The Colorado Avalanche (4-8-5) are a mediocre bunch these days - their most recent loss a tired, 6-0 affair against the New York Islanders that saw them ease further into the waters of defensive futility and ineffectiveness.
Just a year after they managed 52 wins and 112 points, they now have only one win in six games and one regulation victory on the road this season. They're currently loitering near the bottom of the Western Conference standings, prompting Bruce Garrioch of The Ottawa Sun to wonder if, perhaps, changes could be coming for the beleaguered franchise.
"Many believe Colorado GM Joe Sakic and coach Patrick Roy may get itchy fingers if the Avs can't get their act together," Garrioch writes. "The Avs let Paul Stastny go because the club is concerned about having to sign Nathan MacKinnon, but now Colorado is paying the price. The thinking is if the Avs get desperate enough they might be willing to move some of their young assets to get help right now. "
Which young assets they may be willing to part ways with is tough to say, but it would most likely be a player from their core group of forwards, according to Lyle Richardson of The Hockey News.
Of the group - this includes Gabriel Landeskog, Nathan MacKinnon, Matt Duchen and Ryan O'Reilly - Richardson points to O'Reilly as the likeliest candidate to assume a new zip code.
"O'Reilly's contentious contract negotiations history with the Avalanche could prompt some trade speculation. Like his teammates, the 23-year-old winger is having a tough start, with 9 points in 16 games and a plus/minus of minus-11. However, he's also the Avs best two-way forward and trading him won't address their needs."
The issue for Sakic and Roy, which was the same issue that plagued them last year, is poor defensive effort. They are one of the league's worst teams in shots-against and goals-against per game.
Goalie Semyon Varlamov's strong effort last season was enough to mitigate the problem for the most part, but not this season.
After last night's loss, Roy did his best to rally the troops and keep the team focused, even as the season slowly begins to slip away.
"Obviously last year everything was bouncing our way," Roy told the team's website post-game. "Right now, it's tougher, but at the same time, I'll say this: we need to stay together, we need to continue to work hard at the things that we've been doing well."
"Tonight was just a bad game and we need to regroup tomorrow, have a good practice and be ready for the Rangers."
In a somewhat strange twist, those very same Rangers have been in close proximity to the Avs in recent days, Garrioch reports.
"An interesting note: The Avalanche and Rangers have been following each other around lately. Both teams are looking for help on defense."
It could be nothing - they may simply have been scouting one another ahead of their matchup Thursday. Or, the more exciting possibility is that each time is poking and prodding the other, seeing what might fit where and who could be had for what.
For the time being, it seems the Avs will look to fix their problems internally, but should the issues persist, look for them to make a move for defensive help, possibly at the expense of one of their many young forwards.
