Mile High Sticking
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Colorado Avalanche : Reviewing the New Guys

By Will Cooper

DENVER, COLORADO - NOVEMBER 07: Joonas Donskoi #72 of the Colorado Avalanche celebrates his third goal of the game against the Nashville Predators with teammates Andre Burakovsky #95, Nazem Kadri #91 and Cale Makar #8 as hats fall from the stands at Pepsi Center on November 07, 2019 in Denver, Colorado. The Avalanche defeated the Predators 9-4. (Photo by Michael Martin/NHLI via Getty Images)
DENVER, COLORADO - NOVEMBER 07: Joonas Donskoi #72 of the Colorado Avalanche celebrates his third goal of the game against the Nashville Predators with teammates Andre Burakovsky #95, Nazem Kadri #91 and Cale Makar #8 as hats fall from the stands at Pepsi Center on November 07, 2019 in Denver, Colorado. The Avalanche defeated the Predators 9-4. (Photo by Michael Martin/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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Andre Burakovsky

Last season (WAS): 12G; 13A – 25 Pts; +2 rating in 76 GP.

This season: 12G; 11A – 23 Pts; +3 rating in 27 GP

Cap Hit – $3,250,000

The third component of the second line and another George McPhee theory graduate. Basically, this means taking a talented young player from an organisation with too many talented players ahead of them, give them a bunch of ice time and look like a genius when their points totals climb massively.

As you can see, Burakovsky’s career high for goals is only 17. He already has 12 in a third of the games played. According to Hockey Reference, his average ice time has only risen by about 3 minutes per game, but it is enough to be playing alongside players such as MacKinnon due to injuries, but mostly Kadri and Donskoi.

Another low shooting guy, Burakovsky needs to get the puck on net more. If he does that, there will be a lot more goals coming his way, as we saw with his incredible game winning goal against Arizona – he picks perfect spots to score goals, if only he would trust himself more often, he would score more goals.

Quarter-Season Grade: B+

Proof positive that he is more than the 12 goal scorer that he had become in Washington, now the challenge is to see how high he can fly. I would like to issue the challenge for Burkie to set new career highs by the end of January. 17 more points; 6 goals, 11 assists will tie him with his 2015-16 numbers.

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