SMALL BALL VS THE HOMERUN

BY MARK HALPERN

Baseball isn’t known as America’s pastime for no reason. The game is exciting and over the years from inception till now the game has changed. In the beginning the way teams scored runs by singles, doubles and the occasional triple. The Homerun was considered to be a bonus if you had a player who could do just that. Homeruns in the beginning were so few that in 1920 and 1927 Babe “The Sultan of Swat” Ruth hit more home runs in these seasons then other teams combined. To see a Homerun is exciting but, small ball ruled the way for a long time. So, the question is would you rather have a team built to play Small Ball or a Power team that hits home runs?

  Both have ways of getting runs across the board. However, in my humble opinion more teams need to learn small ball then relying on the almighty Homerun. Singles and doubles is how the game should be played. Doesn’t mean having a player who can hit the four-bagger isn’t great but, 10 runs via singles and doubles vs 9 home runs, small ball is going to win it every time. A team that has been doing it all is the Phillies; they are being consistent by putting the ball in play. The move runner around the right way and score runs early and when you can give you starting pitcher a two-run lead in the first inning a lot of stress is off the pitcher.

    Another part of small ball is the stolen base and the two best to do was Lou Brock and Rickey Henderson. The act of stealing a base is an art really. As I was a catcher it was a game of “Cat and Mouse” between the runner, the pitcher and myself. The pitcher has to have one eye on the runner but ready to throw the pitch he has communicated with the catcher. The runner has to decide on which pitch is he best chance at stealing the base and then the Catcher has to be ready to throw a strike down to second or a snapshot back to first (I excelled in that department.) That is how it was until this year, a new rule was added that the pitcher may throw over to chase the runner back twice and then if he doesn’t get caught on a third attempt, he gets second automatically. We saw what Ronald Acuna for the Braves, Corbin Carroll for the Diamondbacks, Trea Turner for the Philles and Esteury Ruiz of the Oakland A’s (nice hear something positive about them) all deserve mention. Elly Dela Cruz is positioned to break the 100 stolen base barrier which hasn’t been done since Vince Coleman of the St Louis Cardinals in 1987 so it’s been a while. With the way the Reds use the stolen base makes the game exciting to watch. The reds are another team that are doing it via small ball and winning and probably has the rookie of the year and is on pace for over 110 stolen bases.

    I will never say I don’t like seeing a Homerun hit by any of the Mets. It’s part of the game, but watching last night against the Diamondbacks (5/31/2024) besides J.D Martinez homerun the Mets scored 8 of the ten runs via triples, doubles and singles. The advantage of having may it be 3 players in your line up who have the power to hit 30-35 home runs a year but, if there is no one on base it’s only counts as one run when, you are possibly trailing by 2 and that 1 run isn’t going to do it. Teams that utilize more players who “GET ON BASE” (SHOUT OUT TO BILLY BEAN) and move those little ducks around the pond the better chance you have to win then relying on players hired really just to hit the cover off the ball.

NO SHOW

BY MIKE RIFKIN

For the second time in three seasons the New York Rangers were eliminated by a team from Florida in the Eastern Conference Final. The Rangers lost game six 2-1 at the hands of the Florida Panthers, ending their season. The Rangers won the Presidents’ Trophy and set a franchise record with 114 points and wins with 55. 

The Rangers were a team all year that had contributions from everyone. That continued in the first two rounds of the playoffs, but in the Eastern Conference Final they got contributions from some unlikely sources like Barclay Goodrow, but didn’t get enough from their big guys. Artemi Panarin, Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad combined for 267 points during the regular season. All three had their moments in the playoffs, but were very unnoticeable against Florida. Kreider and Panarin each had a goal in game five and six respectively, unfortunately those were the only goals scored in each game. Give the Panthers credit for how they defended all three of these guys, and all three had big years on the power play, which dried up in this series. Zibanejad, hadn’t had a goal since game 2 against the Hurricanes, and in this series he was limited to an assist. But a rotation of players on the right side of him and Kreider could’ve been something that hampered them, but you need more. Kreider had a massive moment in the third period of game six against the Hurricanes where he had a Hat Trick to send the Rangers to the Conference Final. But in this series, like his linemate, Kreider didn’t have quality looks. Outside of his game five shorthanded goal, he and Zibanejad just didn’t create any offense. 

