Colorado Avalanche: 3 Thoughts on the Defense after Preseason Game 2

Though the Colorado Avalanche lost their second preseason game, we got to see how the defense is shaping up.

The Colorado Avalanche have dropped their second preseason game in a row. They’re now 0-2 in the preseason, which means we have the NHL right where we want them.

Colorado dropped their first two last preseason, too, and we see what magic came in the regular season. They also won all five of their preseason games before the Dreaded 48-Point Season.

That said, it’s a little tough to have seen the Avs ice almost their entire NHL roster against the B-listers on the Dallas Stars, outshoot the Stars 47 to 23, and still lose 2-1. But, it’s not time to hit the panic button yet.

Not about the season. About the Mikko Rantanen contract and TV coverage? Absolutely.

Anyway, I was at tonight’s game. It was a sparsely attended game, as you’d expect in the preseason. The season opener against the Calgary Flames is another matter.

Anyway, let’s focus a little on the defensemen from tonight’s game.

Thought 1: Cale Makar is Big and Good

When the Avalanche first drafted Cale Makar, he seemed undersized. He was listed at the time at 5-foot-11, 180 pounds. Two years later, he’s listed at 5-foot-11, 187 pounds.

Yeah, sure. That kid is closer to 6-foot and inching toward 200 pounds of muscles. He may be a fresh-faced nymph from the head up, but he’s entering beefcake proportions otherwise.

Also, he’s playing with incredible poise. If you’re thinking his playoffs debut was a fluke, it wasn’t. He seems to be picking up right where he left off.

He has taken over Tyson Barrie‘s spot on the first power play. Let me just say this now — he already keeps the puck in the zone more than Barrie ever did. He doesn’t have Tyson’s offense… yet. But I have confidence he will.

Also, he did this:

Oh, man, that kid is exciting to watch.

Thought 2: Sam Girard is Small and Good

When the Nashville Predators first drafted Samuel Girard, he was seen as a d-man with “small stature.” He was 5-foot-9, 161 pounds on draft day.

Girard is still small. Not so small, but still fairly diminutive for a defenseman. He’s listed at 5-foot-10, 170 pounds, but the team reported last year that he was up to 180 pounds.

He is such an incredible defenseman, though. He hasn’t found his scoring touch yet, and there’s no guarantee he will. But he’s the new style of puck-moving defenseman.

Also, he did this:

As Ryan S. Clark of the Athletic pointed out, that man has a family, Sammy. But Girard just spun him into another dimension.

Thought 3: Bowen Byram is… Unready and Good

Bowen Byram looked better in his second preseason game than his first. He definitely seems to be gaining some confidence. He seems to playing a simpler game, which is good for a kid just dipping his toes into the NHL.

But that’s the point — he’s still a kid. He’s an 18-year-old, and a young one at that. There are times when he looks poised out there:

However, there are other times that he looks out of his element. That’s ok, though. He’s not preternaturally mature. He’s a kid with a lot of raw talent who needs development. And, with as stacked as the Colorado Avalanche are on defense, they can well let him take that time to develop.

Speaking of well-developed on defense:

Sam Girard and Cale Makar are going to be so much fun to watch this season.

The Colorado Avalanche have a back-to-back home and home series against the (hated) Minnesota Wild this weekend. It’ll be interesting to see what roster gets iced each day.