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Colorado Avalanche: 4 Reasons for Optimism

By Nadia Archuleta

Mar 20, 2016; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Colorado Avalanche right winger Jarome Iginla (12) celebrates with Avalanche defenseman Tyson Barrie (4) with Avalanche left winger Mikkel Boedker (89) and Avalanche left winger Gabriel Landeskog (92) as they took on the Edmonton Oilers during the second period at Rexall Place. Mandatory Credit: Walter Tychnowicz-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 20, 2016; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Colorado Avalanche right winger Jarome Iginla (12) celebrates with Avalanche defenseman Tyson Barrie (4) with Avalanche left winger Mikkel Boedker (89) and Avalanche left winger Gabriel Landeskog (92) as they took on the Edmonton Oilers during the second period at Rexall Place. Mandatory Credit: Walter Tychnowicz-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mar 20, 2016; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Colorado Avalanche center Mikhail Grigorenko (25) battles for the puck with Edmonton Oilers center Leon Drisaitl (29) and Avalanche defenceman Erik Johnson (6) during the first period at Rexall Place. Mandatory Credit: Walter Tychnowicz-USA TODAY Sports /

#3: Colorado is Built to Grind it Out

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Matt Duchene and, especially, Nathan MacKinnon are not pansies. I’ve seen Duchene hold off players with one arm as if he’s Peter Forsberg. And MacKinnon has been known to get a little chippy.

That said, they’re not exactly known as grinders — they’re skill players of the highest order. Without them to fall back on, Colorado is a bigger, grittier team. There’s not a single forward under 6-foot, 200 pounds and only two players overall smaller — and one of them is Tyson Barrie, our lucky Leprechaun.

The team is filled with power forwards and two-way defensemen. Each line has at least one power forward — Shawn Matthias on the first line, Blake Comeau on the second line, Andreas Martiensen on the third and Cody McLeod on the fourth. And that’s now counting the skilled power forwards, Gabriel Landeskog and Jarome Iginla.

All of the forwards are hard workers. Most finish their checks and fight their battles in the corners. These are players who can grind out wins against teams like their next two opponents, the Philadelphia Flyers and the Minnesota Wild.

On the back end, Colorado has a crew of defensemen who can jump into the play and get back to defend. Granted they can do so with varying levels of skill — Erik Johnson at the top and Andrew Bodnarchuk at the bottom. Nonetheless, these are players who are adept at blocking shots, laying big checks and even chipping in some goals.

From there the Avalanche have a rested Semyon Varlamov and an ever-vigilant Calvin Pickard ready to pick up the slack.

Next: Player Mentality

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