When you think of excellence in hockey you probably think of Wayne Gretzky, Sidney Crosby or Alex Ovechkin or maybe even Connor McDavid. Gretzky and McDavid: heroes of the Edmonton Oilers. Ovechkin: the star of the Washington Capitals. Crosby: the Pittsburgh Penguins golden boy. They are what makes their teams “great” in the general sense. But what if I told you those teams, despite their one-hit-wonder stardom, pale in comparison to the current number one team in the league: the Colorado Avalanche.
Nestled in the heart of Denver, where tourists pile in from across the country to frolic in the fresh skiing slopes, a hockey team barrels through fierce competition. The Colorado Avalanche, also known as the Avs, is a team few outside of Colorado care for. Yet, they sit high and mighty above the nobility of the Tampa Bay Lighting (who won consecutive Stanley Cups during the last 2 seasons), and the Pittsburgh Penguins. But why is this team number one? Surely, it should be the Capitals, with Ovechkin who is set to beat Gretzky’s goal record in at least two seasons’ time. Or maybe even the Toronto Maple Leafs whose Canadian fans have been ridiculed as sore losers for an extended 53 year long Stanley Cup drought, squarely sitting at number five in the league. Even I, a dedicated hockey fan of the New York Rangers, barely noticed the Avalanche until I saw them on the top of the league standings a month ago. Slowly, I started watching their games, participating in the fan spaces, getting to know the players, and understanding their playing style. Their fluidity and confidence is something I’ve rarely seen in all the years I’ve been watching the game.
What makes the Avalanche special is their determination, goal scoring and their star studded roster. Other teams have one (maybe two, if lucky) star players. They take the brunt of the work, scoring the most goals, holding the team above water. With a good goalie and some minor collaboration, maybe a team like that could make it to the playoffs. But the Avalanche has it all. It would be an understatement to say that their entire roster is golden. Powerful defenseman, frenzied goal scoring forwards, fantastic goalies. It’s hard to put the spotlight on a single player. Many want to place it on Nathan MacKinnon, who works alongside captain Gabriel Landeskog as powerful goal scoring machines. But following the classic adage of hockey, “there is no I in team,” hockey is all about collaboration. A star player can only do so much without the rest of the team. That’s what makes the Avalanche so amazing. Many NHL teams are only somewhat comfortable with working together. The goalies block the puck, the enforcers enforce, etcetera. Watching the Avalanche play is like watching a factory assembly line (minus the monotony). The passes are smooth and calculated, the goals are clean and precise, the defense is strong, the team feels molded. They ooze confidence and determination. This is what makes a hockey team win and what makes a hockey team special. Every Avalanche player works for the other. Making other teams like the Penguins, Oilers and Capitals, fall short. Betting all your cards on one player leads to maybe a few Stanley Cups, but is definitely not enough to sustain a team long term. The Avalanche know they will win because they trust each other harder than any other NHL team I’ve seen. The player chemistry and dedication are equal among all players and they know when to let each other shine, and perform together in tandem. They can play together and have fun together, but in a way that works so well.
During this season, the Avalanche have only lost 10 games out of 49 total. With five goalie shutouts and 1,600 shots against opposing teams. The team is a powerhouse of activity, clearly outshining the weaker teams in the league. Careless mistakes rarely happen and even with injured players, the team maintains its supremacy. Despite the Avalanche’s last Stanley Cup being awarded in 2001, there is a strong likelihood they will be major contenders for the Cup this 2022 season. With strong teamwork, an ever-growing win streak and star studded players the Colorado Avalanche is expanding its franchise not only to the top of the NHL standings but possibly to the Stanley Cup.
