Everyone from Chris MacFarland as general manager to Jared Bednar as head coach should be feeling the pressure.

This is the year when the excuses shouldn’t be a factor. There’s no more waiting for Gabe Landeskog. The expectation is that Valeri Nichushkin is healthy and ready to rock from the get-go. You have solid goaltending. Your starter is locked up, and your backup is one of the best in the league — a nice clap back to the days of Pavel Francouz. You have a second-line center. And this time it’s someone with veteran experience and a proven track record of reliability in the regular season and production in the playoffs.

You have Nathan MacKinnon in his prime.

You have Cale Makar in his prime.

Yet you’ve only won one series since that legendary night in Tampa Bay that ended with a Stanley Cup championship. It hasn’t been good enough. But it should be much more than that this season.

Here are three things I’d like to see from the Avs for this to be their year.

Top Six: The Best Ability is Availability

The Avs have had arguably the best top six in the NHL on paper for most of the past three years. But on paper didn’t always translate to on-ice availability.

Landeskog hasn’t played in three full seasons. In the first year, he was replaced with Evan Rodrigues, who had 39 points in 69 games. In the last two seasons, the Avs had Jonathan Drouin, who did an admirable job. Drouin produced at a clip of 62 points per 82 games in Colorado.

The problem wasn’t his production. It was his availability. He missed more than 25% of the regular season games in the last two years. And that came after Rodrigues missed 13 games. In total, Landeskog’s replacement in the top six has missed 55 games in three seasons — which comes out to 18 per season. That’s a lot of hockey for such a big piece of the roster.

And with all due respect to both of them, they were not as good as Landeskog in years past. They didn’t have his leadership, physicality, and net-front presence. The Avs finally have their captain back. He was solid in his short playoff stint and should be a factor moving forward. Even if he’s not producing at his 2022 rate.

Then there’s the second-line center issue. Somehow, in three seasons, the Avs have managed to have five players slot into that role.

READ MORE: Avalanche Depth Chart: Lineup Coming Together but Still an Unfinished Product

J.T. Compher did a fine job punching above his weight class in 2022-23, but he was slotted into it because Alex Newhook couldn’t develop into that role. Then there was the failed Ryan Johansen experiment, the Bowen Byram-for-Casey Mittelstadt blunder, before the team ultimately landed on Brock Nelson.

The 33-year-old has played 246 consecutive games after missing 10 games in 2021-22 with an injury. And before that, Nelson missed only two games in seven seasons. That’s the type of reliability the Avs need. And they should have it with their new full-time 2C.

Nichushkin and Artturi Lehkonen are two of the best two-way checking forwards in the game. But the fact that they’ve missed 96 and 68 games, respectively, over the past three seasons, is a huge problem. That averages out to 32 per year for Nichushkin and 22 for Lehkonen.

Let’s put that into perspective.

Since 2022-23, Nichushkin has averaged 42 goals in every 96 games and Lehkonen 29 goals per 68 games. That’s a lot of offense they’ve missed. And that doesn’t include what missing them did to the ice time of MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen, who were far and away the two most-used forwards over the last three years.

Rantanen is gone now, and Martin Necas should be here for the foreseeable future. This will be the first year with Necas as a full-time member of the roster. If he can continue to elevate his production, I see no problem with him being a key piece of this team moving forward.

All five of these guys, the five that will make up the top two lines with MacKinnon, were not in the lineup for opening night a year ago. All for different reasons.

MacFarland built a top six that can win. They need to be available to achieve that goal.

Organizational Fit: Be More Strategic with Future Acquisitions

Basically, find the right depth pieces. It’s easier said than done.

When the Avs won the Cup in 2022, they hit on a depth acquisition in Andrew Cogliano at the trade deadline. In the following years, guys like Lars Eller, Yakov Trenin, Brandon Duhaime, Juuso Parssinen, and Jimmy Vesey were all misses.

When they won in 2022, Josh Manson came in and made an impact. They didn’t get that same impact from Sean Walker in 2024 or Ryan Lindgren in 2025.

When they needed help in the middle of the year, they picked up Nicolas Aube-Kubel off waivers, and he was a mainstay of the roster throughout the regular season and a key depth piece for the playoff run. Since then, they’ve gotten pretty much nothing out of recent waiver claims like John Ludvig and Ivan Prosvetov.

Darren Helm wasn’t supposed to be the fourth-line center in the playoffs in 2022 and was barely a factor in the regular season. The front office went out and acquired Nico Sturm to play that role. But the veteran forward, who played on the wing all year, was shifted to center and did everything and more that was asked of him. Nowadays, the coaching staff is struggling to find fits for players. Tomas Tatar was here, and then he was gone, before he had a chance to find his place. That’s just one example.

And that doesn’t even include their ability in the past to find the right type of players. They once added Nazem Kadri to be their 2C. His willingness to do anything it takes to win was an attribute missing from Johansen and Mittelstadt.

How has the pro scouting department fallen this much?

READ MORE: Former Avs Center Achieves Life-Long Dream — Awarded Captaincy for Winter Olympics

You have to hit on those depth moves. Every additional NHL-capable player you have at your disposal is a boost to your lineup. That’s part of the reason why I like the Joel Kiviranta signing. I’d much rather they get a guy they know can play 10+ minutes per night and do a good job, then to try and sign someone for a couple hundred thousand dollars less and end up with an unplayable player.

Missing on a depth piece — even a fourth liner — means you have to go out later and trade third-round picks for guys like Duhaime or Trenin, or a second for Eller because Anton Blidh and Lukas Sedlak were failed signings.

The Avalanche need depth pieces right now. And the fact that they’re being patient makes me feel like they’re well aware that they can’t get this wrong. Trying to replace a failed depth piece later isn’t easy when you’re short on tradeable assets.

Bring in Tougher Defensemen to Play Against

Is Brent Burns enough to change the tune of the defense? I certainly don’t think he is. And I say this as someone who loves the signing for Colorado.

