Red-Hot Offense & Bottom-Six Forwards Stepping Up
Welcome to the THW Colorado Avalanche Substack newsletter, with all the latest from our team of Avalanche writers.
In today’s edition, we take a look at the Avalanche's improved offense, the bottom-six forwards’ contributions, and more.
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Avalanche Fans Need to Be Aware of Riley Tufte
November 23, 2023 by Stefano Rubino
Riley Tufte was born on April 10, 1998, in Coon Rapids, Minnesota. The Dallas Stars selected him in the first round of the 2016 NHL Entry Draft, 25th overall. While he’s bounced around in Dallas, playing in both the NHL and the American Hockey League (AHL), – write out he signed a one-year contract with the Colorado Avalanche on July 1st, 2023, and things have been looking pretty good for the 25-year-old.
Avalanche’s Offensive Stats On the Rise
November 21, 2023 by Stefano Rubino
Through 17 games of the 2023-24 NHL season, the Colorado Avalanche are 11-6-0 and starting to look like the offensive juggernaut they are, scoring 22 goals while allowing 10 in their past four games. They were especially dynamic during an impressive comeback against the Dallas Stars, which saw the Avalanche score six unanswered and four times in the third period.
Even though we are only reaching the 20 percent mark of the season, many offensive stats are trending in a steadily upward direction from the beginning of the season to now, and with how the team is scoring, they don’t seem set to trend downward anytime soon. Here are some key stats that have been noticeable since the beginning of the season.
Avalanche’s Bottom Six Rises to the Top
November 21, 2023 by Kerry Collins
The heavyweights for the Colorado Avalanche get a lot of attention. It’s not that Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen, and Cale Makar don’t deserve that attention, they just get a lot. However, after weathering a stormy patch where the Avs won just two of their seven games to close October and start November, it was the bottom six that pulled Colorado out of the doldrums.
Since getting hammered 8-2 by the St. Louis Blues on Nov. 11, head coach Jared Bednar tweaked the lines and the Avalanche have been on a bit of a tear. The club has won three of its last four, outscoring opponents 22-10 in those games. The bottom six has accounted for nine goals and 10 assists in those contests – pointing at more familiarity and improved depth for one of the best teams in the Western Conference.