Are the Colorado Avalanche true contenders or just pretenders? The upcoming NHL season will put this burning question to rest as skeptics and fans alike eagerly await the puck drop.
On today’s episode we dissect the Avalanche’s championship aspirations, addressing concerns from outside the fanbase and media skepticism. The duo explores potential contract extensions for key players like Cale Makar and Martin Necas, projecting possible terms and salaries. They also tackle the team’s goaltending strategy, weighing the merits of Mackenzie Blackwood as the primary starter versus increased ice time for backup Wedgwood.
0:00 Intro: Are Avalanche legitimate contenders?
5:04 Answering fan questions on Avs’ contender status
12:31 Discussing potential contract extensions for Avs
17:21 Projecting Cale Makar’s next contract
23:57 Should Wedgwood get more starts in goal?
27:08 Debate on bringing back “All The Small Things”
29:57 Star Trek vs. Spaceballs: Pop culture preferences
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35 Comments
Because their recent track record in playoffs has been terrible.
Let’s be realistic- Blackwood is unproven in the playoffs and Neces underperforms in the playoffs and a questionable Landeskog return – coupled with Bednard failing to give his team for deep runs, and a marginal Gm who suffers from a very poor tenure. Short of a “miracle” acquisition who knows, but fans will be spoiled by a weak regular season and Olympic fatigue. I’m not negative but realistic.
People have picked the Avs for years and have let so many people down. So they move on. Can’t blame them
Chris, come on. The regular season won’t answer any questions. It’s all about playoffs. They can have the best record in the league and then stink in the playoffs.
On Cale, you sign him whatever it costs. He is the best defensemen in the league. Nate is good but not necessarily the best forward /center in the league. One of the top ones no doubt
Yes, the cap is going up, but you keep giving out big dollars to these players because you will start losing people. Or go back to heavy top line and then nothing underneath . Aka no depth again. Need a solid 3 lines.
That’s fine with no more small things, but we need something to rally the fans and players and that did that. What can replace it.
Valid. We had this exact same conversation last year questioning why Avs are not considered contenders. Been the same result pretty much the past 3 years. Last seasons exit was just salt on the wound so Avs really have to figure it out or it’ll just be the same let down. Don’t mean to be negative but there’s always just so much talk about being contenders when they just lose in the first round.
As a Pred, Avs are somewhat of an Enigma. Sure, the season they won the bucket they were my favorite team to watch with their modern, fast whirlwind playstyle. Beautiful hockey.
Easier to rip a great offense apart than to manouver through a gritty defence, I reckon. Florida's ability to play gritty, nasty ang get away from penalties due to the refs paradigm shift during the playoffs
seems to be the receipe atm. Avs are simply not built for that kind of hockey and it hurts them
What is this S-Tier all the kids are writing about? I thought the best is A, then B, then C, then D, & finally F
The Broncos and Avalanche getting no respect that's ok under the radar is much better for both teams
Avs are gonna smoke the West & DAL this season: mark it down!
Cale is gonna slide in just under the top Forwards, as is tradition in the NHL for Dmen. He also said he'd "take less" to help the team. I'm sticking with my $13M prediction.
Necas: $10M x 8. Easy.
It doesn’t matter what the ‘experts’ think of the Avs chances of winning the cup.
Winning the cup is the only thing that matters!
On Dallas let me play devils advocate for a moment, everyone is expecting them to be good and go far in the playoffs. But what if they don’t?
They’ve fired DeBoer and have hired new coaching staff. As we and other teams know (NYR) coaching can make the difference (STL). Who knows if their play will fit
During the playoffs Mikko popped off against the Avs but that was it and past experience tells us he can blow hot and cold.
Also during the playoffs. Where were Duchene, Benn, Robertson
None had a good playoff run
They’ve also lost a lot of Depth to get Mikko. Will that bite them?
There’s a scenario much like the Avs that they could even miss post season.
Equally they could go all the way.
Just some food for thought
I think its because as a team you guys handle the puck like crap and your club cannot hold a lead.
Chris the Avas could definitely lay and egg and miss the playoffs and after last seaons playoff loss in on a Hat Trick tk Miko Rantanen, i would be very worried. I THINK DALLAS SHOULD BE WORRIED AS WELL.
I think we're going to see this season just how important the captain is to this team, and how vital his absence was in the last few years of playoffs.
HAHAHA what a title to the show. Avs fans crying because the team of little puck movers doesn't get any credit. Good on Empty Netters to send a freaking wake up call to Avs fans. Pretty obvious why outlets don't consider the Avs contenders. The Avalanche have made it PAST round 2 ONE TIME in 9 years!!! They couldn't do anything prior and now they can't do anything beyond 2022. A single Final appearance in 9 years under Bednar with how much talent people say they have is just inexcusable and pathetic. But Avs fans will hold on to '22 forever because it may be the only one they get. The GM SUCKS and continues to build regular season teams of soft, undersized, contact-fearing, puck moving weaklings who don't excel in NHL playoff hockey. They're reliant fully on speed alone and have very little grit and it's shown (esp against Dallas last 2 playoffs).
Avs fans love a blue line that is all about points and scoring …FUCK THAT….Florida and Tampa and Vegas (even Avs of '22) have shown a stout, gritty, semi-offensive blue line performs better than one that is offense only full of munchkins that can skate cute. GIVE US BALANCE of Makar with some REAL DEFENDERS and I bet you Avs get back to promised land.
I think that they are just quietly under the radar, but Vegas sees them as a definite contender as they are the 5th favorite at +900 just after VGK at +850.
Dallas was shocked they beat us. Their goalie was on his head all series. Makar played a back seat on the series. Dallas came off a rough regular season and played each series game like their life depended on it. They were leveled by the oilers. Within that same playoff run they end up firing their coach. There are several narratives that were given the go ahead to run wild on social media about the Avs series loss but Bednar summed it up perfectly, they still have to do the job to win the game. The front office did everything they could to hook them up for success. Dallas 4th line won them that series. Period. Avs are always a contender, but I feel either we loss in 7 each time, or we cut through each team like butter. There is no in between.
You may have addressed this before, but what would you consider Necas "living up to his potential (in goals and assists) look like.
I don’t like Bednar and they will be weaker this year. They are too highly valued at +900 honestly
Don't matter. Because the Denver Broncos, Denver Nuggets and now the AVS are not even considered to make a legitimate run at a championship.
When all three franchises have the personnel to make a great run to a championship.
National media is from the East coast bias. Of course Mile High City haters from the East.
The defense, outside of Cale and Toews, is still inconsistent and generally lacks physicality. Manson provides physicality, but he’s been injured a lot the past couple of seasons. Would love to see the Avs make a few moves to bring in more grit and generally move away from the puck moving defensemen.
The "big bear" scene with John Candy is classic
Need a better start of the season
Last year's start was abysmal.
I think Necas will get $10mil also.
The avs have the worst fanbase in hockey. When your radio play by play guy has to incorporate every non call on the other team in his play by play….every 10 seconds….that mindset gets into the fanbase. Now if the avs dont get 24 PPs a game its a crime. And every game they lose has an excuse. All fanbases have bad apples, but you guys have full orchards with pitchforks and battery acid.
To the question in the subject line: the wider hockey world thinks they got robbed in the Rantanen trade. You win cups by acquiring top talent, not divesting yourself of it.
Empty netters changed it to A tier at the end of the episode
Why other people don't see the Avs as contenders? It's as Zack said, 3 years of not meeting expectations. That's it.
A serious contender? With that roster? 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Because the NHL said so