DATER: Don’t Worry About The Avalanche

For a regular-season loss in November, my inboxes at all my various interwebs tubes were pretty full this morning from upset Avalanche fans. Words such as “embarrassing” and “shameful” and “mortifying” were used. At first, I assumed these were notes about my new glasses, but it was all about last night’s 5-0 loss at Winnipeg.

Let me, Adrian Dater, be the voice of optimism here; Things will be just fine with the Colorado Avalanche.

This just isn’t the team we’ll be seeing, hopefully, no later than January. Then, in March, we might see another version of this team. I think both versions will be much better.

The Avalanche, the defending STANLEY CUP CHAMPION Avalanche let’s not forget, will get the equivalent of two all-star forwards back by, hopefully, no later than January. Gabe Landeskog (who, word on the street is a week or two ahead of schedule) and Valeri Nichushkin will bring what they bring to the team, which is considerable. Nichushkin should be back much earlier than Landy, as he is skating again.

Bo Byram, a minutes-munching D-man with tremendous offensive talent too, should be back fairly soon. Darren Helm should be back fairly soon. Evan Rodrigues will be back in 1-3 weeks. That’s nearly 25-percent of a new team on the way. By March 3, the NHL trade deadline, we might see some shiny new stick on the roster as well.

Last night, the Avalanche laid an egg in the ‘Peg (see what I did there) and, yeah, that sucked to watch. They just didn’t skate, didn’t get after the puck. They literally couldn’t finish anything. Their faceoff percentage (37) remained like my average test scores in high school geometry. Alex Galchenyuk’s debut (-2, no shots in 13:42) won’t be submitted to the Hockey Hall of Fame anytime soon.

But chins up, my faithful readers. This team will be much better soon enough. And, hey, they’re still 12-7-1 heading into a meeting with Tyson Jost and the Buffalo Sabres tomorrow night. Plus, I’ll be joining the road trip for the games in Boston and Philly, and I think my record in covering Avalanche games in my old stomping grounds of Boston is something like 17-2 – no joke.

So, I’ll bring the good vibes there and get us all a win against the flash-in-the-pan Bruins (bring it Boston). Philly? That’ll be two points.

So, enjoy the day Avs fans. It’s sunny again, the snow is already melting and, as Herbert Hoover once said, “Prosperity is just around the corner.” OK, so maybe the Great Depression got even worse after Mr. Hoover made that proclamation. In this case, it’ll be the Great Ascension or the Great Opppression (of opponents) or something like that.

Before I go: thank you to the following readers/subscribers for contributions to the Avs Travel Tip Jar for my upcoming travels: Ted Grycel, Patrick Walsh, Steven Segall, Kalyn Beasley and Curt Werner. As always, I’ll spend the money judiciously on the road. I’ll just have my lobster steamed only, not with champagne thermidor. But seriously, thanks. You also will help feed the hungry with those donations, as 5% of every dollar goes to the Thornton Food Bank.