Goaltending
Anytime a team has a subpar offense and defense, there’s one possible factor that could override both – goaltending. The Colorado Avalanche’s goaltending is not example of this. Their likely starter is Semyon Varlamov. Since his Vezina Hart Trophy worthy season in 2013-14, he has steadily declined. Varlamov’s save percentage has dropped from .927 to .921 to .914 to .898.
The scary part? He’s only 28 years old. This kind of decline is normal for a goalie over 30 years old. But for one who’s supposed to be in his best years? That’s a significant red flag. Varlamov still has two years left on his contract with a $5.9 million cap hit. A best case scenario for the Avalanche is he rebuilds his trade value enough to be a trade deadline acquisition with some of his 2018-19 salary retained.
Bernier will serve as his backup. He’s coming off a .915 save percentage in 2016-17. This represents his highest save percentage since the 2013-14 season. Bernier isn’t great, but he’s pretty consistent and reliable. In his last four seasons, his save percentage has topped .910 in all but one of them.
Spencer Martin struggled in a three game sample size last year. He should be the starting goalie for the San Antonio Stampede. If something happens with Varlamov or Bernier, Martin’s likely going to be his replacement. AHL veteran Joe Cannata is an option if a starter isn’t needed.