Colorado Avalanche

Another day gone, another day that center Ryan O'Reilly is still a restricted free agent without a contract as he continues his holdout. The 22-year-old and the Colorado Avalanche have yet to reach a new deal, but that has not prevented other teams from approaching GM Greg Sherman about a potential trade.

O'Reilly posted a career-best 18 goals and 37 assists for a total of 55 points in Colorado last season, but he has yet to agree to terms on a new deal with the team. He is seeking at least $4 million per year, but that number rises to $5 million in the event of a long-term deal.

With no progress made, suitors have lined up in recent days. According to TSN's Darren Dreger, Sherman is seeking both a roster player and a top prospect in any potential deal.

Appearing on TSN Radio, Dreger also named the Toronto Maple Leafs as a team that would be very interested in acquiring O'Reilly. The team has the expiring contract of Phil Kessel to offer, so there is every chance that a deal could be made.

However, Toronto also has an excellent prospect in defenseman Jake Gardiner, and Dreger notes that it would "take a blockbuster" for the Maple Leafs to include him in any deal. The team is not necessarily hungry for offense, but someone with O'Reilly's playmaking capabilities would definitely make Toronto stronger. Whether Gardiner is in the deal or not, Leafs GM Dave Nonis must keep O'Reilly on his radar since other teams are interested as well.

The Fourth Period has reported the Buffalo Sabres as being interested in O'Reilly, but how serious talks are between both teams is unclear. Moreover, landing O'Reilly would cost Buffalo a pretty penny. The team has dynamic players like Tyler Ennis and Cory Hodgson, both of whom have similar skill sets to O'Reilly, and chances are that Sherman would ask Sabres GM Darcy Regier for one if not both of them in return.

One team that will definitely not be getting O'Reilly, however, is the New York Rangers. While GM Glen Sather would love to acquire another solid forward and add to an arsenal that already includes Brad Richards and Rick Nash, Larry Brooks of the New York Post notes how a potential deal does not make sense for the team from a financial standpoint.

The Rangers made it a policy, beginning in 2008-09 with Ryan Callahan and Brandon Dubinsky and continuing this year with Michael Del Zotto, to sign restricted free agents lacking salary arbitration rights to two-year “bridge” deals.

The Blueshirts have three prominent players coming up on such restricted free agency this summer in first-pair defenseman Ryan McDonagh and current first-line forwards Derek Stepan and Carl Hagelin.

Given O'Reilly's high demands regarding his next contract, the Rangers will not be able to afford to continue this policy. More importantly, trading for O'Reilly would likely cost Sather one of those three players, plus a top prospect like Chris Kreider or J.T. Miller.

That all being said, the status of Ryan O'Reilly's future is really no different than it was a few days ago. Teams are definitely interested in trading for him, but it's hard to say just where he'll go as no front-runner has emerged.

Hopefully some progress will be made in the near future so that the man can get back on the ice soon and get back to wowing the fans.

Gabriel Landeskog has been missed to the fullest extent by the Colorado Avalanche, but his return to the ice may be coming soon.

Landeskog, who hasn’t played since January 26 against the San Jose Sharks due to a head injury, skated for the first time since that matchup on Friday, according to Adrian Dater of The Denver Post:

Landeskog, 20, skated for an unspecified length of time at the team’s practice facility, with Avs medical personnel looking on. Neither Landeskog nor the team commented on where he is in his recovery. A team official described Friday’s skating session as “going through the process” of recovery.

Even though this could be the first step in a long, long process, some progress is better than no progress. And being cleared to skate around, for no matter how long, is good news.

With Landeskog this season, Colorado is 2-2. Since that Saturday afternoon where Landeskog took a nasty hit from Brad Stuart, the Avs have won just three of their last eight games and currently sit in second-to-last place in the Western Conference.

Landeskog gives Colorado a versatile scoring threat when he’s on the ice. Colorado wasn’t a leading scoring team last season, averaging 2.43 goals per game, but that statistic has dropped to 2.17 goals per game this season. Although it isn’t a big difference, Landeskog being able to play again could mean that number increasing drastically.

Dater also reports that it’s unclear as to when Landeskog will skate again, but Colorado hopes that it’ll be soon.

Where is Ryan O’Reilly Going?

If there’s one thing we know about Ryan O’Reilly it’s that there’s a very slim chance he takes the ice for Colorado this season. Last year’s leading scorer for the Avs has yet to agree to a contract for the 2013 season and it’s likely that he will be traded before the upcoming deadline.

