I'll be calling into Castle Rock Radio at 2:30 pm MT today to chat about coaching, playoffs, youth of the team, etc. If you'd like to listen in, here's the link: http://castlerockradio.com/

As the trade deadline draws ever nearer, the rumors grow ever louder. There is still no indication as to whether the Avalanche will be buyers or sellers this season since the team's playoff status isn't totally clear. What is clear is what the Avs need: a top six forward who can score goals. To get something like that via trade, however, you have to give up something like that as well. There are some universally acceptable untouchables on this team although the list is pretty short. Most people would consider Matt Duchene, Erik Johnson, Semyon Varlamov and Gabriel Landeskog as the only true non-negotiables. But which player is the most negotiable?

(Please note that a deal would necessarily include more than just the players listed in the options.)

Click the picture for a larger view

Since there was some interest expressed during the last post-game thread, I thought I'd do a little research and figure out the seating situation in the Avalanche dressing room. It wasn't exactly the easiest undertaking - there are surprisingly few pictures of this locker room and I had to rely fairly heavily on post-game interviews to see who sits next to who. I also eyeballed dimensions based off distorted photographs (seriously, does every picture of the locker room have to be taken with a fisheye lens?). Basically, all I'm saying is that this is far from perfect, but it's at least something and as correct and up-to-date as I could manage.

A few things I noticed:

* The seven defensemen sit together on the east side of the locker room (North is to the whiteboards, btw). I'm not sure what I was expecting, but it's pretty cool to see that all of the blueliners are grouped.

* Landy gets to sit right between the Captain and the Ghost of the Captain. I'm sure that's no pressure at all, especially for a rookie.

* EJ has Foote's old locker.

* The cabinet at the north end of the room looks like a small part of a kitchen counter. From all the photos I've seen, it typically has water cups on top of it.

* The empty locker between Mueller and Varly was just vacated by Elliott, while the other open one between Gali and McClement was formerly Yip's. One can only suppose that Barrie will get his choice, although it's more likely that he'll sit by Varly than in the middle of the forward ranks.

* I would love to know where Forsberg sat, but I can't find any pictures/vidoes of him in the locker room except for blurry and way too crowded post-Cup ones from '01. Actually, if anyone could help me out, I'd be willing to do another graphic for the '01 team. I'd be interested to know who sat where during that year.

Oh, the joys of being a Colorado Avalanche fan in the post-lockout era. Year after year, experiencing disappointment of significance...we are just living the dream. For me, the worst part is that it's been the same old story each of the last few years: the Avs do nothing in the summer to improve and then trick us into getting our hopes up with a strong start before Lucy pulls the football away every February, laughing at us as we fall flat on our backs. It's not that the Avalanche failed; it's that we knew they were going to fail, but we talked ourselves into thinking this year would be different. Again.

The Avalanche are in a fight for their playoff lives and yet they have just 3 wins in their last 12 games. The Avs have a pitiful 21 goals in that stretch, an average of 1.75 goals per game. Under Joe Sacco, the Avs have only had one other stretch of 12-games where they've scored less, as they scored 19 in a 12 game stretch during those two 10-game losing streaks last year. There's a big difference, though, as during that 12-game stretch, the Avs allowed 48 goals - 4 per game. During this stretch, the goaltending has been decent: 34 goals allowed, or just under 3 per game. Last year, a lack of scoring wasn't the only reason the Avs weren't getting wins. This year, it's their raison d'etre.

The Avalanche are on the precipice of their 3rd straight 2nd half collapse and, honestly, I don't have the slightest inkling as to why it's happening. Two years ago, it was because Craig Anderson was over-worked. Last year, it was the injuries. This year? Youth? Inexperience? Lack of heart? Look below at the team's record under Joe Sacco. How can it be that Sacco can be 20 games over .500 in the first half of the season and 20 games under in the second half? Right now, he has more wins in October (23) than February, March and April combined?

