Were the Avalanche's late summer moves enough to get back on top?
Photo credit: Joe Amon / The Denver Post
The Colorado Avalanche made several moves this past month most notably resigning Joel Kiviranta and signing Victor Olofsson, and although this definitely fills some gaps at forward depth, it might not be enough to lift the Stanley Cup again.
As positive as these moves were for the club, there's still reluctance to say that they are ready for a deep cup run.
Are the Colorado Avalanche's recent moves enough to reach the top of the mountain again?
Aarif Deen of Colorado Hockey Now makes the claim the the Avalanche may still not be ready for a promising playoff run.
"But is it enough? How many of the potential third-line forwards will still play that role when the playoffs begin? How many will still even be part of the team? There's no question the team has taken a step back since losing to Dallas in Game 7, but that often happens to teams who go all-in at the trade deadline and load up with rentals." -Deen
Deen highlights significant gaps down the middle, with the third and fourth-line center spots still completely up for grabs.
"Jack Drury is still slotted in as the 3C, and I'm starting to feel more and more like that's going to be the plan for opening night. Zakhar Bardakov is going to get a look at camp to grab a hold of that 4C spot. If he doesn't take it, then the Avs should be able to find a replacement pretty quickly. Whether it's an unsigned free agent, a PTO, or a trade." -Deen
Regardless of who fills these slots for opening night, there is no way this will be enough next spring to make it through the gauntlet of the Western Conference. If the Colorado Avalanche want to get back to the cup final again the road will almost definitely point to Dallas and Edmonton.
The physicality of those teams requires depth at center both in physicality and some extra scoring support. Unless Drury and Bardakov can prove they are permanent NHL centermen, the Avalanche will once again have to rely on their top 6 forwards, and we saw how that went.
Physicality on the defensive side is also a major concern. The signing of Alex Gagne could prove to be useful as he was a physical defender in college, but that doesn't mean he is anywhere near ready for the NHL. That doesn't leave you with much when it comes to a big physical defensemen that's always tough to play against.
As talented as the Avalanche are heading into this season, there are still a lot of question marks regarding key areas missing from the roster.
Previously on Avalanche Insider
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