When this season started, the Colorado Avalanche were supposed to be in the middle of a rebuilding period. Someone forgot to tell the Avs that, because they came out of the gates flying and never looked back, working their way into the postseason. The biggest surprises have been the effectiveness of longtime backup goalie Craig Anderson and the crew of youngsters that have been the mainstays of Colorado’s success this season.
Offense: A Ranking in the top ten in the league, Colorado’s offense is based on their two star centers, Paul Stastny and rookie Matt Duchene. Duchene is second on the team with 24 goals, while Stastny leads the team with 79 points. However, what makes the Avs so effective is that they are three lines deep with fast, young talent capable of scoring at just about any time. 13 players on Colorado’s roster already have 20 or more points.
Defense: C-
The Avalanche have given up more goals than any other playoff team in the West, but they have managed to get the job done so far. Adam Foote is the leader of the blueline, but John-Michael Liles and Kyle Quincey have both played major roles for the Avalanche this season. Liles is a major part of the powerplay, with 20 points with the man advantage so far. Ryan Wilson leads the team’s defensemen with a +12, and the 2nd and 3rd defensive pairing don’t give much up compared to the first string defense.
Goaltending: B- When the Avalanche signed Craig Anderson, it was assumed he was nothing more than a stop gap until they could find a new starter. Anderson took the opportunity and ran with it, winning 38 games in 70 starts, while posting a 2.65 GAA. He won’t win the Vezina Trophy with those numbers, but he’s done more than enough for a team that was supposed to be competing for a lottery pick, not a first round playoff victory.
Special Teams: D This is an area where the Avalanche may get bitten in the playoffs. They don’t have all that effective of a powerplay, ranking lower than any other playoff contender in the Western Conference except Nashville and Phoenix. Their penalty kill is even worse, as the Avs have the 10th worst kill in the entire league. With a matchup against either San Jose or Chicago looming, Colorado will have to address these issues quickly or their dream season will come to an untimely end.