Colorado Avalanche Rebuild: Building the New Core

The Colorado Avalanche are in for a big rebuild this offseason, and a new core will emerge when next season begins.

There is really nothing enjoyable about watching the Colorado Avalanche this season. However, it is fun to speculate on what the new core may look like next season.

On a side note, my co-editor, Nadia Archuleta, has been the one writing all of these rebuild posts, but I figured I’d take a stab at one.

Here’s a list of the rebuild posts up to this point:

The current core — generally thought to consist of Erik Johnson, Nathan MacKinnon, Matt Duchene, Gabe Landeskog, Semyon Varlamov, and Tyson Barrie — just isn’t getting the job done.

Which is why Matt Duchene and Gabe Landeskog are the subject of some heavy rumors currently. Meanwhile, a new core is currently being constructed.

The new core will at least feature Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen, but there are some other names that may find their way into the mix.

Let’s take a look at how that core may look next season, and some potential options that may be a part of this team sooner rather than later.

Calvin Pickard

There is no other goalie I would rather see start for this team next season than Calvin Pickard. Okay, maybe I would be alright with Matt Murray, but that’s never going to happen so let’s put that to bed.

Anyway, Picks has earned his opportunity at the No. 1 job. And, he deserves to play behind a defense that is much more effective than the one he is playing behind this season.

Did anybody else watch that Anaheim Ducks game when Pickard stopped 22 shots in the first period alone? Or how about this play when the Avs played the New York Islanders?

The play I am referencing takes place at the 3:45 mark of the recap video. Find a time when Varly would ever make a pass like that — you can’t.

Varly is the worst puck-handling goalie in the entire NHL, that is a fact. Pickard, on the other hand, makes plays like that because he has some serious swagger. Maybe he’s not as talented as Varly, but he certainly plays harder than Varly.

Oh, and Varly has the groin of a 90-year old man. All-in-all, Pickard is a much more reliable goalie, who doesn’t have a wonky groin, and who plays with some panache. He’s definitely the future netminder for the Avs, and a key piece of their core moving forward.

Let’s move onto the forwards.

Tyson Jost

Tyson Jost is the Avs’ young up-and-coming center drafted No. 10 overall in the 2016 NHL Draft. While some think that Tyson Jost is not the savior the Avs need, I tend to think otherwise.

Tyson Jost is having a real good year at the University of North Dakota, and he should most certainly be signing an entry-level contract with the Avs in the near future.

He’s really been successful at every level, and that should be no different when he joins the NHL.

Now, many believe he should spend one more season at UND before joining the Avs; however, if the Avs do trade Duchy, then Jost should be a part of this team next season.

The Avs need to make a trade for a defenseman, and Duchene may be the only way to acquire that defenseman.

More From Mile High Sticking: Four Players the Avs Must Unload Now

So, if the Avs do make that trade, then they will certainly need a center to fill Duchy’s vacancy.

Jost projects as a top six two-way center with a high offensive ceiling, and he will be ready for the NHL next season if the Avs are ready for him.

Either way, changes are coming and Jost is going to be a big part of this team’s future, and certainly a member of the core sooner rather than later.

Let’s move onto a more familiar name, or at least a more familiar name who is currently in an Avs sweater.

Mikko Rantanen

I say sniper because Mikko Rantanen can shoot the puck and pick his corners better than any player currently on the Avalanche:

Here’s one more just for good measure:

Rantanen likes to score against the Winnipeg Jets I guess. Both times, the goalie didn’t even see his shot — both goals are absolute rockets.

Mikko Rantanen is starting to find a home in Colorado, and he, MacKinnon and Jost are seemingly the only untouchable players currently within the Avs’ organization.

It’s safe to assume that Rantanen will be a part of the new core group of players in Colorado when next season begins.

The kid can shoot, he can most definitely pass, and he plays a nice two-way game as well. Most importantly, he can skate and keep up with the speed this team is going to have in a few years.

In other words, he fits Joe Sakic’s vision of this team moving forward. Let’s take a look at one more forward who is most definitely going to be the centerpiece of the new core.

Nathan MacKinnon

Unfortunately, MacK just hasn’t quite hit his stride yet, or at least what seems to be his full potential.

This kid should be a point-per-game producer, and he just hasn’t found that kind of consistency to date. Nonetheless, he’s only 21 years old, and his future is definitely the brightest on the Avs.

More importantly, if the Avs are building a team based on speed, then they need to make sure to build said team around Nathan MacKinnon.

He is one of the fastest — if not the fastest — players in the league, and that goes both ways.

What I mean is that MacK can push the pace on offense, but he is also an extremely valuable asset on the back-check.

We’ve seen him mature into an amazing penalty killer this season, and he is always playing all 200 ft. of the ice. He is certainly the future of the Colorado Avalanche at this point, and if he’s surrounded by the right type of players, he could really shine.

Luckily, the Avs still have a few of those players left on their roster.

Gabe Landeskog

To my estimation, the Colorado Avalanche cannot afford to trade Landeskog.

Not only is he the captain of this team, but he’s also one of only two wingers capable of playing in the top six currently within the Avs’ organization.

Sure, A.J. Greer looks to have some serious potential, but he’s by no means a bonafide sure option for the top six.