Colorado and O’Reilly—and his possie—have been trying to negotiate a deal for the restricted free agent, but as the clock continues to tick, the chances of him returning decrease dramatically. With Landeskog out with the head injury, Colorado really could’ve used another scorer to play alongside of Matt Duchene and P.A. Parenteau.

But Colorado doesn’t want to overpay for the rising star and O’Reilly isn’t ready to agree to a deal that he doesn’t think is fair. The standoff has gone on for much too long and now the Avs are basically forced to get rid of him.

There are several teams that are interested in O’Reilly, and Craig Custance of ESPN recently wrote about the clubs that would love to get their hands on him. Custance listed the Toronto Maple Leafs, Calgary Flames and Phoenix Coyotes as the likeliest destinations for the young forward.

Of that trio of teams, I think the likelihood O’Reilly gets traded to the Flames is lowest. It would be strange for Colorado to trade arguably their best player to another team in the Northwest Division. The Avs still play Calgary three more times this season, with Colorado having taken the first of four matchups 6-3 on January 31.

No Offense from the Defense

Colorado is clearly having a tough time scoring this season, as I’ve mentioned, but that’s really because of one reason: the defense.

The Avs defensemen have played horribly this season when it comes to putting the puck in the net. On February 8, Dater wrote about how Colorado was the only team in the NHL without a goal from a defenseman. It’s been more than a week and that statement still stands true.

Not one defenseman to take the ice for Colorado this season has been able to find the back of the net. Ryan Wilson, Jan Hejda, Greg Zanon, Ryan O’Byrne, Shane O’Brien, Erik Johnson, Tyson Barrie and Matt Hunwick all are goalless. That’s embarrassing.

“There’s no question, we need some offense from the back end,” head coach Joe Sacco told Dater around a week ago. “We have a couple of guys we think are capable of contributing offensively for us. Some of them, we don’t expect much offensively, but certainly a few guys we do.”

Several players have suffered from various injuries this season, but eventually, someone on defense is going to have to step up. But Colorado has lacked a goal-scoring defenseman before this shortened season.

Last season, Kyle Quincy led all Avs defensemen in goals and he only scored five times. Johnson is the best two-way defenseman Colorado has and the Avs desperately need him to get going—although an injury kept him out against the Wild. 

The Colorado Avalanche are off to a slow start this season and look set to trade away one of their best players in center Ryan O'Reilly. 

According to TSN.ca, the restricted free agent has failed to reach an agreement with the club on a new contract, paving the way for a potential midseason trade:

Speaking on Insider Trading on Tuesday night, TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger said that according to sources, the Avalanche have already started trade discussions with Eastern Conference teams. "One team told me earlier that the expected return is a roster player and a top prospect.," Dreger said.

With trade discussion rumored to be in progress, below we'll break down what makes Ryan O'Reilly such a coveted center.

Youth Factor

O'Reilly is only 22 years old and seemingly has a long career ahead of him. Obviously, that's something that interests a lot of teams around the league.

But youth alone isn't enough to sell a team on a player. It's what O'Reilly has accomplished already during his brief amount of time in the league that's impressed some general managers around the NHL. With three full seasons already under his belt, the Clinton, Ontario native is ready to step in and deliver right away for a club.

O'Reilly's young age also makes him a target of teams looking to rebuild and become competitive for years to come. In a sense, his youth makes him an ideal fit almost anywhere.

Development

As I mentioned before, O'Reilly has already accomplished a great deal in the NHL in terms of production over his first three seasons with Colorado. But more important than the numbers themselves is the progress he has made since 2009.

After recording 26 points in 81 games for the Avalanche in his first season in 2009-10, O'Reilly came right back with 26 points the following year despite playing in seven fewer games. 

Last season saw the star center blossom, as he developed into one of the league's better facilitators, recording 37 assists and 55 points in 81 games, which led the Avalanche last year. O'Reilly especially took advantage in power-play situations, where he scored 15 of his 55 points in 2011-12.

With his numbers improving year after year, plenty of teams should be willing to give up some talent in exchange for his services.

Work Ethic

O'Reilly's dramatic improvement over the past three seasons hasn't happened by chance. The emerging star has worked hard to earn the respect of his teammates and opponents around the league.