The reality is, the blueline is a big part of the reason why the Avs have struggled to win playoff games in recent years

The Dallas Stars are a tough team to play against. And if you get past them and the rest of the Central Division, you’re probably going to struggle with the size and physicality of the Vegas Golden Knights. Which, by the way, were no match for the Edmonton Oilers’ physicality just two months ago.

Everyone else is beefing up. Colorado needs to adapt.

The Avs have hitched their wagon to Manson for the foreseeable future, and they have their top pair locked up. Between those three, and Burns, you’ve got four solid pieces of your defense.

Then there’s Sam Malinski, who they signed for a year, which walks him to unrestricted free agency next summer. But they still added another righty in Burns afterward. So, do they trust Malinski as a full-time NHLer? If they do, are they planning on shifting him to the left? Or is he a tradeable asset that they plan on using to bring in someone else before the trade deadline?

And of course, Samuel Girard rounds out the group. He’s the only piece of the bottom two pairs who didn’t sign a contract with the Avs this summer. Which is why I’ve continued to write about him being a potential trade candidate. They want to shake up the blueline, they’re not trading Devon Toews or Makar, and they signed the other three guys over the last six weeks.

So where does that leave Girard?

Regardless of what they choose to do, I just can’t imagine that Burns in and Lindgren out is the only change they wanted. They have to figure out a way to get bigger, stronger, and tougher to play against.

The post 3 Things Standing Between the Avalanche and Another Long Stanley Cup Run appeared first on Colorado Hockey Now.

All that and more on this edition of Deen’s Daily — August 7.

Colorado Hockey Now

There was more news than usual on Wednesday, in the sense that a hockey team did literally anything. While most of the league is quiet, the Avalanche finalized their coaching staff for the upcoming season.

Mark Popovic, a former NHL defenseman who has called Colorado home since retiring from pro hockey in 2017, has been added to Jared Bednar’s staff as the skills coach.

Read more about him below.

READ MORE: Avalanche Hire Mark Popovic as Skills Coach

Also, in the second half of the August Mailbag, I touched on all sorts of things. There were questions about Bednar and Chris MacFarland feeling the pressure, the possibility of trying to target another Bruins centerman on the trade market, PTOs, and the team’s 30th anniversary.

I listed some of the ideas I’d like to see from the team during the season, as they celebrate 30 years in Colorado.

READ MORE: Avalanche Mailbag 2.0: Avalanche’s 30th Anniversary, Pressure on Bednar and MacFarland, Trading for Zacha, & More

Around The NHL

Pittsburgh Hockey Now: It’s 8/7, which is unofficially Sidney Crosby day. The Penguin’s legend turns 38 today, and PHN has some thoughts on how we should treat him for the rest of his NHL career.

New Jersey Hockey Now: James Nichols at NJHN takes a moment to get real on how the Devils’ offseason has unfolded thus far.

Florida Hockey Now: How fun is the cover for the deluxe version of NHL 26?

Detroit Hockey Now: It’s not official yet, but it’s leaning that way. Former Red Wings forward is likely playing in Sweden for the upcoming season.

The post Deen’s Daily: My Ideas For Celebrating Avalanche’s 30th Anniversary; New Skills Coach Hired appeared first on Colorado Hockey Now.

READ MORE: Avalanche Mailbag 1.0: Gambling with Necas, EJ and Kiviranta Updates, Goaltending Tandem, & More

Question from Walter Nieuwlandt

Is Pavel Zacha a good third line target?

Aarif’s Response

This would honestly be an excellent pickup, but I just don’t think the Avs have the assets needed to acquire him. To me, Zacha is a perfect third line center that can also play up the lineup as needed. He’s good enough to play 2C if injuries arise or if Brock Nelson struggles at any point.

Basically, he would play the Ross Colton role with more offensive upside and as a more natural centerman. He’s also a big body, listed as 6’3, 206 lbs, and kills penalties. At only $4.75 million and 28 years old, I’d take that all day.

But again, I’m not entirely sure what Colorado could offer that would make sense for the Bruins.

Question from Sasha Landprecht

Are there any players the Avs will target for PTO?

Aarif’s Response

I can’t say who specifically, but you can expect at least one PTO at training camp this year. The Avs love inviting veterans to camp on tryouts to see if anyone can play their way onto the roster. We saw it last year with Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, albeit that didn’t end in a contract. But in the past, guys like Joel Kiviranta, Jack Johnson and if you go way back, Jack Skille have gained contracts after successful training camp PTOs.

I’d imagine it’ll be guys lower down the list of remaining free agents.

Question from Doug

Are the Avs at a disadvantage from a state income tax perspective? Should we expect Nevada, Texas, and Florida teams to always be a little better than they might otherwise be?

Aarif’s Response

In the flat cap era, it was easier for these teams to flex that advantage. And there’s a reason why five of the last six Stanley Cup champions are teams in Florida or Nevada. (Kudos to the Avs for being the one outlier).

But with the cap rising, I just don’t think it’s going to matter as much since more than half the league will likely have a cap surplus. You can finally entice a player with an overpayment to keep him away from a no-tax state because you’ll actually have the cap space to do so.

The problem is, the damage was already done to help some of these teams. I don’t believe being in Florida helps attract free agents. But I do believe it helps keep the guys you already have. Look at the contracts Sam Reinhart, Aaron Ekblad, and Tampa’s Brandon Hagel and Nick Paul signed. Those aren’t the types of deals you’re getting in Colorado. If the Avs had a no-state advantage, it could’ve possibly helped them keep Nazem Kadri in 2022, for example.

So even though I don’t think it’ll be as big of an advantage moving forward, it doesn’t take away from the fact that Ekblad, Reinhart, and Hagel are still playing out those contracts while in their primes.

I do think this general conversation will slowly go away over the next five years.

Question from Henri

What can we expect from the Avs 30th anniversary season announcement coming within the next week or two?

Aarif’s Response

We’ve all see the reports that they’re planning on bringing back the Nordiques sweater, so that’s something I’d expect to be announced then (if it’s true).

