DENVER — Ross Colton centered the Avalanche’s new-look second line on Monday, flanked by wingers Jonathan Drouin and Zach Parise. He played just 10:56 and finished with an assist on a Drouin goal. With only one game separating the Avs from Friday’s trade deadline, the team could be bracing for Colton to play a bigger role after the roster is set in stone for the stretch run. Though head coach Jared Bednar admitted that the line shakeup was largely because of a poor stretch of play from the traditional Colton line.
“They’ve had a tough stretch. Really tough stretch,” he said. “So give them a break from one another and see if they can help different lines and they did.”
Colton as the second-line center isn’t the most ideal scenario for this team. His ice time was more reason to believe it’s not Bednar’s first choice either. Even with the inevitable return of Valeri Nichushkin in the coming days, his ability to slot in on the third line gives the team depth down the middle — though that becomes moot if the second-line center isn’t cutting it. And it’s no secret general manager Chris MacFarland is looking to trade Ryan Johansen and bring in a new centerman to take over that spot.
Colorado has been linked to several names like Alex Wennberg, Adam Henrique, Nick Bjugstad, Alexander Kerfoot and Scott Laughton. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman even mentioned the idea of acquiring an off-the-radar center — one that hasn’t been discussed among insiders. Whether they’re able to find the right fit for the right price is anybody’s guess. But trying Colton in the top six and away from usual linemates Logan O’Connor and Miles Wood is the best option if a trade isn’t consummated. While the trio has had chemistry for the majority of the season, O’Connor and Wood are better suited for the bottom six.
The Avs shut out the Chicago Blackhawks for the second time in under a week on Monday, defeating them 5-0 at Ball Arena.
The lineup they iced is expected to look a lot different over the next handful of games. If Colton is the second-best center on this team after the deadline, he’ll likely play with two of Mikko Rantanen, Artturi Lehkonen, Nichushkin and Drouin. And that’s without considering the possibility of the Avs loading up on the wing and acquiring a big-name winger, perhaps Jake Guentzel, to potentially push Drouin further down the lineup instead. The forward depth is certainly their biggest priority before Friday.
And a large part of that is the recent play of goalie Justus Annunen. For months, Colorado’s main focus was acquiring a backup goalie to give starter Alexandar Georgiev much-needed rest. The 23-year-old Annunen got the nod in goal and made 36 saves to earn the shutout victory — his second in as many games against Chicago. Annunen was called up after the All-Star break and has played in five of 14 games since. His performance over the past four could be enough to convince MacFarland that a goalie acquisition is unnecessary.
And not to mention, with veteran Marc-Andre Fleury not expected to be dealt from Minnesota, the other backup options are likely not enough to justify what it may cost to bring them in. Annunen is 2-2-1 in that stretch with a marvelous .936 save percentage. Though it’s hard to read much into that shining stat given the two games against a depleted and thin Blackhawks roster. He also shined in an OT loss against Detroit and held his own against the Tampa Bay Lightning. The team in front of him didn’t play well in either of those games.
Nathan MacKinnon had two goals and Cale Makar, Drouin and Parise each had one for Colorado, which improved to a whopping 24-6-0 at home. MacKinnon has a point in all 30 games — the second-longest season-opening home point streak in NHL history.
Parise, in his 14th game with Colorado, has four goals and four assists. Five of those points have come in two games against the Blackhawks.
