Cup or Bust

Avalanche looking for a repeat

Associated Press - Jared Kraft

By all objective measures, the Colorado Avalanche tarted the 2021-22 season as the team most likely to win the TUFHL Cup. Fresh off of a cup win in 2020-21, head coach Jared Bednar’s men were expected to continue dismantling their opposition in a similar manner to last year’s nightly escapades the Avalanche remain atop the NHL’s food chain because of their continued ability to drive play in the face of several significant under performing players, and a renewed commitment to maintaining a robust defensive structure.

One of the Major obstacles for coach Bednar is finding chemistry with his lines. GM Blake has brought in a wealth of talent and on any given night opponents have a very difficult time shutting down the 3 headed monster of Mcdavid, Mackinnon and Bergeron down the middle. However Bednar had this to say when asked who is his number one line “When a line decides to start performing consistently I will be ale to tell you”

As we watch Draisaitl, Mathews and Barkov sit 1,23 in the scoring race one has to wonder how no Avalanche player is in the top ten. I think this falls on coach Bednar. GM Blake was not very happy when asked about the lack of his players in the top 10. “We are at the 31 game mark and we have a long ways to go, these guys better start putting up some major points or I promise you that drastic changes will be made at seasons end”.

Gm Blake was asked about the decision to move out fan favourite Nugent-Hopkins, “Well that was a tough one for us, we knew that Ryan should be playing first line minutes and not sitting on the 3^rd line, he approached us an asked if the opportunity arose to move him that we would consider it, at the time of the meeting we were in conversations with Nashville regarding Brad Marchant so we shifted focus to a smaller deal with Ryan. We had to add a top level prospect in Logan O’conner but we were able to bring in Filip Forsberg who we had our eyes on for a few seasons now”.

TUFHL Cup Countdown Begins

Whether or not others agree Colorado’s place in the TUFHL hierarchy is likely to be a point of contention. What we can agree on is that there is much of the schedule left to comb through, and that it’s foolish to draw decided conclusions this early in the season. Teams currently enjoying hot starts should fall back to the pack (looking at you Carolina), and assumed contenders will more closely resemble the versions of themselves that were touted heavily by fans and the media before the season. Underestimate the Avalanche at your own peril, the giant is very awake.