LAB #59: Bowness and the Jets (PLAYOFF EDITION)

The Mile High Hockey Lab has you covered heading into the Stanley Cup Playoffs!

The 59th installment of the Mile High Hockey Lab is available on your preferred Podcast platform! Things are heating up in the NHL world as the Stanley Cup Playoffs start this weekend, and we have your round-one content covered here at MHH.

The Jets Dominant Victory

Colorado has had some stinker performances in the last month and a half, but their 7-0 loss to their first-round foe has to be at the top of that list. With that, the show started with Managing Editor Evan Liu’s take on the “drubbing” that Colorado received.

“It’s not so much that they lost 7-0. I think it’s more so that they lost another big game.”

Evan also squashed any parallels between Colorado’s struggles late in the 2022 regular season and their recent woes. He keenly reminded us that they had already secured the division and home ice when the 2022 team lost on the way out.

Position Previews

The panel then went through the position preview articles to talk about what stuck out to those who were readers rather than writers. Naturally, we let Evan, the author of our Forwards Preview, broach the subject. He drew some lineage to the Jets’ depth and what we saw from the depth of the Seattle Kraken last season.

That’s a scary thought, but Ezra and I both think that Colorado made moves in the offseason and at the deadline to be a stingier team that’s more suited to going round for round with the “by committee” style of hockey. Specifically, guys like Miles Wood, Ross Colton, and Brandon Duhaime should benefit from the stylistic change that comes with playoff hockey.

We moved on to the blue line, a sore subject on our program since Bo Byram was traded for Casey Mittelstadt. Most of our group liked the deal, although it was tough to see Bo go. On the other hand, our beloved Jackie Kay thinks that the Avalanche have traded their ace in the hole by liquidating their competitive advantage on the back end. The playoffs will be the proper proving ground for that.

I think the Avalanche have a solid D group before the bracket begins. Cale Makar and Devon Toews don’t need me to go to bat for them. I’ve said before that Josh Manson should flourish in the playoffs. Sam Girard is (healthy, hopefully) having arguably his best year as a pro. Sean Walker has fit right in, and Jack Johnson is the consummate 6-7 D man. Sam Malinksi could be used if something goes down as well.

Goalie Gab

If you aren’t talking about Alexandar Georgiev vs. Conor Hellebyuck, are you talking about Colorado Avalanche hockey? It’s a drum that has been beaten and beating for quite a while as Georgiev has continued to add to his catalog of not-so-good performances and subsequent emotional episodes. We all agree that it feels like Georgiev is losing the mental battle that comes with net minding. That’s a battle not easily won, but I am hopeful that the playoffs will offer Georgiev a clean slate and the opportunity to move on from the struggles of the regular season. It could be the mental reset and heightened stakes.

‘Cup or Bust’ Follow Up

Jackie put out a roundtable for us to respond to this week, and she posed a fascinating and ultimate question. What does it mean to think this is a “cup or bust” season?

“You can’t get bounced in the first round again. You can’t look like you’re not competitive against whatever team goes on to win, and frankly, with the way that Nathan MacKinnon is playing, you have to make the conference final.”— Ezra Parter.

“If we believe it’s cup or bust, then there must be an expectation. It’s not like they have to win the cup or it is a failed season, but we just spent many minutes talking about goaltending. They didn’t trade for one, so technically, they weren’t all in.” — Jackie Kay.

Kovalenko’s Debut

Adrian calls Nikolaij Kovalenko by his father’s name to start the segment, something that I’m sure more than a few Nordiique/Avs fans will do as he’s welcomed to the Avalanche system. He did have an assist in his debut with the Colorado Eagles earlier this week, and he could make his Avalanche debut tonight against the Edmonton Oilers. We shall see!

Bold Predictions

JACKIE KAY — Kovalenko will play against EDM, but Val Nichushkin will not.

ADRIAN HERNANDEZ — Either Goergiev will get the shutout tonight, or (if Georgie doesn’t play) Annunen will post a one-goal against performance.

EVAN LIU — Jonathan Drouin opens the playoff scoring with a goal for the Avalanche.

EZRA PARTER — Colorado wins games one and two against the Winnipeg Jets.

Be sure to share your #BoldPredictions on X and in the comments here! We will discuss them on our show and give you any dings you might earn!

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Go Avs!