With all the big ugly tanks rolling in and scaring all the rainbow unicorns away, it's been a tad gloomy around here. So, I couldn't bring myself to update the latest Ti4_ campaign, or discuss how Chris Stewart has 6 goals in 7 games with St Louis, or discuss Craig Anderson and his .963 save percentage with Ottawa. Instead, I thought I'd take the silver lining approach, and take a look at Avs who either have or have a good chance to set career bests this season.
So, with 18 games to go...
...Matt Duchene needs 3 goals, 3 assists and 6 points to match the numbers set in his rookie season.
...John-Michael Lilles has tied his career high for assists (35). Obviously, one more sets a new career high. And he needs 8 points to match his career high in that category. (Both set in 2005-2006, his 2nd season).
...Milan Hejduk recently played in his 1,000th game (regular season and playoffs). His 896 regular season games as an Avalanche are #1 (Joe Sakic played in 870 as an Av), but Sakic is still #1 in combined regular season and playoff Avalanche games, at 1,030. If he plays every game the rest of the way, he will finish the season at 1,026 - 4 behind Super Joe.
...David Jones has already set personal bests in games played, goals, assists, points, penalty minutes and overall mojo.
...Kevin Porter has done the same.
...sophomore Brandon Yip has set a new career high in assists (10) and has tied his career best in points (19), although he's already played 23 more games than last year. He needs two goals to match the 11 he scored last year as a rookie.
...Dan Winnik needs 3 goals, 5 assists and 8 points to match his career bests, all set in his rookie season of 2007-2008.
...Ryan O'Reilly needs 3 goals, 7 assists and 10 points to match his rookie output last year.
...Ryan Wilson has tied his career high of 3 goals. He needs 10 assists and 10 points to match the highs set last year (his first).
...Ryan O'Byrne has 6 assists, tying his (rather sad) career best. He is one goal and one point away from the career bests in those categories (uh, 1 and 7 respectively). While he can's score, he certainly set a career high in being a tough SOB by staying out to finish a shift with a 100-stitch cut in his face.
...Cody McLeod needs 18 penalty minutes to match his career best of 162.
...Erik Johnson needs 3 goals, 13 assists and 16 points to get to his career bests.
...Philippe Dupuis had just 1 point in 12 NHL games going into this season, so suffice to say he's set new highs across the boards.
...and Peter Budaj needs just 18 wins to match his career best set in 2006-2007, something he can do by he and the Avalanche winning the next 18 games as they propel themselves into the playoffs.
Okay, that last one may not happen...but still nice to see many of our boys approaching some personal bests. The unicorn approves.