Panarin’s line with Vincent Trocheck and Alexis Lafreniere, was the Rangers’ most consistent line all season and in the playoffs. Panarin had five goals during this run, four of which were game winners. But Panarin wasn’t the gamebreaker the Rangers needed him to be this series.

In the biggest series your stars have to be your best players, and when the Rangers needed them these three guys weren’t there. It’s going to be a long offseason in the Big Apple, and for these three guys in particular.

Houston We Have A New AFC Threat

By Nathan Moser

For the last few years, the top of the AFC remains intact. The Kansas City Chiefs are of course at the top of the list, with superstar quarterback Patrick Mahomes, tight end Travis Kelce, and the rest of the team winning three Super Bowls in recent seasons. Then, there are the Buffalo Bills who have their own star quarterback in Josh Allen but have not been able to handle business when it comes to postseason matchups against Kansas City. Maybe that will change, maybe it will not. The Baltimore Ravens were lethal during the 2023 NFL season, with two-time MVP Lamar Jackson leading the way. Then, no one can count out the Cincinnati Bengals with Joe Burrow at the reins. Sure, they lost Tyler Boyd and Tee Higgins wants to be traded, but as long as they have Burrow there, they will find other replacements at wide receiver, either in the draft or free agency.

The team that became a significant threat for all of the teams mentioned as well as the rest of the AFC is the Houston Texans. What the organization has been able to piece together lately is something that could haunt the league for seasons to come. It started when they got their own quarterback. During the 2023 NFL Draft, the expectation was that the Carolina Panthers would select quarterback Bryce Young, which they did. The expectation was that they were getting the better quarterback. That decision they made has aged like milk so far. Young could still be the face that runs the place for the Panthers starting his sophomore season, but things look dramatically worse when stacking Young’s rookie season up against what CJ Stroud did for the Texans. Both were rookies, but the Panthers had a horrendous 2023 season. Houston, meanwhile, made the playoffs. Not to mention, Stroud at the helm showed flashes of how scary he can potentially be for opponents.

A great quarterback looks even better when having solid receivers who know how to catch the football and the Texans have ample supply of that. They looked terrific when Nico Collins and Tank Dell were catching the ball. Both of these players are under 26 years old. Now, after making the trade with the Bills for veteran Stefon Diggs, they look even deadlier. On top of that, Collins and Dell now have a mentor in Diggs who has shined in big moments, such as the Minneapolis Miracle as well as a few playoff runs with Buffalo.

The Texans made more than one significant trade this offseason. Mentioning the Bengals before, another weapon that Burrow lost besides Boyd is running back Joe Mixon. He was dealt to Houston, giving Stroud another weapon he can go to with the ball. Texans general manager Nick Caserio is only making things harder for opposing defenses. Stroud can throw to Dell, Collins, or Diggs; or he could have Mixon run the ball as well. Mixon joins a Houston running back room that also has Dameon Pierce too. It has just gotten better and better for that fanbase.

The Texans were active in free agency too. They inked a deal with defensive end Danielle Hunter who previously suited up for the Minnesota Vikings. They brought in defensive tackle Folorunso Fatukasi from the Jacksonville Jaguars, defensive end Denico Autry from the Tennessee Titans, Mario Edwards Jr. from the Seattle Seahawks, and Jeff Okudah from the Atlanta Falcons. They impressed many in the football world already that players wanted to sign and be a part of this up-and-coming era.

Stroud is certainly building something special on the field, but credit also needs to be given to head coach DeMeco Ryans. Many knew that he deserved to get a head coaching job back when he was the defensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers in the 2021 and 2022 seasons. The former Texans player from 2006-2011 went back and is proving to be a fantastic hire by Caserio. He was a fantastic find by 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan, and Caserio put his faith that Ryans would be the right man for the job in Houston as well.