More From Mile High Sticking: Avs Should Consider Trading Mikhail Grigorenko

Meanwhile, Mikhail Grigorenko is struggling to find his way on the wing, and he’s probably destined to become a third line scorer for the rest of his career.

So, the Avs simply cannot afford to trade Landeskog. There will inevitably be some options available on the wing in free agency, and during the draft, but the Avs need to use that time to fill their hole on the right wing.

Furthermore, Landeskog is a real good player, and if he stays with the core, he will continue to be a dominate power forward in this league. So, here’s to holding onto Landeskog for the time being.

Tyson Barrie

Tyson Barrie, on the other hand, is a more debatable option as a necessary piece to the core. However, you don’t just give up on puck-moving defensemen that consistently put up points.

In other words, the defensive issues plaguing this team are not entirely Barrie’s fault. Instead, it’s more of a joint effort, and the fact that the Avs don’t really have a shut-down defenseman currently on their roster.

If Barrie is surrounded by the right defensemen, then he will be an invaluable asset for the Avs moving forward. He can skate, he can maneuver, and he can score.

More importantly, he makes a great first pass, and is one of the only defensemen currently on the roster capable of getting the puck up to the forwards. He fits the future vision of this team, and he’s signed to a reasonable contract as well.

If the Avs are going to trade a defenseman, then they should consider trading Erik Johnson, particularly if his name is featured in a package deal with the Carolina Hurricanes. More on that below:

I’m not even sure if I would consider Tyson Barrie a current member of the core to be honest. He’s not really a defenseman you build around, he’s more of a complimentary piece in the top four.

However, I do have a name the Avs could focus on as far as a defenseman they should feel comfortable building a defensive corps around.

Noah Hanifin

If I’m the Colorado Avalanche, then I am targeting Noah Hanifin with everything I have.

He’s still developing, so the Avs should be able to get him at a cheaper price than if he were already established. He’s projected as a legit No. 1 defenseman. However, the ‘Canes have a bunch of defensemen in their system, and can afford to trade one in order to acquire a top six forward.

And, the Avs could certainly make him the cornerpiece of their future defensive corps. A corps that can in all likelihood feature names such as Chris Bigras, Nikita Zadorov, and Tyson Barrie.

More From Mile High Sticking: First Overall Draft Pick Not Ideal for the Avs

Furthermore, and as much as I want to caution* against this tactic, a trade for Hanifin would give the Avs more leeway in the draft. Instead of focusing their pick on a defenseman, they could focus on acquiring a right winger.

And, I have a two options in mind.

* The reason I caution against that kind of move is because Hanifin is another left-shooting defenseman, and the Avs are pretty plush with LHD in their prospect ranks. And, if they do end up trading Erik Johnson, they will certainly need to fill his vacancy. Which is why I am so high on Timothy Liljegren. Nonetheless, the Avs need a right winger badly as well.

Nolan Patrick

Nolan Patrick is definitely more of a center than a right winger, but he is a right-handed shot. He has also played plenty of right wing in his career, and could most likely make the transition without many growing pains.

MacKinnon made the transition in his rookie season, and has still yet to eclipse the career high he set that year. The Avs probably wouldn’t want Nolan Patrick at center in his first year anyway.

And there are many other players who have made the transition from center to wing coming out of the draft. Patrick Kane comes to mind as one of the more prominent names.

The Avs look destined to draft in the top four this year — if they finish with the worst record in the NHL the furthest they can fall is to No. 4 in the draft. And, Timothy Liljegren is the only defenseman worth drafting in the top five. Which is why it makes sense for the Avs to draft a player like Nolan Patrick, even though he is projected as a center.

However, if the Avs are trying to draft a forward who plays right wing solely, then there is one more player for them to consider.

Owen Tippett

Owen Tippett is a sniper, plain and simple. He is still only 17 years old, yet he is second in the OHL in goal scoring, with 34 goals in 42 games. Tippett leads all draft-eligible players in points in the OHL as well.

The Avs need a right winger just as much as they need a defenseman that they can build around. Which is why I propose the Avs trade to acquire said defenseman, and draft a right-shooting forward with their high pick this year.

Unfortunately, that means that they would miss out on an opportunity to acquire Liljegren, but sacrifices must be made. And who knows, maybe the Avs will trade to acquire another high pick in the first round. Regardless of what the Avs end up doing, the rebuild will begin, and a new core of players will emerge next season.

Conclusion

Nathan MacKinnon is obviously the main part of this core moving forward, but there are bound to be some new players joining that core soon.

Here’s the way I see it:

Now, that’s a core of eight players, but Tyson Barrie can likely be knocked from that list with the arrival of a top-pairing defenseman. Furthermore, one of those forwards at the top will likely not make it into the core either — a forward like Gabe Landeskog.

Really, a core should consist of three forwards, one goalie, and one or two defensemen.

For example, the Chicago Blackhawks core consists of Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, Artemi Panarin, Brent Seabrook, Duncan Keith, and Corey Crawford. However, they have players like Marian Hossa, Artem Anisimov, and Niklas Hjalmarsson to compliment those players.

It’s more likely that Landeskog, and Barrie become complimentary players to a core that consists of MacKinnon, Patrick/Tippett, Rantanen, Jost, Hanifin, and Pickard.

This is of course all speculation, but a new core will be built over the course of the next few months. I’m just proposing that the Avs go seek Hanifin as a key member of that core, and then draft a right winger with their high draft pick.