This season for the Colorado Avalanche has gone according to plan.
That is, it has gone according to a plan drawn up by the collective minds of Wile E. Coyote and Boris Badenov. From the O'Reilly holdout to the Landeskog concussion and the overall failing of the defense, there are some serious questions that face the Avalanche heading into this offseason.
Chief among those questions is the biggest one: is Semyon Varlamov the guy for the Avs in net?
In the past two weeks, the Avalanche have gone 3-2-2. Both of the regulation losses came with Varlamov in net, including most recently 3-1 to the St. Louis Blues. Though the Avs' collapse in March, there was Varlamov. Every time the Avs needed a big save, he was too deep in his net. When they needed a special play, he guessed wrong and it went into the net.
Varlamov's confidence has gone from shaky to nonexistent through this season, just as it did last season and in Washington, the reason he was traded instead of Michal Neuwirth and Braden Holtby. It is a concerning pattern to say the least.
Varlamov has shown himself to be an athletic goaltender who can be astonishing when he is on his game, capable of carry his team to victory. The problem is, those are glimpses and not yet a consistency.
When you consider Varlamov's play seemed to waver in Washington when he was pressured by the up-and-coming young goalies. Fast forward two years, he is on the Avalanche, he is struggling with consistency and he has two young, up-and-coming goaltenders Sami Aittokallio and Calvin Pickard.
Looking at the situation closely. On one hand Varlamov is again struggling with the same issues as he has in the past and on the other he is once again feeling pressure from behind. Now the organization has to look at Varlamov, the goalie they paid a first and second round draft pick for, and wonder if he is the guy for the future. They have to ask themselves if Varlamov can make them into playoff contenders and more.
It is one of a few questions the Avs need to answer this offseason and will remain the biggest question surrounding the team well into next year.
Another take from friend and colleague Ryan Boulding. 
Colorado Avalanche Blogger • 
Join the Discussion:
»