The Fourth Interval: Dennis Bernstein on if the Colorado Avalanche can get again to elite standing. Is goaltending holding them again?
** NHLRumors.com transcription
Ryan Paton: “DB, let’s dive proper into it. The Colorado Avalanche got here in with a variety of expectations. The season has not gone the way in which that they wished it thus far to this point. Nevertheless, (Nathan) MacKinnon is enjoying properly. Cale Maker is enjoying properly. Additionally when Mikko Rantanen, when he’ll present the assistance coming again for Colorado, do they now get again to that elite contender standing that all of us assume they need to be?”
Bernstein: “No, not likely (Paton). Effectively, to start with, they need to be in full well being. Keep in mind, (Valeri) Nichushkin continues to be suspended. It seems to be like he’ll come again across the fifteenth, that’s superb. They’re lacking Miles Wooden. They’re lacking Ross Colton, had a extremely good begin.
However I am going to the goaltending. Pates. They’re final within the league in targets towards. And usually you’ll say, ‘Okay, it’s not only a goalie.’ You by no means lay on when a staff is that poor defensively, it’s received to be construction, it’s received to be the dedication to enjoying protection. It’s received to be a variety of issues that align.
Effectively, I’ll inform you, Pates, that’s most likely not the case, and right here’s why,. The Colorado Avalanche are second within the league in shot suppression. Solely the Carolina Hurricanes have given up lower than the Colorado Avalanche with respect to photographs per sport.
It’s the goaltending, and whether or not it’s John Gibson when he will get wholesome, or perhaps, you already know, Marc-Andre Fleury or somebody like that. Like they should repair the goaltending.
And so they’re an elite staff when everyone’s wholesome offensively. Like they’re not an elite staff defensively.
And I feel a few of it, I’ll take your reference it, is in a pair seasons in the past once they received the Stanley Cup, didn’t have a Vezina winner within the, in between the pipes. They’d Darcy Kuemper made the saves he wanted to make, and he was ok to win a title, proper?
In order that’s not the case proper now. So I feel they’ve to repair that. Definitely they actually wish to play with the large boys within the West this 12 months.”
Paton: “And it’s a distinct season, a distinct staff for certain. They received to repair their, their manner in purpose.”