As great as things seem right now, the Texans now must take advantage of their window of opportunity. This could be the start of a great new era for the franchise, but they need to take the right next steps. Time goes by fast and the seasons will start piling up before they know it. One benefit the team has is that Stroud is on his rookie contract. If he keeps performing the way he has and gradually improves, Caserio is going to have to shell out a bunch of money in order to keep him around. The time is now. Paying the stars will make keeping a great team together more difficult. Try to build toward and win a Super Bowl as quickly as possible before the tough decisions with keeping or getting rid of players arise.

2024 NHL Entry Draft Profile: Macklin Celebrini – Future San Jose Shark

BY NATE MOSER

The 2024 NHL Entry Draft is almost here and for San Jose Sharks fans, so is potential number one overall pick Macklin Celebrini. Celebrini has been the prize at the top of this NHL Draft since before the 2023-24 NHL season even began. When the Sharks had specifically horrendous losses, many hockey fans thought they were tanking to have the best chance at the first overall pick. They would indeed finish with the worst record, and after going through the draft lottery process, San Jose is the team that has the chance to make Celebrini a member of their organization. Who is Celebrini though? What do Sharks fans need to know about their probable new player?

Celebrini was born on June 13, 2006 in Vancouver, British Columbia. Growing his game and honestly it seems like foreshadowing, but he suited up for the San Jose Jr. Sharks 14U AAA program during the 2019-20 hockey season. He then attended Shattuck-St. Mary’s, a school that is famous for their hockey program which many NHLers attended at one time like Nathan MacKinnon, Sidney Crosby, and Jonathan Toews among others. After being there, he went to the Chicago Steel in the United States Hockey League (USHL) for the 2022-23 season. As a member of the Steel, he produced 46 goals and 40 assists for 86 points in 50 games.

Then, for this past hockey campaign, Celebrini attended Boston University. Like in the case with Shattuck-St. Mary’s, Boston University has their fair share of talented alumni who have been impressive in the NHL. One of the most obvious names is Vegas Golden Knights star Jack Eichel, who was a key part of that franchise winning their first ever Cup championship. Then, there’s Brady Tkachuk, Charlie McAvoy, Clayton Keller, and Trevor Zegras among others as well. Celebrini had a great year for B.U., as he chalked up 32 goals and 32 assists for 64 points in 38 games for the team.

One benefit for Celebrini is that he has gone to different programs and done very well in each of them. He did not stay in one league the entire time he was growing his game, and I think that can be a big positive. He has gone up against competition for the Jr. Sharks, Shattuck-St. Mary’s school, the Steel in the USHL, and recently the NCAA. With all of these different league experiences, he is playing against different levels of competition. That not only shows the skill set that Celebrini has, but it also gives him experiences that will help him grow as a talent. He is learning different valuable lessons that will make his game more dangerous as he gets to the NHL and grows his game even more. The Sharks can build their next era around Celebrini. Gone are the days of Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau, Joe Pavelski, and Brent Burns. These players will always be remembered for their contributions to the club, but now it is time for the next group to try and help San Jose win their first Stanley Cup. Celebrini will be one of those talents to do that. He will not have to carry the load alone though. The Sharks recently signed their 2023 first-round selection (fourth overall) Will Smith to a three-year entry-level contract. In 2023-24, Smith put up 25 goals and 46 assists for 71 points in 41 games. These two players, both currently at significant Boston hockey colleges, will be the faces of the offense for seasons and seasons to come. Along with both of them are other prospects like other 2023 first-round pick Quentin Musty. 2022-first rounder Filip Bystedt recently joined the Sharks system and played in a handful of games for their American Hockey League (AHL) squad, the San Jose Barracuda. Plus, Sharks general manager Mike Grier has other picks to work with to get other talent. The Sharks also hold the 14th overall pick, and the club has two second-round selections as well. Grier can load up well in the first two rounds if he would like, or he could trade a pick or two for either more selections or established players. Either way, it is the beginning of a new chapter for the Sharks. Celebrini will be one of the faces of this franchise for years to come, and the hockey world will see what he can do when the time comes for him to finally suit up for the Teal and White.

