Avs-Wild player grades: Deeper into the abyss

Player grades for Colorado’s loss to the Minnesota Wild.

Sven Andrighetto (D) – This is an experiment that it’s fair to say has failed for the Avalanche. They’re simply playing out the string with Andrighetto right now. Given how much promise his Colorado tenure started with, it’s disappointing to see it coming to a likely close like this. He seems to play the game just a half-step too slowly to consistently make a positive impact in the NHL.

Tyson Barrie (C+) – It was great to see him get on the scoresheet with a PPG. They force the offense to run through him so much that he needs to score more frequently to justify that usage. That four-minute penalty didn’t end up costing the Avs outside of having to defend for an avoidable four minutes in a game they were trailing. It felt like the only mistake the Avs made tonight that wasn’t brutally punished.

Gabriel Bourque (C-) – Like the vast majority of games Bourque appears in, his time on the ice was defined mostly by a lack of anything happening in any direction. Colorado’s fourth line continues to largely just be a net zero, which could certainly be worse but the complete lack of offensive threat here is adding to the pressure faced by the other three lines.

Matt Calvert (B) – A great forecheck by Calvert sparked Colorado’s first goal. This was his seventh point in his last nine games as he’s very much settled into his Colorado digs. The stick breaking in his hand on Minnesota’s lengthy 5 on 3 was the worst kind of luck. Very indicative of the type of luck the Avalanche have had recently.

Ian Cole (D) – I don’t have a major issue with his scrambly coverage on Minnesota’s first goal as Girard turned a puck over with nobody really around him and everyone else was trying to figure it out from there. And had offside been correctly called, Cole’s desperation penalty also never takes place and the Wild never get the 5 on 3. All this to say Cole undeniably suffered some bad luck tonight but just didn’t play a very solid overall game.

J.T. Compher (C) – I really just didn’t notice much of JTC tonight. Very quiet overall.

Sheldon Dries (C+) – He worked hard and drew a penalty right after the Avalanche killed one off with his skating and speed. That was the only time I remember noticing Dries all game.

Samuel Girard (D) – The turnover to create Minnesota’s first goal was the stuff of true nightmares. It’s hard enough to stop teams from scoring but just giving them freebies? Good lord what a fiasco. The rest of Girard’s game left a whole lot to be desired.

Ryan Graves (C+) – Graves put in another solid performance. He got caught out on a very long shift at the end of the second period that helped lead to the Wild’s fourth goal but none of the failed clearing attempts or various turnovers were his fault. He got trapped by the incompetence of Colorado’s forwards. A solid overall showing from Graves yet again.

Philipp Grubauer (D) – Tough grade because this was a guy who got very, very little help tonight. Two goals were given up at 3v5 and the first two Wild goals weren’t really on Grubi but this was another huge night of offense for the opposing team. This is just a huge mess right now.

Alexander Kerfoot (D) – Really felt Kerfoot played poorly in this one. He didn’t get much ice time but he really didn’t do much of anything out there. I don’t expect him to score every game but he can’t be a total non-factor like he was tonight.

Gabriel Landeskog (C) – He always seems to find himself finding reasons to have high-speed collisions with Devan Dubnyk. It’s always a good time to watch. That was more or less the highlight of the night from the captain.

Nathan MacKinnon (D) – That penalty in the third period for passing the puck with his hand is just inexcusably dumb. The truth is MacKinnon has been far too average overall recently. The Avs aren’t going to get anywhere if their dominant top line fails to dominate.

Patrik Nemeth (D) – Like Graves, Nemeth got stuck on the long shift at the end of the second period. Unlike Graves, Nemeth actually ha a chance to win a puck that might have gotten them off the ice. I know he was tired but he put in almost no effort to get to that puck and Minnesota scored right after. His delay of game already on the PK in the third was outrageously dumb.

Matt Nieto (C) – The fourth line gig he’s been given recently is really more about trying to spark the offense in the top three lines. Nieto isn’t going to solve that issue and when he does get scoring opportunities, such as the one he created short-handed, he regularly fails to cash in.

Mikko Rantanen (C) – He was okay. Shot metrics are in favor of the top line but that’s pretty normal. The reality is that they simply weren’t anywhere close to good enough tonight. Getting the freebie assist on Barrie’s seeing-eye goal is nice for the stat sheet but they needed a whole lot more tonight.

Carl Soderberg (B) – A great opening period as he got the Avs on the board first. He has a new career-high in goals scored, which is great. Colorado needs secondary scoring and he’s stepped up more consistently than any other forward this year.

Colin Wilson (C+) – Combined with Calvert and Soderberg on Colorado’s opening goal. Did not do much of anything else the rest of the way.

Nikita Zadorov (B-) – Handled big minutes well and brought his typical physical element to a game against the hated Wild. One of the few guys I thought was more good than bad tonight.