The Colorado Avalanche are filled with stars, but two have not lived up to expectations this season.
The Colorado Avalanche are filled with stars, but two have not lived up to expectations this season.
It's hard to sit back and criticize a team that is currently sitting atop the Central Division, second in the Western Conference and ranked third in the NHL's standings. The Colorado Avalanche currently have three players at the NHL All-Star Game and a multitude of players near the upper echelon of their respective positions. So where is the gripe?
Reviewing each player, there are certainly some gripes about individual performances. When the Avalanche needed a second-line center this past offseason, they went out and not only acquired Ryan Johansen from the Nashville Predators but did so with 50% of his $8 million annual contract retained through the conclusion of the 2024-25 season. Coming off of a 12-goal, 28-point season through 55 games, expectations were not overly optimistic.
However, there was certainly hope as the 31-year-old who was only one year removed from scoring 26 goals and 63 points over 79 regular season games. Was it fair to expect the same 60-plus point production to return? Perhaps not.
Though playing in one of the NHL's leading offensive system's certainly builds optimism that the 2010 4th overall pick could find his scoring touch once more. Johansen has come as expected this season, just not the expectation that many were hoping for.
Looking around the rest of the lineup for a player that has not lived up to expectations is starting netminder, Alexander Georgiev. After a spectacular 2022-23 campaign with a 40-16-6 record, a .918 save percentage and 2.53 goals against average, it was only fair to presume there would be a regression.
After nearly doubling the number of games started in a single season and performing to the high level that Georgiev did only one year ago, a current stat line that reads .898 SV% and 2.91 GAA seems almost like a let down. There's no doubt that the teams starting goaltender will remain a strong starting option down the stretch, but will need to tighten up the screws in hopes to bring another Stanley Cup to Colorado.
Recent Avalanche articles
MacKinnon gets NHL's First Star for 2nd month in a row
Former Avalanche goalie settling into role with Oilers