The Colorado Avalanche have been the most dominate team in the NHL all season. Their five-on-five leads the league; the penalty kill is ranked sixth, and the goaltending has been steady. But the Avalanche have had one major issue: failure to adapt and winning key games with their top-six players out of the lineup. With three players out of the lineup, the Avalanche have a losing record.

Ross Colton

Ross Colton has been out for the last four games for the team since March 12. The American had missed another three games for another injury in January. He is having a down year, contributing only eight goals. Colton contributes to the Avs in different ways. He is third in hits with 137, behind Parker Kelly and Josh Manson. But the Avs’ record without Colton stands at 2–4–1. Colton, despite serving as the much-criticized “filler,” has helped secure victories.

Artturi Lehkonen

Artturi Lehkonen has missed the last eight games after leaving the game against the Los Angeles Kings with an upper-body injury. This injury is kind of a mystery. The Finn took a puck up high and had to exit the game, and we have heard no updates since. Lehkonen can provide a left-handed shot to the first or second line, besides on the power play. The Avs have felt his absence from the net front in almost every game with the lack of secondary chances. The bronze medalist is fifth in shots on goal for the Avalanche, and they surprisingly have a 4–3–1 record without him.

Gabriel Landeskog

You would think that the Avalanche have adapted to playing without their captain at this point. Gabriel Landeskog went three seasons without playing a game, so missing some time now shouldn’t be any different. Though Landeskog may have lost a step, the team misses his leadership on the bench. The Swede also leads the team in faceoff percentage (62.5) and is fourth in faceoff wins (125). When the captain is taking the faceoff, he will probably win it. So far this season he has missed 14 games because of an upper-body injury (January 4 against Florida) and six games to uh well, a lower-body injury (March 6 against Dallas). With Landeskog out of the lineup, the Avs are 8–9–3.

Colorado has 15 games remaining on its schedule, which includes Friday night in Chicago. They may have one player return Sunday against Washington (probably Logan O’Connor). But one thing is certain: the Avs need to have a winning record with these players missing from the lineup. With Dallas only two points back in the standings, there is no room to breathe or fail right now. Especially is they want to stay in first place.