One of the greatest passions in Charlynn Smith's life is Colorado Avalanche hockey. She has been a fan since '97 and has had some great memories in conjunction with Avalanche events. Growing up in the Rockies, it was only natural that Smith lived with a family of Broncomaniacs. It was only a matter of time before she was converted. Occasionally, she will blurb about the Broncos and the NFL in general. Is it a new era for the Colorado Avalanche? Possibly. When Patrick Roy came to the Avalanche in 1995, his presence was the spark that the team needed to win the Stanley Cup in ’96. Jose Theodore is promising, and the possibility that he may do the same for the Avs in ‘06 is invigorating. For a team that hasn’t built a high level of intensity this season, this may be exactly what the Avs need.
I was wrong. I was so incredibly, scathingly wrong.
Colorado traded David Aebischer.
After spending all day yesterday writing about how the Avalanche would keep Aebischer until the offseason, I found myself in shock when I saw the headline on ESPN’s trade tracker that he had been traded to Montreal for Jose Theodore.
"No way," I kept saying in denial. "No way did Pierre Lacroix actually do it!"
But, he did, and it might be one of the greatest trade gambles he has ever taken. If successful, Lacroix’s reputation as one of the smartest general managers in the NHL will live on. If not, then he could find himself, and his career, in jeopardy.
The last time Lacroix made a mastermind-caliber trade was in 2001, when Colorado sent Adam Deadmarsh and Aaron Miller to Los Angeles in exchange for Rob Blake and Steve Reinprecht. The deal was credited as being the final piece to the Avs Stanley Cup puzzle that year.
A series of lackluster trades from 2002-2004 had little or no significance in improving the team’s roster. Rent-a-players Darius Kasparitis and Peter Worrel went as fast as they came. Bates Battaglia didn’t last, either. The ultimate failure came in 2003-2004, when Lacroix brought Paul Kariya and Teemu Selanne to a team already loaded with all-stars. The Avs looked poised for another Stanley Cup championship, but only on paper. They made a disappointing second-round exit in the playoffs.
Lacroix must prove that he’s still the best at what he does. This year’s Aebischer-Theodore trade might do just that.
The exchange is a good one for both clubs. Both goaltenders are young, talented and experienced, but both have had their ups and downs this season. Theodore is 17-15-5, while Aebischer is 25-14-2.
Sometimes the cure for a mediocre record is a trade. For these struggling goaltenders, switching teams is a new beginning. They will have plenty to prove to their unfamiliar teammates, their new coach, and most importantly, to themselves. That should put a renewed sense of vigor into these guys’ games, and after a few wins with the new team, a renewed sense of confidence will set in. The sooner this happens, the more the trade will seem favorable to both the goaltender and to the team as a whole. And chances are, it will.
Is it a new era for the Avalanche? Possibly. When Patrick Roy came to the Avalanche in 1995, his presence was the spark that the team needed to win the Stanley Cup in ’96. Theodore is promising, and the possibility that he may do the same for the Avs in ‘06 is invigorating. For a team that hasn’t built a high level of intensity this season, this may be exactly what the Avs need.