When did you know this Avs team was good?

[tigervixxxen]

After the Avs 50th win yesterday, I'm in the mood for a little reflection. I'm curious to hear all of your thoughts on when you knew this team was good? I'm in no means suggesting they are all the way there yet and don't still have room for improvement but just more looking for a sense when you knew they were good/legit/playoff team/take your pick.

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[tigervixxxen]

I'll add mine. I think it was when they beat all three of Chicago, Minnesota and Dallas in January. Was big gut check time against all three. They had the depleted lineup against Chicago, going back there weeks after losing 7-2, Minnesota if they lost that game would have put the Wild within 5 points and Dallas when Varly made 41 saves that lead to his new contract.

I knew they had something special at 14-2 and was impressed how they bounced back after losing 3 straight and Duchene in November to take the next 5 of 6 vs all good teams in the west. But how they came out of the gate in that 7 game homstand in January and then carried that momentum on the road really solidified them as a playoff team. Going 4-1 against Dallas, Minnesota and Chicago really secured their position in the standings.

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

I really dunno. I still can't believe this is actually true. Feels like fairy tail.

 

[Avs71]

I knew they would make the playoffs in September, similar to 09/10, but I have no idea when I started thinking they are actually one of the top teams in the league. Maybe after the hot January?

 

[Ceremony]

I really dunno. I still can't believe this is actually true. Feels like fairy tail.

This is how I feel. I'm still sort of shocked by the season, and I just hope it can be carried on by everyone.

 

[Tralfamadore]

I really dunno. I still can't believe this is actually true. Feels like fairy tail.

Let's keep this fairy tale going straight to the cup! #16W

 

[Nihiliste]

This past game made a statement to me. We'd still be winning recently but our play had been noticeably slowing down. But the boys came back and put a very good game together against a team thats clearly a tough matchup for them, with a depleted forward group.

 

[Pokecheque]

I voted "10 wins in January" but man, they couldn't have delivered any better entertainment than they did on opening night. From a rout of the heavily favored Ducks to Roy's partition shoving match with Boudreau...could not ask for anything more.

 

[RockLobster]

It's kind of a combination of a couple of things:

-Roy's Press Conference when being introduced as the new Head Coach. That day did a lot to pump up Avs fans and Patrick with his (now famous) quote of "We might not win the Stanley Cup next year. But we're going to have a Stanley Cup attitude." followed up with his quote on opening night "We want to shock the Hockey World." has done a lot towards helping us fans forget about the mind-numbingly terribleness of Granato/Sacco.

-The Opening Night win was very convincing against a tough Anaheim team. A 6-1 win was just the beginning of "Shocking the Hockey World" as now through 50 wins the Avalanche have shown that they're for real. Varlamov LEADING THE LEAGUE in Wins for crying out loud! And if it weren't for some unfortunate defensive mental lapses late in games he would have more Shutouts (because that's what matters for the Vezina right?)!

-The players have simply bought into what Patrick wants them to do. There have been vast and noticeable improvements from players like Holden, Guenin and Barrie this year. Remember when a lot of us (myself included) thought Barrie could be traded, and didn't even mind if he did? I sure as hell do. Barrie, since coming back up from Lake Erie has really turned his game around and has 11 goals on the season! Holden looked terrible (and admittedly still does from time-to-time) in his first couple of games but he's become something of a "PP Specialist". And Guenin, while prone to defensive gaffes, has really turned on the "Mean" lately and is getting much more physical.

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

Let's keep this fairy tale going straight to the cup! #16W

That would be unbelievable. I'm super happy about our season already, but I hope the team doesn't feel same.

 

[Lonewolfe2015]

During our 14-2 start I started to expect this team to win games, any game against anyone. That's when I knew that Roy could bring out the talent in this team. But I knew they were good sooner than that.

 

[5280]

Man, I thought Patty and Sakic would change the culture of the team, but I just didn't think it would happen this fast. I always thought our defense would be awful and because of that we would be battling to get into the playoffs. I am still incredulous to the fact that we have the record we do.

 

[raistlin76]

I put them on 3rd place in division before the season on our internet site about NHL here in Poland. I knew they aren't as bad as they were during PL/EL and Sacco era. So I think my answer is when they hired Patty.

