Last season, the Avalanche roster was loudly called out by veteran goaltender JS Giguere for not having enough passion for the game.
"Some guys are more worried about their Vegas trip at the end of the season than playing the games, than playing every minute of the games. Quite frankly, I don't care about your Vegas trip right now."
The team was one of the worst in the league all season long, and were out of the playoff race in short order. This year, the lineup looks almost exactly the same, sans the addition of 1st overall pick Nathan MacKinnon and Alex Tanguay (who began his career with the Avalanche), yet the team is off to the best start in franchise history.
This rejuvenated team has everyone talking, but here is why everyone is talking a lot of nonsense:
1. "This success is because of Patrick Roy"
Nobody wants to be the guy to rain on parades, but I'm feeling like a storm cloud today. Patrick Roy is proving to be a solid coach, but this is the same team as last year, playing like a hockey team again. Last seasons failures can be directly linked to poor team defense and goaltending (we'll get to both of those later) and Landeskog's lack of an impact. Duchene and Parenteau played excellent, but other key players failed to step up, including Ryan O'Reilly, who came down with a nasty case of Turris-itis (a viral infection that makes you believe that despite showing nothing on the ice, you're a stud and should get paid like one). Patrick Roy took over for Joe Sacco, who took over the Avs head coaching job in 2009, after two seasons with the Lake Erie Monsters (both seasons Lake Erie missed the Playoffs). I don't know how Sacco got a head coaching job with such a poor coaching record, but it's clear that he was a horrible coach. Patrick Roy's arrival brought intensity and passion for the game, which is all last year's roster needed to become an excellent young hockey team. Patrick Roy helps, but this lineup would be flourishing under just about anyone who could bring in a little fire.
2. “Patrick Roy is the reason for the goaltending turnaround.”
Not cutting down Roy here, I’m just here for some good ol’ fact checking. Most people assume that Roy (who won three Vezinas and three Conn Smythe trophies all in separate years) is the reason why Semyon Varlamov has a .950 save percentage and Giguere has two shutouts in three starts this season. Nothing against Roy, it’s just not his doing. The reason the goaltending in Denver has been so good this season? Francois Allaire. Allaire was Roy’s goalie coach while he was in Montreal (2 cups) and moved to Anaheim, where he brought the Ducks to their first Stanley Cup Finals on the back of Guy Hebert. He also worked with JS Giguere, who brought Anaheim its first cup in 2006. Allaire spent 2010 in Toronto making James Reimer look like a prodigy and after joining the Avs this season has both netminders looking like studs. Sorry Patty, but all the credit goes to Francois Allaire.
3. “Defense wins championships, and the Avs don’t have defense.”
I’ll agree that Erik Johnson isn’t the player people expected him to be in the Shattenkirk trade, and Tyson Barrie is no Erik Karlsson, but in today’s NHL people get offense and defense confused. Last year, the Norris came down to PK Subban and Kris Letang (Karlsson would’ve been a candidate if not for the Achilles injury). The Norris Trophy (for best defenseman) has shifted over the past few seasons to best offensive defenseman, and neglected defense altogether. Now, people look at the Avalanche and don’t see any Letangs, Karlssons, or Subbans and make the incorrect statement that they don’t have defense. While their blue line lacks a pure quarterback, they’ve been excellent in their d-zone play. Comparing to the team with the highest paid defensive core (the Leafs), the Avs are doing just fine on D. The Avs are leading the league in goals allowed (1.33) without a Norris candidate to be found.
4. “The Avs goaltending can’t keep this pace.”
What if I said that if a goalie stops all the easy ones, his numbers will be solid all season long. Marc-Andre Fleury would quickly stand up and shout “IT CAN’T BE DONE!” The truth is, that’s exactly what the Avs goaltender duo have been doing. Not to say they haven't made huge saves, because they certainly have, but the biggest separating factor between Varly and Giggy and the rest of the league is the Avs tendies aren’t giving up any soft goals. No flukey bounces, no long range floaters (cue Edler’s half ice shot on Fleury) , no big ugly rebounds. The Avalanche are playing strong team defense and the blue paint isn’t allowing anything soft get by them.
"Some guys are more worried about their Vegas trip at the end of the season than playing the games, than playing every minute of the games. Quite frankly, I don't care about your Vegas trip right now."
The team was one of the worst in the league all season long, and were out of the playoff race in short order. This year, the lineup looks almost exactly the same, sans the addition of 1st overall pick Nathan MacKinnon and Alex Tanguay (who began his career with the Avalanche), yet the team is off to the best start in franchise history.