Meet The Mess

By Mike Rifkin

The New York Mets might have hit rock bottom on Wednesday, but that’s saying a lot for a team that has struggled since the beginning of the month. The Mets lost to the Dodgers 10-3 and were swept in the three game series by Los Angeles. That makes the Mets 7-19 in the month of May, and they can’t wait for the calendar to flip to June. 

Wednesday put an exclamation point on the month, prior to the game the Mets put closer Edwin Diaz on the Injured List with a shoulder impingement. Diaz, who missed all of last season with torn Patella Tendon at the World Baseball Classic. In 2022, Diaz was unbelievable posting a 1.31 ERA with 32 saves. This year Diaz has not been as dominant, he has a 5.40 ERA and has not looked right at all, hasn’t had command of both his fastball or his slider at the same time. 

The Mets offense has been the definition of inconsistent this season. They’ve tried shifting guys around and nothing has stuck. First baseman Pete Alonso hasn’t had the start to his free agent year he’d like. Yes, Alonso has 12 homers and 26 RBI, but he has a slash line of .231/.308/.453. Alonso wants to bump that average up a bit, but the contract is definitely weighing on him. On Wednesday Alonso got hit by a pitch on his hand and the Mets said X-rays were negative, but Alonso went for further testing. Last year Alonso broke his wrist by getting hit by a pitch. Alonso, is the biggest power threat in the Mets lineup and the team can’ t lose him for a long extended period of time, if they think they can turn it around. 

Now here’s the cherry on top of the sundae. During another brutal defeat, reliever Jorge Lopez threw his glove into the stands after being ejected. Manager Carlos Mendoza said Lopez’s actions were “unacceptable”. Lopez said “ No, I don’t regret it”. There were some other things said by Lopez, and the Mets have reacted very quickly on this and have DFA’D Lopez, so his time in New York is coming to an end. 

After Wednesday’s game the Mets had a team meeting. Now here’s the thing if the team meeting sparks something that’d be something. But this team is massively disappointing and they heard that from their GM on Tuesday. Prior to the first game of the doubleheader David Stearns spoke to the media and basically said he still believes this team can make a run before deciding on what they do at the trade deadline. Now they do have time, but it’s running short and to be honest I am sick of these guys telling the fans that they can be better than this, at some point they have to show it. In my opinion the Mets have never mentally recovered from what happened in September of 2022, including a three game sweep at the hands of the Braves, which cost them the division. If the last year and a half plus hasn’t been rock bottom, what is? If Wednesday wasn’t the cherry on top of what has been an awful month for this franchise, the question becomes what could possibly be next?

WHAT A ROLE CAITLIN CLARK HAS TO PLAY

By Mark Halpern

     I played sports for the better part of my life. I played baseball (22 years) Basketball (10 years) Soccer (5 years) and I wasn’t a super star but I loved to play. I look at sports stars over the last 30 years and in every sport a player emerges as the face of the sport. For example, Michael Jordan for the NBA, Patrick Mahomes for the NFL, Shohei Ohtani for the MLB and they have done a magnificent job as ambassadors to their respected sports but, none of them did what Jackie Robinson did and what Caitlin Clark is doing.

    We all know the legendary story of Jackie Robinson on how he broke the color barrier with the Brooklyn Dodgers which then paved the way for other players such as Satchel Paige, Buck O’Neil, Monte Irvin and so much more. The WNBA was formed in 1997 and has a great following and has had some amazing players such as Lisa Leslie, Rebecca Lobo, Diana Taursi and Brittany Griner and so many more but, none of them has had the attention like Catlin Clark is receiving.

