Looking Ahead: Training Camp

It might be too early to be thinking about training camp, but will all of the Avs' cap space I can't help but wonder if anyone will shine at camp and end up making the team. That being said, there are many Avs prospects that should be watched, a few of them being Brad Malone, Luke Walker, and many others that are apart of the Avs' affiliate team, the Lake Erie Monsters. Malone made it very far into the preseason last year from camp, and was called up to play a few games with the Avs during regular season. He played well, but still had some developing to do, and last season could have done the trick for him. Walker also made it far into camp, and had a slumpy season, but he's amazing and I think he can pull it off. I'm excited to see what's to come of training camp, and it couldn't come soon enough!

Rivalries?

One of the most important topics to hockey fans are their team's rivalries, and beating their "rival" teams. For the Avs, the rivalry that comes to mind for a lot of long time fans is the Avs and Red Wings rivalry. It's no secret that these teams have some brutal history, dating many many years back when Sakic, Forsberg, and Roy were on the team. Now, the only player left on the Avs that was involved is Hejduk, so the question is- is there really even still a rivalry? I think that to the players there isn't as much as to the fans. The players are probably aware of it, but it's not important to many of them- they weren't involved and they focus on what will help them win. To the fans however, it's a completely different story. Fans hold grudges, and that is all too obvious when the Avs and Redwings fans interact. There will probably always be a rivalry between the two fan bases, even if the on ice rivalry isn't as strong. Not to mention, the fact that Todd Bertuzzi is on the Red Wings, only making it easier to hate the Red Wings.

Ryan O'Reilly

This past season, Ryan O'Reilly was the top point scorer for the Avs with a total of 55 points, a career high for him. Despite that, he wasn't selected to be in the All Star game, and many Avs fans were surprised and upset about that. Even though O'Reilly has no problem scoring points (obviously) he tends to be very underrated. He isn't often recognized because he doesn't have flashy style and doesn't score AMAZING goals, but he knows how to score, and keeps it simple. He is one of the hardest workers on the Avs, being the first on the ice and last off the ice. His work ethic and personality is one of the best in the league, and he seldom gets recognized for it. Avalanche fans know, but fans around the league aren't aware of the hard work and well rounded player and person O'Reilly is, and he really shined this season. I wouldn't be surprised if down the road he becomes a captain of the Avs, because he truly is an incredible leader.

Avs at Worlds

The Avs season was cut short, so multiple Avs are finding other things to do to keep themselves occupied lately: golfing, vacations and... the IIHF World competition. YES, more hockey! The Avs that participated in the competition which was in Finland were Semyon Varlamov (goalie- Russia), Ryan O'Reilly (center, Canada), Gabriel Landeskog (wing, Sweden), and Paul Stastny (center, USA). Gabriel Landeskog had a great performance, tallying 5 points total while participating in the tournament. Ryan O'Reilly also did really well, after his career high 55 point regular season with the Avs. Paul Stastny was named the USA's top forward of the tournament, earning 9 points in 8 games and winning 64% of faceoffs. Semyon Varlamov had arguably the best performance of the entire tournament, though. He finished the tournament with a 1.77 goals-against average, and .939 save percentage in 440 minutes of play, ultimately leading Russia to win the gold medal. It was an incredible performance and will only give Varly more confidence going into his next season with the Avs. He definitely made the Avs proud!

Coaching...

It is undenyable that last sesason at times our coaching was not up to par, and many fans were very expressive about it. Especially toward the beginning of the season, when the Avs went through rough patches, people would say "fire Sacco!" all over twitter and facebook, and it was undenyably a big issue. Somehow, though, Sacco kept his job, so obviously the front office is seeing something the fans aren't. Who are we to say what kind of coach Sacco is? He pulled us out of our slump (kind of) and STILL has his job, after all of the hardships of last season. So the question is: is Sacco even the right fit, or will next season be just like last season? Truthfully, I don't think anyone really knows. As I said, the management sees something we don't see- whether it's in the locker room, at practices, or even right in front of our faces, they see something in Sacco. I think we need to trust where they're going and stay true to our team, whether we agree with the coaching or not. The Avs are something special, and when they click and everything falls into place, this team will be unstoppable. In order to click, I don't know if they need a new coach, a few more kep players, or just a year or two more together, but no matter what this team has potential and will do great things in the very near future, and that's what we should be focusing on.

