Colorado Avalanche: 3 Players we Can't Lose to World Cup Injury
Nov 19, 2015; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (29) skates with the puck as of Pittsburgh Penguins center Nick Bonino (13) chases during the first period at the CONSOL Energy Center. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
The Colorado Avalanche have six players representing at the World Cup of Hockey. If any of them got injured, it would be a disaster for the team.
Six Colorado Avalanche players are representing their countries for the World Cup of Hockey, which runs from September 17 to October 1.
As I noted in a previous post, the schedule means all six of the players will miss all of training camp. It’s highly likely half of those players could miss the Burgundy and White game as well as the first three preseason games as well.
I also noted in that post that players could succumb to injury during these exhibition games. An injury would not only eliminate their preseason training altogether, it could cut into the regular season as well.
This would be disastrous for the Colorado Avalanche. The team is not deep. The six players representing during the World Cup are the cream of the Avs crop. It’s not like the organizers had to make tough decisions about players when looking at the Colorado roster — all the best ones are playing.
And if one of them got injured, it would put the Avalanche in a real bind. Some players, though, would be harder to lose than others. Let’s look at three Colorado Avalanche the team absolutely cannot afford to lose to World Cup injury.
Sep 7, 2016; Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Team North America forward Nathan MacKinnon (29) plays the puck during practice for the World Cup of Hockey at the Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports
Nathan MacKinnon
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Center Nathan MacKinnon just signed a juicy contract with the Colorado Avalanche that will see him eventually break the Matt Duchene salary ceiling. That means he’s expected to become the team’s best player one day.
That hasn’t been the case thus far. After winning the Calder Trophy for rookie of the year during the golden 2013-14 season, MacKinnon has been inconsistent. He failed to match his 63-point rookie season, earning 38 points the following year and bouncing back to 52 points last year.
MacKinnon was also unable to finish out either season. He suffered a broken foot in 2015 and a knee injury in 2016.
This has got to be MacKinnon’s year. He’s got to show why he was chosen first-overall. He’s got to prove he’s worth the highest salary on the team. He’s got to start taking a leadership role with the Colorado Avalanche.
MacKinnon can’t do that if he’s sidelined with an injury, especially one that drags into the regular season.
Gabriel Landeskog
Mar 20, 2015; Anaheim, CA, USA; Colorado Avalanche left wing Gabriel Landeskog (92) warms-up before the game against the Anaheim Ducks at Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports
Left wing Gabriel Landeskog has consistently been the second-best scorer on the Colorado Avalanche. That’s not why the team can ill-afford to lose him, though. It’s because he’s the captain.
The changes the team have made in the front offices have been well-documented. A new coach is coming in. What’s more, the team has received its yearly infusion of new hires — namely Patrick Wiercioch, Fedor Tyutin and Joe Colborne.
The team needs its leader. Yes, the aging Jarome Iginla will be in place, as will feisty grinder Cody McLeod. And, no, you don’t need to wear a letter to be a leader. However, the other main team leaders are also participating in the World Cup.
Additionally, the forward corps is especially thin for the Colorado Avalanche. It consists of a top three backed by a bottom nine — and Landeskog is one of those top three. He has to be available for the start of the season.
Apr 5, 2016; Nashville, TN, USA; Colorado Avalanche goalie Semyon Varlamov (1) makes a save during the third period against the Nashville Predators at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
Semyon Varlomov
As thin as the forward corps is, it’s a deep well compared to the goalie situation. The Colorado Avalanche have Semyon Varlamov backed up by Calvin Pickard and then… *crickets chirp.
Besides those two, the team has four goalies in the system — Spencer Martin, Maximilian Pajpach, Jeremy Smith and the newly-drafted Adam Werner. Can you imagine starting the season with Pickard in net backed up by one of those guys?
Of all the Colorado Avalanche players participating in the World Cup, Varlamov is the most susceptible to injury. He’s got that wonky groin that seems to give out every season. It’s part of the reason the Washington Capitals traded him to Colorado in the first place.
Hopefully Team Russia loses out early and Varlamov can get back to the team. Granted his groin could still give out, but at least it would be in the name of the Avalanche.
Apr 5, 2016; Nashville, TN, USA; Colorado Avalanche center Matt Duchene (9) skates with the puck while defended by Nashville Predators defenseman Ryan Ellis (4) during the second period at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
Other Three Players
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Dear hockey gods, I am not suggesting it would be ok for the Colorado Avalanche if one of the other three players got injured. I am most certainly not suggesting Matt Duchene, Erik Johnson or Carl Soderberg is expendable.
However, their loss would be minutely less painful than the above three players.
Soderberg is ostensibly a top-six forward. Last year he had a career season with 51 points. However, he’s a natural center — as are Duchene and MacKinnon. So’s Joe Colborne, Mikhail Grigorenko and John Mitchell. Colorado could make do.
Johnson would be a huge loss since he’s Colorado’s cornerstone defenseman. However, GM Joe Sakic made good on his promise to bolster the defensive corps in picking up Patrick Wiercioch and Fedor Tyutin. What’s more, Nikita Zadorov and/or Chris Bigras and/or Eric Gelinas might be ready to step up — especially under the tutelage of Francois Beauchemin.
Duchene would be a disaster. However… I don’t think Matt is going to have a career year. He played the tiniest of roles — and it wasn’t his fault — in one of his boyhood idols leaving the team. Dutchy is ever a mental player, and that’s sure to weigh on him. I just don’t think he’s going to do super-well under the new coach.
I repeat what I started this section with — the Colorado Avalanche can’t afford to lose any of the World Cup players. We have to hope they all come back to the team of sound body.