This from ESPN NHL insider Craig Custance:

When you talk to former teammates about O'Reilly's worth as his holdout now drags into the second quarter of the season, they explain that it goes beyond the 55 points he put up in 2011-12, his best season. It's the tireless work ethic to improve, along with being beloved in the dressing room, mixed in with a growing offensive stature and strong two-way game.

Although not everyone can watch O'Reilly behind closed doors after practice, he has seemed to develop a reputation for being a hard-working player and a quality teammate. Clearly, general managers around the league have taken notice of that reputation.

After scoring 55 points last season and having recently turned 22, it's no surprise that the unrelenting Ryan O'Reilly has become such a coveted piece this season.

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With the Colorado Avalanche unable to come to an agreement on a contract for center Ryan O'Reilly, the team has no choice but to trade him before the NHL trade deadline passes.

According to Adrian Dater of The Denver Post, both sides have yet to come to an agreement and likely won't:

While the Avs were optimistic right after the lockout ended that they could sign O’Reilly and my sources said he would not be traded, things have changed and it appears a virtual certainty O’Reilly will be traded now. The sides became entrenched in their positions, things got a little personal and now there appears no turning back. The only questions remaining are to which team and for which players/draft picks in return.

Also per Dater of The Denver Post, here is what O'Reilly is reportedly seeking in a new deal, which is an amount that his numbers don't necessarily warrant and the Avs apparently agree:

"O’Reilly is basing all his salary demands on one good year. He wants at least $5 million a year for one good year."

To make matters worse for the Avalanche, O'Reilly's father, Brian, took to Twitter to bash the organization:

@happy_jillmoore @coachbri1 sorry the ave's don't want him or place value on what he brings. They practice external control boss management.

— Brian O'Reilly (@coachbri1) February 14, 2013

O'Reilly has yet to take the ice for the Avalanche this season because he is holding out for a new contract. Without him on the ice, Colorado (4-6-1) is sitting in last place in the Western Conference as of Thursday morning.

So, is O'Reilly deserving of his financial demands?

As Dater points out in his piece, O'Reilly is seeking $5 million per season, but that is a price normally reserved for 30-goal scorers.

O'Reilly has never come close to breaking that mark during his three-year career, with his best season coming during the 2011-12 campaign when he scored 18 goals and notched 37 assists. His assist and point total (55) were both team highs.

In total, O'Reilly has scored just 39 goals during his career.

There's no question that this center has a lot of talent and is a great two-way player, but with the Avs unwilling to show him the money, they have no choice but to trade him.

Clearly, Colorado needs some major help as they sit in last place and allowing O'Reilly to watch from home isn't helping things.

The Avs would be much better served bringing in a player who can actually make an impact at this time rather than hoping O'Reilly will come around and potentially getting nothing out of him.

According to Darren Dreger of TSN, the Avs already have demands for O'Reilly's services:

As we discussed in Insider Trading initial trade talk has Colorado requesting a roster player and top prospect for O'Reilly. #TSN

— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) February 13, 2013

That would be more than a fair return for the up-and-coming 22-year-old. Colorado can still build on its current roster while adding a nice piece for the future. It remains to be seen exactly what teams are willing to offer, but O'Reilly is young and talented enough to get a solid return for the team.

Another reason Colorado would be wise to deal O'Reilly is because now this has become a public spat between he and the organization as evidenced by his father's comments above.

This last-place team doesn't need any distractions that can negatively impact its season further. Trading away this headache would be a smart move.

Granted, O'Reilly would be a major help for the Avalanche at the moment, but it appears the organization isn't ready to budge on its offer. That's why it makes absolutely no sense to hold on to O'Reilly and continue to hope he will come around.

The contract dispute between the Colorado Avalanche and restricted free agent forward Ryan O'Reilly is becoming a bigger issue with each passing day as the team continues to struggle, and according to Adrian Dater of The Denver Post, a trade could be the end result of this stalemate.

There is absolutely no negotiating going on anymore between Ryan O’Reilly and the Avalanche. While the Avs were optimistic right after the lockout ended that they could sign O’Reilly and my sources said he would not be traded, things have changed and it appears a virtual certainty O’Reilly will be traded now... The only questions remaining are to which team and for which players/draft picks in return. Darren Dreger of TSN reported tonight the Avs are asking for a “roster player and a top prospect.” That sounds about right.

If O'Reilly is traded, the team that acquires him will have to re-sign him, and that could be an expensive decision if his demands are met, according to B.D. Gallof of WFAN.