But I also wish they’d play a few games in the diagonal ‘Colorado’ word mark burgundy third jersey from the early 2000s. That was the first alternate sweater they ever had, and it was worn by Patrick Roy, Joe Sakic, Rob Blake, Adam Foote, Peter Forsberg, Paul Kariya, and Teemu Selanne. A lot of legends donned that sweater. Bring it back.

Also, I would like to see some of those legends come back for pre-game ceremonies throughout the season to honor past accomplishments and moments over the past 30 years.

Maybe when the Islanders are in town on Nov. 17, they can do a pregame ceremony remembering the day Roy passed Terry Sawchuk in wins.

When the Canucks are in town, we can do a flashback to a great Foote moment. And on other days, we can celebrate the other legends. When did Bob Hartley win his 100th game as head coach? Bring him back around that day to celebrate the anniversary. Thirty years is a long time. This team has a ton of history worth remembering.

I just hope it’s a little bit different this time around, and we can see some of those faces we haven’t seen in years. Perhaps a visit from Ray Bourque around the trade deadline would be fun. He was acquired on March 6, 2000.

Honestly, I’d even do something with Kariya and Selanne even if their time here wasn’t the best for either of them.

But I would like to see them celebrate moments from after the lockout too. Can we get Jose Theodore here for something? How about Jarome Iginla, recalling is 600th goal. Maybe a Ryan Smyth appearance? Or even Paul Stastny?

Question from Reece

Does another first round exit spell the end for Jared Bednar and does another failed experiment (example: Brock Nelson) mean the end for Chris MacFarland?

Aarif’s Response

Honestly? I do believe it will.

We all understand the loss to Seattle in 2023 and how gutted that roster was, on top of the Gabe Landeskog injury and Valeri Nichushkin suspension. But the next two years were a giant bummer. Losing to Dallas twice was a tough look. Especially since the Avs won Game 1 both times.

This year should put a lot of pressure on both the head coach and GM. I’m a big fan of Bednar, but results are all that matter now. Nathan MacKinnon will be 30 years old this upcoming season, and you can’t keep wasting his prime years.

If this talented Avs roster doesn’t play well enough in the regular season to win the division or at least have home-ice advantage, then that could lead to a tough first-round opponent, and potentially a loss. That’s still a fireable offense for not getting better playoff positioning.

And if they do finish first or second in the Central, and get upset by the lower seed, I think that’s also a fireable offense for both of them.

Unless something completely crazy happens. Like I’m talking season-ending injuries to Cale Makar and MacKinnon, I can’t find a reason that would excuse another first-round loss. Potentially even a second-round loss (if it’s to Dallas again).

Question from Rudy Volz

Who is the best Joe Pavelski puck deflector on the Avs that can help point shooters?

Aarif’s Response

It’s either Landeskog or Nichushkin. Having both of them fully healthy at the same time again will be fun.

I didn’t love Landeskog playing in different spots on the PP after his return in the postseason, but Ray Bennett is gone, so I imagine that’ll somewhat change.

Question from Jeffrey Anderson

Who do you have on your bingo card for 3C, assuming it’s not Drury? I think he needs time at 4C to develop his game.

Aarif’s Response

I’ve talking about choices like J.T. Compher (with salary retained) in the past. But I honestly have no idea what they do here anymore. I can see so many different scenarios play out.

What if during training camp, another team has a young center earn a roster spot and it makes a veteran expendable? Avs could probably trade for whoever that guy is.

What if Avs decide to let Jack Drury start the season at 3C to see what they have? And what if it doesn’t go as well as you’d want? Then you’re back to scouring the trade market for someone else.

What if the security blanket is Ross Colton, and putting him back at center if Drury doesn’t do well there? I don’t love that idea, but that could be a possibility.

In the end, I think they’ll have a different 3C after the trade deadline, I just don’t know when they’ll get that guy.

But I also really don’t want to rule out the idea of Drury developing into that role. It’s not the sexy option, but it’s still very possible. Drury is 25 and entering only his third full NHL season. How he plays this year will probably say a lot about how the rest of his career will look.

Question from Jeffrey Anderson

The Avs also need a LD, or two of them, if they trade Samuel Girard. Who’s a good fit and available? I know Mario Ferraro may be.

Aarif’s Response

Ferraro is a reasonable option.

I honestly wouldn’t mind Matt Grzelcyk on the third pair. But only if you’re trading Girard for someone else to beef up the left side on one of the pairs. Grzelcyk is also a UFA, so you wouldn’t have to give up assets to get him.

If they trade Girard, I’d love to see them acquire a solid No. 3 option. I’ve written about it before, but I always loved how the prime Chicago Blackhawks had Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook, and Nik Hjalmarsson as their three-headed monster on defense. And then there would be a drop-off for the remaining three guys.

Ivan Provorov could’ve been a UFA target, but he was way overpaid by Columbus. K’Andre Miller as a trade target would’ve made sense. Perhaps Bowen Byram could still be an option, albeit he’s not the big, beefy defenseman that would fit the bill.

What about one of Seattle’s towering blue liners? They have Vince Dunn, Jamie Oleksiak, and Ryan Lindgren all on the left side. Maybe they’ll make Oleksiak available.

An off-the-radar type of guy for me would also be Alex Vlasic from Chicago. But I can’t think of any reason why they’d trade him. I would like to see them find a way to bring in someone younger like that, though.

Question from Karl Keen

You posted on the Avs’ Nordiques jersey rumor. But given it is an anniversary season, any inkling that the Avs would just update their home and road jerseys, including altering the logo a bit? I feel like the jerseys are pretty outdated at this point in time.

Aarif’s Response

I don’t think that’s happening. The logo might be outdated to some but it’s a classic for this franchise. The Avs have rarely altered their jersey designs in general since 1995-96, let alone the logo. When Adidas took over in 2017, they pretty much went back to the same design before Reebok in 2007.

I’m not entirely sure why they defaulted to the ‘unipron’ that Reebok offered, but I’m glad those days are long gone.

