Connect with us

Mailbag

Avalanche Mailbag: Are the Avalanche True Stanley Cup Contenders?

Published

2 months ago

on

By

This is the third and final piece of the most recent Avalanche mailbag. You can catch up with the other two below.

Read More: Avalanche Mailbag: Top Six Combinations & Has Brindley Earned An Opening Night Roster Spot?

Question from Trey

I see so many different opinions on whether the Avs are legitimate Stanley Cup contenders. Many forums and panels I have come across have them in the top 5 to 10 best odds to win, and that comes from outsiders looking in. How do you place them? If not top 5, what do they need? I hear a lot from the insiders saying they don’t feel they are where they need to be yet. What would get them there?

Aarif’s Response

They are a top-five contender to me. The Florida Panthers, even with injuries, are still there, as are the Edmonton Oilers.

The only other teams I’d put in that group are the Dallas Stars, Vegas Golden Knights, and Carolina Hurricanes. And quite honestly, like Colorado, every single one of these teams has flaws. So if anything, the Avs are at the very least one of the top six teams.

The Panthers have the deepest lineup, but three straight Stanley Cup Final appearances might finally catch up to them. Mixing that with the Aleksander Barkov season-long injury and Matthew Tkachuk being unavailable until probably 2026 are hard to ignore.

The Oiler’s depth is still a question mark, and their goaltending hasn’t changed. The Golden Knights added Mitch Marner but lost Nic Hague and Alex Pietrangelo on defense. The Stars lost a lot of depth in the offseason and have a new head coach. And the Hurricanes have Jesperi Kotkaniemi at 2C and their goaltending is still suspect.

As for the Avs, they need health on their side, and maybe one or two solid depth additions. If they can pull off a trade deadline similar to the one in 2022, it would do them well. Get a top-four defenseman, a middle six forward that plays a solid two-way game, and an extra low-cost depth option or two.

Question from Beardoff

How much of an impact does MacKinnon’s diet (and influence over what food the organization provides/allows) have? And how many players actively follow through with any guidelines/restrictions?

Aarif’s Response

I love questions like this.

I’m willing to bet that MacKinnon has impacted the careers of many players that have come through this organization in this regard. He’s disciplined and very committed to his diet, and he expects the best of himself and his teammates. We know this.

For example, Casey Mittelstadt was attached to MacKinnon at practices and before and after games. Even though his tenure with the Avs fizzled out, I’m still willing to bet that Mittelstadt will have a long NHL career and a lot of what he learned from MacKinnon is going to help him achieve that.

I also recently read a translation of an Ivan Ivan podcast appearance in his native language where he talked about playing with MacKinnon. I forgot where I read it, but Ivan basically said he was blown away by just how much of a commitment MacKinnon has to his diet and routine. And he’s often ashamed to eat unhealthy foods around No. 29 before or after games. He joked about making sure he’s sitting at a table far away when he wants to indulge on something MacKinnon wouldn’t approve of.

These things rub off on players that want to learn.

There’s also no doubt in my mind that he has an influence over what the organization provides. The team would be silly to not allow him such respect.

Contribute to CHN's travel and support local journalism!
Related Topics:

Don't Miss a Post!

Enter your email address to get all of our posts in your inbox!

Avalanche Salary Cap Info

Colorado's premier coverage of the Avalanche from professional hockey people. Evan Rawal, Editor-in-Chief. Part of the National Hockey Now family.

This site is in no way associated with the Colorado Avalanche or the NHL. Copyright © 2023 National Hockey Now.