Avalanche Playing Well Despite Grueling Schedule
by Joe Dunman on Dec 16, 2009 8:40 AM MST
24 comments
Last night's non-game notwithstanding, the Avalanche have done pretty well so far this season. Their 19-11-6 record is still sixth-best in the NHL. This is especially impressive considering the grueling nature of their early-season schedule.
So far, the Avs have played 36 games. That's the most in the league and five more games than five other teams have played so far (New Jersey, Chicago, Buffalo, St. Louis and Atlanta have played only 31). The Avs have played six more games on the road (21) than they've played at home (15). While there are thirteen other teams in the NHL that currently have a deficit of home games played to games played on the road, only the Islanders have had it worse than the Avalanche (13 home, 20 road).
Of the thirteen teams who have spent more time on the road than at home, only six are above the post-season cutoff lines in each conference. In the West, Colorado, Calgary, San Jose and Los Angeles are enduring their lop-sided schedules relatively well. In the East, only Boston and Atlanta have overcome the odds to hold playoff spots, and Atlanta's home deficit is just one game.
This season's schedule has also been extremely busy for the Avs. By December 16th last year, the Avs had only played 30 games. The year before, 32 games. Part of the compressed schedule can be attributed to the Olympic break, which comes in February. But even then, this season is significantly harder than past Olympic years. By December 16th of the 2005-06 season, the Avs had only played 31 games, sixteen of which were at home.
In fact, this is the most front-loaded schedule the Avalanche have ever endured since moving to Colorado in 1995-96. The closest they have come to 36 games by December 16th is the 1997-98 season (35), which was an Olympic year. Generally by this date the Avs have only played 30-32 games.
So, the Avs have managed a sixth-best record of 19-11-6 despite: 1) playing more games than any other team to this point in the season, 2) having the second-worst home game deficit, and 3) playing more games between the start of the season to this date than in any year previous, including Olympic years.
Not too shabby for a bunch of rookies and second-year whippersnappers.
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Still not sure about this teams identity though. Firewagon? Two-way and Skilled? Top-heavy? Balanced? Defensive-minded?
You could say “Yes” to all of those at different points of the season. Hell, you could say “Yes” to all of that at different points of some GAMES.
"I know everyone has their own opinion, but your opinion is wrong. "
Probably the main contributor to the team’s lack of identity is all of the line-juggling going on. Right now we have a set 1st line of Wolski-Stastny-Stewart and fairly consistent defensive pairings, but for much of the season we didn’t even have 1st, 2nd, and 3rd lines so much as we did Stastny, Duchene, and O’Reilly lines, with wingers shuttling between them and the 4th (Koci line?) on a whim. There were plenty of times the lines wouldn’t even last through the game. Other than the Quincey-Hannan pairing, the defense has been in pretty constant flux as well.
In all fairness though, this can be almost completely attributed to the plague of injuries we’ve had so far. It’s pretty hard to keep stagnant lines with Hejduk, Jones, Tucker, McLeod, Galiardi, Foote, Cumiskey, and Liles (and I’m sure I’m forgetting someone) all getting hurt, while walking enigmas Svatos and Stewart have gone between first-liners and AHL material so far. With everybody intact and recovered, the Avs ought to be able to build more of a team identity.
On another note, does anybody think it might be worthwhile trying to platoon the goalies a bit? Nothing against Anderson, he’s been nothing short of great for us so far, but he doesn’t seem accustomed to the huge workload he’s been given, and has had games where he’s been off – flopping in his crease, getting out of position, etc. Certainly the Avs’ defensive lapses and letting him get run all the time don’t help, but making the jump from 30 to 60-70 games a season isn’t easy, even if he got used to playing behind a porous D in Florida. Meanwhile Budaj has shown over the years that while streaky as a starter, he’s more than a capable backup. With Budaj playing as well as he has, I really wouldn’t mind him seeing some more action and talking the pressure off Anderson.
Your comments regarding the lines are dead on, as are your opinions regarding the reasons behind it. At the beginning of the season the lines were set in high-early-strength concrete. Then the injuries started piling up and now Sacco has to keep his line chart on an Etch-a-Sketch.
