Mid-Season Report Cards: Defensemen

The Avalanche Defense: #2 in blocked shots. #26 in goals against per game. But at least they can clear pucks now.

Brett Clark

#5 / Defenseman / Colorado Avalanche

Height: 6-0

Weight: 195

Born: Dec 23, 1976

Clark has rebounded nicely from last year's dismal performance (a whopping 12 points). He's on pace for his third highest point total in his NHL career. He is also a puck magnet (blocking shots like Grimace blocks the dance floor), leading the NHL with 89 blocked shots - and he's accomplished all this with his mouthguard dangling dangerously from his mouth. He's still on pace to fall under the 30 point plateau, but at least he's not a complete liability anymore. I still don't understand how he plays the game: he'll flash all this offense bravado and skate through everyone on the ice and then poof, he simply shoots the puck in the corner, turns it over, takes a dumb penalty or plays pylon and let's the opposition skate right by him through his own zone. He needs consistency and to bolster his defensive play to improve his grade. Clarky is in the final year of his inflated $3.5 million dollar deal. He's an Unrestricted Free Agent this summer so make sure to say your goodbyes sooner than later.

Mid Season Grade: B

Last Season's Final Grade: C-

Kyle Cumiskey

#10 / Defenseman / Colorado Avalanche

Height: 5-10

Weight: 187

Born: Dec 02, 1986

I love watching Kid Cumiskey skate. If he ever learns what to do with the puck once he beats everyone to it, he'll be a legitimate threat every time he's on the ice. He also compliments his defensive partner Captain Foote very well as their styles are polar opposite. Kid Cumiskey can fly around the rink like a maniac and good old Footer can just sit back and relax. Smart move by Sacco. The Kid missed a lot of time due to a hurt foot, so it is expected that he would have some adjustment getting his game back to full speed, but despite the limited game play Cumiskey has impressed, and his numbers are on the upswing. With a little more experience I can see Cumiskey ending the season with an improved report card.

Mid Season Grade: B+

Last Season's Final Grade: INC

Adam Foote

#52 / Defenseman / Colorado Avalanche

Height: 6-2

Weight: 220

Born: Jul 10, 1971

I for one am impressed with the Captain's play this season. He'll never wow anybody with any offensive prowess, but the old man has looked pretty solid out there beating people's asses. And he gets major props for being the sole AV to immediately defend his goalie. In Florida, when Ballard plowed into Anderson and sent him to locker room for 4 games, Foote promptly pummeled Ballard with a flurry of fists to face [insert Koci joke here]. He still makes some bonehead plays that show both his age and occasional caveman mentality, but when he sticks to a more physical, positional game he tends to thrive.

Footer has also done a very admirable job serving as only the second captain in Avalanche history. He remains a compossed and fierce competitor, and the right man to wear the "C" on his chest for this young team (for me this bumps him from a 'B' to a 'B+").

Mid Season Grade: B+

Last Season's Final Grade: C-

Scott Hannan

#22 / Defenseman / Colorado Avalanche

Height: 6-1

Weight: 225

Born: Jan 23, 1979

Hanner the Hobbit has also enjoyed a nice return to form. He's already matched last season's point total (10), and is on pace to regain the higher point totals of his NHL career. His shiny +11 is second on the team to Wolski at the mid point of the season and is a far cry from his horrid -21 last year. He is again (finally) showing us that shut down defenseman we were told we were getting when we signed him back in the summer of the Ryan Smyth signing. He routinely takes on the other teams top lines and quietly keeps them quiet. Hannan has another year left on his mighty $4.5 million dollar contract, so it's good to see him step up when it's not a contract year. If you asked me last year I would have thought he may be trade bait this trade deadline what with the AVS shedding payroll and all, but now I think he's a mainstay on the blue line, well, at least until February 2011.

Mid Season Grade: A

Last Season's Final Grade: B-

John-Michael Liles

#4 / Defenseman / Colorado Avalanche

Height: 5-10

Weight: 185

Born: Nov 25, 1980

What is ailing the Male Model? He was a healthy scratch last Wednesday? He's the only active D-man with a negative plus/minus? He has looked soft in his own end. His PP play hasn't been what is used to be (maybe cuz Quincey started the season so hot??). His play in the corners is weak. He was on the IR for a portion of the season and out with a couple injuries, but seems to be healthy now. Whatever the problems with Johnny Hot Pocket coach Sacco wants more. Said Sacco: "I think he can take his game to another level. We don't want him to be satisfied with just getting by. He can do it. We're just trying to find a way to get the most out of him." 

