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Midseason Grade: N/A

Final Grade: INC

Joined Team: Signed (officially) on July 1, 2008

MHH Nicknames: Golden Boy

Lines:

• 3rd (2)
• 4th (1)

Pos:

• LW (3)
  

Linemates:

C:

• Wolski (2)
• Willsie (1)

RW:

• Hensick (3)

Ice Time:*

• TOT 9:56 (20th)
• EV 9:56 (20th)
• PP 0:00 (20th)
• PK 0:00 (20th)

*Rank is based on total minutes, not average per game.

Best Month: April (3gp, 0 points)

Career Highlights: Ledin made his NHL debut last season.

Report: Per Ledin was unknown to most of us when he was signed last year. But from all the stories we read through the crappy google translator, he seemed like an entertaining, energetic player. Quite honestly, I think most of us were more excited to see him in an Avalanche uniform than we were for the other big free agent signings last summer (Tucker, Raycroft and Tjarnqvist). I don't think anyone expected him to be a game-breaker, but it sure seemed like he'd be fun to watch.

Ledin did not make the club out of camp, however. Although he had a 1-way contract (meaning he was paid his full $600,000 salary to play for Lake Erie), he remained in Cleveland while, by my count, 15 different players were recalled by the Avalanche (including 8 forwards). Finally, with just 3 games left in the dismal season, Ledin was given his token NHL stint - although he almost missed the chance due to a sore back.

3 games certainly isn't enough to evaluate a player, and that's really beside the point. The bigger picture is that Ledin really didn't get a chance in Denver, and his signing essentially amounts to wasted money. It's great that the team is digging around for gems - Ledin, Jaroslav Hlinka, Jonas Gustavsson - but getting the player signed is just half the battle. Does anyone on the Avalanche understand that these guys actually need a chance to contribute? Bringing a top-line European player over to wallow on the 4th line or burying a 4th line player in the minors seems like a colossal waste of everyone's time - fans, managment...and the players in question.

Fun Fact: Ledin's 97 is the highest number worn by an Avalanche player. He and Smyth are the only two players from the Avs to have a number in the 90s.

The Per Ledin Drinking Game:  Drink when someone other than Ledin is recalled  Drunk potential: Significant

What I Said Last Year: "This page lists Ledin as 6′0″ and 194 lbs, and describes him as more of an agitator than skilled player (Ville Nieminen immediately comes to mind). That makes me excited if not a little confused. How many 4th liners do we need?"

2008 Salary (and Cap Number): $600K ($600K)

2009-2010 Status: UFA

Outlook for 2009: Ledin has already signed with HV71 of the Swedish Elite League. We hardly knew you, Per.

Next Up: That's all, folks!

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Midseason Grade: A-

Final Grade: A-

Joined Team: Signed as a free agent, July 1st, 2007

MHH Nicknames: Smitty, Alice the Goon.

Pos:

• LW (77)

Lines:

• 1st (72)
• 2nd (5)

Linemates:

C:

• Stastny (37)
• Wolski (26)
• Hensick (7)
• Arnason (5)
• Sakic (1)

RW:

• Hejduk (60)
• Svatos (7)
• Stewart (5)
• Willsie (3)
• Jones (1)
• Laperriere (1)

Ice Time:*

• TOT 20:17 (2nd)
• EV 15:23 (1st)
• PK :51 (7th)
• PP 4:01 (2nd)

*Rank is based on total minutes, not average per game.

Best Month: December (14 points in 14 games)

Career Highlights: Smyth didn't set any career highs, but he did score his 300th goal during the season. He is 80 games away from 1,000.

Report: I believe this is the 35th grade I've done this year for a player, so the following sentence is long overdue: Congratulations, Ryan Smyth, you are receiving the highest grade this year with your A-.

Smyth struggled last year with injuries, inconsistency and some clueless line management from Joel Quenneville. He didn't quite have the big rebound I was hoping for, but he did indeed bounce back nicely, tying for the team lead in points, with 59. That's not exactly an Art Ross level for scoring, but scoring points is not the only part of Ryan Smyth's game.

Simply put, Smyth was our most consistent player throughout the season. Night after night, he came ready to work and frequently was our best player on the ice. Sadly, on many of those nights, he failed to register any points, but the work was definitely there. I think by now most people know that Smyth is one of the best players in the league in the crease. I don't think I was aware that he's actually surprisingly adept at working behind the net as well, but that's now apparent too. Although most of his best work is within 10 feet of the boards, he had a couple of big goals from farther out, such as his 300th and that hilarious no-look goal he scored against Phoenix (I think).

