--Coach Joel Quenneville will not be back next season. The Avalanche announced May 9 that it was a mutual decision between team officials and Quenneville. The reason: Team officials want to pick up the team's tempo, and they want a new coach to do it.
--The Avalanche needs plenty of improvement when it comes to special teams. Colorado scored only 49 power-play goals for a 14.6 percent success rate, the third-worst figure in the NHL. It was the first time the team failed to crack the top 10 in power-play percentage since it arrived in Denver for the 1995-96 season. The penalty-killing units didn't fare much better, finishing 20th in the league with an 81.4 percent success rate. The Avalanche scored two short-handed goals, tied for the fewest in the NHL.
--The Avalanche dominated on home ice while winning Stanley Cups in 1996 and 2001 and posted a 27-12-2 record at the Pepsi Center in 2007-08. Colorado ranked third in the NHL in home wins and fourth in home points with 56. The Avalanche won nine of its final 10 regular-season home games.
--The Avalanche tied New Jersey for the most wins (eight) when trailing after two periods. Colorado went 8-22-2 in that situation. The Avalanche went 3-19-1 in 2006-07 when trailing after 40 minutes and 2-22-3 in 2005-06.
QUOTE TO NOTE "I thought there was a lot to be excited about over the course of the year." -- Avalanche coach Joel Quenneville, who nevertheless will not return as coach next season.
Copyright (C) 2008 The Sports Xchange. All Rights Reserved.
It seems to me that the Avalanche have spent the last several years at or near the top of the NHL stats as far as injuries and man games lost to injury.
Is it time that they looked at the training staff and how they prepare the team for the season ? Just a question.
The Avalanche need to get a few solid players, particularly defensive. There is no way that they will have a shot at the Stanley Cup if they have no defense as they did last season.
As for offense, I think that they will be all right...if Joe Sakic continues pl
