Evans: A Colorado Avalanche teardown needs to happen
Jan 19, 2017, 4:34 PM | Updated: 7:51 pm
Well, it has finally come to roost. After screaming to the heavens for years now, it appears the Colorado Avalanche finally feel its core is as overrated, as I’ve said it was, and they are prepared to dismantle the team and start over.
It’s a severe gut-punch to loyal Avs fans, but it is necessary. Not only is Colorado the worst team in the NHL, but esteemed hockey analyst Ray Ferraro recently told the great Adrian Dater that Colorado was barely above the level of an expansion team.
Ouch.
Trade rumors are swirling, involving everyone except for Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen and Tyson Jost. Good, that’s the way it should be. The not-so-young members of the Avs core had their chances, and they failed.
I don’t want to hear about how the “supporting cast” is the problem. Ridiculous. Colorado’s supporting cast isn’t great, and that is what should have kept them from being a Stanley Cup contender. The core should be good enough by itself to at least get into the playoffs.
Think about it. In Matt Duchene (third overall pick), Gabe Landeskog (second overall), MacKinnon (first overall), Erik Johnson (first overall), you have the kind of nucleus that if they were legit, by themselves and their own performances, they would automatically make the Avalanche a playoff team. Then, as it typically works in sports, if the best players are performing at a high level, it makes the supporting cast better than they really are.
That hasn’t happened, which is why changes have to be made. My question is: Why now?
I know what you’re thinking: “Evans you’ve been screaming for change, and now you want to hit the brakes. What gives?”
Easy answer. This current Avs ship is sinking right to the bottom. The last thing I want is to give this team the kind of bump that tends to come when you make changes. The new guys come in here, all full of piss and vinegar, and start winning hockey games, which would do nothing but hurt the Colorado’s chances of getting the No. 1 pick.
I’d rather wait until the offseason, when I can dangle another high pick along with members of this core, to make some real difference with deals.
Then there is the uncomfortable elephant in the room. I don’t want Joe Sakic making these moves. I love Super Joe, but this general manager thing isn’t for him.
Whether it was ill-advised free agent signings, like Carl Soderberg, Brad Stuart and Jarome Iginla, or poor trade for Ryan O’Reilly, Joe can’t be the guy to oversee this massive rebuild. The best course of action is to wait for the season to end, let Sakic walk away with dignity, and bring in a hockey guy to make the big moves that need to be made.
While big trades need to be made, Avalanche fans have to understand their heroes may not fetch as much in trade as you’d like. This is the problem with a fire sale. Blood is in the water, and the sharks (in San Jose and elsewhere) are hungry.
They are looking to fleece the Avs, knowing Colorado has to make moves. While it is important the Avalanche get fair market value, they can’t fall into the trap of asking for too much and overrating their talent.
They’ve already done that once.
