19 weeks after the eccentric 2020 season saw the Colorado Avalanche make a disappointing second-round exit in the Stanley Cup playoffs, the 2021 season is already two games underway. The Avalanche, who split a hard-fought two-game series with the Saint Blues, have already proven why they are the odds-on favorite to win the Stanley Cup this season. Though their lackadaisical opening night on Tuesday cannot be overlooked at this point, they bounced back quickly with an electrifying 8-0 shutout victory two nights later. Here is what we know after two games:
Sometimes the old ways are the best.
Coach Jared Bednar reunited his top line from last season to mix things up after testing his lineup with winger Gabriel Landeskog in the second line. The Mackinnon-Rantanen-Landeskog trio instinctively found the rhythm that has made them one of the game’s most dangerous lines in previous seasons, combining for three goals and seven total points. Bednar may continue to try other lineup variations, but their spectacular effort in game number two should give the coach assurance that this trio can get the job done any given night this season.
This could be Makar’s year.
Second-year defenseman Cale Makar leads the team with three assists of the team’s nine goals so far this season. With a long playoff stretch under his belt, the 2020 Calder Trophy winner will look to establish himself as one of the league’s top point scoring defensemen this year.
The Powerplay looks phenomenal.
The Avalanche scored on five of seven powerplays Thursday night, catapulting them to six for 11 on the season. This is especially promising for the Avalanche who were painfully average on the powerplay in the regular season and during crucial moments in the playoffs last year. For a team with the offensive firepower Colorado possesses, there is no reason the Avalanche should finish outside the top 5 in PowerPoint percentage this season.
Staying healthy is a must.
The Avalanche were spoiled by injuries in the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoff which saw their quarterfinals exit after a heartbreaking overtime loss to the Dallas Stars in game seven. The most notable was the groin injury of goaltender Philipp Grubauer which rendered him to the bench for the latter half of the Dallas series. Strong goaltending might make all the difference on nights where the Avalanche struggles to maintain possession of the puck, the main issue the club experienced opening night.
The best offense really is a good defense.
Not every shutout will be an eight-goal victory, but if the Avalanche defensemen can do a better job of minimizing scoring chances of opposing offenses this season, there is no reason the Avalanche should win less than 35 games of this shortened 56 game season. Former Islanders defenseman Devon Toews, who was general manager Joe Sakic’s major offseason acquisition, will likely find his way onto the starting defensive line with Makar at some point this season. Fourth overall pick Bowen Byram is also expected to get his first opportunity to skate with Avalanche defense this season after spending his first year with the organization in the farm league.
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