Colorado Avalanche defensive core has been key in recent wins

The Colorado Avalanche are back to .500 on the year with an 8-8 record. Considering the myriad of injuries and absences facing the team, this is quite a feat. Last week, I wrote about how the situation could result in coach Jared Bednar gaining league-wide recognition, with a Jack Adams Award, if the squad stabilizes and excels.

After a pair of impressive wins over Carolina and Nashville, a very encouraging trend is emerging. Avalanche defensemen are stepping up their point production. This is absolutely vital with a decimated forward group.

Fans of the burgundy and blue know that this club is at its best when the D-men are getting involved offensively. It is fundamental to how the roster is built. Obviously, the Avalanche have the game's best offensive-minded D in Cale Makar. Makar leads all defensemen in scoring with 24 points. He was also named the league's top star in October.

Cale Makar should easily be considered the favorite to win the Norris Trophy. It would be his second win already at 26. Two Winnipeg Jets, Josh Morrissey and Neal Pionk, are the next closest to Makar in point production with 17. Last year's Norris winner, Quinn Hughes, has 16 points thus far.

But this piece is not just about how elite #8 can be for Colorado. It is about how, even as he sets the pace for everyone at his position, he is only the spearhead of Colorado's secret weapon. Yes, the rosy-cheeked assassin is a generational talent. Still, when the Avalanche system works how it was designed, Makar is just half the story.

As of today, that is very statistically accurate. Makar accounts for 24 points, while the whole rest of the D core combined has amassed 25 points. The breakdown looks like this: 9 points for Samuel Girard, 5 for Josh Manson, 4 each for Devon Toews and Sam Malinski, 2 for John Ludvig, and 1 for Calvin de Haan.

That might look concerning out of context. Yet, if we look at the trend over these last two wins, I would argue that things are definitely moving in the right direction.

Against Carolina, with the team down 0-2, Cale Makar fittingly got things rolling with Colorado's first short-handed tally of the season, unassisted. Quickly afterwards, Sam Malinski notched his first goal on the year, being assisted by Samuel Girard and Nathan MacKinnon. John Ludvig and Devon Toews added helpers on the third and fourth goals of the second period respectively. The fifth and final score of the frame was the only one not to feature defensive credit.

In what was undoubtedly the most exciting single period of the season the defensemen for Colorado Avalanche came alive. Sure, they were kick-started by a great play by Cale Makar, but collectively they made a statement. The 5 goal second period by the Avs‘ offense was their best of the year, but the five-point period from the D core as a whole should not be overlooked.

The Monday night win over Nashville could be a sign that the club's confidence has shifted. Even if you contend that the new-look Predators aren't as good as pundits predicted, Juuse Saros is no slouch in net. Saros has a career SV% of .922, all while leading the league in starts for each of the last three seasons.

The 8-year contract extension Saros inked this summer was the most significant move Nashville made in the offseason—A fact that remains true, even with the additions of Steven Stamkos and Johnathan Marchessault.

In the 3-2 OT thriller, two more Avalanche defensemen got off their own personal scoring-schneids. Devon Toews opened the scoring for the Avalanche, tying the game at 1 in the second period. He was assisted by Samuel Girard, who got his eighth apple of the year. Toews is a major piece of offensive-defensemen strategy, but has started slow. In part, perhaps due to an early season injury.

Last season Toews tallied a solid 50 points (12 G, 38 A). That was good enough for second-most on the team by defensemen. Behind only Cale Makar who contributed 90, and was said to have a down year in production.

Of course, the most pivotal score was Samuel Girard's OT winner. Girard stole the puck and blasted it past Saros for only the second OT GWG of his career. In fact, I learned from a Preds radio reporter that both of Girard's OT winners have come against Nashville.

This fact is all the more sweet if you remember that Nashville is the team that drafted Samuel Girard.

The Avalanche offense is at its most potent when their D is energized and helping to penetrate the opposing zone. This has been true for some time, but a look back at last season illustrates the point. In 2023-24 the Avalanche D core led the NHL with 243 points. Vancouver was second in that area with 215.

The Avalanche also scored the most goals in the regular season with 302. They only edged Toronto in that total by 4 goals. Although goals to overall points comparisons are inexact, the impact of defensive contributions to the scoresheet are undeniable.

The team is about it get much more healthy on the ice.

With the very real possibility of three important forwards coming back on Friday, fans are right to be ecstatic. I know I can't wait to see the lineup card for Friday.

The marked improvement of an activated and hungry Avalanche defense could be just as important if Colorado is able to keep winning. The momentum of a healthy lineup on paper is only part of a successful equation. A healthy and high-functioning system on-ice is what truly matters.