I also agree that Sacco needs to more closely approximate a #1/1a rotation with the goalies. I’d like Boots to get 1-out-of-4 starts just to keep Andy fresh. I understood and embraced the logic of riding the hot goalie at the beginning of the season, but it’s only a matter of time till the wear-and-tear take hold. Budaj’s a capable backup, let’s let he BE a backup.
"I know everyone has their own opinion, but your opinion is wrong. "
Also
Anderson hasn’t really been “hot” as of late. Not that there should be a contraversy, Andy’s #1, but 1 in 4 now that he’s cooled off seems like a good load for Boods.
The New Improved Avalanche. Now with Real Coaches!
Jibblescribbits: C'mon over and waste some time
by Jibblescribbits on Dec 17, 2009 8:09 AM MST up reply actions
If that was the rotation from the start of the season it would work out to 60-62 games for Andy and 20-22 for Budaj. Not a bad number for either there….though 52-30 might be a little better rotation for this tandem.
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 17, 2009 8:42 PM MST up reply actions
Front loading good or bad?
Rookie posting here at MHH, be gentle.
This heavy schedule early could be a double edged sword. If things continue to go well through the mid-season, they’ll be happy to let the other teams struggle on the bubble. But, if they end up near the bubble, they’ll want some games in hand in order to recover lost ground.
That’s a good point. This could pay off if the Avs keep up their generally-winning ways. As the season winds down and other teams get fatigued as their schedules get crappier, the Avs may have an easier time of holding their good position.
Definitely a possibility.
Mile High Hockey: Hoping for the best, expecting the worst, hating the Wings.
especially considering that the Avs (2nd in the West) could drop as far as 8th in the West if the team s behind them were to win the 2-3 games they have in hand.
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 16, 2009 2:09 PM MST up reply actions
If we keep winning at the same pace we are now, or a bit better, we’ll be fine. If we have a few losing streaks of 4+ games, all those games in hand will bite us in the ass. That’s how Calgary caught us in November, now we are battling them. A few more of those and we might be battling for that 8th spot. But we do well at home so based on my rudimentary math skills, again law school, if we finish just over .500 for the rest of the year we should make a playoff spot.
Avalanche 2009-2010: Ostensibly, the worst team in the league. Realistically, top of the NW division.
SeeSixWhores’ math is correct. A .500 remainder to the season should see a low playoff spot at worst.
"I know everyone has their own opinion, but your opinion is wrong. "
Mike, I am going to find you and kill you. How do i change my name again?
Avalanche 2009-2010: Ostensibly, the worst team in the league. Realistically, top of the NW division.
See six whores
Also known as a 1/2 Tiger.
The New Improved Avalanche. Now with Real Coaches!
Jibblescribbits: C'mon over and waste some time
by Jibblescribbits on Dec 16, 2009 3:23 PM MST up reply actions
omg!! LOL!!
You truly have to let him change his name now, that one is never going away! He’s gonna have to join the Witness Protection Program now and assume a whole new MHH identity!!
MHH- The Haiku capital of AvsNation.
I agree, but they had better start taking advantage of that schedule, last weeks ‘worst most boring game ever’ against minny and last nights no show against washington doesn’t bode well.
Jesus Saves! Stewart gets the rebound and scores!
by An Unmitigated Disaster on Dec 16, 2009 2:59 PM MST reply actions
last night’s game
Wait, there was a game last night? I can’t seem to recall…
Bills fan? In Colorado? It's more likely than you think.
I heard rumors and innuendo of such.
Jesus Saves! Stewart gets the rebound and scores!
by An Unmitigated Disaster on Dec 16, 2009 3:12 PM MST up reply actions
Damn I just thought the Caps were using the Can for practice on their way to another city.
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 16, 2009 3:29 PM MST up reply actions
They were.
Avalanche 2009-2010: Ostensibly, the worst team in the league. Realistically, top of the NW division.
i hear they coasted around some pylons for 60 mins, then one came alive and pounded green from behind
'I googled what the white stuff in a Ho-Ho was, i found out it has NINE cups of sugar..that will KILL YOU, it would turn your blood into fruit punch!'
And a very much needed 4 days off.
I am so clever that sometimes I don't understand a single word of what I am saying.
by Pinchy The Lobster on Dec 16, 2009 7:33 PM MST reply actions
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