Colorado Avalanche Midterm Grades

It's the holidays, and because we're talking about a team that was supposed to be horrible, I was pretty generous when grading the productivity of the Avalanche's players.

Forty-three games in, almost everyone that has worn an Avalanche sweater has been a quality player who has contributed to the teams success, and one can only hope that continues into the future.

Forwards

Matt Duchene - B

Duchene has had a solid rookie year, and has really picked up his offense lately with 20 points in the past 22 games, despite not getting much power play time. But, he could still use some work on his decision making, and he's a team worst minus-10. His face-off winning percentage (41.6 percent) leaves something to be desired.

Chris Durno - B-

For a 29 year old rookie grinder, Durno has been pretty good. He's all but removed David Koci from the discussion, and has provided a bit of offense in recent games.

T.J. Galiardi - B+

Another of Colorado's rookies, Galiardi has been an excellent two-way player and Colorado's best penalty killer while logging top six ice time at even strength. At times, he's almost a little too defensive minded, but has still provided 16 points in his 33 games played.

Milan Hejduk - B+

Not much to say here; just another consistent season from Hejduk. The knee has caused him a bit of trouble, but it hasn't shown in his speed or offensive production.

Matt Hendricks - B

Hendricks has been another nice little surprise for Colorado. The 28-year-old rookie has been a serviceable fourth liner and penalty killer and has been competent offensively with four goals scored.

David Jones - A

Before he tore his ACL, Jones was Colorado's best forward for my money. He was one of the teams leading hitters, yet only had two penalty minutes in his 23 games played. He was also one of the Avs' top PK men, and had scored 10 goals despite getting no power play time.

David Koci - D

The only positive I can say about him is that he forechecks. I don't know if or when we'll see Koci again this season, but I can tell you he sure wasn't an intimidating force when he was in the lineup because he lost almost every fight he was in.

Cody McLeod - C+

McLeod had a really great start to the season with three goals in October, but after he injured his eye, he hasn't been quite the same. The offense has really shored up, with only two goals in his last 28 games. But he's still a hard worker, big hitter, and occasionally kills penalties.

Ryan O'Reilly - B

The surprise of the team has been Ryan O'Reilly, a player no one pegged to make the team out of training camp. He's been great defensively and made smart plays with the puck all season long, even if the offense hasn't been there all the time.

Paul Stastny - A-

Stastny's been having a quietly solid year, which is what you'd expect from him. But I'll still tack on a minus to that "A" for lack of consistency, especially on the road.

Chris Stewart - A-

Stewart really had a rough start to the year and was even sent to the AHL at one point. But since returning, he's blossomed into a first-line power forward, capped off by a 10-goal effort in December.

Marek Svatos - F

His career his over, plain and simple. He's Colorado's Cheechoo. He can't pass, he can't hang on to the puck in the offensive zone, and he can't play in his own zone. For a guy who was expected to be a top six forward on the team, Svatos has only mustered six goals and nine assists in 35 games played.

His horrid production is topped off by the fact that he's a minus-9 and has 17 minor penalties.

Darcy Tucker - C

Tucker really started the year out well, but has fallen off ever since the Ruutu cheapshot in the Carolina. I was rooting for him at the beginning of the season, but a spade's a spade. He hasn't been great offensively, he's slow, and he has absolutely no puck control.

It's comical when you realize he's making $5.25 million when you factor in the money Toronto is sitll paying him after buying him out.

Wojtek Wolski - A-

Wolski has really turned things around in Joe Sacco's system. Once feared to be a 10 goal, 40-point scorer, Wolski is well on his way to scoring 70 points this season. His defensive play has drastically improved as well.

Brandon Yip - B

Breaks his hand in a preseason fight, misses 30 games. Plays six games in the AHL and scores two goals. Plays seven games in the NHL and scores three goals. What's not to love?

Defensemen

Brett Clark - C

He leads the league in blocked shots, has chipped in over ten points, and is usually responsible defensively. Sadly, those positives don't overshadow a lot of the gaffe's he's made in the defensive zone. While he may be unjustly hated by fans, make no mistake, Brett Clark is playing his last season in Denver.

Kyle Cumiskey - B-

Cumiskey is another player Sacco has had great influence over. Before he was known as a fast skater who couldn't play defense, but he's now planted himself as Foote's defensive partner. He also is tied for the lead among all Avalanche defensemen in goals, despite missing almost half of the season with a foot injury.

Adam Foote - B

Foote has rebounded from a horrible season last year in which his career looked to be finished and has returned to the solid defensive form we all know and love.

Scott Hannan - A

Hannan never seemed to fit well in Denver (maybe because he was playing with Liles the past two years), but this year things have changed now that he's paired with Kyle Quincey. The two work off of each other, and have formed a solid first pairing for the Avalanche.

John-Michael Liles - C-

What a sad display Liles has put forth this year. Usually considered one of Colorado's best defensemen, Liles has gone from the first pairing to healthy scratch over the course of training camp until now. Turnovers in his own zone and indecisiveness during powerplays will have management thinking long and hard about Liles future with the Avalanche.

Kyle Quincey - A+

I don't hear anyone complaining about the Ryan Smyth deal anymore. Quincey has been a perfect acquisition for Colorado; he's young, physical, and plays in all situations. Clearly Colorado's No. 1 defenseman and one of the league leaders in ice time, Quincey will find himself signing a fat paycheck this summer when his deal expires.

Ryan Wilson - B

Okay, former GM Francois Giguere did one thing right. Wilson was practically a throw in during the trade that sent Jordan Leopold to Calgary last year, yet has established himself as solid NHLer in no time, and has arguably been better than Leopold ever was in his three-year tenure with the Avalanche.

Goaltenders

Craig Anderson - A+

What other grade would you give a guy who came off the street and has played like a franchise goalie? Anderson is Colorado's best player, despite his minuscule salary, and will likely lead Colorado to a playoff berth that was previously thought to be an impossible task this season.

Peter Budaj - A+

You can't ask much of you back-up goalie other than to be solid, and Budaj has done just that with a .927 save percentage and 2.22 goals against average (both career bests).