    Clark played for Iowa Hawkeyes and what a college career she had averaging 28.4 points, 7.1 rebounds and 8.2 assists over her four year college career. She was the most followed player not just by her fans but by every analyst in the market today. She is a true leader and an amazing basketball player however she now has more weight on her shoulders. There was no surprise that Caitlin was drafted #1 overall by the Indiana Fever and signed a four-year rookie deal. Caitlin Clark signed deals with Panini Sports cards to produce her cards, she now has her own shoe deal, she is now the face of Wilson Sports. Caitlin isn’t just a basketball player she is an inspiration to every young girl who picks up a basketball and wants to play. We all know the famous phrase “I wanna be like Mike” which was one of the most brilliant advertising campaigns for a basketball player. However, with the following that Clark has and respect from not only her teammates but, from the sports world in general the time will come for her commercial and tagline.      Clark has said it’s not about the money and that she just wants to play. No offense to her I am sure she is happy with the lucrative deals she has signed for certain things. Not to take anything away from any player who came before her but, Clark set a career high Tuesday night  by having a stat line of 30pts, 5 reb, 5ast, 3 steals and 3 blocks. The response to her in college and now the WNBA for being classy, competitive (and we know she can take some BS from other players trying to get a rise out of her) is a very good sport and the flattery she receives is ongoing. Caitlin Clark is a hero to all young girls and I look forward to following her career and watching the greatness she brings to the sport.

R.I.P. THE GREAT BILL WALTON

By Mark Halpern

On Monday the NBA lost one of its most revered stars yesterday when Bill Walton passed away at the age of 71 years old. He was one of the most electric announcers in the game and did some of his best work. 

    Walton played for UCLA and won 3 consecutive college player of the year awards (72-74) and also led UCLA to two National Championships and don’t forget between 1972-74 he helped lead the Bruins to an 88-game win streak. There was no surprise that he was the first pick by the Portland Trailblazers in 1974. In 1977 he helped lead the Trailblazers to their first championship and Walton won MVP where he averaged 18.5 points per game, 19.- rebounds per game and 5.2 assists per game. He also won MVP in 1978 for the Trailblazers but he started to be hampered by multiple foot problems and was never really the same. 

    Due to his multiple foot injuries, he missed the 78-79 season and when he made his comeback, he played 4 years with the Clippers but was limited due to his foot injury. After his stint with the Clippers, he signed a two-year deal to play with the Celtics and back up to Robert Parish and in his final season he earned the sixth man award and won his second and final NBA Championship.

     Walton wanted to stay around Basketball and overcame a stuttering problem to become one of the best announcers around. His knowledge about the sport and players was uncanny at times. He could be serious but he was always smiling and cracking jokes to make his broadcasts enjoyable. I will forever miss his personality, his expertise and the way he made the game fun. Rest In Peace Bill there will never be another player/announcer like you.

Dan Bylsma Named Next Seattle Kraken Head Coach

BY NATE MOSER

The Seattle Kraken have their next bench boss. The team announced that they are promoting Dan Bylsma to be the second head coach in franchise history. He replaces Dave Hakstol, who had been with the team since their inception and helped take them to the 2023 playoffs and even win a series against the Colorado Avalanche. Bylsma, meanwhile, was coaching down in Seattle’s American Hockey League (AHL) team, the Coachella Valley Firebirds, ever since the team started play in the 2022-23 season. He had a record of 94-32-18 in the two campaigns he was with the team. Bylsma is most remembered as the head coach for the Pittsburgh Penguins. He took over for former coach Michel Therrien when he was fired midway through the 2008-09 season. The Penguins turned things around and beat the Detroit Red Wings to hoist the Stanley Cup at the end of the 2009 playoffs. He would coach in Pittsburgh for a few more seasons before he was let go following the 2013-14 campaign.

Bylsma last coached in the NHL with the Buffalo Sabres during the 2015-16 and 2016-17 seasons. It was a new era for the Sabres, as they recently drafted Jack Eichel at the time second overall in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft, as well as acquired forward Ryan O’Reilly in a trade with the Colorado Avalanche. The results did not come however, and Buffalo missed the playoffs both times that Bylsma was there, before he and then-Sabres general manager Tim Murray were relieved of their duties with the club. It was the only two times in the NHL that Bylsma missed the postseason as a head coach, as he made it every season he was with the Penguins. In fact, the last season he was in Pittsburgh, the Penguins won the Metropolitan Division and even won in the first round. They were eliminated at the hands of the New York Rangers in the second round.

