The Avs are now (mostly) healthy. They have work to do to ensure a spot in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs, and to try and reestablish themselves as a legit championship contender.
Colorado Avalanche left wing Gabriel Landeskog skates with the team during practice before game five of the First Round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Winnipeg Jets at the Canada Life Centre in Winnipeg, Canada on Tuesday, April 30, 2024. The Avalanche survived an apocalyptic injury/availability crisis by treading water in the NHL standings, and critical reinforcements have arrived.
Here are some facts: The Avs said “12-16 months” on multiple occasions for a recovery timeline from knee cartilage surgery. Then Nathan MacKinnon slipped in a “12-18 months” during training camp. It was 18 months this past week. There would be some long-term concerns if Landeskog returns and becomes a regular in the lineup but is far from what he once was. The Avs don’t need, and probably can’t expect, the same Landeskog from his prime. For this season, they’d be happy with whatever he can be.The Avs will have some salary cap gymnastics to deal with, assuming no one has a season-ending injury, if Landeskog does return to the active roster. When that happens will play a role in what sort of gymnastics that will involve.
It would be hard for the Avs to do anything significant at the position unless Landeskog stays on LTIR for the season or someone else important lands there. Or including someone important in a trade that nets another netminder. The Avs would certainly not like to resort to anything drastic. Georgiev and Annunen have a couple of months to prove that the past few weeks are more indicative of their play than the first few weeks.Colton is out until at least mid-December with a broken foot.
Will the Avs be happy with some combo of Colton, Kelly and Ivan Ivan as the bottom two centers? If everyone is healthy and available, cap space for a new No. 3C might not be there. If the Avs did add one and put Colton on the wing, they could have the best collection of wings in the NHL. The cap ceiling might not let that be feasible, though.When the Avs added Calvin de Haan, Oliver Kylington and Erik Brannstrom in the offseason, it looked like the club’s No.
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