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Will All-Star Game results help Colorado Avalanche get on a roll?

By Graham Tiedtke

Feb 4, 2023; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Atlantic Division forward Nick Suzuki (14) of the Montreal Canadiens and Central Division forward Nathan MacKinnon (29) of the Colorado Avalanche shake hands after the final during the 2023 NHL All-Star Game at FLA Live Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 4, 2023; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Atlantic Division forward Nick Suzuki (14) of the Montreal Canadiens and Central Division forward Nathan MacKinnon (29) of the Colorado Avalanche shake hands after the final during the 2023 NHL All-Star Game at FLA Live Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports /
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The 2023 All-Star break is about to come to an end. The Colorado Avalanche entered the break seven of their last eight games—their one loss coming against the 15-25-9 Anaheim Ducks. That sort of result should not happen, but unfortunately it has several times this season.

It’s time for the Avalanche to get their act together. They have lost against teams with losing records far too often for a Stanley Cup Champion team. Had they not lost those games, they really could have been in first place in the division. They finished the first half of the season in fourth place with 57 points—one point out of third place. The Winnipeg Jets are in second place with 65 points with the Dallas Stars in first with 66.

Sadly, injuries have taken their toll on this team and it’s proof that they should have probably added more depth in the offseason to allow the players more time to connect on the ice.

Well, I speak for probably everybody in saying that the addition of Evan Rodrigues has been phenomenal. Through the the 48-game mark of the season, Rodrigues has played in 37 games and scored 11 goals and 15 assists. Of his 11 goals, he has one game-winner. It’s not a lot but that does not take away from his decent production.

Arturri Lehknonen has really come in clutch lately. He has the second-most goals on the team this year with 15, while playing in 45 of the team’s 48 games.

Let’s also not forget to mention the team’s biggest star of the season: Mikko “The Moose Is Loose” Rantanen. Rantanen leads the team in goals (34), and is third on the team in assists with 27. As far as his goal count, the next-closest is Lehkonen’s 15.  That goes to show the type of impact Rantanen is having this year.

Alex Newhook is also coming up clutch lately, while scoring a goal on his birthday and having 12 goals and eight assists through 48 games played.

The Avalanche will be getting some injured players back sooner rather than later, which should definitely be a big help in trying to climb the standings and make it into the playoffs. While it’s not a sure thing at this point, the playoffs are not out of the question right now. They have a shot.

Will All-Star Game results help Colorado Avalanche?

When all was said and done, the All-Star Game results did not matter. Here’s how they went:

  • Atlantic 7, Central 5
  • Atlantic 10, Metropolitan 6
  • Central 6, Pacific 4

Here’s how the Avalanche’s three representatives did:

  • Nathan MacKinnon: 2 goals in 1st game, 1 goal/assist in 2nd game
  • Mikko Rantanen: 2 assists in 1st game, goal/assist in 2nd game
  • Cale Makar: Assist in 1st game, goal/2 assists in second game

I mean, it goes to show that these players were absolutely deserving of being in Florida for the games. Putting aside the actual results, however, it’s more important that they got to get away and participate in a laid-back set of games. They got to bond with one another.

Now I understand that they’re all veterans and didn’t necessarily need that bonding but it certainly could have been a big help. They got to hang out with one another as well as their other teammates when they weren’t on the ice.

That type of bonding could really set things up right when it comes to on the ice. Chemistry is so important. It really could help the team’s other young players in setting the right examples.

The Colorado Avalanche have a chance to star off hot post-All-Star break against the Pittsburgh Penguins, who are fifth in the Metropolitan division with 57 points.

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