Colorado Avalanche at the Quarter Mark: An unsatisfying feeling

We’re 16 games in to the Colorado Avalanche 56-game season, so two games officially past the quarter mark. The Avs stand at 9-6-1, a record that looks a lot worse than it did four days ago, when it was 9-4-1 after a great win in the Outdoors Game in Lake Tahoe.

A look at the Honda West Division standings is something I would recommend Avs fans NOT do this morning. While it is deceptive, because the Avs have games in hand on some of the teams ahead of them, the fact is the Avs this morning are SIXTH in the division, with 19 points. Vegas, St. Louis, Arizona, Los Angeles and Minnesota all have more points right now than Colorado though, again, the Avs have four games in hand on the Blues, three on the Coyotes and two on the Kings.

But they’re still behind in points, and only the top four points finishers in each division qualify for the playoffs. There is now some real pressure on the Avs to get going, to string something together and not have to worry about just qualifying for the playoffs.

The Avs now go on the road for four games, the first two against the Coyotes. Then, maybe (as the Sharks are currently shut down because of Covid-19 protocol) two in San Jose next week (I have a ticket booked to cover those games).

I don’t think I’m too worried about the Avs missing the playoffs. I think those games in hand will reveal themselves to have been useful in the end toward that goal.

But I am worried about a couple things still with this team, namely: