30 Teams/30 Days: Colorado Avalanche

Outlook: Once a dominant franchise, the Colorado Avalanche have taken a step back in the post-lockout era. Granted, the team has seen their share of injuries, but the Avs have also seen their fare share of departures as well. Joe Sakic, the team’s leader since they were located in Quebec, has retired after 20 seasons with the organization. While it was time for Sakic to hang up the skates, he was certainly the face of the franchise, and his presence on and off the ice is irreplaceable. However, some consider that the future of the Avalanche organization was drafted in the first round of this year’s draft. Matt Duchene, drafted third overall, tallied 79 points (31 g, 48 a) last season with Brampton of the Ontario Hockey League. Fellow Avs forward Wojtek Wolski also played for Brampton and scored 128 points in his last season in 2005-06. Another notable addition coming to Denver was goaltender Craig Anderson. A native of Park Ridge, Illinois, Anderson spent the last three ...