What's left to say about the Avalanche? I mean, really?
They've scored five goals in a four-game losing streak, have been outscored 49-26 while losing 11 of the past 13 games (2-10-1), are last in the NHL with an 11-19-1 record and 23 points, four behind Arizona.
The Avalanche were shut out for the sixth time Tuesday, losing 2-0 in Minnesota while totaling two shots on five power plays. They had three shots in the third period despite four power plays.
How a team that can put Tyson Barrie, Matt Duchene, Gabriel Landeskog and Nathan MacKinnon on power plays and be so feeble is beyond comprehension.
I've always thought that attempting shots -- you know, trying to score -- was about as much fun as a hockey player can have, but that sure doesn't seem to be the case with the Avalanche, at least not enough of them.
Colorado averages 28.1 shots per game, according to the latest NHL statistics, which puts them 29th in the league, behind Calgary (27.9). The Avalanche are averaging 2.1 goals per game, last in the league. They allow 3.16 per game, also last.
The feeble power play doesn't help. They've failed to score a power-play goal in 19 of the first 31 games, are 1-for-17 in the past four games, and that goal was a meaningless late one scored by Jarome Iginla in a 6-on-4 situation Sunday in the Avalanche's 4-1 loss in Winnipeg.
Avalanche players talk a good game, but too few back it up on the ice.
Colorado had 18 shots against Wild goalie Devan Dubnyk, who owns the best goals-against average in the league. Duchene (five) and MacKinnon (three) combined for nearly half of them.
"We're not getting enough shots on net," Duchene told reporters. "That's just not good enough offensively. You've got to create stuff to get shots ... it's not going to be the perfect play that goes in every time. It has to be some gritty ones, too, and we're not getting that."
The Avalanche didn't practice Wednesday after arriving home from Minnesota. They'll have a morning skate Thursday before taking on the Toronto Maple Leafs and their slew of young players -- including Auston Matthews, Mitchell Marner and William Nylander -- at the Pepsi Center, where the record is 0-6-1 in the past seven games, 4-10-1 overall.
Then it's on to Chicago on Friday before a three-day Christmas break.