Each year, the Avalanche start out the year scoring a half a goal per game more than they give up. Throughout the year, offensive output dwindles and defensive numbers erode and those numbers ultimately end up flipping. Why? Is this a coaching thing? Does Sacco have some super-brilliant gameplan each October that takes the rest of the league 4 months to crack? Do his motivational speeches have a short shelf life? Does the altitude take it's toll on the team? Is there some sort of Zodiac thing going on here?

I honestly don't know. Is it coaching, players, conditioning, heart or all of the above? Truthfully, I am at a loss to come up with any reasonable theory to explain this amazing phenomenon. I know the Avalanche are thin on offensive talent...but they were thin on talent in October and they weren't losing like this. Sure, Matt Duchene is out, but this can't just be about him...can it?

It's frustrating and infuriating knowing that the slide is coming again. All you can do is watch and hope that this year will finally be the year. Maybe, just this once, Lucy won't pull that football away and you'll nail it through the uprights. It will be different this one time and the results will be...

.......AAAAAAAAAAAAARGH.

Rats.

Let's make this one super duper easy: What do you think of Skipper Joe? Don't forget to put your reasons in the comments!

As we all have heard a hundred times before, Gabriel Landeskog is the only Avalanche player participating in the All Star Game activities this weekend. So what are the rest of the guys doing?

What we know:

TJ Galiardi has flown down to Cabo San Lucas with Kevin Shattenkirk and Chris Stewart. Sure is good thing the Teej trained so hard in the off-season, or he might not be in shape for all the beer pong they're bound to play.

David Jones is also headed to Mexico, but accompanying him is his new wife. I wonder if they even bothered to bring sun block.

Stefan Elliott went home to Vancouver. Hopefully all that good home cookin' doesn't put him into a food coma.

Shane O'Brien is having a quiet weekend in Aspen, hanging out with some really demure U of Arizona girls: @KERafferty, @Abbychandor, @eymann66

Ryan O'Byrne also went home. He's enjoying some R&R, but he's also still working on his charity: Ryan O'Byrne Charity Camp, launching on Feb. 1st.

Kevin Porter is yet another one going home. Sure hope he doesn't spend too much time there, or he may end up infected. He did say he's spending time in Ann Arbor. I hear it's a much nicer place.

Semyon Varlarmov is in Aspen watching the X-Games. (Thanks to Lisa Jordan for the heads up.)

Daniel Winnik is also in Aspen. I bet he's sipping hot cocoa by the fire with O'Brien and his sweet friends.

(Just in!) Matt Duchene is pounding the vodka fishing in Vail, if the creek isn't frozen. If it is...well, he has plenty of ice for his drinks then.

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Regardless of your opinion on the overall make-up of the team, where you think they'll finish the '11-'12 season, or the front office practices I think we can all agree that several stalwart Colorado players have been less than outstanding underwhelmed this season. In you're heart-of-Burgundy-hearts, who do you think is the most likely to have a 2nd half resurgence in Denver? Who's gonna be the player that rights his own personal Costa Concordia? Will it be perennial gap-toothed assistant captain Paul Stastny? Will it be franchise face Matt Duchene? Will Old Man Winter Milan Hejduk up his production for another run at 25 goals? Will purported No. 1 netminder Semyon Varlamov see a lessening of his bench door duties? Will David Jones give a fuck regain his goal scoring touch? Vote in the poll below and sound off in the comments to let the MHH readers nominate their 2nd Half Turnaround Candidate!

Guys for the All Stars are dropping like flies due to injuries, but so far, Gabriel Landeskog is still the only Avalanche player going. He'll be participating in the skills competition—in case you haven't heard. Here are the events:

* Bridgestone NHL Fastest Skater
* Allstate Insurance NHL Breakaway Challenge
* Canadian Tire NHL Accuracy Shooting
* G Series NHL Skills Challenge Relay
* BlackBerry NHL Hardest Shot
* Tim Hortons NHL Elimination Shootout

For a full description of which event entails, visit the NHL.com article which goes over each one. You can also learn about the rules and such here.

Okay, so now that you know which is what and where and how, which event do you think Landeskog will choose?