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

I was confident the Avs would be a playoff team last June after drafting Mackinnon.


With the Offensive weapons we already had, and the addition of Mackinnon on top of that it was pretty obvious I thought that this team was a playoff team.


In saying that, I was pretty sure we'd have the 1st Wildcard spot. I figured MIN, CHI, and STL would all be ahead of us. Didnt give us even a slight chance at beating STL or CHI this year.


Its been a truly remarkable season.

 

[WarriorOfGandhi]

the Avs may be good, but they're no Vancouver Canucks

 

[Hesher]

10 wins in January. December was a little worrying but the way they responded in January was awesome.

 

[Foppa]

Their defense is awful just wait they will plummet back down to earth. Maybe not this season, maybe not in the next 5 years but sooner or later they will come crashing down. Horrible defense and rely way too much on puck luck. It will catch up to them you heard it hear first. No way they can sustain this.

 

[Ceremony]

Their defense is awful just wait they will plummet back down to earth. Maybe not this season, maybe not in the next 5 years but sooner or later they will come crashing down. Horrible defense and rely way too much on puck luck. It will catch up to them you heard it hear first. No way they can sustain this.

I think a bigger problem would be having the current defence five years from now.

 

[AVSfan2daMAX]

I always felt this team was a playoff team, even before the season started (had them finishing 3rd in the division). But this team has far exceeded even my optimistic ambitions. I have no problem stating they're an elite team this season.

For me, it was in January that I felt this team was really special. Duchene couldn't score to save his life, despite being flat out dominant on many nights, Varlamov was unbeatable in regulation and it just seemed that the team was starting to realize just how good they could be. They're a far better team now, than they were in October.

 

[tigervixxxen]

Their defense is awful just wait they will plummet back down to earth. Maybe not this season, maybe not in the next 5 years but sooner or later they will come crashing down. Horrible defense and rely way too much on puck luck. It will catch up to them you heard it hear first. No way they can sustain this.

We might not fall back to earth for 5 more years? Sign me up!

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

I always felt this team was a playoff team, even before the season started (had them finishing 3rd in the division). But this team has far exceeded even my optimistic ambitions. I have no problem stating they're an elite team this season.

For me, it was in January that I felt this team was really special. Duchene couldn't score to save his life, despite being flat out dominant on many nights, Varlamov was unbeatable in regulation and it just seemed that the team was starting to realize just how good they could be. They're a far better team now, than they were in October.

Agreed.

And it was all clearly evidenced yesterday afternoon against STL.


We were without Duchene, PAP, Tanguay, and McCleod. That didnt matter. Not only did we win the game in St Louis, but from the start of the 2nd period onward we dominated the game.

A Fully healthy Avs team is a Cup contender IMO. Our Defense have adapted and learned Roy's system so well that even though none of them are big name players, they are playing a big players game. And doing it well, just look at what Holden and Barrie have become this season. Or the immense strides EJ has taken.

 

[Kale Makar]

We still have time to fall back to earth! The season's not over! All the experts said so, so it must be true.

 

[Greene Giant]

I knew that Roy would be a HUGE difference compared to Sacco. He would bring the best out of ours players. Varly may be more Allaire than Roy, but the Season that EJ, Duchene, Stastny, O'reailly, Landy, MAck are having!!! WOW

I think that most avs fans knew how terrible Sacco was, expected the playoff with Roy.

At 14-2 start, I knew that the AVS would make the playoff, but this GOOD, 5 th in the league, 106 pts, 50 wins. hell no! Still in disbelief. AMAZING season!

 

[the_fan]

I think this poll needs a....when Zanon, O'Brien, Hunwick left the team option. That's when i knew Avs would be better, along with hiring of Roy, but i had no idea they would be this good. I thought they would be where Dallas and Phoenix are right now.

 

[AnimalMother73]

10 in Jan but in general I simply cannot believe the impact the new regime had had, most specifically Roy. I don't think there's any way you could have said this years D was going to be where they are at this season relative to last year and many thought they would be worse. The forwards sure sorta thought they'd be there but he's done far more with less on the back end than I ever imagined.