Anyway, I just can’t see them changing the logo anytime soon.

The post Avalanche Mailbag 2.0: Avalanche’s 30th Anniversary, Pressure on Bednar and MacFarland, Trading for Zacha, & More appeared first on Colorado Hockey Now.

All that and more on this edition of Deen’s Daily — July 21.

Colorado Hockey Now

Jared Bednar is again not going to represent Team Canada at the upcoming best-on-best 2026 Winter Olympics. It’s a head scratcher of a decision for me, and it makes me wonder what Bednar needs to do to get on Hockey Canada’s radar.

Canada is rolling with the same staff as what they had at 4 Nations, which includes a now fired Pete DeBoer.

READ MORE: Bednar Snubbed: Team Canada Names Olympic Assistant Coaches

Here’s a quick reminder to check out my story on Mackenzie Blackwood’s contract, and how it compares to literally every single standard goalie contract signed since then. I put a lot of work into this one, so I hope you get a chance to read it!

Promo code Deen10 gets you 25% off an annual subscription to CHN+ content. Also, a subscription also eliminates ALL of those advertisements you see on the website right now. It makes the experience that much better. Not bad for a few dollars a month if you ask me.

READ MORE: How Does Mackenzie Blackwood’s Contract Stack Up Against the Goalie Deals That Followed? (+)

Around The NHL

San Jose Hockey Now: Shane Bowers was a big piece of the whopper Matt Duchene three-way trade almost eight years ago (can you believe it’s been that long?) The now 25-year-old was recently dealt to the San Jos Sharks, where he’s hoping to get a better NHL opportunity.

Detroit Hockey Now: Once a highly touted NHL coach, Gerard Gallant is on his way to the KHL for a head coaching job, and he’s adding another former Red Wing to his staff.

Pittsburgh Hockey Now: One Timers: Karlsson Trade Talk and Parallel; the Race for Sid

Philly Hockey Now: The No. 6 overall draft pick in June has reportedly made his decision on where he’ll play next.

New Jersey Hockey Now: There are some pretty notable right-shot defensemen available on the trade market. And one of them, in New Jersey, will likely attract a lot more attention once the others are moved.

The post Deen’s Daily: Bednar Won’t Be on Team Canada’s Olympics Staff; Former Avs Forward Hopes for Opportunity in San Jose appeared first on Colorado Hockey Now.

Cooper will be joined behind the bench by Bruce Cassidy, Pete DeBoer, Rick Tocchet, and Misha Donskov.

Once again, Jared Bednar will not represent Team Canada.

My Thoughts: I understand not wanting to change too much from a staff that led a team to a championship, but I do think that sometimes keeping things the same could lead to failure. Canada narrowly escaped the championship game with a win thanks to an OT goal from Connor McDavid. Had they lost that game, they would’ve ended the tournament with two losses against Team USA.

Cooper still makes sense as head coach, and that was already set in stone. But Pete DeBoer was recently fired from his post as Dallas Stars head coach, Misha Donskov — his assistant in Dallas — joined Hockey Canada as a full-time national team coach and the vice president of hockey operations. Rick Tocchet also changed jobs, leaving Vancouver to be the head coach in Philadelphia.

I understand Donskov’s new position with Hockey Canada, but I struggle with DeBoer keeping that position ahead of Bednar. Three of Team Canada’s most important skaters are Avalanche players. Nathan MacKinnon, who won the 4 Nations MVP, and the top blueline pair of Cale Makar and Devon Toews, are all familiar with Bednar. There’s also an opportunity for Mackenzie Blackwood to be a fourth Av on the roster.

Given the familiarity Cooper has with several Lightning skaters on the team, and Cassidy with Golden Knights like Mark Stone, Shea Theodore, Adin Hill, and now Mitch Marner, it would only make sense to have the Avs’ bench boss, who is also the second-longest tenured NHL coach with one team, on the staff as well.

Assistant coaches aren’t going to make or break a team and I’m fully aware of that. But not having Bednar there is a head scratcher. Even if he’s lost to DeBoer in each of the last two postseasons.

The post Bednar Snubbed: Team Canada Names Olympics Assistant Coaches appeared first on Colorado Hockey Now.

The 56-year-old will handle power play duties for the Avs, replacing the recently fired Ray Bennett.

Hakstol spent three years as the head coach of the Seattle Kraken from 2021-2024. He defeated Bednar and the Avalanche in seven games in the first round in 2023 but was let go a year later. Last season was his first in a decade without an NHL job.

Before joining the expansion Kraken, Hakstol spent two years behind the Toronto Maple Leafs bench as an assistant to both Mike Babcock and Sheldon Keefe. In Toronto, he was in charge of the team’s power play. In 2019-20, the Leafs had the sixth-best power play in the league, operating at a 23.7% success rate. The following season, Hakstol’s Leafs scored on 20% of their power plays.

Throughout his time with the Kraken, the power play was not as strong, granted he didn’t have the talent he had with Toronto or what he’ll be leading in Colorado.

Hakstol also spent four years as head coach of the Philadelphia Flyers before being fired during the 2018-19 season.

I wasn’t sure if the Avs were going to land a big name for this job given how much more it might cost for an experienced coach. The terms of Hakstol’s deal were not disclosed, but I imagine it was worth more than a lesser experienced coach would’ve demanded.

Bednar’s staff has been mostly consistent in his nearly 10 years in Colorado. Especially when it comes to his assistants. I am very much intrigued by the idea that an assistant with head-coaching experience is joining his staff.

We’ve seen this before time and time again with other organizations but never with the Avs. It adds an extra element of experience and another voice to a room that has had the same leader throughout this entire era.

Colorado still needs to hire a skills coach to replace the recently departed Toby Petersen.

Read More: Avalanche’s Skills Coach Departs for Stars AHL Job

The post Avalanche Hire Dave Hakstol as Assistant Coach appeared first on Colorado Hockey Now.

The Dallas Stars’ AHL coach, Neil Graham, might be looking for an opportunity if he’s not elevated to the Stars’ NHL bench. Here’s the full transcript of Friedman’s thoughts on the matter.

