The Colorado Avalanche have their share of holes to fill going into the regular season. We have heard all there is to hear about the mess with the middle-six of the lineup, massive holes on the wing; creating a litany of questions that need to be addressed.
Instead, let’s focus on the good. The Avalanche defense should be one of the best units in the league despite questions about the bottom pairing. Part of that has to do with the play of 32-year-old Josh Manson.
How Manson’s 2023-24 Season Went
Since being acquired by the Avalanche in a 2022 trade, Manson has been a solid player. He’s spent time on both the second and third pairings, contributing to the penalty kill and largely going unheralded. It’s what stay-at-home defensemen generally do.
Manson played the most games in a season for him since 2017-18 (76) and even chipped in the second-most assists (17) and points (25) of his career. He spent much of the season paired with Samuel Girard, something that is expected to repeat in 2024-25.
Manson largely did what was asked of him. He helped solidify the penalty kill, played strong two-way hockey, and provided a nice counterpart to the offensively inclined Girard. It’s hard to ask more of a guy like Manson.
What the Avalanche Need From Manson
Despite being part of trade rumors, Manson is back for his third full season in Denver. He obviously isn’t going to get the attention that Cale Makar gets, but he is pivotal to the success of this team. If the Avalanche want to get off to a strong start and mitigate all of the injuries/suspensions, Manson and the defense will be critical.
Related: Avalanche’s New-Look Penalty Kill Needs Strong Start
Manson’s ice time has been pretty consistent over the last three seasons. He plays around 17:30 per game and that’s perfect for what the team needs. Makar and Devon Toews eat up the majority of minutes and that’s how it should be.
No one is expecting Manson to be an offensive dynamo. If he can continue to help along Girard and contribute on special teams, it will mean everything and more to the team.
2024-25 Projection
A return to form and health in 2023-24 was a nice boost for both Manson and the Avalanche. Keeping those vibes going, look for him to suit up in the vast majority of the team’s games again in 2024-25.
His ice time should remain about the same – he averaged 17:41 per game in 2022-23 and 17:47 last season – which should make his contributions a bit easier to nail down. Offensively, he’ll get close to double digits in goals, brush 20 assists, and fall around the 25-30-point mark.
His blocks and hits will be the biggest factor. He blocked 109 shots last season and threw 211 hits. That physicality and presence in front of his own net is invaluable. If he remains healthy, he should threaten those marks once again.
Providing Balance
Though Manson is on the wrong side of 30 and just two seasons removed from missing the majority of the season due to injury, he remains one of the unsung heroes for the Avalanche. He isn’t flashy, won’t lead an end-to-end rush, and will face more struggles than one of the guys on the top pairing.
But when Manson is playing his best, the Avalanche are better as a team. He has managed to find himself after a few seasons of struggles with the Anaheim Ducks, becoming an integral part of the Avalanche defense. Another quietly solid season would be a win for both parties.
