The Avalanche have not been having a good season. Currently sitting at 14th place in the Western Conference and 24th in the league, things looks grim as far as a playoff berth. What went wrong? Long term injuries to Joe Sakic, Paul Stastny, and Adam Foote certainly don’t help. Neither does losing top goalie Jose Theodore during the offseason, leaving the team with inconsistent play from the likes of Budaj and Raycroft. You could also blame the mediocre play from other supposed stars (Hannan? Svatos?).
These are just a few of the myriad of problems the team has had to deal with. The biggest reason the team is failing, however, is that the team isn’t dealing with any of those problems. GM Francois Giguere did not make smart moves in the offseason, opting to let Theodore leave town and Andrew Raycroft fill the void. Also, can anyone tell me why Darcy Tucker is on the team? He has not fit into the Avs system at all. Head coach Tony Granato has not held bad players accountable for their performance, causing a lack of confidence to follow the team onto the ice.
There are some silver linings to this season, though. Players like Ian Laperriere and Milan Hejduk have stepped up as proven leaders and producers night in and night out, which Hejduk was rewarded for with a trip to the All-Star Game. Chris Stewart, a rookie, has shown some incredible potential in his first year. Cody McLeod has emerged as a fan favorite with his hard work and incredible personality.
There is little hope for the postseason, but what do the Avalanche need to do for 2009-2010?
Use this year’s trade deadline wisely. This is not the year to bring in rental players for a miracle push. Save your draft picks, and maybe pick up some more, by shedding some players that still have some market value. Keep your proven players and those with great potential. Don’t give up too quickly on the young players so a star can come to town.
Keepers:
- Paul Stastny – The next captain of the Avs. Period.
- Adam Foote – Even though he’s often injured, one of the more effective defensemen on the team
- Ian Laperriere – The best fighter, the loudest mouth, and the hardest worker
- Cody McLeod – The next Ian Laperriere
- David Jones/Chris Stewart – It would be foolish to give up on these guys so quickly
- Ryan Smyth – Smyth enjoys Colorado and seems to just need a few good men around him. Give him that chance. It’ll pay off handsomely in seasons to come.
- John-Michael Liles – The only hope on the power play
Sellers:
- Scott Hannan – Has done just about nothing of consequence for the Avalanche since he was signed last season
- Darcy Tucker – His style might work on another team, but he’s unnecessary with guys like McLeod and Laperriere
- Tyler Arnason – I, for one, am sick of waiting to see what he’s going to do. He’s had his chance. It’s time to move on
- Peter Budaj – Inconsistent play and an unwillingness to be a leader, Budaj could probably benefit from being a backup under a veteran netminder
- Ben Guite – He needs to hurry up and find his legs. A good player that probably just needs a change of venue
Of course, you can shuffle players in and out all you’d like, but it needs to be coupled with a swift change in management philosophy. Granato is not a passionate coach, and that translates to mediocre, unmotivated players. By getting mad and holding players accountable, he can do wonders for the current attitude in the Avs locker room. GM Giguere needs to start thinking long term with any deal he makes going forward. The Avalanche are entering rebuilding mode, and the sooner the GM and his staff can grasp that idea, the sooner the Avalanche will be Cup contenders again.
I’m no expert. Think you have any other ideas about what the Avalanche need to turn around? Leave them in the comments below.