This hire is a win not only for the Kraken, but for players on the Firebirds as well. Already having a prior relationship with Bylsma will do wonders for those trying to crack the NHL lineup, either out of training camp or at some point during the season as a call-up. Some of the top talent who have been with the Firebirds within the last couple seasons include Max McCormick, Kole Lind, Shane Wright, Andrew Poturalski, and Cale Fleury among others. It is a good mix of future NHLers and veterans who could fill temporary holes on the Kraken with injuries. Bylsma will know who the team should call up, and how to utilize those players to the best of their abilities. The Kraken could very well have a nice turnaround considering all of the talent they already have as well. These were the top five scorers for Seattle in 2023-24:

  • Forward (F) Jared McCann: 29 goals and 33 assists for 62 points in 80 games
  • (F) Oliver Bjorkstrand: 20 goals and 39 assists for 59 points in 82 games
  • Defenseman (D) Vince Dunn: 11 goals and 35 assists for 46 points in 59 games
  • (F) Jordan Eberle: 17 goals and 27 assists for 44 points in 78 games
  • (F) Eeli Tolvanen: 16 goals and 25 assists for 41 points in 81 games

That does not even include players like Matty Beniers, Jaden Schwartz, Andre Burakovsky, and Will Borgen. Bylsma has a lot to work with on the Kraken. Soon, the general manager Ron Francis will be able to add more to the roster when free agency begins on July 1 too, as well as make any trades in the offseason. There should not be much to tweak with the roster though. As for the team with Bylsma, there will be an adjustment period as there usually is with any coach going to a new team. It should not be long though before the positive results start to show. Bylsma and the Kraken have the potential to be a very rewarding pairing for Seattle and the team’s fanbase.

STARS NEED TO SHINE

BY MIKE RIFKIN

The Eastern Conference Final comes down to a best of three, as the Panthers have tied the series 2-2 with a 3-2 overtime win in game four. There have been a few constants throughout this series for the Rangers and one of them has to buck the trend. 

Igor Shesterkin has been fantastic throughout the four games, Alexis Lafreniere has continued his breakout season and the Rangers have gotten big contributions from Barclay Goodrow and Alex Wennberg among others. But the Rangers need their top guys to be the top guys. 

Artemi Panarin, Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad combined for 267 points during the regular season. The three have combined for 14 goals and 38 points during the playoffs, but this series against the Panthers the three have combined for a grand total of three points, all of which are assists by Panarin (2 in game four.) Now if you ask Ranger fans if they’d take being tied in the series with these guys not producing if they’d take it, of course they’d say yes. But the Rangers need more from these guys. Panarin, who had disappeared at times during the Rangers’ run to the Conference Final in 22 and was limited to two assists last year in the first round against the Devils, has four goals in the playoffs, all of which are game winners, but he hasn’t scored a goal since game three against the Hurricanes. 

Mika Zibanejad has not scored a goal since he had two in game two against the Hurricanes. Zibanejad is a -3 so far in the series. I know not everyone loves the plus/minus stat but when your number one center isn’t producing it becomes an easy stat to look at. In game 4 against Florida, Zibanejad had a few looks including a shot that hit the crossbar in the first period, if he scores it might be a different game. But if we’re talking about Zibanejad, he has to take some of the blame for the game four loss. His pass in overtime handcuffed Blake Wheeler, it led to Wheeler taking a hooking penalty, which led to the overtime winner for Sam Reinhart. 

Chris Kreider’s hat trick in game 6 against the Hurricanes was a fantastic moment, but in this series against Florida is -3. Kreider, the Rangers all time leader in playoff goals, hasn’t really had that great opportunity. 

