What went wrong for weary Avalanche

It’s been over a week since Matt Duchene and the Dallas Stars eliminated the Colorado Avalanche as the clock hit midnight in Game Six. It also meant the season hit midnight for the Avs, as they ultimately fell in a result which was ultimately coming their way. They did their best to push it off, but couldn’t do so any longer.

I’ve been sitting on this piece since then (plus lots of other stuff getting in the way, preventing this piece from getting up sooner), but I just wanted to make sure the right things were said in the correct manner. Ultimately, many things had to go right for them to go farther. We saw it in 2022 when they went all the way to win the Stanley Cup. It didn’t fall this time around, and here are just a few of the things where it fell apart.

Losing their edge at even strength and on the power play

Colorado was dominant on the power play, but even then it struggled toward the end of the second round. At even strength, they found themselves finding life difficult and getting to Jake Oettinger. Game Three, in particular, stood out, where the Avs were the better team overall but could not string anything together to even get good looks at the net.

Dallas could adapt and change at even strength and power play, whereas Colorado did not. Pete DeBoer seemed to be ahead of Jared Bednar, and both are phenomenal coaches. One was just better than the other with a much more improvised, solidified, and depth-filled team.

Dependency on depth

Speaking of depth, it was major in the playoffs and the Stars’ success. The likes of Casey Mittelstadt and Miles Wood thrived in the postseason, but the first of those two above was only at his best in the first round before becoming an afterthought in the second. Andrew Cogliano’s game took a step back, and he became more of a liability rather than a leading veteran.

Of course, Valeri Nichushkin's departure had an impact, especially in Game Four, when the news was received just hours before puck drop. The leading goalscorer in the Stanley Cup Playoffs at the time, Nichushkin’s ability to get to the front of the net and battle for pucks was severely missed.

Despite his good skating clips, we eventually learned Gabriel Landeskog was nowhere near close to finding the ice. Logan O’Connor’s absence from the third “Roaring 20s” line was very noticeable. The likes of Joel Kiviranta, Chris Wagner, and Nikolai Kovalenko were never able to repeat such successes from those in the top six of the lineup. Teams can battle through injuries and stay healthy to an extent, as the Avs did in 2022. But it didn’t pan out as such this season.

Reliant on singular players rather than the team

Finally, if there’s anyone who is the Avalanche’s playoff MVP, look no further than Alexandar Georgiev. The fans were calling for his head after giving up seven goals on 23 shots in Game One against the Winnipeg Jets, but ever since then, he rebounded brilliantly.

He was the glue holding the Avs together down the stretch, extending their playoff lives and keeping them in games. He certainly will be the choice moving forward after his playoff success. But he couldn’t do it all alone - Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar did their best to pull Colorado forward too.

We’ve already discussed Nichushkin, and you would have hoped Mikko Rantanen would also have more of an impact. Before anyone says anything, as another Evan wrote (Rawal, that is), Rantanen is not going anywhere. He still ended up with four goals and 10 assists in 11 games.

A collective team effort from Colorado could have helped them move forward. Ultimately, the all-in mantra set by the Avs could be seen as a failure, and you’d hope they at least get to the Western Conference Final.

Nonetheless, the summer will be long, and there are many things to come from both an on-ice and a business standpoint. Hockey is being played, but it does not involve our favorite team. So, who are you rooting for in the meantime? Let us know below, and let us know your thoughts about the Avs as a whole in the playoffs this season!