Despite the terrific season, there are a couple of negatives to report. Too many dumb penalties would be one. And while Smyth's aggressive forecheck is admirable, his lack of speed burned him when he got stuck going too deep on the play. This was particularly bothersome on the penalty kill; personally, I'd rather see someone else on the ice on such ocassions. Oh, and the "we just play for the logo on the jersey" stuff was cute the first couple of times I heard it, but it started to feel a wee bit contrite after repeated listenings. Are there any other hockey cliches in the well we could add to the repretoire?

Fun Fact: Smyth wears #94 because that is the year he graduated from high school. This has to be the least interesting story behind a jersey number ever.

The Ryan Smyth Drinking Game: Drink when Smyth raises his hands innocently in an effort to avoid a penalty  Drunk potential: Tremendous

What I Said Last Year: "$6.25 million is a lot of money to pay for 37 points, and already there's some grumbling in, um, ‘Lancheland, about his contract. I thought Smyth was a perfect addition to the team and could put up 40 goals in the ugly Avalanche uniform. I still think he can do that.  Smyth has a chance to rebound with a big, big year. Even a slightly better year would be a big help to the team."

2008 Salary (and Cap Number): $7.25M ($6.25M)

2009-2010 Status: Smyth is signed for 3 more seasons at $6.25M. He has a NTC.

Outlook for 2009: There were a lot of rumors that the Avalanche were shopping Smyth at the trade deadline. Nothing ever materialized, of course, the Smyth trade chatter has started up again this offseason. Given that Smyth is a Giguere hire, a trade would not be surprising. Disappointing, perhaps, but not shocking. Of course, the Avalanche would need to find a suitable deal with a team Smyth would be interested in waiving his NTC for, and I believe his shortlist of potential destinations is going to be a small one. With that in mind, I expect Smyth to be riding shotgun with Paul Stastny and Milan Hejduk on the top line next season. And dammit, I still think he's going to score 40 goals some year.

Next Up: Per Ledin

Midseason Grade: N/A

Final Grade: INC

Joined Team: Signed as a free agent, August 20th, 2007

MHH Nicknames: N/A

Linemates:

• Peltier (3)
  

Ice Time:*

• TOT 10:51 (13th)
• EV 10:41 (13th)
• PK :07 (12th)
• PP :08 (12th)

*Rank is based on total minutes, not average per game.

Best Month: March (2 games, 0 points)

Career Highlights: O'Neill made his NHL debut in 2008-2009.

Report: Wes O'Neill, as far as I can tell, is strictly an AHL defensemen. He probably would not have been called up at all if the Lake Erie Monsters didn't hold a tenuous hold on some playoff dreams back in March. Sure enough, after 3 games in Denver, and with Lake Erie sinking farther, O'Neill was demoted in favor of what appeared to be a more polished Aaron MacKenzie.

O'Neill is a big, lanky guy. From the brief look that we saw of him, it looks like he posses the skating and stickhandling skills of...a big, lanky guy.

Fun Fact: 23 of the 37 players who appeared in an Avalanche uniform last season have played all of their NHL games for that one franchise.

The Wes O'Neill Drinking Game: Drink for every minute of O'Neill's ice time  Drunk potential: Meh

What I Said Last Year: N/A

2008 Salary (and Cap Number): $575K ($815K)

2009-2010 Status: Signed for 1 more season at a $815K cap figure. O'Neill is slated to become an RFA next summer

Outlook for 2009: Check out that cap number! $815,000 - more than Cumiskey, more than Vernace, more than Tjarnqvist even. Of course, the expectation is that O'Neill will spend the bulk of his time in Cleveland, so that cap number isn't really very important (it reflects a bonus O'Neill was given when he signed).

Next Up: Ryan Smyth

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Midseason Grade: INC

Final Grade: INC

Joined Team: Acquired with Darcy Campbell from Columbus for Mark Rycroft, January 22nd, 2008

MHH Nicknames: N/A

Lines:

• 4th (8)

Pos:

• C (5)
• RW (2)
• LW (1)

Linemates:

LW:

• Tucker (5)
• McLeod (2)

C:

• Willsie (1)
• Guite (1)
• Hensick (1)

RW:

• Willsie (3)
• McCormick (3)

Ice Time:*

• TOT 9:33 (18th)
• EV 9:30 (18th)
• PK :01 (18th)
• PP :01 (18th)

*Rank is based on total minutes, not average per game.

