St. Patrick is coming back to Colorado. Today, the Colorado Avalanche officially announced that Patrick Roy will be the head coach in the coming season. Roy was also named Vice President of Hockey Operations.

First of all, you should know that Patrick Roy is my all time favorite player. When I was a toddler, and my parents took me to games, I would shout “ah beh huh Roy!” whenever he skated on the ice or made a big save. My parents had no idea what I meant, and I don’t have any insight into my two year old mind, so basically, this is just a funny story to point out that even as a young fan. Roy won two Cups here in Colorado, and two with his initial team the Montreal Canadiens. I could go through his amazing stats, and be technical, but I’m not going to. I’m just going to say that Patrick Roy is the greatest goaltender to ever play the game, and I am willing to fight you on that.

Now, he hasn’t come back to tend the Avalanche net, he’s come back to coach. For the past eight years, Roy has been the head coach and general manager of the Quebec Ramparts of the QMJL. He doesn’t have any NHL coaching experience, but I’m not particularly concerned. In my mind, a good coach is a good coach. Roy has the fire and the passion that this organization has lacked these past few years. He’s spent his time as a coach dealing with young players, who still need to develop, and when one considers how many young players the Avs have, I think this could really work well for the team that has been assembled.

Three days ago, Roy’s brother, Stephane, announced on his facebook page that his brother had been hired by the Avs The post was later deleted, but it was obviously accurate. So, I’ve had my fingers crossed that this would be announced soon for a couple of days now.

We have to, it’s tradition!

Today is Matt Hunwick’s 28th birthday! Hunwick just won a bronze medal with the United States at the World Championships, and a few months back, he and his wife welcomed a baby boy to their family. While the Avs season didn’t go the way he wanted it too, it’s definitely been a memorable year for #22.

Here he is scoring a pretty goal:

Oh and here’s a nice hit:

Photo: Kerri Nicole Photography/Flickr.

Statistics: GP 32 G 2 A 11 P 13 +/- -11 Hits 31 BS 24 Giveaway/Takeaway Differential -2

» Continue reading “Player Review: Tyson Barrie”

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”

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.