It seems like the theme to this season so far for the Avalanche is they can’t have any good without having some bad to go along with it and, despite the result, tonight’s game was no different. The Colorado Avalanche thumped the Vancouver Canucks 7-1 in a game that was a “must-win” in the sense of, the Avs need to…...

We’re back for the second installment of our NHL Power Rankings, and it’s my turn to take a crack at this. I agreed with a lot of AJ’s rankings from last week honestly, but I’m certain we’ll have some differences of opinion this week.  I’m going to *try* and not be too wordy on my explanations for why I have…...

A 4-5-1 start for the Colorado Avalanche certainly isn’t what anyone was expecting coming into this season. Even the people who seem to live to tell the world how overrated the Avs always are couldn’t have imagined the first 10 games would have looked anything like they did. Between the random COVID-related absences, the short roster forced by the salary…...

Just when we thought the good news was starting to roll in for the Avalanche, we find out today that Nathan MacKinnon is being evaluated for a lower-body injury and was held out of practice. The good news *was* that Cale Makar and Valeri Nichiushkin went from being potential options for Colorado’s next game to looking like they were shoo-ins…...

A new weekly series from the DNVR Avalanche crew looking at some of the best hockey highlights from the last week. Between the legs goals, and kicking a puck out of mid-air are just a few of the things you’ll find in this inaugural edition. https://youtu.be/UHovw6zzsyA...

Ok, we’ve had our week of doom and gloom. A week where everybody feels down on what this Colorado Avalanche group is truly capable of. And if you go based on Avalanche forward Mikko Rantanen’s comments, the players don’t feel particularly great about how they’re playing either. So how do you fix it? How do you get out of the…...

Andre Burakovsky – A- Hard to really complain about two goals in a return game, especially when he was really struggling to hit the net before his injury. Second goal was a great effort that also showcased his skill. Had an ugly turnover in the third that led to a good chance, but as you will see in other player…...

Eyes versus analytics. Heart versus mind. Confidence versus doubt. Right now, the Avs are deeply involved in all of those battles and, at least from the peanut gallery’s seat, losing two of them. It was a good analytics night for the Avs. I was genuinely surprised to see what all the postgame numbers ended up being. Giving up 22 scoring…...

It has become unclear who the Colorado Avalanche are this season. What is clear is right now they are not playing particularly well. Answers have to come internally. https://youtu.be/1xs5FFUCQB4

The Jack Eichel trade went down at the crack of dawn yesterday morning, ending an embarrassing saga for the Buffalo Sabres who essentially held their star player and former captain medically hostage while they waited for teams to pony up the assets to free him of the shackles of being a Sabre. Vegas was always one of the most logical…...

“April First. The day upon which we are reminded of what we are on the other three hundred and sixty-four.” – Mark Twain On April Fool’s Day 2021, the Atlanta Braves played a bit of a goof on their fanbase, losing their season opener in extra innings at the Phillies. They laid on for good measure – just to make…...

Bowen Byram put his stamp on the game and likely made waves in the Calder conversation but an Avs team that decided to take a third of the game off got what they were asking for in a defeat. https://youtu.be/-P67vG2Gogc

Bowen Byram – A- It wasn’t perfect, as he was missing some shots on the powerplay and got beat down in terms of possession, but big-time plays are what got this team a point. His first goal started with him blocking a shot in his own end. His shot is why he got the nod on the top PP unit…...

Last week, I wrote about Colorado’s search for an identity. After a disappointing loss to a hurting Vegas team on home ice, the Avs responded with strong wins over St. Louis and Minnesota, two teams off to great starts who were stopped in their tracks by the Avalanche. Maybe it’s the lingering effects of the hellscape that was 2020 but…...

Welcome to our first edition of the NHL power rankings! The plan here is to write these every week but with a different author so it isn’t the same list with a couple of minor changes here and there but rather a fresh perspective of the league as a whole. A note right off the bat: Most importantly, this is…...

As North American prospects begin settling into their seasons we start to see who is more than a flash in the pan of a hot start. For many Avs prospects, early signs continue to be encouraging and while ELC conversations are still months away, the Avs will have some interesting decisions to make. AHL: The revolving door has continued for…...

The early part of this week has definitely had “back to school” vibes for me. Getting my clothes ready, making sure my backpack is packed with everything I’ll need, seeing friends (who I now get to call co-workers!) that I hadn’t seen in a while, it’s all been so exciting. And now I get the real fun part.. being back…...

A four point night from Gabe Landeskog made it easy for the Avs to get back to .500 against Minnesota. As the Avs continue to make progress playing better hockey, key pieces are coming into form. https://youtu.be/ZDBeJ469gfA

Andre Burakovsky – C Still can’t hit the broad side of a barn, but a great pass on the Landeskog goal. He left the game in the third period with a lower-body injury, and the only thing I saw happen to him was him taking a weird, awkward tumble after the EJ goal. Bowen Byram – B- Liked Byram’s game,…...