Colorado Avalanche: Checking in on Predictions for 2018-2019

Before the Colorado Avalanche’s 2018-19 season, I made 10 bold predictions. Here’s how they panned out.

The Colorado Avalanche had a great season. In fact, their 2018-19 season was better than most people could predict. It certainly was better than I predicted.

At the beginning of the season, I made 10 bold predictions about the team:

As I stated in the post, the 2018-19 season was slated to be an important one. Said season would help determine what path the team was taking. The hope was that they’d stride forward. But the fear was that they’d take a step back.

Well, they didn’t. Let’s look at my predictions and how I fared at prognosticating. (Essentially, I shouldn’t quit my day job.)

1. Nathan MacKinnon Regresses

Well, that’s embarrassing. Nathan MacKinnon topped his career 2017-18 season with another career year. After scoring 39 goals the previous season — the first time he passed the 30-goal mark — MacKinnon passed the 40-goal mark for the first time, scoring 41. He went from 97 points the previous season to 99 this year.

I’m going to call it now — my bold prediction for next year is he cracks that 100-point mark.

2. Tyson Barrie Earns 50+ Points

Well, I got that one right at least. Tyson Barrie matched his career-best goals (14) from the previous year and surpassed his previous career-best in points (57) with 59 this season.

3. Mikko Rantanen Scores 30 Goals

Yep. For the first time in his career, Mikko Rantanen busted the 30-goal plateau, scoring 31. He even led the entire NHL in scoring for about the first month of the season.

4. Sophomores will Pan Out — Especially Alexander Kerfoot

The sophomores did pan out. Tyson Jost was up and down this year, and he even did a stint in the AHL with the Eagles. However, he capped off the year with three playoff goals.

JT Compher hit the best marks of his career. He recorded 16 goals and 16 assists, both career highs, for 32 points, a career high.

I guess you could say Kerfoot was the most successful of the three. He earned 42 points (15 goals, 27 assists) and even spent a fair amount of time on the top line.

5. Philipp Grubauer Throws at Least One Shutout

Goalie Philipp Grubauer did throw a shutout — he threw three, in fact:

• February 23 vs Nashville Predators
• March 9 vs Buffalo Sabres
• March 17 vs New Jersey Devils

Grubauer also recorded a shutout in the playoffs, on May 2 against the San Jose Sharks.

6. Martin Kaut Plays 9 NHL Games

Nope. After the preseason, the Colorado Avalanche’s first-rounder from last year, Martin Kaut, didn’t record a single NHL game. He played 63 games with the AHL Colorado Eagles.

7. Erik Johnson Plays 82 Games

Technically, Erik Johnson did play 82 games — he played a total of 92. However, my original hope was that, for the first time in his career, EJ would play all 82 regular-season games.

Alas, he missed two. He did play all 12 playoff games for the Avs. He then promptly had surgery on his shoulder. Our captain of the blueline is such a warrior.

8.  Gabriel Landeskog Records a Career Season, and Gets Suspended

Our captain did, indeed, record a career season. For the first time in his career, he cracked the 70-point mark, recording 75. His previous career best was 65.

Landeskog also cracked the 30-goal mark for the first time in his career, scoring a total 34. His previous best was 26 His assists were also a best, 41.

Gabe did not get suspended. Nothing he did was even looked at. On the contrary, it’s said he’s earned a lot of respect from officials because he didn’t blame them for a bogus disallowed goal in Game 7 of the playoffs.

9. The Colorado Avalanche Earn Fewer than 90 Points, Missing the Playoffs

The Colorado Avalanche earned 95 points in the 2017-18 season, making the playoffs in the last game. They earned exactly 90 points last year. However, that did turn out to be good enough to make the playoffs, which they clinched in Game 81.

10. The Colorado Avalanche Win the 1st-Overall Draft Pick, Thanks to Ottawa

The Colorado Avalanche got screwed by the Draft Lottery again. The Ottawa Senators finished with the worst record in the NHL. Colorado owned their pick thanks to the Matt Duchene trade.

And, just like happened two years ago when the Avs themselves had the worst record, they lost the Draft Lottery. We have the fourth-overall again.

Well, that worked out well last time.  Hopefully we get another Cale Makar.

The 2018-19 season was very successful for the Colorado Avalanche. What’s more, the general consensus is that the Avs are a team on the rise. We just need a good offseason to plug up some holes, and Colorado will be in a good position for the 2019-20 season.