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Wednesday, November 8, 2000
Avs tough to match up front
By George Johnson
Special to ESPN.com
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This could be Joe Sakic's last season in Denver. Patrick Roy will turn 36 in the midst of the Stanley Cup finals next June. This is being advertised as Ray Bourque's final fling. Coach Bob Hartley's future in the organization is on the line. The team's new owner, Stan Kroenke, is the heir to the Wal-Mart fortune, which means he's a man who'll demand bang for his buck.
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Wed., Sept. 27
The Avalanche will be one of the league's strongest teams again, but the health of Peter Forsberg and Joe Sakic will be paramount. They are the league's best 1-2 punch at center. Forsberg missed 33 games last year after shoulder surgery and has already missed part of training camp with a bad ankle. Hopefully, that's not a bad omen. And Sakic sat out 20 games a year ago. If Forsberg and Sakic can stay healthy and miss only a game or two, the Avs will be a strong team because they have great depth. Every team needs its star players, and Colorado is no exception. |
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So who's got the goods to to deny these guys the Cup?
Certainly no one in the Northwest Division, where the Avs are a cinch to lap the field by Christmas. They struggled mightily out of the gate last season, even flirted with missing the playoffs entirely for a spell, and still wound up 16 games over .500 and at the summit of the division.
Sakic might be gone next season, but he's in an Avs uniform right now, and that's always a positive. Peter Forsberg, who deserves a relatively healthy season for a change, Alex Tanguay, Milan Hejduk, Chris Drury – just signed to a three-year $5.5 million deal – and Adam Deadmarsh provide the Avalanche with an almost embarrassing abundance of riches on their top two lines. But, of course, they're not strictly flash and dash. Dave Reid, Shjon Podein and Stephane Yelle on the roster ensure there's no shortage of grinders and role players.
On defense, Bourque and the dependable Adam Foote hit it off like long lost chums, forming one of the finest duos in the league. And Martin Skoula's a real keeper. But after that, the quality level dips and with the trade of Sandis Ozolinsh to Carolina, the onus is on the aging Bourque to be more of a point-producer.
In goal, Roy, the man set to pass the legendary Terry Sawchuk on the all-time wins list, has always loved a heavy workload. He played in 63 games last season and, at 35, likely will see more this year with the talented Marc Denis traded to the expansion Blue Jackets.
So, all is at the ready. There's certainly no confusion as to what the ultimate goal is, and for the old guard a sense of urgency, too. They've got more than enough talent to win it all.
And more than enough reasons, too.
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Bottom Line on the Avalanche
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Strengths
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Weaknesses
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Star forwards
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Back-up goalie
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Starting goalie
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Absence of Sandis Ozolinsh
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Win-One-For-Ray, Part II
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SEASON OUTLOOK: Nothing less than a championship will do. That's been the mindset for the last two seasons since the trade deadline, having failed with Theoren Fleury in '98-99 and last spring with Bourque. The window of opportunity is shrinking, but this season – with the kids another year older and so many veterans with so much at stake – all the planets finally seem to be in the ideal alignment.
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George Johnson covers the NHL for the Calgary Herald. His NHL National column appears every week during the season on ESPN.com.
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ALSO SEE
Minnesota Wild preview
Vancouver Canucks preview
Edmonton Oilers preview
Calgary Flames preview
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