Cole sees greatness in youthful Avalanche

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. – When the Colorado Avalanche dipped their toe into the veteran defenseman market over the summer, many Avs fans groaned and struggled with thoughts of “here we go again.”

But since signing a three-year pact with the Avalanche on July 1, Ian Cole has been nothing short of a reliable revelation on a blueline whose youth guaranteed many roller coaster nights. The stability Cole has brought has given the coaching staff a leg to stand on when one of the young players is struggling.

Right now, that player is Nikita Zadorov, whose recent struggles saw him benched after just seven minutes of ice time against Boston. Zadorov was then a healthy scratch against Washington in favor of going with a third pairing of Patrik Nemeth and Mark Barberio. Cole, himself a former first-round pick who struggled in his youth, said the team has been able to pick up the frustrated Zadorov.

“Everyone on this team tries to pick each other up and be successful,” Cole said. “The more guys on this team we have playing great hockey, the better this team is going to be. That’s the only way to look at it. If there’s anything we can do, whether it’s more conversations or encouragement, whatever the situation calls for, I think there are enough guys on this team that are team-first and can help pick their teammate up.”

The Avalanche defense as a whole has been a bright spot for Colorado as they have buckled down on the scoring chances and high-danger chances allowed as a group this season even if the shots on goal are still higher than they’d like. Cole’s presence has played a big role in the steps forward, including being the most reliable player Tyson Barrie has ever had next to him.

Together, Cole and Barrie have recently started to really find their stride and take it to opposing teams. They were flat-out dominant against the Anaheim Ducks on Sunday and are looking to replicate that performance moving forward. That said, the team needs to find itself in better situations as they’ve allowed themselves to face third-period deficits in three straight games.

“It’s obviously not an ideal situation when you’re playing from behind,” Cole told BSN Denver. “Teams score first goals sometimes, that’s just what happens. But to put ourselves in a two-goal deficit in the second or third, that’s not ideal. It’s not necessarily about scoring the first goal but not getting too far behind and setting a tone for later on in the game. We can do a better job.”

That the Avalanche has been able to come back and grab points in games they’ve faced deficits speaks to the character of the guys in the locker room, Cole believes.

“It just shows resiliency, both in individual players and in our team game. We know we can get back into games should we need to but ideally that’s not the case and we don’t put ourselves in that situation. You’ve got to love the heart the guys come with.”

The coaching staff has played a key role in the team’s ability to find their way through the often self-inflicted adversity. Instead of yelling and screaming, the staff talks through the situation they’re in and helps the players focus on the little details in front of them. How much impact does their approach ultimately have?

“I think it’s huge,” Cole said. “I think, rightfully so sometimes, coaches can push the panic button a little early. They want to make sure the team is in a good spot and it’s totally understandable. Our coaching staff here certainly tells us what we’re doing wrong and corrects us but there’s no panic. There’s confidence they have in us and that feeds the confidence we have in each other.”

That confidence in each other has manifested in a stronger start than Colorado saw last year. While it’s still early, the 20-game mark is still the quarter pole of the regular season. How is Cole feeling about his decision to sign with the Avalanche?

“I think it’s been great,” Cole said with his toothy smile. “Certainly, this summer when I signed here, you don’t know how it’s going to be and you try to make the most educated decision you can. I couldn’t be happier, I couldn’t have made a better decision. I’m very thankful the team here wanted me and very thankful it worked out in the sense that the team is having success. We certainly have a long way to go and we can certainly be better and I think that’s even more exciting. I see how good this team can be and the potential this team has and it’s certainly very awesome.”

News and Notes

• Matt Calvert did not practice today as he is on personal leave with his ailing mother. He is expected to be back with the team tomorrow.
• J.T. Compher joined the team on the trip but practiced in a non-contact jersey. He will practice again the next two days and the team is hopeful he can join the lineup against Arizona.
• Both Colin Wilson and Matt Nieto, who were scratched with lower-body injuries against Anaheim, practiced in regular jerseys today and the team is hopeful they are able to return to the lineup.
•  Semyon Varlamov will get the start tomorrow night against the Kings