The good, bad, and ugly of the Colorado Avalanche

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As the Colorado Avalanche training camps shifted gears, and the World Cup of Hockey moved to elimination rounds, Avalanche players and prospects showed a lot of heart this past week.

THE GOOD

1. Colorado Avalanche coach Jared Bednar set about implementing his new defensive approach with the veterans as they reported for training camp. The players who participated in the rookie showcase seemed ahead of more experienced professionals with learning the systems and effectively implementing them.

2. The rookie showcase attendees mastered enough of Bednar’s strategy to limit the impact of the newly arrived veterans. During 5v5 skirmishes, the young prospects held their own against the more seasoned professionals and exhibited an impressive level of talent. The future for the Avalanche organization looks bright!

3. Nathan MacKinnon brought his “A” game to the World Cup of Hockey and people started to notice. Facing elimination, MacKinnon scored an amazing overtime goal for North America with less than a minute left. He also improved his positioning, creating problems for the opposing goaltenders in front of the net and used both his body and speed to create havoc on both ends of the ice. Maybe he is mastering NHL level center play. Everyone in Avalanche land should be thrilled.

In case you missed Nathan MacKinnon’s overtime game winning goal against Sweden.

4. Matt Duchene leads all Avalanche players in scoring at the World Cup, earning four points for Canada (2G, 2A) including a game winner, over four games. MacKinnon racked up three points (2G, 1A) in three games for North America including a game winner, and the Swedes both earned a point as Gabriel Landeskog hit net once while Carl Soderberg notched an assist. Best news? No injuries. Second best news? Five of the six Colorado players will be back with the team by the end of the week.

5. Training camp started and ended in the past week and perhaps the best news for the week – pre-season games begin!

6. Two of the newly acquired defenseman impressed already during training camp – Patrick Wiercioch and Fedor Tyutin look to be quality additions. Also, Eric Gelinas, who spent the offseason recovering from a nasty elbow injury suffered six games into his tenure with the Avalanche, is looking like a valuable asset. The competition among the defenders for starting slots is heating up!

7. In the pipeline, there are some guys who proved nice surprises in training camp, including Troy Bourke who deked around Cody Mcleod like he wasn’t there during the 5v5 scrimmage. Also, the defensive pairing of Mason Geertsen and Nicolas Meloche shut down a skilled offensive line of NHL’ers. They all still have stuff to learn but the young guys show promise!

8. Free agent acquisition Fedor Tyutin spent nearly ten minutes at the end of Saturday’s session asking questions of Bednar. The two skated to the white board rink side where the coach drew out approaches and Tyutin asked questions. Watching an NHL veteran working to understand a new system, instead of acting like an expert, was very encouraging.

So does he become “Darn Tyutin”? “Rootin’ Tyutin”? The guy needs a good nickname because he looks like he may be here awhile.

9. Bednar continues to establish himself as a leader and educator. Throughout both training camps, he was actively directing action on the ice and fielding questions. The coach also made some clear statements. The Alternate Captain positions are open to be earned and all positions will be selected based on performance. Tim Army will continue to run the power play, Nolan Pratt will cover the penalty kill and defensive schemes, and Dave Farrish will scout upcoming opponents.

THE BAD

1. Colorado would have benefited from having their six veterans around during the beginning of training camp. While enjoying competitive World Cup play and appreciating the exciting opportunity it presented the players, with the late hire of a new coach implementing different systems, the leaders could have assisted with the changes. Any other year, not an issue. This year, it’s a challenge.

2. While it’s an honor to be the backup for Team Russia, one wonders if Semyon Varlamov would have profited more from being in Colorado for the start of training camp.

3. USA hockey lost all three games in the World Cup. Did Erik Johnson really need three weeks with John Tortorella?

THE UGLY

1. Kroenke Sports owns its own television network and people still can’t watch the Avalanche’s preseason games. Bad, stinky, ugly.

2. Near the end of the second period of the Burgundy & White game, John Mitchell checked 18-year-old prospect Josh Anderson into the boards. Anderson, who was just getting up to speed after fracturing a vertebrae, went face first into the glass. It’s a scrimmage game. Why risk injuring a potential future teammate, especially one recently cleared to participate in contact drills? Not Mitchell’s best moment.

OOPS MOMENT FROM CAMP

Training camp this year has been all about learning new systems of play involving all five guys moving together to advance the attack, and utilizing the speed and skill of the roster to the team’s advantage. Tyson Barrie usually embodies the speed and skill camp was designed to maximize.

However, even he had an ‘oops!’ moment, when Barrie pulled up to support the attack in one of the scrimmages. He gloved a puck from an opposing forward, instantly dropped it to the ice and shot it. Directly to another opponent, who tossed it out of the zone. Great play followed by an ‘oops!’. Pretty much an allegory for all of last year. Hopefully, that’s as close as they get to the previous season.

WHAT TO WATCH

1. I would say the three upcoming preseason games but since they aren’t being televised, how about reading reports of the games, I guess? Or maybe watch silly moose videos?

2. The World Cup of Hockey best of three final matchup between Canada and Europe runs this week. First game starts Tuesday, 6 pm MST, second game is Thursday at 6 pm MST, with a third game – if needed – scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 1 at 5 pm MST.

3. The Avalanche will continue to evaluate the talent so there will be lots of player movement. Also, keep an eye on the defensive pairings as the Avalanche have a quality pool of defenders to work from this year.

4. Six players have already been released from camp to return to their respective clubs – Josh Anderson, Travis Barron, Brogan O’Brien, Jeffrey Truchon-Viel, Gustav Olhaver and Jackson Houck (who was sent to the San Antonio Rampage). Jiri Tlusty did not pass his physical so he is gone and no one has seen Mat Clark. There will be more changes in the upcoming days.

5. Did I mention watching moose videos? Or maybe watching Slap Shot, Miracle, or Mystery, Alaska? Because Colorado’s pre-season games will not be broadcast this week. Or maybe, if enough people ask, the Avalanche would relent and at least stream the games. Please? Pretty please?

In case you don’t know where to start with silly moose videos.