We are in the “dog days of hockey.” The free agency frenzy has passed, and with a few remaining unrestricted free agents and the draft and development camp over, we are now looking ahead to training camp. Last season, a few stats were vital to the Colorado Avalanche‘s success. While there was room for improvement, here are three key stats that the Avalanche must duplicate to compete for the Stanley Cup in 2024-25.
Jonathan Drouin’s Impact Without Nathan MacKinnon
Despite a rocky start, Jonathan Drouin played well with Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen during the second half of the season. His play on the top line and power play showed how valuable he can be to the team and how his game meshes well with MacKinnon to elevate the offense.
The Avalanche controlled 56.79% of the shot attempts when the duo were on the ice together. However, without MacKinnon and trying to find his game, Drouin’s underlying numbers weren’t that bad; it’s just that his numbers with MacKinnon were incredible. He played with Ross Colton for 144 minutes; together, the Avalanche still controlled the shot attempts at 53.55%, lower than MacKinnon but still impressive.
Furthermore, in 63 minutes with Casey Mittelstadt, the Avalanche controlled over 60% of the shot attempts, and Drouin was able to average 2.85 points-per-60. Again, the sample size is over an hour, but it shows Drouin’s skills when not playing with a Hart Trophy winner. Imagine a healthy and comfortable Drouin with another year of experience and knowledge of the team’s system. If he can start the season on the right foot and avoid last season’s struggles, his partnership with MacKinnon will be more effective.
Casey Mittelstadt’s Production at 5-on-5
Casey Mittelstadt’s production was solid in limited time last season after he was brought in at the trade deadline. In 18 games, he scored four goals and six assists. While that might not be the flashiest number, his 5-on-5 stats with the Avalanche were excellent. His production rates with the Avalanche and Buffalo Sabres were almost identical and on par with some of the best players in the NHL. At 5-on-5, Mittelstadt averaged 2.27 points-per-60. This puts him just outside the top 50 among players with over 500 minutes of play.
Matthew Tkachuk, Nazem Kadri, Sebastian Aho, and Jason Robertson all ranked below him. Also, among players who played more than 500 minutes last season, he ranked 16th in the league with 1.58 assists per 60, a similar number to 2022-23, meaning he is consistent.
Related: 3 Avalanche Prospects Who Could Play in the NHL in 2024-25
The initial trade for Mittelstadt was shocking, giving up young Bowen Byram, who showed great potential. But the trade is paying off. The team was lacking center depth after losing Nazem Kadri to the Calgary Flames in the 2022 offseason. Having Mittelstadt gives the team options if they stumble during the season or the offense isn’t clicking.
Mikko Rantanen, at times last season, was moved down to the second line with Mittelstadt, Zach Parise and (sometimes) Valeri Nichushkin. This moved Arturri Lehkonen up to play with MacKinnon and helped change the offense a bit. Also, having a reliable second-line center means management can focus on other positions of need before the trade deadline.
Miles Wood’s Impact on the Penalty Kill
Miles Wood didn’t see much time on the penalty kill when he was with the New Jersey Devils. This could be because he spent a fair amount of time in the penalty box – because it’s unusual for a bottom-six player not to be utilized on the penalty kill. The Avalanche saw his potential and signed him to a six-year deal with this in mind.
With the Devils, Wood’s baseline stats were decent, but six years at $15 million is worrisome, albeit with an average annual value of $2.5 million. However, seeing him click with Logan O’Connor and Ross Colton on the third line, I was glad management recognized his potential.
Wood played 92 minutes on the penalty kill, with Colorado only surrendering five goals. That’s an average of 3.25 goals against-per-60 minutes, which was the lowest on the team. While the penalty kill requires teamwork, Wood’s performance was impressive, considering he was relatively new to the role. The Avalanche also scored two shorthanded goals with Wood on the ice, resulting in a goal differential of -3. Andrew Cogliano played a significant role on the penalty kill, and now that he is retired, I expect Wood to have an increased role.
The Avalanche are going into the 2024-25 season with a few changes to the roster but with the same key players who have helped them be successful. Those players include the three listed above, who must continue to be exceptional if the team wants to win another Stanley Cup. There will be questions this season, but if Mittelstad can produce offensively at 5-on-5, Drouin can continue his production with and without MacKinnon, and if Wood can continue to help the penalty kill, the Avalanche are in store for another successful season.