If anybody can get Liles to excel it should be Sacco - just look at what's he's done with Wolski. Liles has one year left on his $4.2 million dollar contract. His name has come up a lot in previous season's as trade fodder, but a puck moving defenseman is valuable and the AVS have yet to part with his services so I don't see it happening this season either. Despite all this, Liles is back to averaging half a point per game, but unfortunately he is too often unnoticeable on the ice - unless he is the culprit of a bad play or laying on the ice in pain. I would like to give him a higher grade, but its about more than just point totals. If Liles cleans up the rest of his game, we'll have a scary one-two punch on the PP, and also a more reliable D in front of our net.

Mid Season Grade: B-

Last Season's Final Grade: B

Ruslan Salei

#24 / Defenseman / Colorado Avalanche

Height: 6-1

Weight: 212

Born: Nov 02, 1974

Anybody forget he was even on the team? Salei went down after one game with a back injury and is yet to return. It's too bad because Salei is very versatile and can play even strength, on the PK, or the PP. He's got a good shot and isn't shy about throwing a hit. Bad news for Salei: he's an Unrestricted Free Agent this summer and hasn't had a chance to improve his market value (he currently is our 4th highest paid D-man). It's too bad he's out, but it's given a chance to guys like Wilson and Cumiskey to step up, so it's not all bad.

Mid Season Grade: INC

Last Season's Final Grade: B-

Kyle Quincey

#27 / Defenseman / Colorado Avalanche

Height: 6-2

Weight: 207

Born: Aug 12, 1985

Kyle Quincey came to town this past summer after the Kings astutely stole him off waivers from the silly Winged Wheel. Fortunately for the AVS, the Kings had a plethora of young talent on the back end so Quincey was expendable. It's been a good trade for both teams as Ryan Smyth seems to have been the missing cog for the Kings, who currently sit in 7th place in the West (but only one point behind the AVS). Mr. Quincey has reached his goal total from last year in 30 less games, however he is not on pace to surpass last year's point total. He is 4th on the team in PIMs. He has pretty much supplanted Liles on the PP. He also is a big dude and can toss fools around, which we like. 

Kyle Quincey needs to be more consistent, but he is young (24), and a freaking bargain at a mere $525,000. He is a restricted Free Agent next year. We need to sign him to a longish deal, especially with Liles' supposed imminent departure on the supposed horizon. Supposedly.

Mid Season Grade: A-

Last Season's Grade: N/A

Ryan Wilson

#44 / Defenseman / Colorado Avalanche

Height: 6-1

Weight: 207

Born: Feb 3, 1987

Leopold who? Wilson came over in the Leopold trade which also landed us Lawrence Nycholat (waiver fodder who is currently slumming in the AHL) a 2nd round pick from this summer's entry draft (Stefan Elliot) who appears to be a stud-in-the-making. Originally, this trade seemed kind of blah, but now it keeps me warm at night. Wilson put up HUGE numbers in the OHL averaging over a point per game his final two seasons there while serving as captain his final year with the Sting. This is his rookie campaign, and after a brief stint in Lake Erie, he has looked very comfortable in the NHL. He sits third on the team in +/-, and has routinely been on the giving end of the majority of the AVS' biggest hits. He does get burnt down low sometimes, but don't all rookies? The big question here is how much playing time will Wilson see at the NHL level the rest of the way? With Cumiskey back, we boast 7 healthy defenseman and Sacco doesn't seem to like to play 7 defenders. Whatever happens, Wilson has proved himself NHL worthy and will continue to get better. Interesting fact: Wilson makes $26,000 more a year than Quincey. I told you Quincey was a bargain. 

Mid Season Grade: B+ (should rookies be on a different grading scale?)

Last Season's Final Grade: N/A

Tom Preissing

#20 / Defenseman / Colorado Avalanche

Height: 6-0

Weight: 197

Born: Dec 3, 1978

Confession: I don't know much about Preissing. He isn't young (31). He put up good numbers with the Sharks, Senators, and Kings before coming to the AVS. He played in the Stanley Cup Finals with Ottawa. He's got 10 points in only 16 games with Lake Erie. He's a published author and a hippie. Based on the fact that he contributed well on other NHL teams, it is a disappointment that he hasn't found a niche with the Avalanche. I'm guessing his knee injury probably has something to do with it. It's good to know we have a decent experienced guy in the minors in case we need him, but his swollen salary ($2,750,000) isn't sexy at all. Only 9 AVS make more than him. Tom is signed through next season.

Mid Season Grade: INC 

Last Year's Final Grade: N/A

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General consensus: The Defense has VASTLY improved from last year. Maybe it's them, maybe it's the goalies playing better. Either way everybody receives a passing grade. Seriously, I'm just glad they can clear pucks now. Everything else is icing on the cake.