Avalanche stars could play with chip on their shoulders

With the business of the NHL season set to resume for the Colorado Avalanche, three Avs in particular could be hitting the ice with a chip on their shoulders. 

Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar, and Devon Toews will be looking to avenge their gold-medal loss by winning a Stanley Cup. And that would be a good thing for the Avalanche.

The three aforementioned stars would find a great consolation prize in winning a Stanley Cup. While winning an Olympic silver medal is hardly a failure, missing out on gold isn’t very pleasant either. So, what could be the next best thing? A Stanley Cup.

The Avalanche will enter the remainder of this NHL season as the best team in the league. They have the firepower, the defense, physicality, and goaltending to go up against anyone. Plus, the sting of missing out on a major championship could be the driving force behind an all-out push to demolish anyone and everyone standing in their way.

It’s not that the Avalanche don’t play that way already. It’s just that a crushing loss can be the precursor to an extraordinary performance for some athletes. That’s why it wouldn’t be shocking to see the Avalanche roll over everyone from now until the Stanley Cup Final.

If there was a year for the team to find that killer instinct, it’s this one.

Avalanche looking to build on disappointment

The Avalanche will be looking to build on a pattern of disappointment. All of the Colorado players in the Olympics, except for Brock Nelson, the tourney was disappointing to a certain extent. For instance, Joel Kiviranta and Artturi Lehkonen were bronze medalists with Finland. But you have to think they too would have a chip on their shoulder. Wouldn’t they like to back up a third-place finish with a Stanley Cup.

Beyond the Olympics, there’s also the matter of last year’s first-round playoff exit. The Avalanche had to deal with the loss to the Dallas Stars in one of the closest series we’ve seen in years.

That sort of disappointment is something the Avalanche will be looking to use as fuel for their competitive fire. We’ve seen it all season long. Now, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Avalanche look to destroy the competition en route to a statement Stanley Cup victory. 

There are times when the most bitter moments in life can be the best thing that can happen. The pain of losing never really goes away. But that’s why victory is so sweet. Those who have tasted the agony of coming so close and missing can truly appreciate what it means to attain ultimate glory.

For the Colorado Avalanche this season, a Stanley Cup would be the best way to close out what has been a fantastic year, Olympic shortcomings notwithstanding.