Avalanche Hurt Most by Defensive Lapses

It just goes to show how easily and quickly a few mistakes can undo everything a hockey team works for. The Avalanche are still a very good team and should be equipped to make a deep run in the playoffs. But if they can’t clean up glaring mistakes, it won’t matter how good they are on paper.

Goaltending has been given part of the blame and, at times, rightfully so. Mackenzie Blackwood hasn’t quite lived up to the expectations set before him, even with a prime opportunity to become “the man” in Colorado’s crease. That said, he can hardly bear all the blame, either.

Team Defense Isn’t Up to Par

If you need a good example of where the team defense has been this season, look at the most recent loss to the Devils. The first goal of the game came off a turnover and an uncontested chance on Scott Wedgewood.

Those have become all too common so far this season. There have been concerns about the team’s goaltending so far, but the entirety of the blame can’t be laid at their feet.

Even good teams will find themselves on the wrong end of things if they give up too many chances. It has hurt them against teams like the Flyers and Devils; it will hurt them worse against the tougher teams on their schedule.

Too Reliant on Explosive Offense

When you have a loaded offense, it can become all too easy to rely on it. Though the power play has its issues, it is hard not to feel like Nathan MacKinnon, Martin Necas, and company can simply blast their way out of any trouble.

However, it just isn’t feasible. Every team is going to have an off night offensively unless it’s the Edmonton Oilers. The Avalanche are deep offensively, but that will only carry them so far if they can’t stop giving the other team prime opportunities.

The good news is that the Avalanche have the kind of leadership needed to identify the issue and turn things around in rapid order. Do you think someone as competitive as MacKinnon is going to stand for this? Not likely.

The Avalanche Have Been Excellent Defensively Before and Can Be Again

We have seen the capability of the Avalanche as a team defensively before. They led the NHL in goals against per game last season, allowing just 2.40 per contest. Since the start of the 2024-25 season, they have allowed 2.63 goals per game – the best in the NHL.

The pieces are there. While there may be concerns about whether Blackwood can truly be an upper-echelon starting goaltender, the team in front of him is good enough to win it all. The season is a long one, and this is a veteran team and coaching staff capable of cleaning up those big mistakes. The sooner they do, the better.