Best Month: January (5 gp, 0 points)

Career Highlights: Dupuis made his NHL debut this season

Report: Philippe Hendricks Durno Dupuis kind of blends in with all the other limited-duty call-ups we saw for the Avalanche this year. He appeared to be a solid, 4th-line option with one added bonus - a 52% sucess rate in the faceoff circle. Sure, that's in only 50 attempts, but beggars can't be choosers.

Fun Fact: Although there was a long debate here about the subject, Dupuis is apparently not related to fellow Laval native Pascal Dupuis

The Philippe Dupuis Drinking Game:  Drink every time I spell his name "Phillipe" Drunk potential: High

What I Said Last Year: N/A

2008 Salary (and Cap Number): $522K ($522K)

2009-2010 Status: RFA ($574 QO)

Outlook for 2009: Darcy Campbell has moved on, leaving Dupuis as the only asset left from the Mark Rycroft trade. Not that that really counts for anything, of course. I assume Dupuis will be back with Lake Erie next year (he led the team in scoring), with the possibility of a call-up to the NHL if the Avalanche run into injuries again.

Next Up: Wes O'Neill

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Midseason Grade: B-

Final Grade: B

Joined Team: Signed as a free agent, July 6th, 2006

MHH Nicknames: The Highlander

Lines:

• 4th (35)
• 3rd (30)
• 2nd (12)
• 1st (2)

Pos:

• LW (79)
  

Linemates:

C:

• Arnason (25)
• Guite (18)
• McCormick (13)
• Willsie (7)
• Hensick (5)
• Galiardi (4)
• Laperriere (4)
• Dupuis (2)
• Sakic (1)

RW:

• Laperriere (18)
• Svatos (14)
• Jones (9)
• Tucker (8)
• Willsie (8)
• Hejduk (7)
• Stewart (7)
• McCormick (7)
• Hensick (1)

Ice Time:*

• TOT 10:07 (12th)
• EV 9:40 (12th)
  
• PK :19 (12th)
  
• PP :07 (13th)

*Rank is based on total minutes, not average per game.

Best Month: January (7 points in 13 games)

Career Highlights: McLeod set career highs in games (79), goals (15), points (20), penalty minutes (162) and shots (118). He also tied his previous high in assists (with 5).

Report: Here's what Cody McLeod is. He's our best hitter (by a 79-hit margin over the next guy, other Cody). He gets on the nerves of the other team (watch how many times someone takes an extra swipe at him after a whistle or a fight). He does stuff to fire up our team (the octopus toss, the Raitinans goal celebration). He fights rather well (4-0-6, according to hockeyfights) although he still seems a bit selective in his opponents. And, of course, he adds some occasional pop with his stick (15 goals).

Here's what he isn't, though: David Backes. Despite Altitude's attempts to sell you on this all year, Cody McLeod is not quite on par with the St Louis forward with 32 goals and 162 penalty minutes. Altitudue came up with cooked-up stats to show that McLeod and Backes were the two guys in the NHL who could score goals AND provide toughness. In fact, McLeod was one of 17 guys with 10+ goals and 100+ penalty minutes and one of 5 in the 10/150 club. Not that there's anything wrong with being in the club, it's just that's it's not quite as meaningful as it's been portrayed. And scoring 15 goals and having 162 penalty minutes does not mean you are a power forward.

McLeod is a big-hitting tough guy who doesn't suck with the puck down low. He's a valuable player to have on your 4th line (or, as needed, the 3rd). And he's durable too, with just 3 games missed since making his debut. He takes a few too many penalties (80 minutes in minors alone this year), and he does go on some stretches where you wonder if he's still playing (no fighting majors over the last 32 games). He doesn't kill penalties well and is probably out of place anywhere above the 3rd line, but otherwise he's a great guy to have. He's no Backes, but I'm glad to have him anyway.

Fun Fact: McLeod is one of 6 undrafted players to appear for the Avalanche last year, but was the only one to play in a significant number of games.

The Cody McLeod Drinking Game: Drink when someone replays the clip of McLeod's goal celebration in the penalty box  Drunk potential: High, but I'd love it to be even higher.

What I Said Last Year: "Quenneville obviously had a major affinity for McLeod (he often put McLeod on the ice for the opening faceoff). Will Tony Granato have the same level of love? Despite the (over) abundance of, um, muckers on the team, I think McLeod will find a considerable share of ice time next year."

