Colorado Avalanche Future: 3 Possible Scenarios

Pull the Goalie: Semyon Varlamov

It has long been a habit in hockey to pull the goalie at the last minute — literally — to give the team a chance to get caught up. Head coach Patrick Roy has turned it into an art form, though. With him it’s a strategic move fraught with complexity and innuendo. He’ll pull the goalie halfway through the third and leave the net empty for five to ten minutes — I’m not exaggerating.

Trading goalie Semyon Varlamov could have the same kind of impact trading the captain or star would without quite the same risk. Varlamov has long been seen as the backbone of the team, their game-saver. Trading him makes the same kind of statement that pulling him in a game does — now you need to pull together and win the game yourself.

Now, this move seems unlikely because coach Roy has made no bones about backing Varlamov. He’s stated that Semyon is the team’s uncontested #1 goalie. He even credited Varlamov for being the catalyst for Roy’s winning the Jack Adams award for coaching.

That said, there have been some cracks in the support. Coach Roy still brings up the Stadium Series loss when Varlamov cost the team the game in the third period. Some of the team’s other third period losses can be laid at his feet as well. And coach Roy has said on more than one occasion that he’d liked to have seen Varlamov make this save or that.

What’s more, Varlamov only had that one good season. He’s like Matt Duchene — almost elite. He’s older than Duchene, though, at 27. Throughout his four years with Colorado, he’s been one of the most inconsistent players on a very inconsistent team. And the team often lives or dies according to his play.

Additionally Patrick Roy and goalie coach Francois Allaire have made the team deep in the goalie department. The very consistent Calvin Pickard is a restricted free agent this summer. It wouldn’t be too hard to sign Pickard for much less than Varlamov’s $5.9 million. Reto Berra has one more year on his contract, and he was also good for Colorado this season before a freak soccer injury took him out.

Patrick Roy was a young goalie once who backstopped a very demanding Montreal Canadiens team to Stanley Cup. Who’s to say he wouldn’t have the stones to rest the Colorado Avalanche on Pickard’s shoulders, especially when Berra would make a very capable backup?

I think a team that’s desperate for goal tending, like the Calgary Flames, would be willing to give up something decent for Semyon Varlamov. That’s why I call this the most likely of scenarios for change in the off-season.

And now to the move I’m willing to bet the farm won’t happen.

Next: Cut Off the Head