He also touches on two other candidates Colorado had on their list before they landed gigs elsewhere.

“As for Neil Graham, (The Stars) have decisions to make. What do they want to do, What does he want to do,” Friedman said on Sportsnet 590’s The Fan Hockey Show. “I’ll tell you one thing, Colorado has an open job on the bench to run the power play. I heard Gulutzan was on their radar. I heard Steve Spott was on the radar but took the opportunity in Boston. I can see a team like Colorado asking for permission (for Graham).”

Bennet was let go following Colorado’s Game 7 loss to Dallas almost two months ago after running a poor power play in the postseason. Since then, we’ve seen several head coaches and assistant coach hires around the league, but nothing yet for the Avs.

Read More: Avalanche UFA Board: Finding the Right Fits on July 1 — Defense Options Available

In fact, the organization also lost two other coaches — both in the AHL — as Dan Hinote and Aaron Schneekloth landed assistant coach jobs in the NHL with the Tampa Bay Lightning and Seattle Kraken, respectively.

“We have got a lot of great candidates, and that process is ongoing,” MacFarland said of the AHL openings. “Similar here with our assistant coach position. I don’t know exactly the timeline, but I would like it to be sooner, rather than later, that we get those three positions filled.”

Friedman’s blip about the Avs’ coaching search is the first time we’ve heard any sort of rumors or reports about the job.

Read More: Chris MacFarland Ahead of Free Agency: ‘We’ll Look At Every Avenue’ to Improve Roster

Gulutzan has spent the last seven years as an assistant coach in Edmonton and ran the Oilers’ lethal power play. He’s expected to land the head coaching job in Dallas in the coming days.

And Spott, who recently was hired by Marco Sturm in Boston, was the Stars’ former power play coach as an assistant to Pete DeBoer.

There’s no saying how this will end up. When the Gulutzan hire becomes official, the Stars could easily elevate Graham to his staff and have him run the Dallas power play. But I’m sure Gulutzan would have to also be on board for that.

If not, Colorado could be an ideal landing spot for the 40-year-old Graham, who has had a good run in the AHL as a bench boss.

The post Report: Avalanche’s Assistant Coach Hunt May Lead to Dallas’ AHL Bench appeared first on Colorado Hockey Now.

He recorded a hat trick for the second consecutive game and broke an NHL record by factoring in on 12 consecutive goals for his team — a streak that is still active and could be extended in Game 2. Rantanen, as of right now, is the early (very early) favorite for the Conn Smythe Trophy.

I just thought it was fascinating to see him continue to build on what he did in Games 5-7 against the Avs while this was already scheduled to be posted. I can’t imagine Chris MacFarland is having fun watching this. I truly do wonder what’s going through Nathan MacKinnon’s head every time he sees his guy score goals at this epic pace.

Anyway, let’s get to what I had written before the game.

Understandably so, several of the mailbag questions were about Rantanen and his role in the Avalanche’s first-round elimination.

The Avs are probably going to see a lot of Rantanen in the postseason over the next eight years. I don’t think we’ll rehash the trade every single time, but given how Rantanen was dealt to Carolina and eliminated the Avs 99 days later with Dallas, I could see why many are still asking about him.

In the second edition of the post-playoff mailbag, I’m answering all questions related to Rantanen and the year that was for the superstar and his saga with the Avalanche.

Read More: Avalanche Mailbag 1.0: Coaching, Management, & What Went Wrong in the Playoffs?

Question from George

Why do you think the Avs chose to blindside Mikko and not tell him first that they would trade him?

Aarif’s Response

I think the easiest way to answer this is to look at how he performed in Carolina. If Rantanen knew the Avs were trying to trade him, it probably would’ve affected his on-ice performance before a deal was made. Granted, he only had four assists in the six-game homestand right before he was dealt, so he wasn’t playing all that great anyway.

More importantly, it would’ve angered his agent and probably led to public comments that would’ve made any trade hard to get to the finish line. Especially for the assets Colorado received. Rantanen didn’t want to leave and if he knew this was coming before it did, his agent would’ve backed him and publicly scolded the Avs for not negotiating. It would’ve been a mess.

Still, I  just don’t think it was the right move. There are layers to this and it’s why I wrote what I wrote last weekend about Chris MacFarland’s job. Trading Rantanen is a decision. There are reasons why it was made. And I get that. I agreed with it at the time and still understand why they felt they needed to do it. Even if I don’t entirely agree anymore.

But dealing him and making it a surprise blew up in the Avs’ face. Joe Sakic said on Tuesday that he and MacFarland found out that Rantanen wasn’t going to sign in Carolina the same time as all of us. That, too, is a problem.

I know they traded him in January because Carolina was contemplating dealing Martin Necas to Vancouver in a separate deal, and the Avs didn’t want to lose out on that player. But, if you’re not going to sign Rantanen, and you’re not going to work with him to pick a team in the East and sign there longterm, then you should’ve at least traded him much closer to the deadline — even if it were a surprise — so he doesn’t end up in Dallas in the same season.

Call it hindsight if you want. But they should’ve planned for these scenarios. If not, it just means they didn’t value Rantanen as the level of superstar that deserves the respect to have these scenarios planned for.

And by all accounts, that seems to be the case. I don’t believe that they only traded him because he’s a third superstar they can’t afford. I think they’re banking on him not being worth his new contract. Which might be the case in a few years (if at all). But that’s still an epic failure of a mindset to have in the prime of his career when you’re trying to win another Stanley Cup. It’s win now, isn’t it?

Question from Steve

Could MacFarland really have put a stipulation in the Rantanen trade that Carolina couldn’t trade Rantanen to a Western Conference team? I see that mentioned a lot, but was that truly an option?

Aarif’s Response

I don’t believe that’s something he could’ve done. But like I said, the best solution to this would’ve been trading him closer to March 7, to not give the second team much time to deal him again. It took Carolina about two-ish weeks before they realized that Rantanen wasn’t working there and wasn’t going to sign.