2008 Salary (and Cap Number): $522K ($522K)

2009-2010 Status: RFA ($574K QO)

Outlook for 2009: I think McLeod is an excellent guy to have as our 4th line LW. Perhaps with the right center (hint: not Arnason) he could have some effectiveness elsewhere, but I really think he's best on that line that goes out for 10-12 minutes a night and just works the hell out of things in the far corner. And as much as I like McLeod, I think we're in for a world of hurt if he's our 3rd highest goal-scorer again.

Next Up: Philippe Dupuis

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Midseason Grade: C

Final Grade: C+

Joined Team: Drafted in the 9th round of the 2003 NHL Draft

MHH Nicknames: Jonesy [Not great, but at least it isn't "Davey"]

Pos:

• RW (35)
• LW (5)

Lines:

• 3rd (20)
• 2nd (14)
• 4th (5)
• 1st (1)

Linemates:

LW:

• Wolski (11)
• McLeod (9)
• Stewart (8)
• Laperriere (4)
• Tucker (2)
• Smyth (1)

C:

• Arnason (16)
• Hensick (9)
• Sakic (6)
• Laperriere (5)
• McCormick (3)
• Stastny (1)

RW:

• Svatos (5)
  

Ice Time:*

• TOT 12:43 (14th)
• EV 11:19 (14th)
• PK :47 (9th)
• PP :37 (12th)

*Rank is based on total minutes, not average per game.

Best Month: December (6pts in 14 games)

Career Highlights: Jones set a career high for GP (40), Goals (8), Assists (5), Points (13) and Shots (47)

Report: It's been too long since we last saw Jones on the ice, as he missed almost all of the 2nd half. That's too bad, because after a dreadful start (2 points in 16 games), Jones was heating up (11 in his final 24) and on a couple of nights may have been the Avs best player. Jones has shown so many glimmers of greatness to give us hope - the speed, the hitting (54 hits in 40 games), the double or triple moves to get around a defenseman but he still hasn't quite been able to put it together. The shoulder injury that knocked him out for the year was extra frustrating in this regard, as it appeared he was starting to get it going.

As I was looking over Jone's line combinations, it strikes me that he may have been one of the few young players that Granato seemed to slot properly all year. The bulk of his time was on the 2nd or 3rd lines, and that's probably about right.

Fun Fact: According to Hockey-Reference.com, David is the 12th of 13 Joneses to play in the NHL. And I'm guessing ALL of them we're nicknamed "Jonesy"

The David Jones Drinking Game: Drink when Jones breaks in alone on the right wing before getting snuffed out in the corner Drunk potential: Decent

What I Said Last Year: "Hopefully, the chemistry he showed with TJ Hensick in the playoffs will be something both players can build on next year; the team would look a whole lot better if the two of them were able to turn the corner."

2008 Salary (and Cap Number): $550K ($550K)

2009-2010 Status: RFA ($605K minimum QO)

Outlook for 2009: I'm a big fan of Jones, and not just because he went to college in the great state of New Hampshire. He's exciting to watch with his combination of size, speed and skill and man, wouldn't he and Chris Stewart cause some fits for our opponents if they both were able to find their game? Like so many of his teammates, he needs to find a way to get the puck in (I'd settle for on) the net more consistently. Perhaps it's wishful thinking, but I feel Jones could have a breakthrough year next year.

Next Up: Cody McLeod (Monday)

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Midseason Grade: N/A

Final Grade: N/A

Joined Team: June 24, 2008. Acquired from Boston for Johnny Boychuk.

MHH Nicknames: N/A

Pos:

• LW (2)
• RW (2)

Lines:

• 4th (3)
• 2nd (1)

Linemates:

LW:

• McCormick (1)
• Laperriere (1)

C:

• Hensick (1)
• Guite (1)
• Laperriere (1)
• Wolski (1)

RW:

• Svatos (1)
  

Ice Time:*

• TOT 8:30 (19th)
• EV 8:30 (19th)
• PK 0:00 (21st)
• PP 0:00 (20th)

*Rank is based on total minutes, not average per game.

