10 Observations: Reflecting on the Avalanche’s Emotional Road Trip

Following a 5-2 loss to the New York Islanders on Tuesday, the Avalanche return home with all kinds of issues that need to be sorted out.

Their depth has struggled to produce, the inconsistencies on defense are glaring, and the goaltending hasn’t quite stolen games in recent weeks. Also, is Valeri Nichushkin any closer to returning?

Having Wednesday off will help after the emotional roller coaster of the past four days. The team boarded a flight to Boston early on Friday with Mikko Rantanen only for him to be traded less than 12 hours later. They followed that up with two 1 p.m. ET puck drops in a row on Saturday and Sunday before closing out the trip on Long Island two days later.

Rather than diving into the Islander’s game specifically, I figured a full trip assessment would make more sense. After all, the team boarding the flight back to Denver late Tuesday night looked quite different than the one that left four days prior.

READ MORE: Good & Bad: Third Period Gets Away From Avalanche in Loss to Islanders

10 Observations

1. I like Martin Necas. A lot. And I think it’s okay to say that without comparing every aspect of his game to Rantanen’s. This player fits what the Avalanche do. The way Jared Bednar is relying on him to pretty much be the main guy who gains entry into the offensive zone speaks volumes about how well he possesses the puck. Necas has four assists in three games — all of which have come in the last two after the quick turnaround in Boston. I’m excited to see how the rest of his season unfolds.

2. I’d like to see Valeri Nichushkin playing with Nathan MacKinnon and Necas when he returns. He was always the second-best winger option after Rantanen (with Gabriel Landeskog injured) and was best suited on the top line. But even more now, I’m genuinely intrigued by how well his net-front presence could complement Necas and MacKinnon skating circles around other teams at five-on-five. He’d also give that duo a much-needed finisher.

3. The depth on all four lines looks a lot better now than it did a week ago. Trading Rantanen for two players and having Miles Wood back has given Bednar 12 playable forwards who could be trusted at all times of a game. But, hear me out. I don’t believe Parker Kelly, Joel Kiviranta, and Wood should automatically be given full-time spots. When Nichushkin gets back, Juuso Parssinen isn’t the easy odd-man out. And if Chris MacFarland adds another forward or two, it should only create more competition.

4. Mackenzie Blackwood has given up at least three goals in five straight games with a sub .900 save percentage each time. He’s 1-3-1 in this stretch.

5. Wrote about this in my Good & Bad article following Tuesday’s loss, but Jack Drury is doing an excellent job showing that untapped offensive potential that both Bednar and MacFarland referenced over the weekend. His first goal was off a deflection and the second was a sweet wrister past Ilya Sorokin. I’d love to see him continue to produce in different ways.

READ MORE: Rantanen Traded, What’s Next? — Avalanche Trade Board 2.0

6. Sam Malinski’s all-around game has dipped as the season has gone on. But his offensive touch hasn’t been there at all. I feel bad for the kid, he showed some great potential last year as a confident puck mover who can produce. But one goal and five points in 49 games isn’t going to cut it. The concerning part is, he’s the better half of the third pair. It’s a shame the Erik Brannstrom and Oliver Kylington experiments didn’t work out (for different reasons). That was my pick for the ideal third pair when training camp began.

7. I can’t believe it took more than 500 words to mention the beautiful goal Artturi Lehkonen scored while seated on the ice. Kudos to him for finding a way to stay in the play and still receive that pass right on his tape after losing his balance.

8. That was Lehkonen’s 21st of the season, which ties his career high from 2022-23. That year, he had 21 goals (and 30 assists) in 64 games. He’s only played 40 games this year and is well on his way to shattering that record. His eight assists in 40 games have to be one of the biggest statistical outliers I’ve seen in quite a while.

9. MacKinnon hasn’t scored on the power play since October. It’s been 42 games. That says a lot about how the PP has operated since the first 10-game segment of the season.

10. Six straight games without a point for both Logan O’Connor and Kiviranta. Seven games for Kelly. I know the line has developed some good chemistry but it might be time to entertain splitting them up for a little while. I’d like to see O’Connor back with Ross Colton and Drury for a stretch. They only got one game together before Wood re-entered the lineup and pushed O’Connor back to the fourth line with Kelly and Kiviranta.

READ MORE: Did Mikko Rantanen Force Chris MacFarland’s Hand?