An Avalanche holiday wish list

It’s that time of year where wishes come true and the Colorado Avalanche could use a little of that holiday magic into the new year. If they could talk to Santa Claus and request a few of their biggest hopes and needs this is what might be on the list.

Injury Reprieve

All the injuries endured over the first two months of the NHL season have robbed the defending champions of the ability to have all their talent on the ice at one time. While full health may only be a theoretical concept, a more complete version of the Avalanche is on the horizon. If that group can take the ice for the majority of the remaining season schedule then the squad will have a good shot to try and repeat as Stanley Cup champions.

A graduation from the AHL

Injuries have forced plenty of callups but also several NHL debuts which is great for those players personally and the valuable experience gained. Where the Avalanche can benefit is when these guys go from competent emergency fill-ins to regular NHL players and that’s where the organization has had issues for at least a decade is how to transition long-term AHL players to depth for the NHL squad. The movement this fall has been an encouraging first step but the process has to be completed. If one of those players can graduate to NHL regular before the playoffs then that’s just a stronger squad at the most important time of year.

Photo by Rick Ulreich/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

More Reverse Retro

After the short-lived but wildly popular Quebec Nordiques-inspired Reverse Retro jerseys went away, the new Colorado-themed version 2.0 sweaters have been mostly a hit, especially to those who enjoy Colorado pride. Unfortunately, the team is only scheduled to wear the new threads two more times. It is fun to watch the team sporting some different looks and why this one isn’t getting much use is odd.

A way to watch the team locally

It's way beyond whatever legal grudge match Altitude and cable giant Comcast have been subjecting Avalanche fans to since 2019. As the calendar flips to 2023, in the coming days it’s time to embrace current realities. If making a deal with Comcast is never going to work then the last four years should have been dedicated to working on a long-term solution that could serve many fans across the globe and that’s a legal streaming platform. Either way, it’s time to end the mud-slinging and find some wide-range solutions for the fans.

Some 5-on-5 goals

As the Avalanche languishes in the bottom three in the NHL in regards to goals scored at 5-on-5, it would be a welcome gift if the new year could bring a little more firepower in that department. Getting players back in the lineup - Nathan MacKinnon and Gabe Landeskog, in particular, will help immensely. But, it’s been a concern all year with the lack of depth and depressed rate of scoring even before the injury bug showed up.

Also, don’t miss out on holiday greetings from Cale Makar and many other NHL stars.