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Christmas Blessings for the Colorado Avalanche

By Nadia Archuleta |
MONTREAL, QC - DECEMBER 02: Gabriel Landeskog #92 of the Colorado Avalanche celebrates with teammates on the bench during the second period against the Montreal Canadiens at Centre Bell on December 2, 2021 in Montreal, Canada. The Colorado Avalanche defeated the Montreal Canadiens 4-1. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)
MONTREAL, QC - DECEMBER 02: Gabriel Landeskog #92 of the Colorado Avalanche celebrates with teammates on the bench during the second period against the Montreal Canadiens at Centre Bell on December 2, 2021 in Montreal, Canada. The Colorado Avalanche defeated the Montreal Canadiens 4-1. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)

The Colorado Avalanche may not be a perfect team, but they still bestow blessings upon us.

The Colorado Avalanche are well into their holiday breaks. Indeed, the Christmas holiday, for those who celebrate, happens tomorrow.

All of us on Avs Nation want the same Christmas present, even if we wouldn’t get it for 6 months — a Stanley Cup. We’d all be satisfied with the delay. Well, who knows what the summer will bring, if we’ll still be watching Avs hockey.

You know that old song about counting your blessings instead of sheep when you’re worried. The Avalanche are on an extended break because of COVID, and a lot of us are worried about that whole situation. So, let’s start by looking at that blessing and turning it into a blessing.

1. The extended break = time to heal

I don’t know what it is with the Colorado Avalanche, but they’ve been an injury-prone team for the last few years. Indeed, right now we have two players on injured reserve — our captain, Gabriel Landeskog, and up-and-coming defenseman Bo Byram. The extended break gives them time to recuperate.

Even players who weren’t on injured reserve may still be banged up. Likewise, a few players had tested positive for COVID. All of them can benefit from a little extra time to  get back to prime shape.

2. No Olympics = more Avalanche hockey

The NHL and NHLPA have agreed not to participate in the Olympics this year. That’s a huge  disappointment for many players and quite a few fans.

In the spirit of taking a negative and turning it into a positive, hear me out on this one. Having your team’s players participate in the Olympics is always a big gamble health-wise. It’s infinitely more so in the middle of a pandemic. It makes sense to prevent players from participating.

The Colorado Avalanche have missed several games that need to be rescheduled. The built-in break that will no longer be used for the Olympics can be used for Avs hockey.

3. We have an amazing team

We’ve got a gap or two in the roster, particularly in net. However, we’ve still got Nathan MacKinnon in his prime. That counts for a lot. We’ve also got a superstud in Cale Makar who hasn’t even entered his prime yet. Our core in general is solid.

A few years ago, we were one of the youngest teams in the NHL. That prospective talent has now turned into the skilled and talented team we were all waiting for. Truthfully, with just a couple adjustments, this is a team that can make a sustained run at the Stanley Cup, and for a few years to come.

Happy Holidays, Avs Nation. Let’s all be grateful for the blessings the Colorado Avalanche continue to give us.

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