The Colorado Avalanche need to solidify their second line if they want to be successful in the 2018-19 season.
The Colorado Avalanche need two solid scoring lines for their offense-first style of hockey. That means they need to formulate their second line for the 2018-19 season.
The Avalanche’s first line is well-set. Naturally, star center Nathan MacKinnon will be the glue of this line. I imagine his wing positions will belong to Gabriel Landeskog and Mikko Rantanen barring some unforseen circumstances.
Last season, the third line was also set. Carl Soderberg centered a checking line that also consisted of wings Matthew Nieto and Blake Comeau. Well, the 32-year-old Comeau departed in free agency to join the Dallas Stars. Matt Calvert is tapped to take his place. If, for some reason, Calvert doesn’t pan out, I imagine Colin Wilson will take his place.
The fourth line is typically a merry-go-round of prospects and players not quite skilled enough to make the top three lines. Really, it’s the second line the Colorado Avalanche need to solidify.
Let’s look at who might comprise the second scoring line for the Avs.
Second Line Center
The second line center is an important role. Successful teams typically have a solid one-two punch at the center position.
The Colorado Avalanche are committed to their youth movement. They didn’t go out in free agency and acquire a big name center, nor have they looked to be trading for one. (Rather, they traded their #2 center last season.) So, the indication is that the team expects to grow their 2C within their system.
To that end, everyone is looking at Tyson Jost. He was the Avalanche’s 10th-overall draft pick in 2016. The 20-year-old didn’t have a 2C kind of rookie season, but he did seem to get his NHL legs in the second half of the season. And he’s only 20.
A more mature player, Alexander Kerfoot, played that role last season. Then 23, he seemed to have a little more poise. However, the success of the small fifth-rounder surprised everyone. The 2C spot isn’t his to lose — it’s definitely up for grabs. It’s just that Kerfoot may be the one to grab it again.
We must add the third Musketeer of last year’s rookies. J.T. Compher, to the mix. Of the three, he took the most faceoffs last season and won the most of them. He’s also known for being more of a two-way player, which is helpful as a center.
The Avs have a lot of other centers on their roster. Some, like Carl Soderberg and Colin Wilson, are more relegated to the bottom six. Others, such as last year’s draftee Martin Kaut, are more for the future.
Second Line Wings
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Unless a winger really distinguishes himself in camp and the preseason, I’m going to guess the 3 Musketeers above will line up together. Of the three, Jost is the most versatile for playing all three forward positions. I also think he’s the most assured of a second-line position. However, Kerfoot and Compher also played wing at times last season, especially Kerfoot.
There are a couple of players who might end up lining up as a second-line wing. One, Sven Adnrighetto, did so last season a lot of the time. He suffered some setbacks due to injury. However, he’s known for being creative with an excellent hockey sense — that’s great for a winger.
A dark horse candidate for the spot is this summer’s acquisition, Matt Calvert. True, he’s tapped to take Blake Comeau’s spot on the third line. However, you never know when a veteran is going to showcase his experience to his benefit. Calvert would be short-term at that position, though.
Colorado has some young forwards in the system who might be versatile enough to play wing, including Vladislav Kamenev, or who are wings outright, such as J.C. Beaudin. Again, they’re more second-liners for the future, if at all.
The Colorado Avalanche do have good depth, which is such a relief after those shallow years. What’s good about that depth is that the players who don’t quite make the second line can be reliable for the fourth line.
The coaching staff has a lot to look at this training camp. Luckily they’re have a lot of opportunities to that end.