Now give Florida credit on how they’re defending these guys. Now part of the reason these guys are struggling is the Rangers power play has one goal in the series. But now this series is a best of three and the Rangers need their stars to shine on Broadway.

What Comes Next : Colorado Avalanches (Rifkin Statement Address)

By Mike Rifkin

The Colorado Avalanche are a very good hockey team, and that’s stating the obvious. President of Hockey Operations Joe Sakic and General Manager Chris Macfarland have done an outstanding job putting together an excellent nucleus led by Nathan Mackinnon (who should win the Hart Trophy). The Avs steamrolled the Winnipeg Jets in five games in the first round of the playoffs, before losing to the Dallas Stars in six games. One thing that really hurt the Avs was the announcement of Forward Valeri Nichuskin being suspended for six months and is in Stage three of the Player’s Assistance Program of the NHL and NHLPA. After the six months is up Nichuskin can apply for reinstatement. Nichuskin had nine goals and 10 points in eight playoff games, prior to the announcement before game four against the Stars. We all hope Nichuskin gets the help he needs and is back playing hockey, but that was a major loss for the Avs during the playoffs. Nichuskin’s money is off the books for as long as he is away from the team, but after that we don’t know what will happen.

Nichuskin’s suspension hurt the Avs, but the biggest loss was not having Captain Gabriel Landeskog for the season after knee surgery. Landeskog, alongside Macfarland did announce he was not retiring, but is hoping to return to the team at some point next season. Landeskog, the second overall pick in 2011 is top ten in Avs history in goals, points, power play goals and game winning goals. 

With Landeskog out, his linemates Nathan Mackinnon and Mikko Rantanen both had phenomenal seasons. Mackinnon, who is my pick for the Hart Trophy posted a career high 51 goals (first time hitting 50 goal mark) and 140 points. While Rantanen had 42 goals (fourth consecutive 30+ goal season) and 104 points. With Landeskog out, the Avs needed someone to step up. Enter Mackinnon’s former Junior teammate from Halifax Jonathan Drouin, who had a career high 19 goals and 56 points. 

The Avs have one of the best group of defensemen in the NHL. Led by Cale Makar, who had 90 points on the season. Devon Toews, Sam Girard and  Josh Manson round out a really good top four. The Avs acquired Sean Walker from Philly at the trade deadline, Walker and Drouin both are unrestricted free agents, so it’ll be interesting to see if the can Avs retain either?

In goal Alexandar Geogiev was 38-18-5 with a 3.02 GAA and .897 save percentage during the regular season. In the playoffs Georgiev posted a 2.85 GAA and like the regular season a .897 save percentage. 

The Avalanche will have around nine million dollars in cap space, so they might have some deals to make. One guy they won’t have to make a decision on is Zach Parise, who has decided to retire. 

KEY FREE AGENTS (WITH REG SEASON STATS)

Restricted : Casey Mittelstadt – 18 goals/57 points ( 4 goals 10 pts in 18 games with AVS)

UNRESTRICTED : 

Sean Walker : 10 goals/29 points ( 4 goals/7 points in 18 games with AVS)

Jonathan Drouin : 19 goals/56 points

Yakov Trenin : 12 goals/17 points (2 goals 3 points with AVS) 

Brandon Duhaime : 5 goals/13 points (1 goal/ 5 points with AVS)

Jack Johnson : 3 goals/16 points 

Andrew Cogliano : 6 goals/19 points 

As I mentioned above I don’t know what happens with Nichuskin’s money and with Landeskog determined to come back at some point next season, you have to wonder how Sakic and Macfarland will operate. The Avs have 9.8 million dollars in cap space, and can get more if Landeskog starts the season on LTIR. 

STAYING : MITTELSTADT, DROUIN, JOHNSON

LEAVING  : WALKER, TRENIN, DUHAIME, COGLIANO

ACQUIRING ( NOT PUTTING TERM OR MONEY ON DEAL) : Teddy Blueger, Alec Martinez, Brendon Dillon, or Derek Forbort. Remember the Avs money situation will depend on the Landeskog situation.