Colorado Avalanche: 3 Things to Watch in November
After starting the season 8-1-5, the Colorado Avalanche aim to maintain their status as Stanley Cup favorites while addressing some early challenges. Despite impressive overall performance, certain issues from their first 15 games have drawn attention.
Power Play Struggles
The Avalanche's power play has struggled to find consistency, even though they have one of the strongest lineups on paper. Their efforts on the man advantage have appeared rigid, with scoring chances not converting as expected.
Coaching Changes and Strategy
Following a surprising first-round playoff exit, the Avalanche replaced Ray Bennett with Dave Hakstol in the offseason to inject more aggressiveness into their power play.
Recent Lineup Adjustments
In the last two games, Brock Nelson was moved to the second unit, with Valeri Nichushkin joining the first unit to add size and physicality. This change resulted in four power play goals against New Jersey and a point scored against Tampa Bay, ranked third-best in penalty kill.
“That change led to 4 power play goals against New Jersey and a point against the NHL's third best penalty kill in Tampa Bay.”
The Avalanche currently lead the league in points but will need to resolve these issues to sustain their dominance.
Summary: The Avalanche show strong potential but must improve their power play and capitalize on recent lineup changes to maintain their Stanley Cup favorite status.