The 4 Nations Face-Off led to plenty of discussion in league circles about the trade deadline and in fan circles about who the best player in the game may be. The Colorado Avalanche, meanwhile, tried to turn their focus to a trip east to take on the Nashville Predators.
Unfortunately, the Avalanche continue to be something of a frustration. Though they managed 32 shots, Nashville’s Juuse Saros was stellar and held the Avalanche to just a single goal. Here’s what I took away from the Avalanche’s 2-1 loss in Nashville.
The Offensive Inconsistency Is Frustrating
The Avalanche were something of a Jekyll and Hyde team before trading superstar winger Mikko Rantanen. That has only been exacerbated since. In the roughly one month (nine games) since the trade, the Avalanche have scored two goals or fewer five times.
There is simply too much talent from the top of the lineup to the bottom for this team to be struggling like it is. Yes, removing a talent like Rantanen is a big deal and takes time to adjust to, but Martin Necas has acquitted himself well while playing top-line minutes.
A return to health from Valeri Nichushkin would be a godsend right now, but that feels less likely. He had another setback and is now at “week-to-week” status from head coach Jared Bednar. He brings so much to the table and is dearly missed, but isn’t the only answer.
Team Defense Has Crippling Lapses
For the most part, the team defense for the Avalanche has been pretty good. They’ve certainly gotten better since Mackenzie Blackwood has come to town, but their issues aren’t consistent so much as coming at the worst or biggest times.
Related: 3 Things the Colorado Avalanche Need to Work on Before the Playoffs
Take this game. The Predators managed just a pair of shots in the third period, but Devon Toews was left to cover a pair of forwards in front of the net. A shot from the point ricocheted behind the net, came out on the other side, and Jonathan Marchessault was left unattended.
This isn’t Toews’ fault. He already had Ryan O’Reilly and peeled off to take Marchessault but was too late. Cale Makar was late getting back into the zone and Nathan MacKinnon was floating around in the slot watching the puck, not taking a man. These are the lapses that get you sent home from the playoffs.
The Middle of the Lineup Has Disappeared
It has been talked about before, but the biggest struggles for the Avalanche offense come from a complete disappearance from the middle of the lineup. As good as the stars are on this team, it can’t win consistently without the middle of the lineup producing.
Casey Mittelstadt is an obvious target. He has just one point in his last seven games and has fallen off the face of the earth since a hot start. Ross Colton hasn’t scored a goal since the beginning of January. Outside of MacKinnon, Makar, Necas, and Artturi Lehkonen, no one scores with anything resembling consistency.
When the Avalanche were at their best, they were getting contributions throughout the lineup. Now, everyone stands around and waits for the stars to take over. It’s costing the Avalanche games and valuable points in a tight Central Division race between second-, third-, and fourth-place teams.
Avalanche Need to Find Answers Soon
The margin for error is getting thinner. The Central Division crown is out because the Winnipeg Jets are just too good and too far ahead (15 points up on the Avalanche). But the gap between the Dallas Stars (second), Minnesota Wild (third), and the Avalanche is slowly starting to grow.
Virtually everyone in the West has games in hand on the Avalanche. These struggles may not be enough to cost them a playoff spot but could see them staring down a first-round matchup with the Jets, Vegas Golden Knights, or Edmonton Oilers, and that would be very bad.
