Avalanche Need Bounce Back from Brock Nelson After Disappointing Postseason
The Colorado Avalanche had what some fans could describe as a disappointing postseason and what some fans could describe as not a terrible postseason. The Avalanche and head coach Jared Bednar lost to the Vegas Golden Knights in a sweep in the Western Conference Final back in late May.
Veteran center Brock Nelson had a postseason to forget for the Avalanche as he appeared in all 13 games for the Avs and only put up two goals and one assist in those 13 games. That is a low production point for a player who produced 65 points for Colorado in the regular season.
Nelson is a guy that was really relied on all season long outside of the usual suspects like Nathan MacKinnon, Martin Necas, Artturi Lehkonen, and others on the team. Nelson was playing second-line center for the Avs behind MacKinnon.
Nelson is a guy who usually dominates in the postseason, as he was used to playoff hockey in the past with the New York Islanders. But to put up a dud like he did in April and May and to pretty much no show for a team that needed him, says a lot about how little he contributed.
The Avalanche Need Nelson From the Opening Faceoff on Night One
It is clear that the Avalanche should again be the favorite to come out of the Western Conference and be a favorite for Lord Stanley's Cup. If the Avalanche are going to get there and achieve the feat that everyone thought they were last season, Nelson is going to have to bounce back.
He is going to have to prove to Colorado and their staff that the bad playoffs he had are something of the past and that he is not going to look lifeless on the ice again. Nelson is a veteran who has been playing in the league for quite some time now and knows what it takes to win.
He played the majority of his career with the Islanders before being traded to the Avalanche a few seasons ago. He put up great numbers in the regular season last year, and he can definitely replicate that for this upcoming season.
But there is no meaning to putting up great regular-season numbers and then not following it up in the playoffs. The playoffs mean way more and there is more blood, sweat, and tears in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Nelson is going to have to come out ready to go when the puck drops to begin the new season. He is going to have to come out with a vengeance and put the puck in the back of the net consistently.
Tyler Miller is a 26-year-old Sports Journalist who has had a passion for writing ever since graduating from Georgia Southern University with a Journalism degree in 2022. Tyler has been writing about sports for going on 8 years now. Tyler has been a hockey fan for years and looks forward to covering the Colorado Avalanche for On SI. Tyler also has had experience writing for FanSided in the past where he was a site expert and a contributor across different sites.