Coming into the season, the Colorado Avalanche had a million questions. A quick glance at their lineup would tell you that those questions were well-founded. The Avalanche looked like an entirely different team in the last four games compared to the first four games of the season, and they now have a chance to be a dark horse contender in a hyper-competitive Central Division.
Avalanche’s Rough Start
It was hard to be optimistic about the season after the first four games. The team was a mess, especially in net; incumbent starter Alex Georgiev gave up 20 goals in five games to start the campaign.
Georgiev may have been awful, but he was often hung out to dry by a defense that was also faltering. After losing their first four games, many wondered if the Avalanche were in too much trouble to save their season.
Don’t Call it a Comeback
Fast forward four games, and the outlook is very different. The Avalanche have won their last four games with outstanding offense while getting fabulous goaltending from Justus Annunen over the past three games. Three weeks into the season, and the vibe in Colorado is very different.
Cale Makar keeps rolling, leading the league in points so far. The Avalanche dominated a very solid Utah Hockey Club to a 5-1 victory. Confidence is high and this distinct turnaround in play is thanks to many factors.
Goaltending: From Weakness to Strength
You can’t talk about the turnaround without comparing Annunen to Georgiev; Annunen has a .917 save percentage compared to Georgiev’s .810, and there’s a distinct difference in the way the Avs play in front of Annunen versus Georgiev. Annunen has been awesome, stopping 75 of 79 shots in his three starts and should start the lion’s share of games moving forward. The team should also consider trading for a veteran goalie to give Georgiev a fresh start and a chance to play himself into a new deal elsewhere.
It’s too early to say whether this is what we will get from Annunen all season or if it’s simply a hot start. What’s clear is that the Avalanche are better right now with Annunen manning the crease. If he can continue to play at a high level, he will mitigate many of the issues.
Avalanche Offense Is Very Good
An offense featuring Makar, Nathan MacKinnon, and Mikko Rantanen is expected to be good. But there is more that makes the team ranked eighth in goals for per game (3.63). Of course, it doesn’t hurt that the big three are all in the top three in scoring.
Ross Colton has been outstanding and is the biggest contributor outside the big three. He has seven goals, ranked second in the NHL at this stage. Joel Kiviranta has four goals in his last three games. Casey Mittelstadt is on pace to have the best season of his young career.
Coming into the season, there were glaring holes in the middle six due to injuries and suspension. Seeing the line thrive is promising because when the reinforcements arrive, it will make the Avalanche deeper across the board.
Reinforcements Are Coming
Speaking of reinforcements, even if we take captain Gabriel Landeskog’s contributions out of the equation, his presence alone will provide a boost to the team. Two years removed from knee surgery might make it hard to count on him offensively.
Artturi Lehkonen, Colorado Avalanche (Jess Starr/The Hockey Writers)
The real benefit will be getting Artturi Lehkonen (injury) and Valeri Nichushkin (suspension) back. Lehkonen was set to play an important role on the second line, while Nichushkin can be a big-time scorer when he’s focused.
Kiviranta and Colton will likely cool off based on past performance, but having those key pieces back will take pressure off them, give them better matchups, and increase the chance that they will maintain their current pace. That’s a really good situation to be in.
Contending in the Central Division
The biggest obstacle right now is the division. Despite their recent win streak, the Avalanche are still sixth in the Central. The Winnipeg Jets have not lost yet. The Minnesota Wild haven’t lost in regulation. The Dallas Stars are 6-2 and are third in the division.
Getting behind the eight-ball will subvert expectations for the team. But if the past four games are any indication, it’s hard not to be positive. The Avalanche went from a -12 goal differential in the first four games to a +9 over the last four. That is a big swing in a very short stretch.
We won’t know what the Avalanche are working with until they start playing division rivals more often. Right now, the team is in a better position than the standings show, and there is a chance for them to not only improve but also contend as the season progresses.
