In the spring of 2013, it looked like the Colorado Avalance were following a marvelous script. That beautiful, rebuilding script the media loves – the one Pittsburgh and Chicago had showed everyone how to do.

It went something like this:

Summer of 2013, draft Nathan MacKinnon first overall. He scores 26 goals and 62 points as an 18 year old and the team skyrockets to a 112-point season. MacKinnon has joined a promising young core: Matt Duchene is 22, Ryan O’Reilly is 22, Tyson Barrie is 22, and their Captain, Gabe Landeskog, is 21. Continue reading

The Colorado Avalanche had one of the worst seasons of the modern era last year, posting 22 wins in 82 games.

Every four games, the Avalanche were confidently expected to lose three, and they even exceeded expectations once in a while – notching losing streaks of nine, six, and five. It was ugly from the start for Colorado, and unfortunately consecutive years of losing top centermen like Ryan O’Reilly and Paul Stastny has made it impossible for them to remain upon the perch they so surprisingly created in 2013. Continue reading