Two losses in two games to start the season for the Colorado Avalanche should not be reason to push the panic button.
However, the nature of those two losses suggests it might be time to start heading for the hills. Both losses, one to the Vegas Golden Knights and the other to the Columbus Blue Jackets have hardly looked encouraging.
Sure, the offense has been there. The Avs have scored four goals in each game. But the goaltending has been brutal. In total, the Avs have given up 14 goals in the two games.
That statement should be cause for alarm. The insanely high goals against total isn’t the result of a defensive breakdown for Colorado. It’s been the result of subpar goaltending. Given that the Colorado Avalanche are a potential Stanley Cup contender, that sort of goaltending is not acceptable.
So, is it time to push the panic button?
In a roundabout way, the Avs have started bracing for impact. The club claimed Kaapo Kahkonen off waivers from the Winnipeg Jets. Of course, claiming Kahkonen isn’t an Earth-shattering move. If anything, it could just be a depth move at the AHL level.
But given the circumstances, the move could be a signal that the Avs are more worried about the goaltending situation than they’ve let on.
Personally, I think the time has come for the Avs to seriously explore alternatives in the crease. Throughout the preseason and the start of the regular campaign, the goaltending hasn’t been there. If the club waits too long, it could dig a hole too deep to climb out of.
Goaltending options for the Colorado Avalanche
Unfortunately, there aren’t too many options for the Avs to consider. The club missed an opportunity when the Nashville Predators moved Jaroslav Askarov. Trading for Askarov could have alleviated the pressure facing the team now.
As for other trade options, there don’t seem to be too many available goaltenders at the moment. Well, number-one starting goaltenders are not currently available. I’ve written about the possibility of Igor Shesterkin becoming available, but that’s not something that’s going to materialize in the next few weeks.
If anything, Shesterkin could become available closer to the trade deadline. But if the New York Rangers believe they can win a Cup, they’ll ride with Shesterkin even if they lose him for nothing during the summer.
So, where does that leave Colorado? Can the Avs afford to sit on their hands and wait for a team to move a goalie? If that’s the plan, the Avs will need to wait until around Christmas for a team to waive the white flag. However, there’s no telling who that could be and who might be available.
In short, the Avs need to figure out what to do about their goaltending situation. In my estimation, the time has come to make Justus Annunen the starter. Hopefully, giving him a couple of starts will help build his confidence.
Perhaps Annunen goes on a roll and makes this entire conversation moot.