With O'Reilly's future in Colorado uncertain, let's look at four teams on the playoff bubble that should try to acquire the star forward.

Montreal Canadiens

The Canadiens need a two-way center like O'Reilly who can back-check well, impact games physically and kill penalties.

Head coach Michel Therrien has plenty of offensive skill down the middle, but he doesn't have a top-tier defensive center that can shut down opposing teams' best forwards.

Montreal's penalty kill ranks 17th in the league and the team has allowed four power-play goals in its last four games. The Canadiens have also allowed a power-play goal in nine of their 12 games this season.

Tomas Plekanec and Alex Galchenuk are the only two centers on the Montreal roster that have scored more than five points this season. O'Reillly's playmaking ability, and his face-off skill would be valuable additions to a Canadiens team that ranks 10th in goals scored and 28th in face-off percentage.

Acquiring O'Reilly would give Montreal a young and talented center that is versatile enough to play on the first, second or third line regardless if he's in a scoring or defensive role. Adding more scoring depth should be a priority for general manager Marc Bergevin before the April 3 trade deadline.

Since the Avalanche would be giving up a quality center in O'Reilly if he's traded, expect Colorado to want a good young center to be part of any deal.

Montreal could offer 23-year-old center Lars Eller, who has tremendous upside offensively, as well as a top-tier defensive prospect such as Nathan Beaulieu or Jarred Tinordi.

Buffalo Sabres

The Sabres got tougher in the summer by adding gritty forwards John Scott and Steve Ott, but the result of this offseason strategy has been a lack of scoring and serious power-play concerns.

O'Reilly would be the perfect addition to the Sabres because he is a physical forward who plays well defensively and can also score 55-plus points in a full 82-game season. His combination of grit and offensive skill is exactly what head coach Lindy Ruff needs in his lineup.

The Sabres also rank 30th in face-off percentage, so a player like O'Reilly who can win important defensive zone face-offs would be a huge upgrade to their roster.

Top-six centers Cody Hodgson and Tyler Ennis have been productive offensively this season with 12 and 10 points, respectively, but veteran forward Steve Ott and rookie center Mikhail Grigorenko have combined for just two goals and a total of nine points.

Buffalo won't compete for a playoff spot this season unless they make a deal to improve the team's scoring depth down the middle, and since O'Reilly would address this weakness and add some more toughness to the roster, he should be the top trade target for general manager Darcy Reiger.

Top prospects Zemgus Girgensons (center), Joel Armia (left wing) and Brayden McNabb (defenseman) are three talented young players that the Sabres could offer the Avalanche for O'Reilly. All three have the potential to be very good NHL players.

Edmonton Oilers

The Oilers need more scoring depth at center to remain in the playoff race until the end of the season. Sam Gagner is having a phenomenal year with a team-leading 13 points (four goals, nine assists), but he's the only center on the Edmonton roster with more than six points thus far.

Third-line center Shawn Horcoff is still not close to returning from a hand injury, and young star Ryan Nugent-Hopkins still hasn't scored his first goal of the year through 12 games.

Edmonton ranks 27th in goals scored this season, which is a major surprise given their abundance of high-end offensive talent.

Head coach Ralph Kreuger could move star forward Taylor Hall to center in an attempt to rejuvenate his offense, but that isn't an ideal situation because the 21-year-old is best suited on the wing and isn't good on face-offs.

O'Reilly would be a great young player for the Oilers to build around, and he would immediately become the team's best defensive forward if added to the roster. His two-way ability is something that the Oilers lack in their top-six forward group.

The challenge for Oilers general manager Steve Tambellini would be acquiring O'Reilly without giving up a valuable piece of his team's young core of stars.

Veteran winger Ales Hemsky (who has one year at $5 million remaining on his contract) and a top prospect such as defenseman Oscar Klefbom or center Tyler Pitlick might be enough to make a trade with Colorado for O'Reilly.

Minnesota Wild

The Minnesota Wild have lost seven of their last 11 games, and it's clear that the they will be among the handful of teams battling for the final few playoff spots in the Western Conference this season.

The Wild's top center prospects who have made their NHL debuts this season (Charlie Coyle and Mikael Granlund) aren't producing at the rate that the team expected. This is one reason why Minnesota is ranked 29th in goals scored and has failed to score multiple goals in eight of its 13 games.