If the Avs traded him closer to deadline day, he would’ve at least been there for this postseason, which means you’re not facing him for at least this season with the Dallas Stars.

Could Rantanen have just walked on July 1 and signed with Dallas then? Yes. But it still eliminates him from this year’s first round, which would’ve given the Avs a much better shot at getting to the second round and beyond.

Question from Jeffrey Anderson

Did Mikko’s agent get too greedy and play hardball with CMac for Leon Draisaitl money? Did CMac not want to pay Mikko because of cap space, and he was our third-best superstar and he also wanted to get a return for him before Mikko left as a free agent? Maybe nobody knows what really happened?

Aarif’s Response

This is all pretty much confirmed at this point. Sakic said he knows where they were and where the agent was in negotiations at the time of the trade. MacFarland has been clear about needing to pay Cale Makar and having depth rather than paying three superstars.

But it doesn’t change the fact that the difference in their negotiations could’ve been made up over time. The agent is difficult and proved this in the 2019 negotiation. But you’re not signing the agent, you’re signing the player. You work through this stuff.

I know Nathan MacKinnon signed a full season out. So did Cale Makar. But it doesn’t always work that way.

Gabe Landeskog waited until literally the last minute before free agency before signing. Nobody ever calls him selfish for waiting until the end to get way more money than the Avs probably wanted to offer. Why is Rantanen any different for taking the same approach?

Historically, superstar players, if they’re not getting the offer they want, don’t sign in October or January. They sign closer to the trade deadline or July 1 as the two sides work on closing the gap. Especially when the player wants to stay and the team wants him to stay. But, hey, maybe they didn’t want him.

It also rubs me the wrong way that Rantanen walked into MacFarland’s office two days before the trade and told the GM that he wanted to stay and was flexible. And then he was traded 48 hours later.

Before Rantanen ever publicly shared that story, it was reported by Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos. People knew about this before Rantanen spoke to the media. So we can’t necessarily say Rantanen made it up.

Anyway, it’s all in the past. I don’t think the Avs are out of their Stanley Cup window by any means. They can win another Cup and probably beat Rantanen’s Dallas Stars on the way to it.

Question from Christopher

If you had been MacFarland, how much money would you have given to Rantanen?

Aarif’s Response

Eight years, $96 million. That was what I predicted he’d get back in 2023 when MacKinnon’s deal kicked in. That was what I still felt he’d end up with last fall after Draisaitl’s deal. And that was what he signed for in Dallas.

I know a lot happened for him and his agent to accept that number with the Stars. And the no-tax thing certainly helps. But I still believe they would’ve closed the gap in negotiations closer to the trade deadline or in June. The front office didn’t give this enough time to play out. Negotiations like this aren’t supposed to be easy.

No matter how hard a bargain the agent was driving, Rantanen didn’t want to leave. He would’ve stepped in and made sure that didn’t happen. The Avs didn’t give him a chance to get to that point, which means they didn’t value him enough to keep chugging along until that point.

The post Avalanche Mailbag 2.0: Revisiting the Mikko Rantanen Saga appeared first on Colorado Hockey Now.

I’ve decided to separate the questions into segments because there are just way too many to fit into one story.

On the first edition of the post-playoffs mailbag, I’m covering everything about Jared Bednar’s job, Chris MacFarland’s moves, and what went wrong in the series against the Dallas Stars.

Enjoy!

Questions from Trey and Steeve

Trey: For the last several years, the Avs continue to play a 55-minute game. Problem – Coaching.
In the last 8 years, the special team has been the same, they aren’t fooling anyone. Problem – Coaching.
In the past several seasons, players continue to stop moving and watch the puck. Problem – Coaching.
When you can only play one way and have no ability to adapt. Problem – Coaching.
All problems with this team point to coaching. Why is Bednar being retained?

Steve: Why would you decide to give Bednar another chance? Would you trust that things might be different next time?

Aarif’s Response

I understand the many, many reasons why people are calling for Jared Bednar to get fired. But I still don’t think it’s the right move. When you have a coach who can carry a half-completed roster to high seeds year in and year out, he’s a guy worth keeping around. Over the past two seasons, management has given Bednar scraps to work with until the trade deadline and he’s still made it work while always finishing closer to the top of the standings than the wildcard.

I know having Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar, and Mikko Rantanen helped in each of the last two regular seasons, but we can’t have it both ways. We can’t credit the superstars when the team plays well but go after the coach when Rantanen is traded away and Makar struggles to produce.

Teams that win as much as the Avs have don’t fire coaches like Bednar. Chicago stuck it out with Joel Quenneville in their golden era and it paid off with three Stanley Cups. The Pittsburgh Penguins kept Mike Sullivan around until it was time to rebuild. The Tampa Bay Lightning are riding with Jon Cooper for at least another year.

Since 2018-19, the Avalanche have 50 playoff wins. The only team with more is Tampa Bay at 52. And since then, Colorado leads the league in regular season wins.

At some point a team needs a new voice. I just don’t believe that time is now.

Question from Stetcher

Why has the media always tried to protect Bednar despite the fact that he had been demonstrating for a few years that he was no longer the solution?

Aarif’s Response

The simple answer is, he’s a great coach.

Question from Tony

Tony: Do you think that the Avalanche firing assistant coach Ray Bennett is really going to change things on the power play?

Aarif’s Response

I do think it’ll change things, yes. Honestly, I’m surprised it took this long for any kind of change to be made to Bednar’s staff. Not because Nolan Pratt or Bennett are bad coaches, but because changing an assistant coach is a simple move that can go a long way.

I’m not entirely sure who the Avs go after just yet but the loss of Rantanen means the power play is going to have a different look anyway. May as well get a fresh voice in there to help create new magic.

