Last Season: 43-30-9 95 pts (4th in Central Division; Lost in Western Conference First Round)
Key Additions: D Ian Cole, F Matt Calvert, and G Philipp Grubauer
Key Departures: F Blake Comeau, F Nail Yakupov, G Andrew Hammond, and G Jonathan Bernier
Top Questions Facing the Avalanche:
- Who will be the #1 goalie for the Avalanche?
With Semyon Varlamov in the last year of his contract, and a history of injuries, General Manager Joe Sakic picked up Philipp Grubauer, from the Washington Capitals, who is primed to be a number one goalie in the NHL. With Gubauer chomping at the bit to be the man, Varlamov will need to remain healthy and bring his A game to remain the top guy in goal and earn his next contract.
2. Can the Avalanche make the playoffs again?
Last season the Avalanche made one of the best turn arounds (48 points in 2016-17 to 95 points last season), and with a new goalie in tow as well as some offensive and defensive additions, the Avalanche can really build on what they accomplished last season. Plus it is very evident that after the trade that sent Matt Duchene to Ottawa, that the rest of team got focused on the game and not the dram that Duchene brought to the locker room and that paid great dividends for the Avalanche. It also helps that the Avalanche has a defense that is very deep and talented, something they haven’t been able to tout in almost a decade.
