It feels like just yesterday that the Colorado Avalanche were Stanley Cup champions. More importantly, it felt as though they had a core to remain serious contenders to the crown for years to come. The core is largely the same, but the 2023-24 season feels like a harsh lesson learned.
After being dispatched by the Dallas Stars in the second round of the NHL Playoffs, the Avalanche made adjustments in free agency and added to the prospect pipeline in the 2024 NHL Draft. Going into the 2024-25 season, however, there are glaring weaknesses that must be addressed. Unfortunately, they aren’t short-term solutions, and the Avalanche could struggle to contend once again.
Goaltending Is an Issue
Ask anyone, fan or pundit, what the biggest issue with the Avalanche is and they will point to the net. The Avalanche haven’t truly had an outstanding netminder in some time but have largely been able to get by with a great defensive core and one of the best forward units in the league.
In 2023-24, within depth limited for various reasons, Alexandar Georgiev was put to the test. He didn’t outright fail but he wasn’t successful either. Even a look at his outlying numbers – 3.02 goals-against average (GAA) and .897 save percentage (SV%) – show a decent regular season goaltender.
Georgiev’s numbers were worse in the playoffs and that simply can’t happen. A .894 SV% in the playoffs isn’t going to win anyone a Cup. Against a deeper, stronger team like the Stars, the Avalanche needed Georgiev to come up big and he simply couldn’t.
Sure, he could possibly hit his stride this coming season and be the guy the Avalanche have needed but is that likely? He’ll be a serviceable starter but those familiar lapses are more than likely to come back at the wrong time.
Secondary Scoring
The trade that sent defenseman Bowen Byram to the Buffalo Sabres for Casey Mittelstadt is paying dividends for the Avalanche already. There had been a glaring hole created by the departure of center Nazem Kadri and the team had struggled to find a definitive second-line center since he left.
Mittlestadt took some time to adjust but racked up 10 points in 18 regular season games as well as nine points in 11 playoff games. He may not quite be the total package that Kadri was during his time in Denver, but he should be the definitive second-line center in 2024-25.
The problem is at wing. Jonathan Drouin had one of his best seasons as a pro last season but isn’t exactly performing like a top-six winger. The biggest issue came in the Stars series when stud winger Valeri Nichushkin entered the league’s substance abuse program and did not return to the team.
His status is up in the air, though some feel like it is a matter of time before he returns. Still, his absence is glaring, and the Avalanche need to find a replacement for his offense. He was, after all, among the leading goal scorers in the playoffs at the time of his departure. All of this leads to the next problem.
Landeskog Might Be Back, but He’s Not Really “Back”
Gabriel Landeskog, second overall pick in the 2011 NHL Draft, captain, and one of the best players on the team, has been missing in action for a long time. Dealing with a problematic knee, his recovery window has seemingly expanded since having surgery. There were rumors that he could resurface in the playoffs, but those ultimately remained rumors.
The plan is for him to return to the lineup in 2024-25, but the real question is, “When will that happen?” There is no timetable for him to come back. Even if he were to be there on opening night, there is another concern.
Could anyone realistically expect him to be 100% on opening night? Missing as much time as he has, there is going to be rust to work through. How long that takes him remains to be seen. The simple fact is that the Avalanche aren’t going to be getting the high-end top-six winger they are used to.
The Outlook for 2024-25
There are other things to look forward to in 2024-25, including the full-time debut of Callum Ritchie. While he could provide a boost, the weaknesses for the Avalanche currently are glaring. A major change would need to happen in one or more of the aforementioned areas for them to contend.
Being in the mix for the Central Division is expected simply because the core of Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar, and Mikko Rantanen is so good. But as the playoffs showed, they need depth and a better performance in net if they are going to evoke memories of 2022 anytime soon.
