Colorado Avalanche
Additions: Tyler Arnason, Jordan Leopold, Michael Vernace, Matt Murley, Ben Guite, Mark Rycroft, Michal Vernace
Subtractions: Rob Blake, Dan Hinote, Alex Tanguay
Analysis
Colorado is a team undergoing a major changing of the guard at all positions on the ice. It started a few years ago with the retirement of Patrick Roy, continued last summer when Rob Blake left for Columbus and Peter Forseberg departed for the Eastern Conference and marches on this summer with the departure of Rob Blake. To solidify the defence promising young forward Alex Tanguay was shipped to division rival Calgary for rock solid Jordan Leopold. Tyler Arnason, fresh off a very dissapointing stint with the Ottawa Senators (healthy scratch for most of it) was also brought it to add a bit more scoring depth at center. He will have every opportunity to take the #2 center position from Pierre Turgeon, who is really too old to be the #2 guy on a contending team (though he adds class, dependency, experience and more for a very low price).
Trading for Jose Theodore at the deadline last year initially appeared foolish but did pay dividends in the playoffs. Giving up essentially no one (Abeischer was as good as finished in Colorado anyways) for a goaltender who has recently won the Hart Trophy and is locked up for another couple years cost the Avalanche nothing but cap space for the next two years. Theodore played pretty well during the playoffs (certainly outplaying Marty Turco in the first round, though with Turco’s playoff performance that isn’t saying much), enough to get the seventh seeded Avalanche past the highly favoured Dallas Stars. A change in scenary should be good for Theodore, who should bounce back from his very poor season last year. The Avalance can only hope. Moving an inconsistent goaltender making more than $5 million a season is not an easy task.
Colorado will have a tough time making the playoffs next year, but if Theodore holds up they should squeeze in. Sakic is still one of the best players in the league, though he won’t have Tanguay on his wing this year. Mark Svatos, though still unsigned, had 32 goals in 61 games last year before being injured. He will be counted on to step up even more this season. Another young player to keep an eye on is John Michel-Liles. This kid put up 49 points (28 on the power play) playing BEHIND Rob Blake last year. This season he will be the undisputed power play quarterback and should far outpace his previous totals.
Are the emerging youngsters and additions enough to overcome the loss of Blake and Tanguay? Tough to tell. I have a feeling Colorado may well drop out of the playoff picture this year, unless Theodore can recover his form. Although trading for Theodore didn’t cost Colorado much, it did stop them from pursuing a goaltender this summer, from a crop that counted guys like Martin Biron and Manny Legace, both of who could be had for a fraction of Theodore’s $5.3 million. Playing against Calgary, Vancouver, Edmonton and Minesota 8 times each next year will expose the deficiencies this team has not had in many years.