Morning Flurries: Kuemper for Vezina?

All Avalanche

• In his latest, The Athletic’s Peter Baugh argues that Colorado Avalanche goaltender Darcy Kuemper should get a good look at this year’s Vezina Trophy. [The Athletic]
• In case you’ve been living under a rock, the Avalanche officially recalled youngster Bowen Byram to the first team and he is going to make his return in an upcoming game. [Mile High Hockey]

Down Below

• The Buffalo Sabres aren’t having that great of a season, but one revelation has been Tage Thompson and his exceedingly strong case to be a top-six center for a while. [Die By The Blade]
• Auston Matthews is having some sort of season, and last night he tied Rick Vaive’s record of 54 goals scored in a single season as a player for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

• The Washington Capitals might have a very big problem in between the posts, with neither netminder really stealing the position from the other. [NBC Sports]
• The Vancouver Canucks have suddenly become a decent team, and even though it’s too little too late, that should earn head coach Bruce Boudreau a new contract. [NBC Sports]