Colorado Players Among League Leaders
by Joe Dunman on Dec 15, 2009 8:16 AM MST
in NHL News
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PrintOne sign that a team has a strong offense is the presence of its players among the league's individual leaders. Last season the Avs' offense was the worst in team history, and because of that, few Avalanche players made the final leader lists at the end of the season.
Historically speaking, Avalanche players have frequently appeared in large numbers on the league leader boards. In 2000-01, four Colorado players finished the year among the top 50 players for points scored (Sakic, Forsberg, Hejduk, Tanguay), with three more just outside (Drury, Blake, Bourque). Last season, not one Avalanche player appeared on the list.
Non-offensive categories like blocked shots and average time on ice feature Avalanche players this season as well. Last year no Colorado players ranked among the top 50 in ice time, nor did anyone make the +/- leader board. This year is a different story.
Below is a comparison between last year's leaders and this year's current standings, separated by category. First is the player's rank, then name, then current total in parentheses.
| 2008-09 | 2009-10 | |
| Goals | t-47th Hejduk (27) | t-26th Wolski (13) |
| t-29th Hejduk (12) | ||
| t-47th Jones (10) | ||
| Assists | t-8th Stastny (26) | |
| t-20th Wolski (20) | ||
| Points | t-14th Stastny (34) | |
| t-17th Wolski (33) | ||
| (+/-) | t-11th O'Reilly (12) | |
| t-16th Wolski (11) | ||
| t-33rd Hannan (9) | ||
| t-44th Stastny (8) | ||
| t-44th Wilson (8) | ||
| PIM | 11th Laperriere (163) | 17th McLeod (59) |
| 12th McLeod (162) | t-42nd Koci (44) | |
| ATOI | 10th Quincey (25:11) | |
| Hits | t-22nd McLeod (194) | 21st McLeod (87) |
| Blocked Shots | 2nd Clark (238) | 1st Clark (108) |
| t-14th Hannan (162) | 7th Hannan (76) | |
| 29th Salei (143) | t-11th Quincey (67) | |
| Shots | t-23rd Smyth (257) | |
| PP Goals | t-39th Hejduk (10) | t-10th Hejduk (6) |
| t-39th Smyth (10) | t-38th Duchene (4) | |
| PP Assists | t-26th Quincey (8) | |
| SH Goals | t-1st Jones (2) | |
| t-12th Duchene (1) | ||
| SH Assists | t-9th Galiardi (1) | |
| t-9th Foote (1) |
The season is not yet half over. If these trends continue, expect to see a major Avalanche presence on the NHL individual leader boards at the end of the year.
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Avs
lately never have any real ‘top 10’ players in any category, but having quite a few allrounders might pay off.
At least one top 10 player would be a big help. Stastny has it in him, I think, but he’s still a young pup.
Mile High Hockey: Hoping for the best, expecting the worst, hating the Wings.
He is already that person. More points than Iginla, to name one. He is a top 10 player.
Avalanche 2009-2010: Ostensibly, the worst team in the league. Realistically, top of the NW division.
Not until he finishes a season in the top 10.
Mile High Hockey: Hoping for the best, expecting the worst, hating the Wings.
Hot damn!
What I love is how many of our rookies are on those lists. Duchene, O’Reilly, Wilson, Galiardi; and what about almost rookies? Quincey, Jones, McLeod (yah, I know they don’t seem like almost rookies, but guess what folks? This is only McLeod’s third year. Quincey and Jones? 2nd. And then there’s Wolski and Stastny who’ve only got 4 each. Young pups, indeed, Joe. To quote Bones, “My God man, do you see what we’ve got here?” (And how the hell did Koci get on there? KOCI???)
You mean the Avs aren't going to get the top draft pick this summer???
by BeachNSnowGirl on Dec 15, 2009 11:25 AM MST reply actions
The amazing thing about Koci is that he has 44 PIMs while averaging just barely three minutes of ice time. If Koci could actually fight, he’d have earned a killer nickname by now, like “Surgical Strike”.
Mile High Hockey: Hoping for the best, expecting the worst, hating the Wings.
Now that would definitely be a killer nickname. Think we could pitch in and get him a boxing coach?
You mean the Avs aren't going to get the top draft pick this summer???
by BeachNSnowGirl on Dec 15, 2009 12:41 PM MST up reply actions
Now wait a minute. Don’t go giving away the future line name of Duchene (Surgeon), Dr. Jones, and ???.
The 2009-10 Avalanche: Have the wheels fallen off?
I'm The Canary - but I'm not cute nor cuddly, and I don't sing.
by Americanario on Dec 15, 2009 4:03 PM MST up reply actions
Hopefully the LW of that line won’t just be a pansy that we wind up calling “Nurse ____”
Bills fan? In Colorado? It's more likely than you think.
by UZ on Dec 15, 2009 4:38 PM MST up reply actions
I just hope it’s not Svatos and we have to nickname him “the patient”
The 2009-10 Avalanche: Have the wheels fallen off?
I'm The Canary - but I'm not cute nor cuddly, and I don't sing.
by Americanario on Dec 15, 2009 7:53 PM MST up reply actions
Yeah, far more appropriate.
Mile High Hockey: Hoping for the best, expecting the worst, hating the Wings.
While encouraging, we really need at least one player to stand out in the top ten, especially in the goals chart. I like where Jibbles is going with the whole Kovalchuk thing here. A player of that caliber could really make the difference, at least on the front side.
Get rid of the loser point
09-10 Avs- YMMV
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