Best Month: March (4 games, 0 points)

Career Highlights: Hendricks made his NHL debut last season

Report: YAMLCUG (Yet Another Minor League Call Up Grade). Hendricks was fun to watch. In his too brief stint with the Avs, he seemed like he had a nose for the net and played with reckless abandon (translation: he hit people). Over the course of an 82 game season, I can see where Hendricks' dumb penalties could be a detriment. With the Avs mired in a dismal end-of-season slump, though, I thought Hendricks play was just the breath of fresh air the team needed. All other tough guys not nicknamed "Lappy" had closed up shop for the year; McCormick's last fight was on March 12th (against Jon Scott, though, so he earned the time off). McLeod's last scrap was February 28th (Tucker's also). Why not keep Hendricks around to bring just a little entertainment to the dreadful Avalanche games?

Fun Fact: Hendricks was one of 4 Avs with a positive +/- (+1)

The Matt Hendricks Drinking Game: Drink when Hendricks takes a stupid penalty Drunk potential: High

What I Said Last Year: "I'm not familiar with Hendricks, but just looking at his numbers this doesn't seem like a great return [for Boychuk]."

2008 Salary (and Cap Number): $500k ($500k)

2009-2010 Status: UFA

Outlook for 2009: Hendricks is one of a zillion journeyman minor league free agents in the system. I liked him in the limited look that I saw, but obviously the geniuses ruining (er, sorry, I think I meant "running") the team did not agree. Wherever he ends up, it seems like the bulk of his time is going to be spent in the AHL.

Next Up: David Jones

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Midseason Grade: B-

Final Grade: C-

Joined Team: (Re-) Acquired February 26, 2008 for the Avs 2008 1st-rounder and 2009 4th-rounder

MHH Nicknames: Footer

Linemates:

• Clark (16)
• Hannan (12)
• Salei (8)
• Liles (6)

Ice Time:*

• TOT 19:40 (5th)
• EV 15:54 (5th)
• PK 3:37 (3rd)
• PP :08 (9th)

*Rank is based on total minutes, not average per game.

Best Month: December (3 points in 9 games)

Career Highlights: Adam Foote played in his 1,000th NHL game on October 12th.

Report: It's a bit ironic that Adam Foote's grade is sandwiched between the two Cup anniversaries (2001was  yesterday and 1996 is tomorrow). Foote, of course, was a big part of both Cup teams and is an Avalanche icon, trailing only Joe Sakic and Milan Hejduk in games played for the franchise (post-relocation).

With that out of the way, this last season was a disappointing one. The Adam Foote we saw in the playoffs in 2008 was not the Adam Foote we saw on the ice (when healthy) in 2009. Foote is always going to be subject to injuries, and he was able to play in just 42 games last year. But even when was healthy enough to get in the lineup, he was, in a word, underwhelming.

I've never met Foote, and I likely never will. That's good news for me considering what I'm about to say: I think he mailed it in. Perhaps I'm way off here, but from my vantage point (ass firmly planted on my sofa) that's what I saw. Maybe after all the years of doing the dirty work he had nothing left to give. Or maybe the sad state of the team demoralized him. Whatever, the fire just didn't seem to be there...as might be evidenced by his .71 PiM/GP rate - less than half his career rate going into the year.

The problem isn't just that Foote's effort was suspect; you can say that about every veteran defenseman who wore the ugly uniprons last year. The problem is that Foote is supposed to be the leader, the pace-setter. If he's not interested in working, so goes the rest of the squad. And that issue needs to get resolved. Pronto.

Fun Fact: Foote's 7 assists were on goals by 7 different goal scorers.

The Adam Foote Drinking Game: Drink when Foote misses a game due to injury  Drunk potential: Substantial

What I Said Last Year: "One thing to keep in mind with Foote - if he does re-sign with Colorado, it's good that the Avs have good depth on the blueline. He's never played 82 games in a season. He's averaged just 66 games a season since the lockout and he's only hit the 70-game mark 3 times in the last 8 seasons."

2008 Salary (and Cap Number): $2.75M ($3.0M)

2009-2010 Status: Foote is under contract for one more season at the $3M cap hit. He has a NTC.

Outlook for 2009: The good news is that Foote's contract isn't as bad as it could be. $3 million isn't great for what he gave us - or rather didn't give us - last year, but it's not like the 2-and-a-quarter we're wasting on Darcy Tucker. If Foote can find a way to rekindle his inner fire, he could still turn in a good season; it's not like he relies on blistering speed to be sucessful. A revitalized Foote could provide the nasty competitor the Avs paid so dearly for last year as well as some terrific leadership for all the young kids coming through the ranks. I'm not quite sure we'll return to the glory years, but I do think Foote has enough pride to avoid a repeat of last season's disaster.

Next Up: Matt Hendricks