It was bound to happen eventually. The Colorado Avalanche lost two back-to-back games in regulation. For the first time this season, the club failed to claw at least a point from consecutive contests. More concerning than the minor dings to the overall record (31-4-7) are the injuries that suddenly seem to be piling up.
It started with the unexpected and decidedly unwelcome news about starting goalie Mackenzie Blackwood on Friday. The Avalanche and Scott Wedgewood were able to keep focused and stun the Carolina Hurricanes with a signature third period win the next night. But less than 24 hours later, the team was again given a one-two gut-punch.
The Avalanche stormed back for a momentous win, but did lose top-pairing defenseman Devon Toews late in the game. Toews was able to return from the locker room Saturday night, but he sat out the following afternoon, and his injury was revealed to be worse than originally thought.
In Sunday's loss to the defending champion Florida Panthers, Colorado fans were fearing the worst. Captain Gabriel Landeskog took an awful looking spill and crashed into the Florida net. He was helped off the ice by trainers and Nathan MacKinnon and thus Avalanche fans were fearing the worst. Given his injury history, and knowing what he means to the club, that is understandable.
I know I was cursing the bad ice in Florida. If memory serves, it was also the site of an eerily similar injury to Carolina Hurricanes star Seth Jarvis early in the season. Leaving aside the poor conditions of the ice, Colorado was fortunate to learn that it was not in any way related to Landeskog's surgically-repaired knee.
What the Avalanche can learn from the Denver Nuggets
Thankfully, Tuesday's updates seem to indicate that even though this team is about to be tested, it could have been much worse. Landeskog will be out for 'some weeks' according to head coach Jared Bednar. I am frustrated with that open-ended and imprecise wording. A similar timeline seems to be the outlook on Toews. But Colorado dodged a major setback.
If we compare the Avalanche situation to that of their Ball Arena roommates, the Denver Nuggets, we can at least be glad it's not that bad. The Nuggets are my other sports obsession and they have been positively decimated with injury so far this season. The Nuggets recently lost the best player in basketball, Nikola Jokic, for an extended period of time. That happened while they were already without three fifths of their starting lineup.
The Nuggets’ best defensive stoppers, Aaron Gordon and Christian Braun, were both sidelined early in the campaign. They were missing well before Denver lost their biggest offseason acquisition Cam Johnson to another weeks-long injury. Even so, the Nuggets surprised the Toronto Raptors on New Year's Eve with only point guard Jamal Murray left standing in the starting five.
Seemingly because it's just that kind of year, Jonas Valanciunas, who is the primary backup for Nikola Jokic was hurt in that game. He now is on a similar month-long timeline to The Joker, before being re-evaluated. Aaron Gordon and Christian Braun made their long-awaited returns in limited minutes in a weekend loss to the Brooklyn Nets.
Not wanting to risk too much on a back-to-back and feeling Jamal Murray needed rest, the Denver Nuggets played this Monday's game without their entire starters unit. Key bench contributor Tim Hardaway Jr. was also out sick. The Nuggets played Monday with more guys on the injury report than were available.
The best part: The Nuggets won anyway. Yes friends, the Nuggets bench rocked the Philadelphia 76'ers in an overtime thriller 125-124! That was perhaps the single most improbable win I've ever witnessed, in any sport. With more bodies back in last night's game, the Nuggets scored another upset, beating the Boston Celtics in TD Garden.
Why did I just take you on this mini basketball detour? It's simple, Avalanche fans. As rough as an injury situation looks, it's nothing like what the Nuggets have faced. Even more important than that, it's a reminder that everyone at the professional level should be respected.
Furthermore, if the Avalanche have to deal with injuries, far better for it to happen now. Not only does Colorado still boast a nine-point lead in the Central Division, but the middle and bottom six could use some seasoning. The playoffs are where it really matters and this organization knows that as well as anyone.
The Colorado Avalanche do not lack leadership
Being without the captain is expected to hurt morale. Gabriel Landeskog has proven how much his grit and determination can help this squad succeed. When healthy this year, Landeskog has been integral to the lineup even as his points production has been inconsistent.
Losing Devon Toews next to Cale Makar is also a blow to the club's core leadership group. This isn't a surprise of course, as Toews was given the team's final A patch after the departure of Mikko Rantenen last season.
This club isn't about to name an interim-captain. If waiting years for Landeskog's return taught us anything, it's that his place in the locker room is so set in stone his name and number might as well be etched into the foundation of Ball Arena. But they were quick to name Brock Nelson an assistant captain.
It might be considered a minor note, but I don't think so. Brock Nelson is playing the best hockey of his Colorado Avalanche tenure right now. It was Neslon who scored not one, but TWO goals on Colorado's nearly blighted powerplay unit in the comeback in Carolina. Nelson also assisted on the team's lone tally against the Panthers. Finally, Nelson netted a go-ahead score against Tampa before the Bolts ultimately bested the Avalanche.
I'm not suggesting that goals are everything, far from it. Brock Nelson's goal against Tampa Bay was hardly a rocket-blast. In fact, it was about as junky of an attempt can be that finds the back of the net. There is a lesson in that and it's every hockey fan's favorite three-word refrain. Shoot. The. Puck.
On the backend, there might not be another official A to stitch onto a sweater, but the addition of Brent Burns is perhaps extra fortunate now. He's as seasoned as a veteran gets in the NHL, and I know he wore an A for years on the San Jose Sharks.
Samuel Girard has picked up his game recently after an early injury and a slow start. Sam Malinski is also a standout and is playing the best he ever has in his career. Both of them will likely see elevated minutes now with Toews sidelined. I feel confident, however, the pairings shuffle that the blue line will be okay.
If you're still uneasy after being reminded that the Colorado Avalanche are in fact human, take comfort knowing the club with a sparkling 17-0-2 home record is about to kick off a perfectly-timed seven game home stand tonight.
Some observers were wondering if Colorado would find the motivation to keep striving for excellence when they finally got some breathing room from Dallas in the standings. It could be that some injuries, a few regulation losses, and a steady diet of home-cooking is just what the Avalanche needed.