It has been the roughest possible start to the 2024-25 season for the Colorado Avalanche. There have been bright spots despite the 0-4 start, but losing 6-4 to the Columbus Blue Jackets and 6-2 to the New York Islanders were sobering reminders of just how thin and fragile this team is at the moment.
Facing the Anaheim Ducks, the Avalanche needed a critical win at home against what is supposed to be a weaker opponent. There were some rough spots, but the Avalanche walked away with a thrilling 4-3 overtime victory. Here are the most important takeaways.
Where’s Annunen?
Alex Georgiev got the nod for the fifth time this season and it was concerning for a few reasons. He’s been absolutely brutal so far this season. He got pulled in the first two games and had given up 17 goals in four starts to date. Given his contract status, it was baffling that Justus Annunen didn’t get the start.
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Does this mean that the team doesn’t have faith in Annunen to be the heir apparent? Are they just trying to force Georgiev to get over his awful start and find his game? It’s baffling to not have seen Annunen get a start at least once so far, especially with as bad as Georgiev has been.
Georgiev had his best start of the season against the Ducks, coming up with some key saves late in the third period. Having said that, the .850 save percentage he turned in is nothing to brag about. He is by far the biggest red flag on the team and that’s saying something given how many key pieces are missing.
Mittelstadt Already Having a Big Year
As easy as it is to focus on the negatives, let’s turn to one of the positives: Casey Mittelstadt. After being acquired in a trade last season around the deadline, Mittelstadt has become increasingly acclimated in his role as the second-line center for the Avalanche.
This season, expectations were large and Mittelstadt has been living up to them. After the Ducks got out to a 2-0 lead to close out the first period, Mittelstadt got the team on the board with his fourth goal of the season less than a minute into the second period.
He would assist on Ross Colton’s third goal of the season to start the third period, distinctly shifting the momentum into the corner of the Avalanche. He is going to be a critical piece of the puzzle for the rest of the season, even when all of the injured and suspended forwards return.
Makar Has Been Sloppy
How do you criticize a guy who is second in the NHL in assists (eight) and third in points (nine) after five games? As great as Cale Makar continues to be offensively – and the Avalanche need it – his defensive play and decision-making have been frustrating at times.
Makar has been making critical mistakes with the puck, sometimes directly leading to goals. He’s being asked to do so much, and it shows given his nearly 25 minutes of ice time on the night. Makar is also no doubt pressing because of the slow start the team has had so far.
It’s nothing to sound the alarms over, but it bears watching. Now that the team is finally in the win column, maybe the pressure will alleviate a bit. Makar is the best defenseman in the world and there’s no questioning that. But if he continues to struggle with his defensive play, it is going to cost the Avalanche at an inopportune time.
A Break in the Storm?
Maintaining positivity has been difficult since the season began. The Avalanche are the worst team in the NHL defensively and giving up three goals to one of the worst teams in the league is not something to hang your hat on, especially when that team only managed 20 shots in four periods of play.
The reinforcements are coming, but the Avalanche still need to do something about their goaltending. Given the salary cap concerns the team faces, that probably isn’t going to happen without a drastic move of some sort.
For now, it is about remaining vigilant, hoping that Georgiev and the goaltending can turn a corner and that the team can find confidence in their game. The talent is there to do some damage and this might be the spark that lights the fuse for the Avalanche.
