Colorado Avalanche: Weighing the Pros and Cons of a 7-11 System

The Colorado Avalanche may try the seven defensemen/11 forwards approach at some point in the second round. Here’s a look at the pros and cons.

The Colorado Avalanche had the luxury of a fully healthy team at their disposal for Game 1 against the San Jose Sharks. Unfortunately, a slower but bigger Sharks team was able to capitalize on mistakes well enough to win the first game 5-2 even though Colorado went up early.

That doesn’t mean the Avs should scrap everything from Game 1. Indeed, they may choose to ice the exact same squad for Game 2. However, throughout the year, they sometimes favored a 7-11 system — seven defensemen and 11 forwards. With as stacked as the Avalanche’s defensive corps is right now, that may well be an attractive option for the team.

Dressing just 11 forwards to accommodate seven defensemen is not unheard of in the NHL, even in the playoffs. In the 2015 playoffs, the Tampa Bay Lightning did it to pretty decent success. More recently, the New Jersey Devils tried the approach in March, 2017, while the St. Louis Blues gave it a shot in February 2018.

And, of course, the Avalanche ran 7-11 in March of this year.

So, let’s explore the pros and cons of such a system, especially against the Sharks. (By the way, I know it’s normally called the 11-7 system, but calling it 7-11 is more fun.)

Advantages of the 7-11 Scheme

Teams typically run seven defensemen with 11 forwards to accommodate an injury. However, Colorado used it earlier this season to try and blast themselves out of a slump and into playoff contention.

One of the main advantages, as The Athletic points out, is the coaching staff has flexibility with the lineup. Instead of having four lines you roll out like clockwork, you can change up the combinations. You can also mix and match the defensemen.

Said system also takes some of the pressure off the defensemen. Instead of playing a full third — or more — of the game, they might get a little more time to relax.

Finally, the coaches can also squeeze more time out of the top forwards. For instance, Nathan MacKinnon is usually double-shifted in the Colorado Avalanche’s 7-11 rotation.

Overplaying the top forwards can also be a detriment.

Disadvantages of the 7-11 System

The convention in hockey to roll out four full forward lines and three defensive pairings exists for a reason. Successful teams roll out four full lines, especially in the playoffs. You should be able to assemble four lines that can match up against the opponents’ lines.

Part of the reason for the convention is also to keep the top forwards from getting burned out. That reason can rear an ugly head in the playoffs. After all, players have already been playing for around seven months, and they’re usually playing with injuries.

What’s more, when the game goes to overtime, the two sides keep playing until one scores. If your best player is already tired from taking extra shifts during the regular game, he’s going to be useless in overtime.

An exhausted player might be more likely to get injured.

7-11 and the Colorado Avalanche

Right now, discussing the 7-11 approach is just that — a discussion. According to Avs Insider Adrian Dater, Jared Bednar “says there is a chance he goes with 7 D tomorrow.” However, Dater also reported that the team rolled the same four lines for practice.

The 7-11 does have its advantages. I believe it could be a useful strategy for a Colorado Avalanche team that suddenly has a logjam at defense and a couple forwards who aren’t standing out. The 7-11 approach allows Colorado to suit up another big body in Patrick Nemeth and sit… I’m going to say Derick Brassard. The fourth line looked better at times than the first line Friday night, but it was Gabriel Bourque (goal) and Tyson Jost (assist) who got the points.

I’d only play 7-11 for Games 2 and 3, though. The San Jose Sharks are a big, slow team, but they’re also mean and experienced. They’ll figure out how to exploit the scheme, and they’re predatory (pun intended) in how to capitalize on mistakes. So, a better strategy would be to keep them guessing.

Anyway, we’ll find out this evening which way the Colorado Avalanche decided to address the roster. Tonight is an earlier game — 5:30 pm MT.