Avalanche's biggest surprise, disappointment to start 2024-25 season

The Avalanche are 20 games into the 2024-25 NHL season.

The Colorado Avalanche have stagnated a bit early in the 2024-25 season. The Avalanche entered the year with playoff ambition. Casey Mittelstadt is around for a full season while goalie Alex Georgiev had a shot for redemption. And some believed the team could challenge for the Stanley Cup if things went well. However, things have not gone as the team envisioned.

The Avalanche have played 20 games to this point in the year. Colorado has won more games than they've lost, as they enter play Saturday with an 11-9-0 record. This is good enough for fourth place in the Central Division. However, this team has not looked like a squad that could challenge the likes of the Minnesota Wild and Winnipeg Jets, who are second and first in the division, respectively.

The Avalanche have had their usual stars turn in some fantastic performances. However, there have also been some wildcards. Players have played beyond expectations while the team has cratered hard in other areas. With this in mind, here is the biggest surprise and disappointment early on for the Avalanche in 2024-25.

Casey Mittelstadt has reached another level

Casey Mittelstadt came over to the Avalanche through trade at the 2024 NHL Trade Deadline. The Avalanche took a chance on veteran Ryan Johansen as their second-line center. That experiment did not work in the slightest. Mittelstadt represents a longer-term option for a Colorado team that certainly needed some younger players at the NHL level.

Mittelstadt had a fine cup of coffee down the stretch in the regular season. And in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, he scored nine points in 11 games. This led to Colorado giving Mittelstadt a three-year contract extension. In 2024-25, he has seemingly reached another level to help provide some balance to Colorado's offense.

The Eden Prairie, Minnesota native has scored seven goals and 18 points through 20 games this year. This puts him on pace to smash the career highs he previously established with the Buffalo Sabres. Mittelstadt is on pace for 29 goals and 74 points in 2024-25. This would give the Avalanche star his first 20+ goal season.

Colorado needed a second-line enter to help facilitate more offense. While the team has suffered some injuries, he has remained a bright spot in the lineup. Once the Avalanche get healthy, Mittelstadt could truly break out.

Avalanche goaltending has hit rock bottom

The Avalanche struggled with goaltending last season, especially ahead of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Still, they were able to make the second round. Colorado decided against making a move for a goalie before this season. And that's a decision that could certainly prevent them from making the postseason in 2025.

Alex Georgiev went on injured reserve for a short time with an injury. However, he did not play well before going on IR. The Avalanche puck-stopper played to a putrid .863 save percentage before his absence. A 29-save performance in his return to the ice has raised his save percentage to .874.

The underlying numbers aren't much better. Georgiev has the sixth-worst Goals Saved Above Average in the NHL, according to Evolving Hockey. Additionally, he has the 10th lowest Goals Saved Above Expected in the entire league.

Backup goaltender Justus Annunen has also had a rough go of things. He has better underlying numbers, though the numbers are still not great. Annunen has -3.28 Goals Saved Above Average and -2.84 Goals Saved Above Expected through 10 games.

The Avalanche need to be better at preventing goals. This starts with getting better performances from their goaltenders. Alex Georgiev's start on Thursday against the Washington Capitals is a good first step. It will certainly be interesting to see if this is a positive sign of things to come for Colorado.