Questions from Zach Moody, Jeffrey Anderson, and Chris Duncan

Zach: How does Chris MacFarland keep his job when he hasn’t been able to secure a sustainable future for the franchise? Besides the acquisitions of the goalies this season, MacFarland has traded away every valuable asset for pure rentals the past two seasons. The pieces received for Bowen Byram, the 4th overall pick from 2019, have essentially disappeared. They have 33-year-old Charlie Coyle as a result and lost a second-round pick and Will Zellers in the process. Trading away a first-round pick for the rental of Sean Walker and getting rid of that terrible Ryan Johansen gamble. Trading away Calum Ritchie with a 2026 first-round pick for rental Brock Nelson, trading away 2025 second-round pick in the Lindgren trade too.

Chris: Byram for Mittelstadt, Moose for Necas, Mittelstadt for Coyle, Johansen and a first for Sean Walker, and Ritchie and a first for Nelson. Outside of Blackwood it feels like MacFarland lost most of the trades he made. Outside of Nikolai Kovalenko, who was used to acquire Blackwood, it feels like they haven’t found a contributor in the farm system in years. Feels like these issues compound each other. I don’t think there’s an easy solution but I feel confident in saying MacFarland won’t find a solution if there is one to be found. Is it time for him to go?

Jeffrey: Why are Joe Sakic and the Kroenke’s going to allow Chris MacFarland to be GM going forward?

Aarif’s Response

Chris MacFarland is a smart hockey mind and was a big part of what the Avs built in 2022. I’m not going to take any of that away from him. He was also the one that recommended Bednar for the coaching position when Patrick Roy suddenly quit. But I also agree that the moves since 2022 haven’t worked out — and that aligns with the time he became the day-to-day guy as the GM.

I wrote what I wrote last week because the Rantanen saga was the cherry on top of some already questionable moves. To me, MacFarland is developing a bit of a reputation of constantly putting out fires he created.

The Byram trade tree is an epic failure. Why was Coyle acquired without salary retention? How do you commit to a third-line center at $5.25 million when you already have MacKinnon at $12.6 million and no 2C? Are you planning on playing Coyle at 2C?

The moves he made around the deadline this year mortgaged quite a bit of assets. I knew back then that he was overpaying while fixing mistakes he created in the past. But it doesn’t change the fact that he built an excellent roster. It was easy to put these thoughts on hold for a long playoff run. Unfortunately, that roster only won three playoff games. Now we’re back to square one.

It’s all very strange, and it’s why I felt the team needed a change. Hopefully he’s learned from his past mistakes. He’s got what it takes to build a roster but the desperation moves over the past two deadlines were way too much.

But no excuses now. You have clarity on both Gabe Landeskog and Valeri Nichushkin. You have your goaltending solved. Build your roster in the oddseason and give Bednar the group he’s going to have through the season and into the playoffs. Maybe that way the Avs can win the division and not get stuck in the 2v3 matchup like the last two years.

MacFarland should’ve been let go. I stand by that. But it doesn’t mean he can’t fix this. I’m excited to see what he pulls off over the next four months or so. But all I know is, other contenders usually use the deadline to find additional help. The Avs, these last two years, have been using the deadline to fill positions that should’ve been filled in the summer.

Question from Derek S.

Do you think MacFarland regrets the trades made over the last two years?

Aarif’s Response

Yes. The Byram trade, the Ryan Johnasen failure, the Nelson deal, and many more.

Question from Chris

How much of this can be traced back to not re-signing Nazem Kadri? Feels like we’ve gutted the organization trying to fill that 2C spot.

Aarif’s Response

Pretty much all of it. Not signing Kadri was a massive mistake and it’s why I’m not a fan of the direction MacFarland has chosen to go since then. I’ve defended him quite a bit over the years because I do think he’s done a lot of great things.

But losing Kadri led to the Johansen experiment, which led to the loss of a first-round pick, then the loss of Byram for Casey Mittelstadt, then Mittelstadt, a second-round pick, and Will Zellers for Coyle.

It would’ve been tight to sign Kadri in the summer of 2022, but that would’ve only been tight for one year and then you have your reliable 2C locked up for a reasonable cap hit without losing all those assets in an attempt to replace him. I still stand by the thought that they should’ve signed him and dealt J.T. Compher to make space. But it’s all in the past now.

Oh, by the way, it would’ve been the same with Rantanen. The cap situation is tight right now and would’ve been tighter if Rantanen hypothetically signed the same deal here as he did in Dallas. But it would’ve only been tight for one year before the cap starts to make meteoric rises. Then you have your superstar winger locked up in his prime and can build around him.

Question from Blake Martinez

What was MacFarland’s worst decision and Bednar’s worst decision since they were in office.

Aarif’s Response

MacFarland: The Byram trade. Mittelstadt wasn’t the guy to offload Byram for. With MacKinnon at 1C, the Avs always were better when someone like Ryan O’Reilly or Kadri played 2C — guys that play a strong two-way game, win faceoffs, and kill penalties. Mittelstadt isn’t that.

About a month before that trade, I went on a podcast with the guys at Guerilla Sports and said the Avs should find a way to use Byram as a the main piece to pry Joel Eriksson Ek out of Minnesota. That would’ve been a much better fit. (And yes I know, it takes two to tango and there are no guarantees that the Wild would’ve wanted to move him).

Bednar: I think overplaying Alexandar Georgiev in the regular season each of the past two seasons wasn’t great. But then again, it goes back to roster build and the lack of a true backup goalie.

Questions from QuaidHowser and avsfan1701

QuaidHowser: Do you think the Avs front office will ever understand that come playoff-time it’s better to have at least two or three big bruiser-type physical defenseman on their blueline as opposed to small, finesse guys like Samuel Girard & Sam Malinski who are easily worked by opposing forecheckers?

avsfan1701: How should they address the second and third defense lines? They seemed to be more ineffective and prone to errors during the postseason?

Aarif’s Response

I do think this is something that needs to be rectified this offseason. Girard is a wonderful player but I do think it’s time for him to move on. With Cale Makar and Devon Toews on the top pair, you need a bigger body playing the role of your No. 3 defenseman eating up big minutes.

