“The Silver Shield” is a column by Kasey Kazliner about the National Hockey League.
Colorado Avalanche: Navigating the Slopes
Following their Stanley Cup win in 2022, the Avalanche’s 2023 season was cut short by the feel-good story Seattle Kraken in the first round of the playoffs. This year, even without captain Gabriel Landeskog, Colorado is standing its ground. The Avs have won four out of their last five games, and narrowly lead the Central Division.
Colorado’s first line has been lethal on the offensive attack. Mikko Rantanen, who leads the team in goals, has been a force for the Avs at the wing. Rantanen is coming off his best season yet when he eclipsed 100 points. He has already carried last year’s success over to this year’s campaign, with 29 points already thus far.
Center Nathan MacKinnon has been one of the NHL’s best for quite some time and, like Rantanen, is a threat on the first line. MacKinnon recorded a point in all but two games in November and has shown no signs of slowing down.
Defenseman Cale Makar has the fourth-most points in the NHL with 34, including 25 in November alone. Makar is making a serious case for yet another Norris Trophy award and is breaking records at just 25 years old. In just 20 games played, Makar broke the team’s franchise record for fewest games to reach 30 points in a season.
Colorado’s netminders have been modest but are securing wins on a consistent basis. Starter Alexander Georgiev won 40 games last year, which put him in the Vezina conversation. The Bulgarian could very well replicate these numbers this season, especially with a strong defense in front of him. Backup Ivan Prosvetov has seen less time between the pipes but has posted a stout .919 in five appearances.
The Avalanche are eager to make another Stanley Cup run with their deep roster. Colorado will need to somehow edge the Dallas Stars, though, who almost stole the division crown last season. The Winnipeg Jets have also been winning and could be a threat, too.
The Avalanche will take on the Ducks on Saturday at 7 p.m.
Cam Talbot, the King of the Net
The Kings parted ways with goaltender Jonathan Quick last season after almost two decades with the organization. Questions soon emerged surrounding Los Angeles’ situation in net, but it seems like L.A. has found their guy: Cam Talbot. In the offseason, Los Angeles acquired the injury-ridden, veteran goalie, and it has already paid off. Talbot has already defied expectations through 15 appearances between the pipes.
Talbot is one of the best goalies in the NHL; his 2.02 goals against average is the third-lowest in the league and his .928 save percentage is in the top five. The Kings’ defense has been shaky through parts of the season thus far, but Talbot’s crease awareness has allowed L.A. to contend in a competitive Pacific Division.
Talbot thrives on the road. Los Angeles is undefeated in away play at 9-0-0, and the 36-year old has been in net for eight of those wins. He has shared time in the crease with Pheonix Copley but has taken over the starting role thanks to his stellar play.
With 29 saves against the Ducks last Friday, Talbot won his 10th game of the season. If he keeps winning at this rate, his name could very well be considered for the Vezina Trophy, something that no one would’ve expected heading into the season. On top of this, don’t count the Kings out as a serious cup contender. The Pacific Division is looking to be a three-legged race between Vegas, Vancouver and Los Angeles, and the spot on the throne is up for grabs. Talbot will need to keep performing at this level in order to give Los Angeles the edge.
The Kings’ next test will be the Colorado Avalanche on Sunday at 5 p.m.
Frankie V.’s breakout show
The Anaheim Ducks might be struggling as of late, with losses in their last eight contests. However, Anaheim has awakened to a pleasant surprise this season — Frank Vatrano. Vatrano is currently in the thick of the Maurice Richard Trophy race with 13 goals already.
Vatrano’s career has been unconventional, to say the least. The winger started out with Boston in 2015 and has jumped around the league since. Vatrano played his first season with the Ducks last year and contributed 41 points in Anaheim’s dismal 23-win campaign. This year, though, through just 22 games played, Vatrano has over half of his 2022-23 point total and is on pace for the best season of his career.
While the Ducks are on a skid, they sit just five points behind the Flames for fourth in the Pacific. Anaheim started out hot before recently slowing down, and have other valuable pieces like centers Mason McTavish and Ryan Strome.
Vatrano is thriving on Anaheim’s first line and could very well be drawing the attention of other teams willing to pay a pretty penny for a consistent wing. Vatrano is currently on the second of his three-year deal.