Colorado Avalanche: Tips For Surviving the Offseason

As Colorado Avalanche fans enter the long summer months with no hockey, what can we do to keep ourselves occupied?

Now that the Colorado Avalanche prospect development camp is over, and free agency is winding down, Avs fans are left counting down the days until the regular season starts again in October. I asked some hockey fans what they did to pass the time and compiled some tips for surviving the offseason.

Think About Trades

While most of the expected free agency signings and trades have now been completed, there’s always the possibility of further moves happening. Erik Karlsson is still on the market and, although it was reported that the deal was close to being done, nothing has been completed. The Avs were rumored to be on the shortlist and it seemed like everyone had their own opinion on what the team could or should be willing to give up in exchange for him. Why not spend those long summer evening planning your own Erik Karlsson deal, or constantly refresh Twitter to see if the trade has happened yet?

Take A Virtual Vacation

One of the best things about the offseason is seeing all my favourite players update their social media with photos of their exotic vacations. I love to travel but lack the time and resources to visit the typical hockey player selected destinations. This way, for a few seconds at least, I get a glimpse of what it’s like to visit these amazing places.

Count Down To October

There are lots of Avs jersey numbers out there, past and present. Use them to count down the number of days until the season begins.

Brush Up On Hockey History

With 100 years of NHL history, and decades of game footage available, the summer is the perfect time to delve into the archives. Whether you want to revisit your favorite games, learn something new, or explore the history of the Avs, there’s plenty to choose from.

Have Fun on Social Media

The Avs are fortunate to have a very engaged social media team who love to chat with us across the various platforms. Whether your preference is Twitter, Instagram, Facebook or Tumblr there are plenty of places for you to dive in and talk about the team. The summer is a good time to get involved in the social side of being an Avs fan because there are no new games to report on. It’s all about the fans!

Play Some Fictional Hockey

As well as being a hockey fan I am also a gamer and, to keep the spirit of hockey alive during the offseason, I like to play hockey video games. There are a couple which I particularly enjoy playing and they both provide different things.

If you’re more interested in the numbers and tactics of managing a hockey team then I recommend Franchise Hockey Manager. The hockey games themselves are simulated so you don’t play any actual hockey. Instead you play as either just the GM or the GM and Head Coach. You control all the signing, contracts, hiring of staff and (if you choose the Head Coach role as well) coaching of the team. You can either start with a minor league team and work your way up to the NHL or dive straight in and manage your favorite NHL team.

If you prefer to play actual video game hockey then NHL18 is a lot of fun. This version is particularly enjoyable because you have the option to create the 32nd NHL team, complete an expansion draft and design the uniforms and arena for your team. I am pleased to report that the Great Britain Goths are looking set to make the playoffs in their first year.

Whether you’re a hardcore gamer or not it doesn’t matter. You can adjust the difficulty to your tastes. I started off on the easiest mode while I got used to all the controls and then increased the difficulty once I was comfortable with the game.

Make Some New Friends

In my time as an Avs fan one of the big things that has stood out is how friendly other fans of the team are. When I went to Sweden in November for the Global Series I met up with a big group of Avs fans, none of whom I knew prior the the games. We had a blast and we still all keep in touch over social media.

The offseason is a perfect time to make new friends. Talk about the team on social media, engage with the official team accounts, and you’ll find friendships develop naturally. I’m so grateful for all the Avs friends I’ve made since I started following the team.

Embrace Another Sport

Hockey might be over there are other sports you can enjoy over the summer. If you want something close to home the Colorado Rockies are in the middle of their season. Wimbledon is currently underway if tennis is something you’re interested and, of course, the soccer World Cup final is rapidly approaching.

Watch Some Hockey

Although the NHL season is over there is still hockey to be watched. The Australian AIHL season is currently about halfway through. A lot of their games are live streamed and you can catch up with previous games on the AIHL website. I’ve become rather fond of the Melbourne Mustangs but there are plenty of teams to choose from.

So while the NHL offseason can sometimes feel like a barren desert; there are plenty of things to keep us occupied during the long summer months.

Next: Saying Goodbye to Nail Yakupov

It won’t stop me asking if it’s October yet, though, and time to watch some Colorado Avalanche hockey.