Brett MacLean’s first game running the Colorado Avalanche power play brought a quick answer, and it came right where the club needed it most.
Against the Pittsburgh Penguins, the unit that had been sputtering since its four-goal burst in the season opener finally found the net again. The official line showed Colorado going 1-for-4, but the bigger takeaway was that the setup itself looked cleaner. After Friday night’s goal, the Avalanche moved up to 13th in the league on the power play at 20.7%.
That’s better. It’s not enough.
For all the talent on that group, the expectation has always been that the Avalanche should be doing much more with the man advantage. One improved night does not erase the larger issue.
MacLean’s arrival may have given the power play a jolt, but there’s no real evidence yet that the problem has been solved. Until something changes in a meaningful way, the results probably won’t change much either.
MacLean’s entry behind the bench also came with a built-in contrast to Dave Hakstol, who had been part of the picture before the switch. Both coaches are well regarded, and if you treat them as similar in ability, the real difference is how the move unfolded.
This wasn’t a case of the Avalanche dumping Hakstol after a failure. The opening came because the situation created a rare chance to make a change, and Colorado handled it without turning it into a mess.
The team could have blocked Arizona State from speaking with Hakstol. It had every right to say, “You have a contract here, so you’re not going anywhere.”
But that would not have been the most professional path. Allowing Hakstol to pursue the job at Arizona State gave him room to keep growing, and the Avalanche were right to let that happen. It was a classy decision, much like allowing Chris MacFarland to join a rival organization.
In the end, Colorado got the kind of in-season coaching shakeup that people had been pushing for, only without the drama that usually comes with one. The power play got a new voice.
The organization avoided unnecessary friction. And the timing fit the moment.
There’s still a lot to fix, but at least the first step landed where it needed to.
In Other News...
Avalanche Open Road Trip With One Lineup Issue Fans Will Notice
The Avalanche head into a two-game road trip with a lineup wrinkle that should stand out right away: theyll be without Nic Roy, Zachary LHeureux and Logan OConnor because of injuries. That leaves Colorado trying to get through the start of the trip shorthanded against a Flyers team that is still looking to steady itself after picking up its first win of the season.
Mackenzie Blackwood is set to get the start in goal for Colorado, adding another layer to a game that already carries a bit of early-road-trip pressure. Philadelphia will counter with Joseph Woll, and while the Flyers have shown some life with that recent win, they remain a team still battling issues on both ends of the ice, which gives the Avalanche a chance to settle in quickly if their remaining lineup can hold up. [Read more 🡒]
Cale Makar Just Got The Kind Of Praise Avs Fans Love
Cale Makar is already one of the defining players of the Avalanche era, and now he has a little more outside validation to go with it. Drew Doughty, a former Norris Trophy winner himself, recently called Makar the best defenseman in the NHL and said he should win the award every year, the kind of praise that tends to land well in Colorado, where Makar has long been viewed as the standard-bearer on the blue line.
He has backed up that reputation quickly this season, opening with three goals and nine points in seven games after offseason surgery. The Avalanche have also started leaning into his shot more on the power play, adjusting their approach to feature him from the point. It is another sign that, even while the team is still settling into the season, Makar remains the player opponents have to account for first. [Read more 🡒]
Avalanche May Have Found The Third Line Bednar Needed
A third line has started to look like more than just a stopgap for the Avalanche, and that matters for a team that has spent recent seasons searching for reliable depth beyond its top scorers. Jaden Schwartz, Fedor Svechkov and T.J. Hughes have given Colorado a different kind of balance early on, with the group driving play well enough to tilt shot attempts and scoring chances in the right direction.
Schwartz brings the steady hand of a veteran, Svechkov has handled the defensive and penalty-kill work, and Hughes has provided the kind of energy and offensive spark that can change a shift. Jared Bednar has sounded encouraged by the way those pieces fit together, and if the line keeps this up, it could end up giving Colorado the kind of third-unit support that pays off in tighter games later on. [Read more 🡒]