The goal for the Colorado Avalanche is to set out in the new NHL season and provide that last year’s surprise team was no fluke. Last year the goal seemed to be the start of giant rebuild project that should have ended with the draft lottery turned into a 95 point campaign. Every one wrote teh Av’s off, but at every point they impressed the sports media and their fans. Not to bad for a new Head Coach, and a General Manger who use to head up their souvenir department. Remember when Patrick Roy could not be lured back to this team?

Now Head Coach Joe Sacco leads this team into a new NHL season after compiling a 43-30-9 record a season ago. Not too many people thought Sacco was up for the job, but he connected with the players and gave the youngsters a chance. In return his players sold out for him and gave their best effort. While this team loves to attack, it often leads to chances at the other end and puts a hug workload on Goalie Craig Anderson.

Now this team has to go out and avoid the sophomore jinx. They have enough young guys up front that they could develop into a playoff fixture for years to come, but that jinx likes to jump up and bite teams like this. Their breakout candidate may just be LW Peter Mueller. He had 20 points in just 15 games with the Av’s last year, and that may be enough for this 22 year old to get big time playing time in the new NHL season.

Key Additions- C Daniel Wimnik, C Julian Talbot, C Ben Walter, and RW Greg Mauldin

Key Subtractions- D Brett Clark, LW Chris Durno, G Tyler Welman, D Brian Fahey, C TJ Hensick, and RW Brian Willsie

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2010 Colorado Avalanche Preview is a post from: The Inquisitr

With a little less then a month to go until the opening of the NHL season we should start to take a look at the teams of the NHL. We shall begin with the Colorado Avalanche who finished last season with a 32-45-5 record scoring just 69 points. That record was only good enough to be ranked 28th of the 30 NHL teams.

Over the course of the off season much of the front office has been replaced by Avalanche President Pierre Lacroix. Now the team will be run by GM Greg Sherman and new head coach Joe Sacco. While the Avalanche won nine straight Division titles from 1995-2003, but now face a tremendous rebuild job.

That job was started in June with the third overall pick in the NHL entry draft. There the Av’s selected Winger Matt Duschene who is considered a can’t miss prospect. He will join Paul Stastny and Milan Hejduk as the core of the rebuilding Avalanche. The rest of the Avalanche forwards are a little thin but things get a little better when we look at their defense corps.

Over the off season, the Av’s traded for Kyle Quincey who will relive the pressure on John-Michael Liles to help produce offense. The rest of the defense men are veterans who while not flash can provide a steady defense. Which this team will need since it goalie tandem of Peter Budaj and Craig Anderson are unproven at best.

Key Additions include LW David Koci, G Craig Anderson, D Kyle Quincey, D Tom Preissing, D Brett Skinner, D Brian Fahey, and RW Darren Haydar

Subtractions include G Andrew Raycroft, C Tyler Arnason, RW Ian Laperriere, LW Ryan Smyth, C Joe Sakic, D Nigel Williams, D Mike Vernace, C Nathan Smith, F Ben Guite, and D Lawrence Nycholat

2009-10 NHL Preview: Colorado Avalanche is a post from: The Inquisitr