All summer long, the NHL has been doing its 32 in 32 series, looking at every team and their NHL EDGE stats, fantasy projections, and prospect rankings. The NHL just released those for the Colorado Avalanche on Friday.

However, there were certainly some things missing or requiring a closer look for those who have been following the Avs more closely than those in the NHL offices. Here are just a few of them.

Perimeter offense

The NHL’s analysis of the Avalanche is correct about their perimeter offense. Colorado excelled at it all last season thanks to good shot speed. They even stated how the acquisition of Jaden Schwartz will help it too.

However, their reliance on the perimeter offense ended up hurting them in crunch time. The Avs could not get to the dirty areas and just work for a goal when they were shut down from the outside.

Colorado will probably rely on perimeter offense once again, but it is not the sole thing they can do. They have to find other ways to get on the board and control play.

Goaltender questions

Anyone questioning the play of Scott Wedgewood and Mackenzie Blackwood last season and pinning blame on them simply didn’t watch closely enough. They were the best duo all season long across the league and weren’t the issue for the Avalanche.


They won the Jennings Trophy as the goaltenders giving up the fewest goals in a minimum of 25 games. There were certainly higher expectations for Blackwood, who started the year off injured and never found himself in a good groove.

Wedgewood stepped up brilliantly and became the de facto first-choice netminder. Those two might switch this upcoming season, but don’t be surprised if they are a 1A-1B duo again.

They had a lot of help in front of them, but there were moments when the goaltenders stepped up to win games. Why the NHL is questioning if they can handle the load for the Avs is shocking.

Prospects playing soon

Speaking of other goaltenders, the NHL said Ilya Nabokov has a chance to break into the team this upcoming season. It’s unlikely that scenario will occur unless several goalies get injured, including Trent Miner, the breakout star.

Miner excelled in the postseason for the AHL-affiliate Colorado Eagles. He should still be ahead of Nabokov in the pecking order.

Former Denver Pioneers defender Sean Behrens was also name-dropped as someone who could make the Avs roster this season. There are other defenders ahead of him, such as Noah Juulsen, Alex Gagne, Wyatt Aamodt, and Keaton Middleton.

Matthew DiMarsico, a newly signed college free agent, earned a spot as a player who could make the jump. While Colorado loves their college free agents, T.J. Hughes might be ahead of him after winning everyone over in last year’s Frozen Four for the University of Michigan and his performance in the AHL playoffs.

DiMarsico might have a hard time getting ahead of others who have NHL playing time, albeit limited. That includes Tristan Nielsen, Nikita Prishchepov, Fabian Lysell, and Taylor Makar.

Depending on each prospect’s playstyle and what Jared Bednar would be looking for, they could fill in at Ball Arena. However, there’s a lot ahead of them to even get to that point, contrary to the NHL’s thinking with their preview.