After an injury-plagued start to the 2024-25 season, the Colorado Avalanche are finally close to where they want to be as far as on-ice health. Of course, it took some sweeping changes from the organization. Colorado Avalanche general manager Chris MacFarland was aggressive right up until the trade deadline, and it seems to have worked well.
Depth is about more than healthy bodies, and that's why so many moves were necessary. I wrote previously about how the new acquisitions could help. But glossed over in that introductory assessment was a different kind of impact that could unlock the latent skills of more Avalanche players.
How depth helps the Colorado Avalanche forwards
Yes, adding a new 2C 'Big Body' Brock Nelson, and new 3C Charlie Coyle, fundamentally changed the Avalanche. But it also made roles for earlier acquisitions much clearer. Jack Drury, who the was the less-publicized piece of the Mikko Rantanen for Martin Necas blockbuster, is now an obvious 4C. The Avalanche love him there.
Not only because he's good in the face-off circle, but because it frees up a guy like Parker Kelly to consistently play wing, where he's a better fit. Friday's game against Calgary was won on the strength of Colorado's depth in a way we have rarely seen this year. Kelly played a massive role in that, scoring two goals, and missing a juicy opportunity at a third due to his own unselfishness.
Yet another new Avalanche player, Ryan Lindgren, got the scoring started in that game, to my delighted surprise. When Lindgren came aboard, I did not expect scoring output from him, and honestly still don't. He's only got 13 career goals in just under 400 games played. But one common factor in the first and third goals was Ross Colton assisting his teammates.
Ross Colton, like Parker Kelly, was originally converted from wing to center upon arriving in Colorado. This dates back to last season, but after a scorching start and being elevated to the top power play unit and an unfortunate stint on IR, Colton has cooled off considerably. Even so, Colton's production from the wing showed the Avalanche their prior mistake with his positioning.
After all the trades and lineup changes, Colton can focus on small things and again shine, although now in a bottom-six spot. Colton is on a quiet heater right now, even if only Avalanche diehards have noticed. In his last 10 games, the man I have affectionately dubbed Chicken and Waffles, has contributed a hefty 7 assists and 2 goals.
Have the Colorado Avalanche finally learned their lesson about asking wings to fill in at center? It appears so, and it would seem that everyone on the roster will benefit.
Although Sunday's OT win over Dallas didn't feature the same kind of depth-scoring outburst, the trades still proved key. It was a face-off win by Brock Nelson that allowed Cale Makar to net the clincher. Nelson was also an important screener with his formidable frame on Valeri Nichushkin's goal in the second period.
How depth helps the defense
The additions of Ryan Lindgren and Erik Johnson to the Avalanche defense are already proving necessary in a less than ideal way. Josh Manson has again been lost to an upper-body injury. The news isn't great. It isn't supposed to be related to his prior injury, but he's week-to-week.
The difference now though, is that with Manson down, the Avalanche don't have to rely on Oliver Kylington to fill the last D spot. On top of being very turnover-prone Kylington is a left-shot defenseman, meaning his insertion to replace Manson a right-shot D, would likely force someone out of position consistently.
Moving Kylington out in the Nelson trade, and replacing him with Erik Johnson, served two purposes.
The Avalanche got a trusted old friend back, and they balanced the blueline so that every individual can play his preferred side. Again, although the Avalanche have shown a willingness have a D switch, most often with Samuel Girard, it isn't ideal placement.
The Avalanche defense looks as sound as it has all season. Of course Cale Makar is well on his way to another Norris Trophy win. Makar is leading the National Hockey League in points by a defenseman with an eye-popping 78 total points.
But defense is about more than chipping in to team scoring totals. The Avalanche have played shut-down hockey in a way that should encourage all fans. The team allowed 24 and 22 shots-on-goal respectively against Calgary and Dallas.
Deeper in the numbers of those games you'll see how the first two periods in each put Colorado in position to win. The Shot Reports tell a nearly identical story of suffocating structural success. Against the Flames, the Avalanche allowed just 10 shots to reach Scott Wedgewood through two frames. That broke down to just two in the first, and eight in the second.
Against the Stars, who have a more potent attack on paper, the Avalanche clamped down again, allowing just 10 shots through two periods. This time, the breakdown split to four in the first, and six in the second period.
The third periods in both contests were busier for Wedgewood to be sure, but he held up to the challenge. With starter Mackenzie Blackwood out sick over the weekend, Wedgewood made his own case for showing the importance of team depth.
Overall depth on roster is not just about having more players. It's about knowing how best to use those players in a way that will maximize their effectiveness. The Colorado Avalanche are putting it all together at the right time, and look poised for another deep playoff run.