Semyon Varlamov
2016-17 Record: 6-17-0
Career Best Stats: 41-14-6 in 2013-14; .927 save percentage and 2.41 goals against average in 2013-14
2016-17 Save Percentage & GAA: .898%, 3.38
Special Concern: groin surgery
Goalie Semyon Varlamov has to have a strong season for the Colorado Avalanche. His best season came in the golden Why Not Us (original) era when he went into beast mode and ended up as a finalist for the Vezina Trophy.
Unfortunately, groin muscle issues have plagued Varlamov for a large part of his career. His 2016-17 season was cut short so that he could have surgery to repair the issues. He missed a full eight months of hockey, but all reports indicate he’s back on track.
We’d all love to see Semyon Varlamov return to his 2013-14 form, but that might not be feasible. The conditions just aren’t the same — not least because he’s nearly 30 now.
However, here are three goals I’d like to see Varlamov reach this season:
- Achieve a .916% save percentage
- Achieve a 2.65 goals against average
- Play 50 games
GM Joe Sakic has stated he doesn’t want Varlamov playing 60+ games anymore, as he did in 2013-14. I think those past 57-game seasons might also be a lot for Varlamov. I’d like to see him closer to the 50-game mark, which should be feasible with capable (but now groin-injured) backup Jonathan Bernier.
If Varlamov is playing less, he should be able to improve his statistics. Both the .916% save percentage and 2.65 goals against average are career averages for the goalie. They also represent a marked improvement from last year and a slight improvement from the previous year.
It’s going to be imperative for the Colorado Avalanche that Semyon Varlamov play well. He’s going to have a very young and inexperienced defensive corps in front of him. He has to give them time to get through their growing pains.
The Colorado Avalanche need to have a bounce-back season. If the core players can achieve the above goals, the team should be in good shape for 2017-18.