Colorado Avalanche: Player Grades Through 10 Games
Mediocre is the best way to describe the Avalanche's start to the 2010-2011 season.
Not only have they produced a crummy 5-4-1 record, but they have been set back by injuries to starting goaltender Craig Anderson and captain Adam Foote.
The Avs have had some positives, most notably leading the NHL in goals through 10 games with 33. However, the 38 goals they've given up is also the most in the NHL.
For a team that did practically nothing in the offseason, the Avalanche's shaky start is likely telling of a difficult season ahead.
Craig Anderson: B
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In the seven games Anderson started before a knee injury sidelined him, the Avs goalie played fairly well while posting a .910 save percentage. But Anderson's record is 3-4-0, highlighted by poor performances against the New York Islanders and Los Angeles Kings.
G Peter Budaj: C+
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Supplanting Anderson as the starter, Budaj has been inconsistent in his first three games, allowing 13 goals. But thanks to the Avalanche's offense, Budaj has posted a 2-0-1 record.
If the 5-4-1 Avalanche want to stay above .500, Budaj is going to have to improve his play.
D Kyle Cumiskey: C+
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Kyle Cumiskey has seen the lions share of minutes on the Avalanche's defense—and that's not a good thing.
Cumiskey has shown flashes that he can be a better player, largely due to his blazing speed, but his decision making isn't there yet, as he's far too turnover prone. The five goals he's produced in 10 games has been a positive, though.
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D Adam Foote: C+
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At this stage in Foote's career, not much is expected from him other than making the safe play every time he's on the ice.
In the six games he's played, he's provided. However, it's disheartening to see the Avalanche's injury-prone captain out with a long term injury before the 10-game mark.
D Scott Hannan: C
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Defenseman Scott Hannan has had a slow start to the season. Not only has the former workhorse seen his minutes cut—his 16:01 average ice time the fewest among all Avalanche defensemen—but he's been noticeably less effective on the ice.
At age 31, it's possible Hannan—who has been largely a disappointment since signing a four-year, $16 million contract in the 2007 offseason—won't be retained when he becomes an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season.
D Jonas Holos: B
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After an injury to Adam Foote opened the door, Jonas Holos has seized the opportunity and is playing at a very high level, averaging over 20 minutes per game.
Being a rookie, there's still room for improvement, but the speed and passing ability Holos brings has been a breath of fresh air for the Avalanche's defense.
D John-Michael Liles: A+
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After the worst season in his career, in which he was frequently a healthy scratch, Liles has completely turned things around.
Not only has he been the Avalanche's best defenseman at even strength, but his 11 assists in the first nine games of the regular season set an NHL record for most consecutive games with an assist to start the season by a defenseman.
D Kyle Quincey: C-
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I think Avalanche management wants Ryan Smyth back.
Since the midpoint of last season, Quincey's play has really deteriorated; a fresh new season hasn't helped him. Quincey is pointless through 10 games with a minus-four rating, and has been guilty of making poor decisions within his own zone. Not what the Avalanche were looking for when they re-signed him to a big contract over the summer.
D Ryan Wilson: B-
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Wilson has been a little inconsistent to start the season, but has mostly been solid in his own zone, and is the Avalanche's second-leading hitter. For a third pairing defenseman, there hasn't been much to complain about.
LW T.J. Galiardi: B
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T.J. Galiardi has provided what's expected of him through 10 games—a solid two-way game, big penalty kill minutes and modest offensive totals. With three goals thus far, Galiardi may been in line for a 20-goal campaign.
LW Cody McLeod: C-
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Cody McLeod has had a rough start to 2011.
On a team that primarily uses a three-line rotation, McLeod has been an after thought, averaging only 7:48 per contest. It doesn't help that he only has one point and a minus-two rating through 10 games.
LWs Kevin Porter and David Van Der Gulik: D/C-
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Both have been in and out of the lineup, neither have a point and they've combined for one shot and four hits. Pretty insignificant production, even by fourth line standards.
LW Daniel Winnik: A+
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The Avalanche's only acquisition of the offseason has been a big one.
Daniel Winnik has been excellent in his first 10 games as an Av, logging big penalty kill minutes as well as potting four goals while playing a checking line role.
RW Milan Hejduk: B
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Hejduk has overcome a really slow start to the season by scoring nine points in his last five games. However, there have been times when the veteran hasn't looked quite the same as in years past, and his minus-eight rating is the worst on the team.
RW David Jones: C+
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Back from season-ending ACL surgery in 2010, Jones has had a fairly decent start to the 2010-2011 campaign playing alongside Matt Duchene and Milan Hejduk. His game isn't fully up to speed yet, but he's still managed to produce three goals and five points through nine games.
RW Chris Stewart: A
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Anyone who thought Stewart would struggle after a 28-goal breakout sophomore campaign was wrong, as the Avs power forward already has eight goals through 10 games. The only knock on Stewart is that there have been times where he could have been more defensively aware, as evidenced by his minus-two rating.
RW Brandon Yip: C
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Yip has be neither good nor bad to start the season. He has two goals in the eight games he's played, but has been pretty invisible at times.
C Matt Duchene: B
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No sophomore slump here.
The goal scoring—two—isn't quite there yet, but one can't complain about nine points in 10 games from a 19 year old.
C Phillipe Dupuis: C-
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On the Avalanche's mediocre fourth line, Dupuis has been the most productive member. He doesn't have a point yet, but he has a fight and 10 hits, which is sadly better than most of what his fourth line peers have done.
C Ryan O' Reilly: A+
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With Daniel Winnik as a linemate, O'Reilly has blossomed. In a checking line role, he's been more assertive, and offensively he's produced six points. Great play from the Avs' other 19 year old.
C Paul Stastny: B+
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Since switching from a wooden stick, Stastny has been much more assertive in the shooting game. His 35 shots good enough for second on the team. Unfortunately, his four goals have come in separate two-goal performances, so the consistency isn't there yet.
That aside, Stastny has played well through 10 games, and undoubatbly will finish as the team's leading point scorer by season's end.
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