J.D. Killian
J.D. has followed the Colorado Avalanche since the days of Joe Sakic and Peter Forsberg. Blessed to cover the team for the past three years at other venues, J.D. is excited about joining the Hockey Writers. Proud parent of three humans and two dogs, you can follow all the escapades @JDKpirate.
Author's Posts
Cale Makar Wins the Hobey Baker Award
April 13th, 2019 Cale Makar, the sophomore defenseman from the University of Massachusetts Amherst (UMass), was named the recipient of the 2019 Hobey Baker Memorial Award as college hockey’s top player on Friday, April 12. He is the first player from UMass to win the award. The sophomore alternate captain has had a busy week as he helped lead...
Avalanche Are Winners Before the Playoffs Begin
April 11th, 2019 The Colorado Avalanche enter the playoffs establishing more than just the team’s first back-to-backs postseason appearance in a decade. They are winning on a number of fronts beyond the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Avalanche Win at the Draft Lottery The Avalanche acquired the Ottawa Senators first-round draft pick in the Matt Duchene...
Avalanche's Rocky Road to the Postseason
April 9th, 2019 The Colorado Avalanche fought their way into the postseason through skill, grit, teamwork, resiliency and a little bit of luck. In other words, the Avalanche earned every inch of their playoff spot. But it wasn’t easy. The road was not smooth. In fact, the Avalanche's path to the postseason resembled more of a wild roller coaster...
Avalanche Battling Hard for Playoff Berth
March 27th, 2019 A little over two weeks ago, the Colorado Avalanche looked dead in the water. It appeared time to focus on draft picks and free agency. The list of challenges was long. Goaltending had been uneven, at best. Both Philipp Grubauer and Semyon Varlamov had averaged save rates in the .800’s through December and January, helping to put...
Avalanche Trade Plans Shifted Near Deadline
February 27th, 2019 The Colorado Avalanche approached this season’s trade deadline clearly stating they were not going to be big players. They were true to their word. However, the minimal player movement was as much a product of circumstances as any plan. Players on the Trade Block As the Avalanche entered February, they were facing the deadline in the...
NHL Instigator Penalty Needs to Go
February 2nd, 2019 The instigator penalty in one form or another goes back to 1937 when the the league stated that "A major penalty shall be imposed on any player who starts fisticuffs". It made sense. It was straight forward, no loopholes, no conditions and it left room for the referees to enforce the rule as they deemed appropriate. Instigator Rules...