It helps in the regular season and even more in the playoffs. I’m not sure who they could get, or what the market is for someone like Girard, but I do think it’s something they should look into. That way you have your top pair, and you have sam Malinski on the third pair. The other three defensemen should all be bigger bruisers (like Josh Manson, if he’s not dealt).

Question from Jenny

If we only look at the Avalanche team and not the opponent, who are the culprits of the elimination (forwards, defensemen, goaltender, coach, GM) and why?

Aarif’s Response

I love this question. That series was truly a game of inches and I think there’s plenty of blame to go around on Colorado’s side without even digging into the other team’s coaching or individual performances.

For me, the lack of adjustments on the power play rubbed me the wrong way. They should’ve elevated Valeri Nichushkin to the top unit. And him and Landeskog should’ve been parked in front of the net. It was stagnant and changes weren’t being made quick enough.

I thought Blackwood was great to start the series but a touch leaky in the later stages. But I’m not placing any blame on him. Jake Oettinger outplayed him but not by much.

Question from Michael

Since taking office, do you think MacFarland has done a good job and why?

Aarif’s Response

Let’s take a look at some of the successful moves he’s made.

He did a great job getting value for Alex Newhook. He basically turned him into Ross Colton and Mikhail Gulyeyev — a late first-round pick in 2023. If the Avs trade Colton this summer, I’m curious to see what they get for him too.

Also, the goaltending moves were excellent. Scott Wedgewood was a perfect addition for his role and they got him at a very low cost. And Blackwood for basically Kovalenko and a second-round pick? Sign me up. That’s a steal. I also like the Jonathan Drouin experiment and how that’s played out. I know he struggled in the postseason but he was a great help over the last two Landeskog-less seasons.

With that being said … Far too many misses offset the good he’s done. Many of which I’ve referenced in some of my responses above.

The post Avalanche Mailbag 1.0: Coaching, Management, & What Went Wrong in the Playoffs? appeared first on Colorado Hockey Now.

All that and more on this edition of Deen’s Daily — May 7.

Colorado Hockey Now

Chris MacFarland and Joe Sakic met with media on Tuesday to discuss the early playoff exit and the plan moving forward. Assistant coach Ray Bennett was let go, MacFarland announced before courting questions from media. Bennett has been an assistant for Jared Bednar since 2017 and ran the power play. Sakic made it clear that a new PP voice was needed after how things unfolded in the series against the Dallas Stars.

As for Bednar, he’s got full confidence from the front office. MacFarland will also remain at the helm as general manager. Given some of the comments on this website recently, I could see that many readers aren’t happy with my editorial about MacFarland’s job. And that’s fine. I presented an argument and stated why I think he should’ve been let go. You don’t need to agree with it, but please, be respectful. I love seeing passionate discussions in the comments, as long as they don’t cross a line with each other or with myself (or Colleen Flynn).

I’m not one to write hot takes just to get clicks and have never been that. In fact, many commenters throughout the season have been asking me to challenge the front office and head coach a bit more about their decisions. And here we are now … The first time I challenged something, I’m being told by some that they’re canceling their subscriptions and name-calling me on the way out. It is what it is.

I hope most of you stick around. MacFarland respectfully answered my questions today while knowing what I had written. He was fine with it. It doesn’t need to be an attack fest from Avs fans for questioning a massive decision the organization made in January.

It’s going to be a fun offseason for the Avs. They have some cap space, and they have certainty with Gabe Landeskog and Valeri Nichushkin. I’m excited to see what they choose to do.

Read More: 5 Takeaways: Sakic, MacFarland Discuss Disappointing End To Season

Stanley Cup Playoff Recap

Game 1 — Toronto Maple Leafs vs Florida Panthers: I didn’t write a daily yesterday so I haven’t had a chance to recap this just yet. The Maple Leafs looked impressive coming out of the gate and did a good job of fighting back when Florida began to press. The Anthony Stolarz injury is unfortunate, as is the lack of discipline from the league for Sam Bennett. But, right now, it looks like Toronto isn’t going to go down easily to Florida like they did in 2023.

Game 1 — Washington Capitals vs Carolina Hurricanes: That was an insanely Hurricanes-y Game 1. Like, boring. Anyway, the Caps got out to a first-period 1-0 lead and held that until midway through the first period. Logan Stankoven tied it at 1-1 for the Canes before Jaccob Slavin scored early in overtime to steal Game 1 on the road.

Game 1 — Vegas Golden Knights vs Edmonton Oilers: The last two teams to represent the Western Conference in the Stanley Cup Final opened their second series in three seasons with one heck of an entertaining battle. Vegas scored twice early but Edmonton, as it so often does, was carried by Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl to tie the game up at 2-2 by the time the third period was a minute old. In the end, the depth stepped up with two late third-period goals to give the Oilers a solid come-from-behind 4-2 victory on the road.

Tonight’s Schedule

• Game 2: Florida Panthers at Toronto Maple Leafs (5 pm MT on ESPN)
• Game 1: Dallas Stars at Winnipeg Jets (7:30 pm MT on ESPN)

Around The NHL

Pittsburgh Hockey Now: The Pens will pick 11th in the upcoming NHL Entry Draft. Here are some names they can consider selecting in that spot.

Montreal Hockey Now: The Islanders are looking for a new GM, and someone in the Habs organization is on their list.

Philly Hockey Now: The Flyers are picking sixth in the draft. Is there a chance they could move up?

NYI Hockey Now: The Islanders won the draft lottery on Monday! Suddenly, their GM job has become all the more enticing. And one of the names they should look into is Marc Bergevin.

San Jose Hockey Now: Is it time to name Macklin Celebrini captain?

Florida Hockey Now: Bennett said he wasn’t trying to hurt Stolarz, who was a beloved teammate of his last year.

Ottawa Hockey Now: For once, the Sens weren’t part of the draft lottery. Should they keep their first-round pick?

The post Deen’s Daily: Avs Fire Assistant Coach; Second Round in Full Swing — Road Teams Step Up appeared first on Colorado Hockey Now.