Colorado Avalanche Players Staying Upbeat

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The Colorado Avalanche players both young and, ah, not young are staying upbeat about their chances for making the playoffs. We all know it’s a long shot. The players as well as the Avs Nation know it’s going to take some major luck in addition to consistently good play from the Avalanche for the team to play past mid-April.

A lot of fans are already giving up and, perhaps, expecting a fire sale of players. Defenseman Nate Guenin and center Marc-Andre Cliche are often mentioned, as is, of course, Ryan O’Reilly. However, names such as center Matt Duchene and left wing Gabriel Landeskog get mentioned as well.

For their part, the players are staring optimistic. Several players gave their thoughts during a post-practice press conference posted on the team website.

Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog said it outright:

"“We’re just going to reload and recharge. The guys are upbeat and up-tempo today. We’re feeling good. It was a good day yesterday.”"

Landeskog was referencing a meeting the players had had the previous day. Defenseman Nick Holden hesitated to call it a players-only meeting. Rather, he remarked that the players got together and “addressed some stuff” at a “little meeting.”

Center Matt Duchene wouldn’t talk specifics of the team meeting, but he did allude to the feelings involved:

"“Things happen that you don’t like to see. And things need to be said that normally don’t get said, and it’s tough. But it’s all for the good of our group, and it’s going to help us move forward.”"

Players-only meetings, or even “little meetings,” are notoriously contentious. Former Winnipeg Jets forward Evander Kane had his track suit thrown in the shower after one such meeting. Duchene informs that the Avalanche players tend to handle such situations better:

"“We’ve got a good group in here. Everybody really handles things pretty well. When there’s tough things said, guys are shouldering it well. There’s a lot to be happy about and excited about with this group. I’m proud of all the boys, and I know we’re going to be ok at the end of the day.”"

One thing the players and the fans have to understand is that the standings aren’t going to change overnight — not significantly. The Avalanche are eight points out of a playoff spot with three teams ahead of them in line. Veteran Daniel Briere knows how to handle that information:

"“I know it sounds cliche, but you’ve got to focus on the one game. It’s frustrating the position that we’ve put ourselves, but there’s definitely still a lot of hope there. I still believe we’re in control of our destiny.”"

Belief seems to be a theme.

Landeskog is really starting to show his leadership abilities. He’s always been preternaturally mature and very poised. Yet in a situation that sees 27-year-old Phil Kessel refuse media contact, 22-year-old Gabriel Landeskog addresses tough questions head on:

"“If you don’t believe, there’s nothing there. We certainly believe. We know we still have one-third left of the season to go. We feel upbeat, we feel positive.”"

The players aren’t acting like naive Pollyannas — most of them have had to face being non-playoff bound several times in their careers. However, they really are trying to view their situations with a positive spin.

Holden sees that their February still consists of the teams that stand between the Avalanche and a playoff berth:

"“Luckily we’re playing the teams that we’re battling with quite a few times the rest of the way, so that’s good. We’ve got to make sure we’re ready to go and win those games.”"

He adds, “It’s must-win now, so that’s got to be our mentality.”

Matt Duchene, for his part, always comes up with some pretty good commentary. He fully acknowledges, “We’re fighting for our lives.”

Like I said, it’s going to take some luck. Duchene agrees:

"“You’ve got to think that one of those teams in the Wild Card right now are going to have a little bit of a dip, and we want to be the team to replace them.”"

It’s hard to believe right now. It’s too easy to look at last season and see how not “new age” this season feels.

Duchene, along with Landeskog, is having none of that:

"“There’s going to be a belief until we’re mathematically eliminated that we’re going to make it. We’re going to push hard — we’ve got a good character group in here.”"

Duchene adds, “We all love each other in here, and we’re a family. We want what’s best for each other.”

Well, Avs Nation, we just want what’s best for our team, too, right? We’ve just got to believe.

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