Varly!

This past offseason the Avs acquired a young goal tender who everyone was hesitant about at first. Semyon Varlamov was a goalie with the Capitals and no one was even sure that he'd play in the NHL this season, let alone be traded for a first round pick and then some. People wondered if he'd be worth it, and personally, I think if he plays how he played this season for at LEAST a few more seasons, he'll have more than proved he was worth the trade. He had many highlight reel worthy saves this year, and though he wasn't great every game (no goalie is!) he kept the Avs in many games that they probably should have lost. He came up big for the Avs when they needed him, and he rarely let them down. He is so young and has so much potential, and I'd even go as far to say that he'll likely lead the Avs to a Stanley Cup win down the road.

The Winnik and Galiardi Trade... Worth It?

Now that the season's over, I feel like we've gotten a good look at the full ability of Jami McGinn for the Avs. At first when we traded Winnik and Galiardi for McGinn, I was confused and somewhat reluctant, but my feelings quickly changed upon seeing McGinn's skills with us. I think over all, it was a good trade. Something was obviously going wrong with Gali and Coach Sacco, whether it was Sacco didn't like Gali's style or a deeper issue, no one will know, but I think this trade was a fair trade that was necessary for all the players involved. McGinn has obviously clicked with the Avs very well, and Gali had gotten some chances to play and finally showcase his talent. My one complaint is that he still doesn't play very much, which kind of defeats the purpose of trading him to a place that he could be given an actual chance, but it's better than his situation with the Avs. I will always like both Galiardi and Winnik, but I have no complaints about the trade at all.

Who will the Avs sign?

This off season should be an exciting one, with all the cap space the Avs have right now. There are many free agents that will be available this summer, but I'd like to see them resign many of the players from last season, as well. One of the most important must signs is Shane O'Brien. He seems to be the glue and foundation of the team, and though he may not be the highest point scorer or the d-man that stands out the most, his presence is definitely felt. When he was injured during the season, the team just didn't feel complete; they had no one to be the protector and the one sticking up for team mates and always coming up with big hits. He's a smart hockey player and the leader that every team needs. That is why the Avs must re sign him, he is a perfect fit for this team and it would be a huge mistake not to.

Hejduk Resigned

The Avs recently announced the resigning of last years captain and long time Av Milan Hejduk. With so many years in the NHL, many people were expecting him to retire. Some people are even questioning whether this is the best decision, and that's understandable considering his battle with injuries and staying healthy. My take on it though is that the kind of captain and player Hejduk is says that he would never jeopardize the team's success just to have another year in the NHL. I think this is truly for the better and he has proved to be an amazing captain, and his decision has only made me more excited for next season. 

Calder Nomination

The 3 Calder Trophy finalists for this season have been announced; Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Adam Henrique, and of course, Avs Left Wing Gabriel Landeskog. I might be biased, but I think out of the 3 Landeskog definitely is the top contender. While the other two have points to show for their skill (yes, Landeskog and RNH were pretty equal in points, but remember, RNH only played 62 games this season) Landeskog seems like the more well rounded player, and the over all best pick. Not only does he score goals and get assists, but he's a strong power forward who isn't afraid to hit. The fact that he's a rookie isn't obvious in his play at all- he plays wise beyond his years, and even his fellow team mates agree. Shane O'Brien was quoted saying "He's a rookie, but he plays like a veteran out there". O'Brien couldn't have said it better. It's obvious that Gabriel not only knows how to handle the puck, but also has good hockey sense, which can take a lot of time to acquire (for example, Matt Duchene...). Sure RNH and Henrique can score goals, but Gabriel can do that while being a smart and physical player- he is truly the complete package and ideal hockey player.