Photo: Bridget Samuels/Flickr.

Quick WC update: Landeskog and the Swedes advanced to the gold medal game. Johnson, Stastny, Palushaj, and Hunwick lost in today’s semifinals and will take on Finland for the bronze medal.

Statistics: GP 43 G 0 A 6 P 6 PIM 16 +/- 4 Hits 40 BS 59 Giveaway/Takeaway Differential +8

The Good

Matt Hunwick seemingly secured his spot in the top six for the Avs this year, after a really tough 2011-2012 season. I think for the most part he was one of the better players in the defensive zone. Hunwick was one of the leaders in time on ice this season, and despite the fact that the team allowed way more goals than they scored, he had a positive plus-minus rating. He was one of the few players on the team with a positive plus-minus. He also improved in his one on one play, and had a positive differential between his giveaways and takeaways. I know that it has been common among Avs fans to trash Hunwick, ever since he joined the team, but people need to stop judging him based on his first poor 20 games with the team, and instead look at the good he’s done in the past two seasons. Hunwick isn’t a particularly aggressive player, and he’s probably the smallest defenseman on the team, but he can still play pretty strongly along the boards. I was also impressed this season with how many shots he blocked. In the past that hasn’t really been a part of his game, but he really stepped up and added that to his play this year.

The Bad

Hunwick has been billed as an offensive defenseman, and yet he only had six points (all assists) this year. This was obviously an off year for pretty much everyone on the blue line, especially offensively, but Hunwick didn’t do himself any favors with his low point production. He had the same number of points last season (in 10 fewer games) and three of those points were goals at least. Plus, there’s just the general fact he was a part of a team that ranked 27th in the league in goals against.

This Summer

Hunwick’s main goal is to work on his shot I think. He should prepare similarly to how he did last summer otherwise. He has scored a couple of goals in the World Championships, which should help his confidence, and will hopefully lead into a more offensive season next year.

Contract Status

Hunwick has one year left on his $1.6 million contract. I expect the Avs will wait to see how this season plays out (not just for Hunwick, but for the other defensemen as well), and then decide whether to renew him or let him test the market.

Photo: Kerri Nicole/Flickr.

Before I review Zanon, some WCs updates. Team USA (Palushaj, Johnson, Stastny, Hunwick) beat Team Russia (Varlamov) to advance to the semifinals. Team Sweden (Landeskog) beat Team Canada (Duchene, O’Reilly) to advance to the semifinals as well. Team Czech Republic (Hejda) fell to team Switzerland.

Statistics: GP 44 G 0 A 6 P 6 +/- -16 PIM 28 Hits 65 BS 124 Giveaway/Takeaway Differential -2 Avg TOI 19:19

» Continue reading “Player Review: Greg Zanon”

I sort of got off track on player reviews. However, I’m ready to start them again, so I can put this season out of my mind sooner rather than later. First though, a few updates on World Championships. All nine Avalanche players are on teams that have qualified for the quarter finals. Paul Stastny, Erik Johnson, Aaron Palushaj, and Matt Hunwick (USA) will face Semyon Varlamov (RUS) on Thursday. Gabriel Landeskog (SWE) will face Matt Duchene and Ryan O’Reilly (CAN) will also square off Thursday. Jan Hejda and the Czechs will face Switzerland. Now, on to Hejda’s 2013 in the burgundy and blue.

Statistics: GP 46 G 1 A 9 P 10 +/- -3 PIM 28 Hits 96 BS 102 Giveaway/Takeaway Differential -11 Avg TOI 19:41

» Continue reading “Player Review: Jan Hejda”

It was a tale of two seasons in Cleveland for the Monsters. For a team that looked so solid in the beginning of the season to have such a slide in the last months was a disappointment for all those involved. Ending the season @ 35-31-3-7 , the Monsters missed out on playoffs again as well. One can point to the resumption of the NHL season as a turning point for the team. As of January 19th the team found themselves 22-16-2-1 with half the season to go. A team that focused on skill and speed flourished against opponents in those first 4 months of the season. It’s when the season turned into a more grinding physical game full of AHL vets and call ups from other lower leagues when the problems started. The Monsters young tandem of Pickard and Aittokallio in net did as well as one could expect for two rookies playing their first pro season. Aittokallio’s injury that sidelined him opened the door for two other goaltenders, Kent Patterson and Kieran Millan, in the system as well. The team did manage to turn things around partially towards the end of March and went on a run 7-3-0-0 to finish the season. As of right now two players have been re-signed, Karl Stollery signed a 1 year, 2 way deal with the Avalanche and Bryan Lerg

Very excited to resign and be part of the avs organization and @monstershockey for another year! Hoping to have a healthy/injury free year!

— bryan lerg (@BLerg11) April 22, 2013

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I’ll be making some more posts throughout the summer keeping tabs on the shape of the team as needed.

Have a safe and fun offseason and see you in October !

This post is more about the Front office changes, but there are some Worlds updates at the bottom. Photo: Bridget Samuels/Flickr.

Okay, award for worst Avalanche blogger this week goes to me. I’m terribly sorry if you’ve checked in during the past five days, only to find things static. I’m back, and ready to blog (at least every other day) for the foreseeable future during this long offseason.

» Continue reading “Avs Change Front Office; Worlds Updates”

Photo: Bridget Samuels/Flickr

Alright, time for World Championships updates, Avalanche style.

