Gone Puck Wild
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Looking at the Competition in the Central Division

By Lake Martin

ST. PAUL, MN - AUGUST 22: Craig Leipold, owner of the Minnesota Wild, listens as Bill Guerin answers questions from the media as the new general manager for the team at a press conference at Xcel Energy Center on August 22, 2019 in St. Paul, Minnesota.(Photo by Bruce Kluckhohn/NHLI via Getty Images)
ST. PAUL, MN - AUGUST 22: Craig Leipold, owner of the Minnesota Wild, listens as Bill Guerin answers questions from the media as the new general manager for the team at a press conference at Xcel Energy Center on August 22, 2019 in St. Paul, Minnesota.(Photo by Bruce Kluckhohn/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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Colorado Avalanche

DENVER, COLORADO – SEPTEMBER 19: Philipp Grubauer #31 of the Colorado Avalanche tends goal against the Dallas Stars in the third period at the Pepsi Center on September 19, 2019, in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
DENVER, COLORADO – SEPTEMBER 19: Philipp Grubauer #31 of the Colorado Avalanche tends goal against the Dallas Stars in the third period at the Pepsi Center on September 19, 2019, in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) /

Everyone knows. This team is going to be scary good. They have the best contract in the league (Nathan MacKinnon $6.3M for 4 more seasons), an elite RFA (Mikko Rantanen- who just resigned), and a wide variety of very good defenseman. This team isn’t perfect though.

Biggest Strength: Depth-Offensively and Defensively

Last season, the Avalanche had perhaps the best line in hockey in Landeskog-MacKinnon-Rantanen, the only real competitors being the Lightning’s top line and Toronto’s, but after that lacked real good offensive depth.

This offseason they acquired Andre Burakovosky for Scott Kasmachuck and 2020 2nd and 3rd round draft picks. They also acquired Nazem Kadri, Calle Rosen (D), and a 2020 3rd round pick for Tyson Barrie, Alex Kerfoot, and a 2020 6th round pick. Everyone knows Kadri for his hard nose play and decent skill, Burakovosky is a bit more unknown, largely being behind Ovi, Backstrom, and Kuznetsov in Washington, but has potential to break out in a more expanded role.

The Avs replaced Carl Soderberg (traded to Arizona for Kevin Connauton (D) and 2020 3rd rd pick) with Pierre-Eduoard Bellemare on the fourth line and signed Joonas Donskoi, who ultimately scored the series-clinching goal against the Avs last year. Not exciting signings, but the need for the Avs is to have their younger players like Tyson Jost (21), J.T. Compher (24), and Valeri Nichushkin (24) to develop their scoring ability and support the top line. By adding Kadri and Burakovosky, the Avs have put pieces in place for the youngsters to grow this season.

Where they were strong last year was their defensive depth, who they largely retained. The only departure was Tyson Barrie, who is on an expiring deal, which also opened up a roster spot for one particular youngster (we’ll talk about him in a second). Erik Johnson and Nikita Zadorov are 6′ 4″ and 6′ 5″ and they show it, although EJ is better defensively. They also have Samuel Girard, who is looking to have a breakout season in an expanded role.

Oh yeah. Also Cale Makar. He makes his professional debut in the playoffs and scores his first goal. Pretty nice debut. Will still be considered a rookie, much like Jordan Greenway was, and even though he will be competing against the likes of Jack Hughes and Kaapo Kakko, is my pick to win the Calder trophy. His skating is incredible and he reminds me of Jared Spurgeon.

Biggest Weakness: Goaltending

Weakness is probably harsh; Uncertainty is likely the better term. Is Philip Grubauer going to grow into and cement that starting spot? I would trust him more than Pavel Francouz, but he doesn’t have the safety net of Semyon Varlamov anymore (who was already beginning to lose control of his starting spot). I wouldn’t be surprised if they went 1A-1B instead of 1 and 2, or even made a trade to acquire a bonafide tender. Who knows, this take might age poorly and Gruby has a career season. Dailyfaceoff.com has him ranked as the 11th best starter in the league.

This team will make the playoffs and compete to win the division. With prospects like Bowen Byram (D), Alex Newhook (F), and Sampo Raanta (F, shoutout Gopher Hockey) in the pipeline, this team will further secure its’ foothold at the top of the division in the coming years.

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