Colorado Avalanche: 5 Players Who Must Have Great Playoffs

DENVER, CO - APRIL 17: Members of the Colorado Avalanche celebrate with teammate Mikko Rantanen #96 after his game winning goal against the Calgary Flames in Game Four of the Western Conference First Round during the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Pepsi Center on April 17, 2019 in Denver, Colorado. The Avalanche defeated the Flames 3-2 in overtime. (Photo by Michael Martin/NHLI via Getty Images)
DENVER, CO - APRIL 17: Members of the Colorado Avalanche celebrate with teammate Mikko Rantanen #96 after his game winning goal against the Calgary Flames in Game Four of the Western Conference First Round during the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Pepsi Center on April 17, 2019 in Denver, Colorado. The Avalanche defeated the Flames 3-2 in overtime. (Photo by Michael Martin/NHLI via Getty Images)
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CALGARY, AB – APRIL 11: Philipp Grubauer #31 of the Colorado Avalanche in action against the Calgary Flames in Game One of the Western Conference First Round during the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scotiabank Saddledome on March 15, 2019 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. (Photo by Derek Leung/Getty Images)

The Goalie

This one’s a bit of a cheat because it’s two players. However, it’s hard to say which goalie would get the nod in the playoffs. Pavel Francouz was playing — and playing well — when the season went on pause. However, he was only getting so much ice time because Philipp Grubauer was on injured reserve.

Grubauer is supposed to be our starting goalie. And he certainly didn’t disappoint the team in the last playoffs.

Well, regardless, whichever goalie is in net has to be stellar. Goal tending can steal the playoffs. A hot goalie can take his team all the way to Stanley Cup victory.