-Team Canada has played two games. Matt Duchene scored two goals in the first game, (and was named Best Player for Canada), a 3-1 win over Denmark. In the second game, Canada lost to Switzerland in the shootout. Duchene was used three times, and he scored once and was denied twice by Martin Gerber, Switzerland’s goalie. Duchene has gone 16-8 on faceoffs thus far. Ryan O’Reilly has yet to earn any points, but he has gone 9-2 in the faceoff circle.

-Team USA has also played two games since I last posted, and won both of them. Erik Johnson scored two goals in his first game, and had one assist in the second. Matt Hunwick scored in today’s contest. Aaron Palushaj scored in the first game. Paul Stastny has three assists so far, was named Best Player in game one, and has gone 32-13 at the dot. Also, goaltender Ben Bishop (Tampa Bay Lightning), is a native of Denver Colorado.

-Semyon Varlamov was not in the lineup for Team Russia’s first game, but he was in the net for their second, a 4-1 win over Germany. Varlamov made 26 saves on 27 shots to earn the victory.

-Jan Hejda and Gabriel Landeskog’s teams faced off yesterday. Neither had any points, but Landeskog added to his penalty total, while Hejda’s team added to their win total.

Photo: Bridget Samuels/Flickr.

Before the jump, I’ll give updates on the Avs participating in the World Championships. Jan Hejda, Czech Republic, played 15:03 in his team’s 2-0 win. Gabriel Landeskog earned a kneeing penalty in Team Sweden’s loss to Switzerland…Paul Stastny was named captain for the USA WC club.

Season Statistics: GPI 18 W 5 L 4 OT 4 SA 469 Sv % .908 GAA 2.84 (Giguere also took two penalties, for a total of four PIM.)

» Continue reading “Player Review: J.S. Giguere”

Photo: Bridget Samuels/Flickr

It’s time for player reviews once again…I’m not going to pretend to be happy to be reviewing players’ seasons so soon, but I think it is necessary to look at each player in depth. Last year, I did centers-wingers-defensemen-goalies, so this year I’m switching and starting from the net.

Stats: GPI 35 W 11 L 21 OT 3 Sv % .903 SA 1,007 GAA 3.02 SO 3 (Also earned one assist.)

» Continue reading “Player Review: Semyon Varlamov”

I mean we used this when it was, literally, the new year. I figure it works for the start of a new season too though.

Yes, you read that right. The Colorado Avalanche won the number one pick in this year’s draft. It’s a sweet ending after a bitter season.

Colorado ended the season 29th overall in the league-it’s worst season statistically since the franchise moved to Denver in 1995. Due to changes in the lottery this year, every non-playoff team had a shot to win the number one pick. The chances were staggered, with the league’s worst, Florida, receiving the best odds. (The Avs had an 18.8% chance of earning this pick.) Had a team below Florida or Colorado won the lottery, each team that finished “ahead” would have simply moved down one spot from where they finished-meaning the Avs, at the worst, would have the third overall pick.

Luckily, they got the first, which means that they will be able to pick whomever they want, and shape the rest of the NHL’s choices. Nearly everyone thought, prior to tonight’s lottery, that Seth Jones would be the first pick. He is a versatile, large, talented defenseman, the type that could change a franchise. (Jones first started to skate and play hockey in the Denver area, as his father, “Popeye” Jones, played for the Denver Nuggets at the time.) Now that the Avs have the first pick, anyone who was uncertain before has to be convinced that this young man will be the first chosen this year. After all, he is the only defenseman among the three players expected to go 1,2, and 3.

The Avs certainly don’t need another center (Nate MacKinnon), when one considers Paul Stastny, Matt Duchene, Ryan O’Reilly, John Mitchell, and the fact that Mark Olver, or Brad Malone is capable of taking on the role of fourth line center. Even if the Avs traded one of their centers (rumors about Paul Stastny abound, much to my chagrin), they still have a couple of good centers in the system. MacKinnon, I’m sure you’re fabulous, but I think you can kiss that shot at “Drafted, First Overall” goodbye.

The only player who I think could really challenge Jones at this point is Jonathan Drouin. He’s a winger, who’s said to have skills similar to Patrick Kane. However, he is a smaller player (and the Avs already do have a smaller forward core). As a skilled left winger, he could provide a lot of competition for Gabriel Landeskog, who at this point is the undisputed top LW on the team, and he could challenge Jamie McGinn as he tries to stay on the top line. (And people who are shouting WHAT ABOUT CODY McLEOD HE IS THE GREATEST”…I love Cody Mac, but let’s be real here. If he’s our number one LW (as he was in the final third of the season), the team isn’t going anywhere. He’s a solid player, and he can play top minutes when needed, but he’s not going to score 20 goals.)

If you would like to look at the official, final rankings of the year provided by the NHL, head over here and take a look. Final draft rankings for all 30 teams will be determined after the playoffs.

Basically, I think the team is taking Seth. I’ll save you the fact spamming until draft day, and simply say #AvspickSeth.

The Avalanche announced this morning that Coach Sacco will not be returning next season as Head Coach of the team. Personally, I’m relieved. While Sacco is not the only problem the team had this year, I think it’s clear that he lost control of the team. There were too many times in the past two years where the team failed to play a full sixty minute game. There were too many times where the team looked flat. It’s up to a coach to keep his team motivated, and I just don’t think Sacco was able to do that any longer.

It will be interesting to see what other changes the Avs decide to make, and who the next coach will be. I’ll keep updating as I hear more.

UPDATE

Eric Lacroix has left the Avalanche organization, the Avs have confirmed. Lacroix was the Vice President of Hockey Operations.