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 quite a lot of expectations. The season has not gone the best way that they needed it so far to this point. Nonetheless, (Nathan) MacKinnon is enjoying effectively. Cale Maker is enjoying effectively. 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 suppose they need to be?”
Bernstein: “No, probably not (Paton). Effectively, to begin with, they must be in full well being. Bear in mind, (Valeri) Nichushkin continues to be suspended. It appears to be like like he’ll come again across the fifteenth, that’s wonderful. They’re lacking Miles Wooden. They’re lacking Ross Colton, had a very good begin.
However I’m going to the goaltending. Pates. They’re final within the league in targets in opposition to. And usually you’d say, ‘Okay, it’s not only a goalie.’ You by no means lay on when a workforce 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 quite a lot 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 possibly, you realize, Marc-Andre Fleury or somebody like that. Like they should repair the goaltending.
And so they’re an elite workforce when everyone’s wholesome offensively. Like they’re not an elite workforce defensively.
And I believe a few of it, I’ll take your reference it, is in a pair seasons in the past once they gained the Stanley Cup, didn’t have a Vezina winner within the, in between the pipes. That they had 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 believe 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 unique season, a unique workforce for certain. They received to repair their, their method in purpose.”
