Cale Makar On-Pace to Outperform Norris Trophy Season & Gabriel Landeskog Skating Again
Also, a Midseason review on the teams performance, Jonathan Drouin making his mark and more!
Welcome to the THW Colorado Avalanche Substack newsletter, with all the latest from our team of Avalanche writers.
In today’s edition, Cale Makar is looking to have a better season than when he won his Norris Trophy, and captain Gabriel Landeskog has finally started skating after rehabbing from his knee surgery.
It would be great if you’d share the THW Avalanche Substack with your friends and family so that they can subscribe and enjoy all the latest.
Now, on to the good stuff…
Cale Makar On-Pace to Outperform Norris Trophy Season
January 9, 2024 by Stefano Rubino
The Colorado Avalanche are off to a hot start to the season, as they currently sit second in the Central Division. That placement is with the help of a consistent Mikko Rantanen, Nathan MacKinnon breaking league and franchise records, and Cale Makar looking for his second Norris Trophy. Makar has been a cornerstone for the Avalanche since the second he was drafted. He is quarterbacking the power play and getting better every season, growing his game offensively and defensively.
Makar’s game this season has been mainly overlooked due to the sheer offensive powerhouse MacKinnon has been and how prolific Quinn Hughes was to start the season, but Makar is beginning to catch up. He’s caught up to Hughes in multiple stats, even passing him in a couple to make the Norris Trophy race even tighter as the season continues.
Avalanche 2023-24 Midseason Review: MacKinnon, Makar & More
January 10, 2024 by Marko Zlomislic
All things considered, the Colorado Avalanche have to be content with how the season has unfolded as the calendar turns to 2024. Despite navigating extensive injury troubles – they rank fifth in the NHL by cumulative Cap Hit of Injured Players (CHIP) – the club remains within striking distance of all three of the Central Division crown, the regular-season Western Conference title, and the Presidents’ Trophy.
A .671 points percentage (PTS%) after 41 games puts the Avalanche on pace for 110 points, one more point than they accrued during the 2022-23 season. It should be noted that they also ranked fifth by CHIP last season, and still managed to win their division by a single point over the Dallas Stars.
Avalanche’s Jonathan Drouin Finally Making His Mark
January 14, 2024 by Kerry Collins
The Colorado Avalanche took a flier on Jonathan Drouin this offseason, getting little risk on a friendly one-year deal to bring in one of Nathan MacKinnon’s old linemates from their junior hockey days. The experiment didn’t start out so well, but Drouin is finally clicking with Colorado’s top line as the Avs look to push to the top of the Western Conference.
Drouin’s recent surge has pushed him to a modest 24 points on the season, but that makes him Colorado’s fifth-leading scorer. He’s also fifth on the team in goals with 10, and has at least a point in 12 of his last 15 games. The surge in scoring has been welcome for a top-heavy Avalanche club that has desperately been seeking depth scoring throughout the 2023-24 campaign.
3 Burning Questions for the Avalanche in 2024
January 7, 2024 by Kerry Collins
It’s been an interesting season for the Colorado Avalanche. The Avs were very busy with plenty of moves before the season, haven’t had captain Gabriel Landeskog for even one game, and have seen Nathan MacKinnon somehow take his offensive game to an even higher stratosphere
With roughly half the season left, their eyes are still on a familiar prize – the Stanley Cup. However, there are plenty of question marks surrounding the club. The Avalanche are still dealing with some injuries, and have battled some inconsistent play. The calendar turned to 2024, and here’s a look at three burning questions for the Avs through the remainder of the season.
Avalanche’s Landeskog Back Skating for First Time Since Surgery
January 11, 2024 by Stefano Rubino
Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog skated today for the first time since undergoing a cartilage transplant in his right knee last May. During the 2022-23 season, Landeskog underwent a second surgery with an expected recovery time of three months. The procedure was intended to allow him to return to the lineup by the All-Star Break. Unfortunately, he missed the entire season, and a more invasive surgery was deemed necessary to address the issue and improve his quality of life in the long term.
This is exciting news for the captain of Colorado’s hockey team. He has been away from the game since June 26, 2022, which is when his team won Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Tampa Bay Lightning to secure their third franchise championship. He recently underwent cartilage transplant surgery on his right knee, which is the third surgical procedure he has had on that knee since March 2022.
Avalanche Face Tough Remaining Schedule in Stanley Cup Chase
January 15, 2024 by Marko Zlomislic
With the Colorado Avalanche‘s 5-3 comeback win against the Toronto Maple Leafs (Jan. 13) this past weekend, the team improved its overall record to 28-12-3 after winning 11 of their last 15 games. They currently sit fourth in the league by points percentage (PTS%) with a mark of .686 and are only two points behind the Vancouver Canucks for the Western Conference lead, with both teams having played 43 games so far this season.
The Avalanche are on pace to collect 112 points this season, three more than their total from the 2022-23 season. The team has done well to find success despite once again navigating injury troubles, with the club ranking sixth by cumulative Cap Hit of Injured Players (CHIP) according to NHL Injury Viz. The organization got some welcome news with captain Gabriel Landeskog skating at practice, the first time he’s been on the ice in skates since Game 6 of the 2022 Stanley Cup Final.
Avalanche’s Nathan MacKinnon Named 2024 NHL All-Star
January 4, 2024 by Stefano Rubino
Colorado Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon will be heading to Toronto in early February to attend the 2024 NHL All-Star Game. This will be the 28-year-old’s fourth invitation to the midseason exhibition. He was one of 32 players first to be announced to the All-Star Game, with each team representing one player and fans having a chance to vote for other players.
Avalanche’s Makar & Georgiev Voted 2024 All-Stars
January 13, 2024 by Stefano Rubino
Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar and goaltender Alexander Georgiev will be joining the All-Star Weekend in Toronto in early February. Makar and Georgiev are two of 12 players voted in by the fans, with the rest being announced on the Jan. 13 Hockey Night In Canada pregame show.