Colorado Avalanche NHL Hockey News

Avalanche Team Report (Yahoo! Sports) 10/06/08

Avalanche coaches and players like to think this team can compete for a Stanley Cup in 2008-09, but just getting into the playoffs again could be a chore.

It's not that the Avalanche doesn't have some talent, but the Western Conference is loaded.

"I'd say it's a lot stronger than the East," defenseman Adam Foote said. "It's been like that since probably 1995-96. It's been a long time where the West has been on top."

Tony Granato is back for a second stint as Avalanche head coach. He replaced Bob Hartley as head coach in December 2002 and stepped down to return to an assistant's role in favor of Joel Quenneville after the 2003-04 season.

Granato, named to the post in May after Quenneville's contract wasn't renewed, is promising a more up-tempo offensive...

Smyth's OT goal lifts Avs over Hawks (AP) 10/05/08

Ryan Smyth's power-play tip-in at 3:07 of overtime lifted the Colorado Avalanche to a 4-3 preseason win over the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday night. Smyth, at the left edge of the crease, redirected Paul Stastny's cross-ice feed past Cristobal Huet. Chicago's Martin Havlat scored a power-play goal with less than one second remaining in regulation to force the extra session.

Hockey on TV: No glicks, spazzles needed (SportingNews.com) 10/03/08

Ray Slover can't wait to watch the NHL on TV this season. He and many other fans appreciate how it's done in Canada. U.S. broadcasters could learn a thing or three.

Byfuglien, Havlat get 2 goals each for Blackhawks (AP) 10/03/08

Dustin Byfuglien and Martin Havlat both scored two goals, and Patrick Kane added three assists as the Chicago Blackhawks beat the Colorado Avalanche 7-4 on Friday night in a preseason game. Dave Bolland, Brent Seabrook and Patrick Sharp also scored for the Blackhawks. Cristobal Huet stopped 16 shots. David Jones and Paul Stastny scored two goals each for Colorado (3-1-1).

Power Poll: Gotta go Red Wings for preseason No. 1 (SportingNews.com) 10/02/08

There's a temptation to pick a team other than the Detroit Red Wings as the preseason No.

Puck Headlines: Blaming Marian Hossa for everything (Yahoo! Sports) 10/02/08

Here are your Morning Puck Headlines: A glorious collection of news and views collected from the greatest...

Khabibulin could become the greatest goaltender in KHL history (Yahoo! Sports) 10/02/08

We touched on this in the live rumors chat yesterday, and now it appears the MSM has picked up on the...

Smyth, Jones score as Avalanche tops Stars, 3-1 (AP) 10/01/08

Ryan Smyth, T.J. Hensick and David Jones each scored for Colorado, and the Avalanche beat the Dallas Stars 3-1 in a preseason game Wednesday night. Steve Ott scored his second goal of the preseason for Dallas. Smyth took a cross-ice pass from Paul Stastny and beat Stars goalie Matt Climie at the right post with 1:22 left in the second period to break a scoreless tie.

Canadiens top goalie confidence index; Thrashers ranked No. 30 (Yahoo! Sports) 10/01/08

Friend of Puck Daddy Ryan Kennedy of The Hockey News had a piece in the Sept. 16 edition that ranked the NHL by...

Season Preview: Washington Capitals, Class of '08-'09 (Yahoo! Sports) 09/30/08

NHL previews are often superfluous collections of popular opinions that, in the end, usually have no relation...

Dark horse with a capital 'C' (Yahoo! Sports) 09/30/08

Alexander Ovechkin is the best thing that's happened to Washington. Now can the Capitals ride him to a Stanley Cup title?

Puck Headlines: Senators opt for Darth Gerber over Khabibulin (Yahoo! Sports) 09/30/08

Here are your Morning Puck Headlines: A glorious collection of news and views collected from the greatest...

Season Preview: Toronto Maple Leafs, Class of '08-'09 (Yahoo! Sports) 09/28/08

NHL previews are often superfluous collections of popular opinions that, in the end, usually have no relation...

No cutting corners for Maple Leafs (Yahoo! Sports) 09/28/08

Toronto must stick with its plan to rebuild, regardless of how long it takes for positive results.

Avs get by Kings in shootout in Las Vegas (AP) 09/28/08

T.J. Hensick scored the lone shootout goal, giving the Colorado Avalanche a 4-3 victory over the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday night in an NHL preseason game at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. The shootout ended when the Kings' Derek Armstrong sailed his shot high over the net. Colorado tied the game at 3 late in the third period when Jordan Leopold wristed in a pass from Joe Sakic.

Can Lightning strike again? (Yahoo! Sports) 09/27/08

Tampa Bay could either be the surprise of its division or sink, but the Lightning will have a new look either way.

Quenneville lands scouting job with Blackhawks (Yahoo! Sports) 09/26/08

The Chicago Blackhawks are once again an organization players want to play for and coaches and managers want to...

Hensick leads Avalanche over Stars, 4-2 (AP) 09/25/08

T.J. Hensick scored a tiebreaking power-play goal early in the third period to send the Colorado Avalanche to a 4-2 preseason victory over the Dallas Stars on Thursday night. Matt Hendricks' empty-netter with 13 seconds left clinched the win for the Avalanche (1-1). Ryan Smyth and Brian Willsie also scored for Colorado.

Puck Headlines: Canadiens reveal centennial and all-star jerseys (Yahoo! Sports) 09/25/08

Here are your Morning Puck Headlines: A glorious collection of news and views collected from the greatest...

RotoWire's Keeper League Prospect Rankings (RotoWire) 09/25/08

Kings now 3-0 in preseason with 4-3 shootout win (AP) 09/25/08

Teddy Purcell scored the only shootout goal, lifting the Los Angeles Kings to a 4-3 win over the Colorado Avalanche on Wednesday night in an exhibition game. After teammates Anze Kopitar and Dustin Brown missed, Purcell skated in on Jason Bacashihua from the right side before pulling the puck to the left and lifting it over the outstretched Avalanche goalie.

Claude Lemieux hints at return; Kris Draper requests security detail (Yahoo! Sports) 09/24/08

The Two-Line Pass sent over this headline last night from French language sports news outlet RDS: "Claude...

Avalanche's Budaj has net all to himself (AP) 09/23/08

Peter Budaj has the net all to himself, no Jose Theodore standing in his way. The Colorado Avalanche allowed the free-agent Theodore to bolt for Washington on the presumption that Budaj was prepared to step in. Budaj appreciates the team's faith, and now wants to reward it. "They gave me the chance, telling me I'm the guy," Budaj said Tuesday after practice.

Season Preview: Phoenix Coyotes, Class of '08-'09 (Yahoo! Sports) 09/23/08

NHL previews are often superfluous collections of popular opinions that, in the end, usually have no relation...

Phoenix on track, but more work ahead (Yahoo! Sports) 09/23/08

The addition of center Olli Jokinen could get Coyotes closer to their goal of reaching the playoffs.