The Colorado Avalanche have had a full season’s worth of drama in just 16 games this season. That said, Monday’s 3-2 win over the Nashville Predators has everyone feeling positive. There are plenty of things to talk about, but here are the biggest talking points from the season so far.
How Ya Doin’, Georgiev?
The single most talked about topic of the season so far has been Alex Georgiev‘s performance. Even a surface look at the stats tells the story: 3-5-0, 3.76 goals-against average, .862 save percentage. Granted, his last handful of starts have been better, but he has been unreliable.
The Avalanche have limited options in net, especially after recently claimed Kakko Kahkonen was placed on waivers and claimed by the Winnipeg Jets. Fortunately, the team has been able to turn to Justus Annunen, who has slid into the starter role and done well. If anything, it has given Georgiev time to collect himself.
Before the season began, it was uncertain that Georgiev would re-sign in Denver. Given his play and losing the starting job, it seems like a lock that he won’t return. At this stage, just getting through the season competently will be an achievement for the goalie unaffectionately nicknamed “Four-giev.”
The Great NHL MVP Race
Having one player near the top of the NHL scoring list would be an achievement. The Avalanche have three, and Mikko Rantanen’s contributions have barely been acknowledged outside of Colorado, which underscores how special the early-season achievements of Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar are.
Starting with MacKinnon. He’s the reigning Hart Trophy winner after breaking the single-season franchise record with an otherworldly 140 points in 2023-24. This season, he joined Wayne Gretzky as the only players to start multiple seasons with a point streak of at least 13 games. His 23 assists and 30 points lead the NHL, putting him on pace for an absurd 153 points.
Makar is also making an early case for MVP while chasing a bit of history of his own. He also started with a 13-game point streak, becoming the second defenseman ever to begin a season with a point streak longer than 10 games (Bobby Orr had points in 15 straight to start 1974-75). He is tied for third in the NHL in scoring with 24 points and is vying to become the first defenseman since Orr to win the Art Ross.
If both continue at this pace, it is going to make for an interesting MVP discussion. Kirill Kaprizov, Sam Reinhart, and Jack Eichel are all off to blazing starts as well. It is a good problem for the Avalanche to have.
Send in the Reinforcements!
Arguably, the second-most-talked-about point after the goaltending situation has been the litany of injuries (and a suspension). The Avalanche were without six of their top nine forwards at one point. Getting through that and managing to win games is a virtually impossible task, no matter who is left to carry the workload.
Thankfully, the reinforcements are coming. Valeri Nichushkin will be back on Nov. 15, joining the recently returned Artturi Lehkonen. Miles Wood could be back as soon as Friday, as well. Jonathan Drouin’s return is up in the air, but some think he could return as soon as Friday. That leaves Ross Colton (broken foot, 6-8 weeks) and Gabriel Landeskog (knee, no timetable) among the impactful players yet to return.
Related: Return of Lehkonen & Nichushkin Should Ignite Avalanche Attack
The Avalanche have done fairly well with so many holes in the lineup. Getting back Wood, Nichushkin, and possibly Drouin soon would be a massive boost. It will also make waiting for Colton’s return (he began the season on fire) more palatable. It’s good news for the Avalanche, so long as everyone can remain healthy and in the lineup.
Career Season for Mittelstadt
Since being acquired for defenseman Bowen Byram just before last season’s trade deadline, Casey Mittelstadt has been everything the Avalanche could have hoped for and more. He was tasked with becoming the first bona fide second-line center since Nazem Kadri left town and has done just that.
He is off to a hot start, scoring six goals and 16 points in 16 games. Given that his career-highs are 18 goals and 59 points, right now, he is on pace to crush both marks. When injuries were at their worst, Mittelstadt was a key piece in alleviating the pressure on MacKinnon, Rantanen, and Makar.
Asking him to score 80+ points in a second-line role may be a bit much, but it’s looking like he may not be far off. That would be a huge boost for the Avalanche. Most importantly, it would make them tougher to handle when the playoffs roll around.
So Long, Landy?
Landeskog has been out of the lineup for more than two years. He has said several times that he is eyeing a return during the 2024-25 season, but no official timetable has been given. As we get further into November, it is starting to feel more and more likely that his optimism is a bit forced.
Landeskog had knee surgery in September 2022 and a cartilage transplant in his right knee in May 2023. At 31 years old, he’s not exactly on the right side of the age bar. He continues to experience setbacks, and the gap in time since he last suited up isn’t doing him any favors.
While it would be nice to get some contribution from him, that feels unlikely this season, if ever. He sacrificed his body to get the Avalanche a Stanley Cup. Hanging them up and focusing on the future may be worth considering for Landeskog.
Avalanche Are Gaining Momentum
Hopes for the Central Division crown are minimal at this point. Part of that has to do with the team’s early struggles, but more of it has to do with the Jets being off to a historic start (15 wins in their first 16 games). Having said that, the Avalanche are trending upward.
They are 6-4-0 over their last 10 games, now fourth in the division. They are also right in the thick of the wild-card race with teams like the Calgary Flames, Utah Hockey Club, and Edmonton Oilers. There is a lot of season ahead, but don’t be surprised to see the Avalanche begin stringing together wins.
