Some observations about YOUR Colorado Avalanche
“But the main example of the regime change has to be the addition of Ice Girls. Ice Girls, are the present state of NHL entertainment, to which Lacroix would have said “aucun moyen putain” (no fucking way) to.”
A couple of things I learned from opening night of the Colorado Avalanche.
The Colorado Avalanche was certainly an offensive force the other night in the 6-1 romp over the Anaheim Ducks. I’m sure the team was pumped to get the season going but it did seem like they walked all over a disinterested Ducks team that lost steam as the goals piled up and the altitude thinned their blood. Still it was an impressive outburst for a team that had a hard time finding the back of the net last season and you can’t help but think the fiery attitude of coach Patrick Roy has had an effect. The Avs should be in most every game this season because of Roy’s influence and it’s a far cry from the standoffish, grumpy stylings of Joe Sacco. Roy’s tirade against the Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau, who sent his goons out at the end of the game, was exactly what this team was missing. We hope Roy can keep a level head – for his team’s sake and his bank account – and not incur the wrath of the NHL on a nightly basis. But his influence is just what the doctor ordered for a franchise that was halfway down the drain.
Semyon Varlamov played a nice game and everyone was etching his name into the Vezina trophy by the end of the game. But as mentioned before, this seemed like a disinterested Ducks team he was facing. And while he made some very nice saves, Varlamov appears to not know where the puck is a lot of the time. His endurance is always in question and if the team can’t provide even a shred of defense – like last season – Varly will crash and burn before we know it. He’s got the talent, let’s just hope he can keep it up. But as far as skaters go, Nathan Mackinnon was the real treat the other night. While most rookies get overwhelmed when the spotlight hits them, Mackinnon looked fast, poised and on one of his awesome assists, looked like a savvy veteran. Seth Jones who? Varlamov’s Vezina may be premature, but you may want to save Mackinnon some space on that Calder.
But the main takeaway from the other night is how much regime change can alter a team’s destiny. The Broncos thought changing things up from the stagnant Mike Shanahan era would be good for the team, but Josh McDaniels had something to say about that. It all worked out in the end, but that was one shakeup that didn’t work out. On the other hand, the Rockies refuse to change things at all because they still make the same amount of money. But the Avs changed things up and it seems to be working at first blush. Pierre Lacroix was an out of touch tyrant who rode the team into the ground but once he was gone, the overall attitude of the team changed overnight. Gone were the days of punishing players for even mumbling about their paychecks. Joe Sakic, in a complete reversal from how Greg Sherman handled the job, was all over the place: talking to the media, and welcoming fans back to the fold. Hiring Roy was of course a PR move, but a wise one. No more hiring some clown on the cheap to keep under management’s thumb like the Rockies do. The Avs were going for it.
But the main example of the regime change has to be the addition of Ice Girls. Ice Girls, are the present state of NHL entertainment, to which Lacroix would have said “aucun moyen putain” (no fucking way) to. It’s a bit cheesy, but hockey fans, and sports fans in general are comprised mostly of males, so it’s only natural to appeal to their more base instincts. But whether you like Ice Girls or not, you have to see what it means for the Avs as an organization: last year, Ice Girls would have been unthinkable, and now, as soon as Lacroix is gone, there are scantily clad women scooping up the ice shavings, unprecedented access to the team and a transparency never before seen at the Pepsi Center. This alone is reason to celebrate the new look Avs. Oh and I guess we’ll take a third Stanley Cup as well.
