Finally, a vision of Colorado’s playoff lineup after trade deadline
At last, a clear image is materializing of the Colorado Avalanche’s playoff lineup.
The trade deadline is a thing of the past, the division race is the present and the playoffs are the imminent future.
Did Chris Macfarland and Joe Sakic do enough to replenish an Avs roster that has spent most of the season in injury purgatory? Captain Gabriel Landeskog has progressed to skating with skills coach Shawn Allard in Denver, but the exact timelines of a return for him, Erik Johnson and Darren Helm are still mysteries.
Regardless, now that speculation of who Colorado can add to the roster is done, it’s time to trace a hypothetical ( healthy) playoff lineup.
Forwards
FIRST LINE >> Artturi Lehkonen — Nathan Mackinnon — Mikko Rantanen
SECOND LINE >> Gabriel Landeskog — J. T. Compher — Valeri Nichushkin
THIRD LINE >> Matt Nieto — Lars Eller — Evan Rodrigues
FOURTH LINE >> Andrew Cogliano — Alex Newhook — Logan O’connor
FORWARD EXTRAS >> Denis Malgin, Darren Helm, Ben Meyers
WILD CARD PROSPECT >> Jean- Luc Foudy
FORWARD BREAKDOWN >> The Avs’ biggest deadline move was to add depth in the middle of the ice with Eller. He, Compher and Mackinnon ( in reverse order) are locked into three of the center spots. As for the fourth? There are a few options, but here’s why Newhook fills the speculative slot: “I’ve really liked Newy’s game recently,” coach Jared Bednar said Wednesday after moving Newhook from third- line center to second- line left wing. Newhook played alongside Compher and Rantanen for a game, but Bednar “didn’t think he had a great game there,” the coach said. “He’s been playing great at center, so I’m going to bump him back to center.”
The other options would be Rantanen as a second- line center, bumping Compher and
Eller down a line; Rodrigues as a third- line center with Eller on the fourth; or Malgin as a fourth- line center. Any of those options would allow Newhook to play the wing if Bednar decides at some point that’s where he prefers the 22- year- old. Helm is a 4C option too, if/ when he’s healthy.
In Eller’s debut, “I don’t like everyone playing on their off side,” Bednar said, “so with Eller, I went Nieto and E- Rod.” That also allows Newhook to stay with the grinder line — Cogliano and
O’connor. Newhook has excelled with those two.
The hypothetical top line outlined here is exactly how Bednar arranged it during last season’s playoffs, with Landeskog moved down to the second out of the three best forwards. Colorado has been playing Rantanen on the second line recently to maximize time with either him or Mackinnon on the ice, but if Landeskog is back, that won’t be as necessary.
Defensemen
FIRST PAIRING >> Devon Toews — Cale Makar
SECOND PAIRING >> Bo Byram — Josh Manson
THIRD PAIRING >> Sam Girard — Erik Johnson
DEFENSE EXTRAS >> Jack Johnson, Brad Hunt, Kurtis Macdermid
WILD CARD PROSPECT >> Sean Behrens
BLUELINE BREAKDOWN >> Byram has been on a tear since returning from a lower- body injury that kept him out three months. Which brings up the state of Colorado’s blue line, a microcosm of the team — exceptional if healthy.
Manson reaggravated his lower- body injury Wednesday and is out without a concrete timeline to return yet. So lives the curse of the Avalanche’s top quintet of defensemen. Toews, Makar, Byram, Manson and Girard have not all played in a game together since Nov. 4 — Colorado’s first game in Finland. In almost comedically brutal fashion, Manson and Byram returned as Makar went out with a concussion. Then right as Makar said he felt prepared to return Saturday at Dallas, Manson’s injury resurfaced.
If everyone can skate, it’s one of the best bluelines in the NHL. Ideally, Colorado can have Erik and Jack Johnson trade out as the sixth option in the playoffs. As for Behrens, Macfarland didn’t make it sound like the DU star will be a playoff call- up.
“He’s the easiest prospect for us to keep tabs on,” the general manager said. “We’re very excited about him, and at the appropriate time at the end of the year we’ll touch base with Sean on sort of a pro plan, whether that’s in the near future or one more year.”
Goalies
STARTER >> Alexandar Georgiev
BACKUPS >> Pavel Francouz, Keith Kinkaid
WILD CARD PROSPECT >> Justus Annunen
GOALIE BREAKDOWN >> Colorado traded for the experienced Kinkaid to make sure Annunen isn’t rushed into a playoff situation where he isn’t ready yet. Georgiev has managed to sustain his excellence, and Francouz is old reliable as the backup — if he’s healthy.