


The Avs are the youngest team in the league and I can't help but notice the need for some veteran leadership. Sure we are playing great but I shouldn't have to tell you that we are the streakiest team in the league. Maybe some veteran presence added in the offseason might chalk up some high level consistency. Anybody on the market fit the bill? Can this current streak continue into the playoffs?
--Danny, New York

Danny, no, not buying into that one. Let's just do this: Let's let this team mature and grow together. When that happens, you'll get your "leader" types -- and best of all, they'll come from within.

No need to go out and spend a lot of money on some cagey old veteran who is supposed to be good "in the room." The Avs will get those guys eventually -- if they don't already -- in guys like Ryan O'Reilly and Gabriel Landeskog.

About the streak into the playoffs? They have to get there first. But whether that happens or not -- and this is important -- this Avs team should be given the chance to stay together and grow more. Yeah, you can add a nice piece or two if they are on the free-agent market, but no need to blow this thing up regardless. The Avs are on a good track.

Adrian, barring a hot streak by Ryan O' Reilly, it looks like the Avs won't have a player reach 60 points this year. Do the Avs need to make an offseason move to bring in a bona fide scorer? Is it even necessary in today's NHL to have such a high scorer?
--Craig, Washington, DC

Craig, good question, and I'm not so sure you need a "big" scorer in the league anymore. Of course, you need guys who can score. But I don't think you necessarily need a guy who gets 40 or 50 goals to succeed as a team.

Not that those guys would hurt. The league has just gotten so that goals are tougher to come by. The defense and goaltending is just so good, the forwards have had a hard time keeping up.

Have we found a No. 1 defenseman in Shane O'Brien? He didn't get a star in the game against Calgary but he was the best skater on the ice. He is not afraid to try and make plays and he wants to be a difference maker each shift.
--Jay Nishikawa, Englewood

Jay, not sure I'd go that far, but SOB has had a good season, it's true.

He makes a lot of nice little plays with the puck. He's not all that speedy though, so I think to be called "No. 1," you need to be a guy who can really skate and play both ends of the ice in a strong fashion. But as I said, he's had a good year.

AD, while it hasn't been brought up much recently, the contract status of Joe Sacco needs to be discussed. My opinion is that he should be extended for at least two more years and not let go to become the assistant or head coach somewhere else. Once given an NHL-caliber roster, he has done a better than average job and he improves in his coaching ability and strategies along with the improvement of his team. Four months ago I would have agreed with those who wanted to let him go but now I think the Avs should do what they need to do to keep him in the fold. Your thoughts?
--AKA Gurn Blanston, Denver

Gurn, I think I'm on board with that now.

While I don't like to have a big opinion on a lot of coaches and job security, I believe that Joe Sacco has shown he can coach in this league. Regardless if the Avs make the playoffs or not, I think it would just seem and feel wrong if he were fired after what I'm sure every Avs fan would agree has been a good second half.

I think Sacco got a lot of help from his GM, Greg Sherman, at the deadline -- and it's still possible, if they don't make the playoffs, that management might think something like "Hey, with the pieces we got, we should have gotten in no matter what." But I'm not sure management is thinking like that. It's still a bit of a situation in limbo, but I believe Sacco has done a good job this year.

Not everyone will agree with that, but that's what makes this a great country.

Interesting debate with who the Avs should pay more, Matt Duchene or Ryan O'Reilly. A four or five year deal with a cap hit between $5-$5.5 million seems fair for both, but do you see the Avs doing one of those mega-deals in terms of length of contract like Marian Hossa (12 years) and Jeff Carter (10 years)? After these signings do the Avs go after a big fish in free agency like Parise or Suter? If we are following the Pens and Blackhawks model, both those teams added free agents.
--Jeff C., Fort Collins

Jeff, everything is kind of up in the air until the next NHL collective bargaining agreement is hammered out. I don't expect any mega-contract extensions until after the CBA is ratified (the current one is up Sept. 15).

It's too bad probably for the young players like O'Reilly and Duchene whose contracts are up, but they'll be well taken care of regardless. I'm not sure they'll each get that much per year, but I suppose it's possible, especially if the salary cap stays at or near its current $64.3 million level.

What's the deal with the huge difference in the amount of power plays opposing teams are getting against the Avs? Any thoughts on why this is happening? Anything that can be done? A no-call on the high-stick to O'Reilley in the Calgary game? Does the league review no-calls like that?
--Jeff, SLC, Utah

Jeff, I've got no real smart answer for ya. I mean, I suppose it might have to do with the Avs being more of a finesse team than one that gets involved in a lot of rough play that might lead to more penalties.

But, yeah, that high stick that broke O'Reilly's nose? It was a completely blown call, and embarrassed every official on the ice that night, and the league.

Just wondering how the coach decides who sits in the box during a bench minor or if the goalie takes a penalty. Like during the Calgary game there was a penalty for too many men on the ice and Steve Downie sat in the box to serve the bench minor, what does the coach take into consideration when having someone serve a bench or goaltender penalty?
--Marc, Dallas

Marc, completely random coaching decision. But it usually has something to do with A) The player who might have "messed up" most in the coach's mind, or B) the guy who might most benefit from a two-minute breather.

AD, I was wondering if anyone else noticed that in the movie "Game Change" on HBO, hockey mom Sarah Palin is wearing an Avs jersey. That's all well and good -- until you notice it's the current alternate jersey which wasn't even around in 2008.
--Kurt, Bakersfield, Calif.

Kurt, Yes! I did notice that -- and it was the alternate jersey to boot. I loved that movie, and I couldn't help but sit there and think, "Holy Cow, did Sarah Palin really wear an Avalanche jersey during the 2008 campaign?!"

She is a big hockey fan -- er, hockey mom -- and that whole movie was supposedly based on very minutely detailed true events. But it was definitely a weird, but strangely fun moment when that jersey showed up.
