Another loss, fifth straight overall for the Avalanche (0-4-1). Let’s take a look at the individuals:
Mikko Rantanen (D) – A blah night for the NHL’s leading scorer, entering the contest. No shots on goal in the first two periods, not much puck possession. He did hit the post on a shot. Rarely do the Avs win without a point from the top line, and tonight was no exception.
Nathan MacKinnon (F) – A failed night all around. Horrible turnover on the critical third goal by Winnipeg. Missed the net with shots, overpassed at other times, lost the majority of his faceoffs, part of an ineffective power play. He’s a minus-7 his last four games.
Gabe Landeskog (D) – Mostly the same as his other linemates. Lackluster showing, no impact on the hockey game. Won some faceoffs, at least.
Alexander Kerfoot (B-) – Great pass to Tyson Jost on the goal that made it 3-2 in the third. I thought he was engaged most of the game. One of the better players for the visitors in this one.
Colin Wilson (C-) – Had a nice steal and break down the left wall in the second period, but missed on the shot and that was mostly the only time he was noticeable in the game. Not terrible, just kind of there.
Vladislav Kamenev (D) – Was barely noticeable. Jared Bednar just doesn’t seem to know how to use this kid. One night, he’s a second-line center, the next night he’s barely getting playing time. Not the recipe for success for a player that is still developing and lacking full confidence.
Sheldon Dries (D) – Had a breakaway chance in the second period, but barely made Connor Hellebuyck move. Then, he took a killer third-period penalty that led to Winnipeg’s fourth goal.
Gabriel Bourque (D) – Just like most of the forwards on the night: barely noticeable. Just doesn’t have much offensive ability. He’s played 15 games this season, still hasn’t scored a goal.
Marko Dano (F) – Why is this guy playing at all right now? He’s been absolutely awful since being picked up on waivers. In seven games so far with Colorado, he has zero points.
Tyson Jost (B-) – Nice finish on his third-period goal, looked pretty good overall for not having played in a while.
Carl Soderberg (C+) – Had an assist, but was part of a penalty kill that looked woeful against the Jets’ power play. Admittedly, Winnipeg has a power play that makes opponents look bad most nights.
Erik Johnson (C+) – Finally scored a goal, a beauty of a move and shot in the third period that cut the lead to 2-1. Otherwise, he looked a bit lost in the first period at times defensively. I think he likes being the workhorse on defense, and maybe he’s felt under-utilized since being paired with Sam Girard? I don’t know.
Nikita Zadorov (C+) – I thought he was fine, in a losing effort kind of way. He had an assist and seemed engaged. But, no, he hasn’t been an impact player much of the time this year, and this game, unfortunately, was no exception.
Tyson Barrie (B-) – Nice pass to Kerfoot that led to the Jost goal in the third. He had four shots on goal. Was one of the Avs’ better players.
Ian Cole (C+) – Not very noticeable, but that’s not a bad thing for defenseman often times. He was even in more than 19 minutes. He wasn’t the problem tonight.
Patrik Nemeth (F) – Got crushed in puck-possession numbers, four Corsi events for, 15 against.
Matt Calvert (D) – A couple shots on goal, but nothing on the sheet and part of a very poor PK unit tonight.
Sam Girard (C+) – I thought he had some good moments in the first two periods. But he kind of petered out toward the end. Still, had good puck possession numbers, but Avs needed a play from him on the power play and they didn’t get it.
Semyon Varlamov (D) – I thought he was poor in general. Sure, a couple of spectacular-looking saves in the first two periods, but sometimes the spectacular save means you were out of position in the first place. Not particularly “his fault” tonight, but he just didn’t have it in him to be the difference-maker.

0 Comments (10 conversations)
KCRybek
Mac was dreadful. Earns that F
Tortuga
Your evaluation of Zadorov could be the same for EJ. Nonexistent this year other than his goal this game.
Eve
I’m frustrated with our first line. Mac has been out of sync for a while; Landy looks slow and sluggish and Mikko isn’t using either his size or shooting ability. The coach insists on playing Nemeth and Dano. Try someone else not much to lose!
MAVB1379
Don’t know what’s happening with Mack…the team goes as he goes. Hope things will be straightened out.
Fsmcnab
They should split up the top line. Bednar did it last year for a bit and it woke them up. Time to do it again.
Carter970
You can’t split the top line, I just ordered the ‘Three Headed Monster’ shirt.
Adrian Dater
AuthorThank you!
Rich
Please get Nemeth out of the line up!
If you are losing there is no point in playing guys like Dano, Borque, or Nemeth. It is still a rebuilding year. Play the young guys with upside and give them the ice time to prove themselves one way or the other.
JDC15
That’s the problem with Bednar right now. Kamenev 7:55, Jost 11:50, Kerfoot 13:59. I get you have to work Jost back into the line up but Kerfoot and Kamenev?
ColoradoFanOxford
I’m going to ask it because the NHL is not a patient league and because Adrian and others have mentioned his rotations and other issues. So here goes…
Should this team be looking at a change at the top. Yes, things began Stellent with the Eastern road games but since reentering the West the Avs have looked more 16-17 than 17-18. The time for these young players as cheap and at the top is always short. Given that Quinville has left Chicago, is it time to consider if a new coach can come in and take a good nucleus’s and make them a top team? How much rope did last year and the statybto thr season give Bednar? How much should it?
I’m not around the team like Adrian is, so no idea if Bednar has a plan to address this close to two weeks of atrocious hockey. But, felt like it needed to be asked.
Lefseeter
Agreed, but I’m always hopeful Sakic can tell when a coach is the problem.
Thank you for giving MacK the appropriate ‘F’ grade. Last night’s game was his worst, but I have thought he has been playing all season with a cocky style of play with a focus only on offense with a very lazy defense play. Lande and Mikko push themselves on defense where MacK seems to only care about the transition game and building his stat sheet. He is constantly turning over the puck with play that is ‘cutesy’ and not aggressive checking and stick control, plus add to the fact his face-off percentage is 38.8% (#100 according to PuckBase), so you can’t count on him for key face-off moments.
My sense is that Bednar has not confronted MacK at all this season on his poor performances because…he’s a superstar. MacK is getting more attention from the media than ever before but his attention needs to be on his team. Both Bednar and Lande need to have a sit down with MacK, otherwise our Avs are going to be a .500 team this season.
IdAvsFan
Whole top line is playing like a group that has let all the talk about how good they are go to their heads – now they don’t think they should have to work for it anymore.. time for a bag skate to wake them up.