Colorado Avalanche Rebuild: Augmenting the Core
One option for the Colorado Avalanche rebuilding is to strip the team around the core and complement the talent they already have.
Whether we like it or not, the Colorado Avalanche are in a rebuild. During the 2013-14 season, it looked like the rebuild they’d been in already was coming to fruition. However, the team has regressed every year since until they’re now the worst in the NHL — and certainly the worst they’ve ever been in their history.
Well, we’ve already spent some time laying blame:
And we’ll probably continue to lay more. However, for right now let’s simply admit that we’re in the middle of a rebuild.
In a previous post, I talked about one possibility for rebuilding — blowing up the core. It’s certainly the most drastic. Whether or not it’s the one that yields the best return is debatable. Personally, I’m not a fan.
Today, let’s look at the direct opposite method. Instead of blowing up the core, the team could keep it intact and augment it. To be honest, I think this is what Joe Sakic meant to do all along, which is why he didn’t trade Tyson Barrie or Matt Duchene last year.
For this method, you still need as much vision as with blowing up the core and starting over. You also need some creativity to adequately augment the existing talent — I think that’s what’s been lacking thus far. Finally, the Avalanche also need to be honest about what their mold is — you have to know what exactly you’re trying to achieve if you want to achieve it.
Let’s start there.