In seemingly unrelated news, earlier this week, NHL teams, including the Colorado Avalanche, released their yearly headshots.  (PS – check out Brett Burns!!!)

Question: What happens when you mix test surveys and Avalanche headshots?  Answer: Blogging magic.

I surveyed 14 women and asked them to rate the hotness of each Avalanche player on a zero to 50 scale, using this year’s headshots.  Its important to note that most of the survey takers were not hockey fans – so the players talent level was not a factor (which the results show).

So, without further adieu…

HOT:

3. Chuck Kobasew: Direct quote from one survey taker:  ”I am publicly announcing that Kobasew is dreamy with those broken eyes.”

2. Steve Downie: Must be the long hair…

The most attractive Avs player is:

1. Gabriel Landeskog: Freakin’ Swedes.  BTW – If you ever want to be angry with God, just consider Landeskog’s fellow countryman Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist – not only is he talented enough to be one of the very best goalies in the world, he’s also unbelievably attractive (just ask your girlfriend).  I’d gladly take one of those things.

NOT:

3. Jamie McGinn: Sorry, Jamie.  You are more attractive than two other players on the team, but less attractive than that ginger Cody McLeod.

2. Milan Hejduk: I guess its hard to hang with the young guys when you’re the old man on the team in more ways than one.

The least attractive Avs player is:

1. Greg Zanon: The Avs blogosphere might be in love with your epic beard, but the ladies are not.

Complete Results:

Doug Pensinger/Getty Images

Chuck Kobasew, where to even begin.

Penalty Killing Stud.

Top Six Material.

OR…

Overpaid.

Underperforming.

Adrian Dater’s latest whipping boy

Greg Sherman and the pro scouting staff have been made to look really bad so far by the signing of Chuck Kobasew to a TWO-year contract. On a night the Avs put 41 shots on net, Kobasew – playing with Duchene and Joakim Lindstrom – played 10:52 of passion-free hockey with zero shots on goal. Who was the management person who recommended Sherman sign this guy? Was it the 18 goals in 105 games the previous two years with Minnesota that convinced them? 

I really don’t know why some Avs fans (or reporters) thought he was going to light it up this season. He came off a 16 point season last season with the Wild and a 14 point campaign before that. His last statistically ‘good’ season was in 08-09 with the Bruins where he notched 42 points, his career high.

Now I understand that player injury has forced what should be a third/fourth line energy guy into a top six role. We can thank both Peter Mueller and Joey Hishon’s noggins for that one. (assuming Hishon would have made the team) but think about what Kobasew’s addition to the top six provides the Matt Duchene’s and Paul Stastny’s of the team, that’s right, protection. The skilled guys can do what they do best, score, and the coke fridge can do what he does best away from the puck, which would be create space for linemates. It’s not an ideal line up, but when you’ve got your stars going up against the oppositions muckers and grinders, sometimes you need a shit disturber in there with the big guns. Think Brad Marchand or T.J Galiardi, when he gives a damn

The Avs are also looking to make a playoff push this year, they have a total of 3 players with any sort of deep playoff experience. Kobasew was a part of the ‘Oh So Close’ Calgary Flames team in ’04 that took the Tampa Bay Lightning to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals. You want a guy who knows what June hockey and deep runs feel like, and he’s not even 30, look to number 17 in your programs.

He might only play 1:19 on the PK, and 11:50 EV but he is EVERYWHERE. He’ll do the little things right, chipping pucks deep, back check hard and be an absolute BEAST. Exactly what this team needs.

- Jaye