number two's. Then, after the New Year, Theodore looked like his old self. He was making spectacular saves and stealing wins. However, Theodore would still revert to his old self, making himself look a little schizophrenic. Next year, the Avs will need better goaltending throughout the year.
Special teams: D The Avs were downright atrocious on special teams. They would let in Power Play goals without scoring on their own power plays. The Power Play passed too much instead of just shooting the puck on net and players, for the most part did not move without the puck. The Avs acquired Ryan Smyth to be a pest in front of the net, not behind it and definitely not the side of it. The Avs need to start using their players in the right situations and shoot the puck more.
The penalty kill was too passive. The best penalty kills in the league offer a lot of motion and aggressive, in-your-face style of play. The Avs spent a lot money to improve their specialty teams and it didn't make a difference. The Avs will need to improve on special teams if they want to make the playoffs again, let alone win the Cup.
Coaching: C This is the hardest grade to make. Joel Quenneville had to fight his way through injuries more than almost any other coach in the NHL. He did well at making due with what he had but still didn't get the job done. To an observer, it appeared the special teams did not have any strategies set up. On the power play in particular, the Avs did not have any strategies for getting into the zone and getting set up. Once set up, they would over pass, with no one knew who is supposed to shoot. When getting back on defense, the forwards didn't pick up the right guys and looked very confused. The Avs need strategies for their transition game. The Avs need to get better coaching overall.
Last season was a good one for the Avalanche, considering all the injuries they overcame. However, the Avs, anorganization has been an organization that has alwaystried tocompete for the Cup, has not been to the conference finals since 2001-2002 season and has been swept twice in the second round. It is time for the Avs to return to the conference finals at least.
Got an oppinion on this story? Email Aaron Musick at aaron.musick@colorado.edu