This rejuvenated team has everyone talking, but here is why everyone is talking a lot of nonsense:
1. "This success is because of Patrick Roy"
Nobody wants to be the guy to rain on parades, but I'm feeling like a storm cloud today. Patrick Roy is proving to be a solid coach, but this is the same team as last year, playing like a hockey team again. Last seasons failures can be directly linked to poor team defense and goaltending (we'll get to both of those later) and Landeskog's lack of an impact. Duchene and Parenteau played excellent, but other key players failed to step up, including Ryan O'Reilly, who came down with a nasty case of Turris-itis (a viral infection that makes you believe that despite showing nothing on the ice, you're a stud and should get paid like one). Patrick Roy took over for Joe Sacco, who took over the Avs head coaching job in 2009, after two seasons with the Lake Erie Monsters (both seasons Lake Erie missed the Playoffs). I don't know how Sacco got a head coaching job with such a poor coaching record, but it's clear that he was a horrible coach. Patrick Roy's arrival brought intensity and passion for the game, which is all last year's roster needed to become an excellent young hockey team. Patrick Roy helps, but this lineup would be flourishing under just about anyone who could bring in a little fire.
2. “Patrick Roy is the reason for the goaltending turnaround.”
Not cutting down Roy here, I’m just here for some good ol’ fact checking. Most people assume that Roy (who won three Vezinas and three Conn Smythe trophies all in separate years) is the reason why Semyon Varlamov has a .950 save percentage and Giguere has two shutouts in three starts this season. Nothing against Roy, it’s just not his doing. The reason the goaltending in Denver has been so good this season? Francois Allaire. Allaire was Roy’s goalie coach while he was in Montreal (2 cups) and moved to Anaheim, where he brought the Ducks to their first Stanley Cup Finals on the back of Guy Hebert. He also worked with JS Giguere, who brought Anaheim its first cup in 2006. Allaire spent 2010 in Toronto making James Reimer look like a prodigy and after joining the Avs this season has both netminders looking like studs. Sorry Patty, but all the credit goes to Francois Allaire.
3. “Defense wins championships, and the Avs don’t have defense.”
I’ll agree that Erik Johnson isn’t the player people expected him to be in the Shattenkirk trade, and Tyson Barrie is no Erik Karlsson, but in today’s NHL people get offense and defense confused. Last year, the Norris came down to PK Subban and Kris Letang (Karlsson would’ve been a candidate if not for the Achilles injury). The Norris Trophy (for best defenseman) has shifted over the past few seasons to best offensive defenseman, and neglected defense altogether. Now, people look at the Avalanche and don’t see any Letangs, Karlssons, or Subbans and make the incorrect statement that they don’t have defense. While their blue line lacks a pure quarterback, they’ve been excellent in their d-zone play. Comparing to the team with the highest paid defensive core (the Leafs), the Avs are doing just fine on D. The Avs are leading the league in goals allowed (1.33) without a Norris candidate to be found.
4. “The Avs goaltending can’t keep this pace.”
What if I said that if a goalie stops all the easy ones, his numbers will be solid all season long. Marc-Andre Fleury would quickly stand up and shout “IT CAN’T BE DONE!” The truth is, that’s exactly what the Avs goaltender duo have been doing. Not to say they haven't made huge saves, because they certainly have, but the biggest separating factor between Varly and Giggy and the rest of the league is the Avs tendies aren’t giving up any soft goals. No flukey bounces, no long range floaters (cue Edler’s half ice shot on Fleury) , no big ugly rebounds. The Avalanche are playing strong team defense and the blue paint isn’t allowing anything soft get by them.
5. “Matt Duchene has great hands.”
Anyone who says this is just flat out lying. They aren’t great hands; they’re phenomenal hands in the class right below Datsyuk. Pound for pound, Duchene pulls off more slick moves per game, but Datsyuk is the best passer in the NHL and is even better in clutch situations. Watching Duchene on the powerplay is like hearing Sheryl Crown for the first time. It’s so magical, you can’t help but smile. If state law allowed good hockey to be played in Florida, this guy could be an attraction at Disney World.
Anyone who says this is just flat out lying. They aren’t great hands; they’re phenomenal hands in the class right below Datsyuk. Pound for pound, Duchene pulls off more slick moves per game, but Datsyuk is the best passer in the NHL and is even better in clutch situations. Watching Duchene on the powerplay is like hearing Sheryl Crown for the first time. It’s so magical, you can’t help but smile. If state law allowed good hockey to be played in Florida, this guy could be an attraction at Disney World.