The Colorado Avalanche Need to Keep Playing Calvin Pickard

Jeremy Smith played for the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday night, and he was atrocious — the Avs need to play Calvin Pickard the rest of the way.

The Colorado Avalanche lost yet another game due to a third period collapse on Thursday night; however, Jeremy Smith is to blame, in large part at least.

My co-editor, Nadia Archuleta, released an article on Friday morning detailing a need for the Avalanche to keep playing Jeremy Smith. With all due respect, I am here today to refute that opinion.

You see, as Patrick Roy would say, Jeremy Smith can’t stop a beach ball. He looks good, until he lets one in, and then he just collapses. And, I understand the logic that the more he plays, the better he’ll get, but there’s a reason he didn’t make his NHL debut until the age of 27.

He unfortunately just doesn’t have what it takes to be an NHL caliber goalie. In seven starts this season, Smith is 1-6-0 with an atrocious 3.78 GAA, and .878 save percentage. And you don’t just give Smith a chance to play because the team is atrocious, and it doesn’t matter anyway.

At this point, Calvin Pickard needs to be developed, so you start him instead.

Is Calvin Pickard the Goalie of the Future?

Let’s be honest, Pickard’s future in the NHL is probably as a backup. And, at this point it would seem like the future in the Colorado net goes to Spencer Martin.

However, Calvin Pickard is by no means a bad goaltender, and he could still end up being a No. 1 goalie. Which is why he needs to play every remaining game down the stretch.

His future depends on his performance down the stretch to be honest because the Avs need to figure out who they’re going to protect in the expansion draft. Anybody remember this save by Picks against the Arizona Coyotes?

You’re going to keep that on the bench for this?

Literally none of those goals look good, none of them. He’s constantly out of position, and can’t track the puck at all. That is a game the Oilers shouldn’t have even been in after the second period. And they sure as hell shouldn’t have won it.

Anyway, I think it’s almost a lock that the Avs expose Semyon Varlamov mainly because of his 5.9 million cap hit.

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I also think it’s very likely that the L.A. Kings find a way to trade Ben Bishop, and that the Pittsburgh Penguins find a way to trade Marc-Andre Fleury. Which, believe it or not, would make Semyon Varlamov the most attractive goalie available in the expansion draft.

So, if Varly is taken off our hands in the expansion draft, Picks suddenly gets pole-vaulted into the starter role, which means he needs as much time in that role as possible down the stretch.

Conclusion

If NHL clubs were in the business of making people’s dreams of playing in the NHL come true, then this would be a sorry ass league to watch as fans. People make their own dreams come true, and if you can’t cut it, then you need to be cut.

Pickard can cut the mustard, that much is clear. Smith, meanwhile, cuts cheese. He stinks.

Down the stretch, Picks needs to get the remainder of the starts for his development, and just for team morale.

Next: Avs Need to Hold onto Sven Andrighetto for Next Season

The Avs played amazing against the Oilers — sure their third period wasn’t the best — and should have won that game. They would have won that game had Pickard been in net.

I was there, and my friend and I were chanting “put Picks in,” and we weren’t the only ones.

Sorry Smith, I’m not trying to rail on you, well, actually, I am. However, you’re a good AHL goaltender; so, why not stick to your trade, and let the big boys take over?

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