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Colorado Avalanche Rebuild: Augmenting the Core

By Nadia Archuleta

Dec 23, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; Colorado Avalanche right wing Mikko Rantanen (96) celebrates his goal against the Chicago Blackhawks with his teammates during the third period at the United Center. The Avalanche won 2-1 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 23, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; Colorado Avalanche right wing Mikko Rantanen (96) celebrates his goal against the Chicago Blackhawks with his teammates during the third period at the United Center. The Avalanche won 2-1 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports /
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October 16, 2015; Anaheim, CA, USA; Colorado Avalanchecenter Nathan MacKinnon (29) celebrates with left wing Gabriel Landeskog (92) his goal scored against the Anaheim Ducks during the first period at Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports /

Core Forwards

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Naturally, part of augmenting the core is evaluating the qualities of those players. Joe Sakic has been adamant that Nathan MacKinnon is an untouchable player, so let’s start with him.

Nathan MacKinnon, Center, 21 years old

Qualities: MacKinnon is good-sized though not overly large. His main claim is speed — no one on the team is considered faster on the straightaway, though it’s said Matt Duchene is faster in rounding the corners. In his rookie season, MacKinnon displayed a lot of agility — he would leap over players trying to check him — but that hasn’t been as much in evidence.

Naturally, MacKinnon is a great stick handler. His defensive play has been coming along, especially since he’s gotten grittier and a little bigger.

Needs: Nathan MacKinnon needs a Chris Kunitz. I don’t mean the player himself — I mean he needs a partner like Kunitz has been to Nate’s buddy Sidney Crosby. This partner doesn’t need to be as speedy as MacK, but he should possess the instinct to get in position to finish whatever play Nate starts.

Jonathan Drouin would have been a natural since they had such chemistry in major juniors, but the price would have been too high. Maybe AJ Greer can become MacK’s Kunitz, or even newbie (to the team) Matt Nieto. Ultimately, the Avs should be on the lookout for someone Nathan finds chemistry with.

Matt Duchene, Center, 25 years old

Qualities: Matt Duchene is so dynamic. It’s not just that he’s fast — it’s that he’s always doing something. He keeps his skates moving. Though not big, he finds a way to protect the puck. And his stick skills — they’re a dream.

Duchene probably has one of the highest, if not the highest, compete levels on the team. However, with that can come an intensity that may occasionally be awkward in the locker room. In fact, he’s known for being more introspective in the locker room. Nonetheless, he’s absolutely a player who leads by example.

Needs: Duchene needs a partner, too, but not a Kunitz. Part of me thinks he needs another Paul Stastny — a visionary, two-way playmaker. Dutchy had that in Ryan O’Reilly, too. Matt’s defense is never going to be his strongest aspect, so a checking forward with stick skills would be good.

The other part of me thinks Duchene needs an Adam Foote. He needs a big, gritty defenseman who makes opponents pay whenever they touch Dutchy. He’s the most dynamic player on the team, so he’s constantly the locus of cheap shots. A mean defender would give him the room to shine. Maybe that could be Duncan Siemens‘ role.

Gabriel Landeskog, Left Wing, 24 years old

Qualities: The Colorado Avalanche captain is a wild one. A true power forward, he’s got a nasty streak that sometimes overshadows his talent. His best scoring comes when he crashes the net.

Though Landeskog can take some bad penalties, one of his greatest qualities is leadership. Here’s where his “soft” side comes out. He’s not about ripping up his teammates but about offering them encouragement. Even in the darkest times he helps them find the fun in hockey.

Needs: I’d say Landeskog’s needs are general team needs. Since he’s willing to crash the net, it’s good if he has players around him who can set up plays. This would help him get out of the scoring slumps he falls prey to.

Acquiring center Martin Hanzal, who’s an unrestricted free agent this summer, without overpaying would be a feather in GM Joe Sakic’s cap. The center is as gritty as Landy and excellent at creating plays.

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The other player that has been deemed untouchable, Mikko Rantanen, is just starting out. He’s actually a really good complement for Gabriel Landeskog. If only they would get more playing time together, they could develop some real chemistry.

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