To make the playoffs, Minnesota must acquire a center like O'Reilly who can excel in a playmaking role, give the team more scoring depth and add some skill to the power-play (ranked 20th in NHL). From a defensive standpoint, O'Reilly would be a huge help to the Wild, especially when you consider the fact that he led the NHL in takeaways (101) last season.

Zach Parise and Dany Heatley are the Wild's only forwards with more than two goals this season, and captain Mikko Koivu is the only center on the team with multiple goals scored and more than six points.

The Wild need to make some kind of trade for a top-six forward or they will continue to fall further down the standings.

Top prospects such as Zack Phillips (center), Johan Larsson (center) and Jonas Brodin (defenseman) could be used in a potential trade, but it's hard to imagine the Avalanche not asking for Coyle or Granlund in a deal involving O'Reilly.

This franchise has a lot of young talent, but will ownership be patient enough to let the team's young players develop after spending a combined $276 million to sign superstars Ryan Suter and Zach Parise in the summer?

Nicholas Goss is an NHL Lead Writer at Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter.

The Colorado Avalanche are notorious for offering cheap contracts to their star players, and Ryan O'Reilly is making a savvy career move by rejecting the Avs' overtures.

According to the Denver Post's Adrian Dater:

While the Avs were optimistic right after the lockout ended that they could sign O’Reilly and my sources said he would not be traded, things have changed and it appears a virtual certainty O’Reilly will be traded now.

Dater goes on to discuss, in detail, the way Colorado has repeatedly insulted some of its best players with low-ball contracts, including Ian Laperriere, who, "couldn’t even get his phone calls returned by the organization when he didn’t take the offer but wanted to keep negotiating."

O'Reilly played phenomenally last year for Colorado, scoring 55 points to lead the team.

This is a young man on his way up, not the other way around, and according to CBS Denver, the Avs have offered him a two-year deal worth $7 million and a five-year deal worth $17 million.

Sorry, but that's not enough money for a burgeoning star—especially one who, by all accounts, is a hard-working kid who gives everything he's got when he's on the ice. 

According to the Denver Post's Mike Chambers, defenseman Shane O'Brien says, "Everyone loves him in here. Great guy, hard worker. He’s one of my close personal friends and I love him like a little brother." 

Chambers then adds, "nobody in the locker room has talked negatively about O’Reilly and his holdout."

If that doesn't tell you something about what kind of respect his teammates have for his work ethic and talent, nothing will. 

While $3 million-plus per year may seem like plenty of money to play hockey for folks like us, the truth is that O'Reilly is worth more than that on the open market. Plenty of teams would be willing to pay him more, and nobody should begrudge the young man for wanting to get paid what he's worth.

Colorado hasn't been a contender since 2008. The team is currently dead last in the Western Conference and desperately needs offensive help.

O'Reilly would give the Avs a huge boost, but thanks to some cheap tactics by the team's front office, Colorado will likely continue suffering through another miserable season. 

If I were in O'Reilly's situation, with youth and talent on my side, I'd make the same decision he's making. Professional athletes have a limited shelf life, and it's imperative they get as much money while they're playing as they can. 

Don't hate the man for refusing to take a low-ball contract. He's doing what's right for him, since it's obvious Colorado doesn't give a lick about his personal security and doesn't see fit to reward him for his future efforts.

Follow me on Twitter @JesseReed78 

Ryan O'Reilly seems ready for a fresh start on a team other than the Colorado Avalanche.

The restricted free agent had been negotiating with the organization, but it appears that the two sides will not come to an agreement, according to Adrian Dater of The Denver Post:

O'Reilly's days as an Av have been over for a while now. He will not be back

— adater (@adater) February 13, 2013

TSN's Darren Dreger reports that the team has already started looking to trade the center:

As we discussed in Insider Trading initial trade talk has Colorado requesting a roster player and top prospect for O'Reilly. #TSN

— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) February 13, 2013

This seems like a fair deal for the 22-year-old player. He totaled 55 points last season and plays great defense as well.

For teams looking to upgrade their center position, O'Reilly should be priority No. 1.

Calgary Flames

The Calgary Flames have had trouble finding consistency at any position this season, but center is probably the weakest at the moment.

Matt Stajan has not been much of an offensive threat in his career and the rest of the lineup is filled with players too young to make an impact.

To make matters worse, center Mikael Backlund was placed on injured reserved after spraining his MCL, according to Vicki Hall of the Calgary Herald.

After 10 games, the squad is currently tied with three other teams for the fewest points in the NHL. 

The Flames need to upgrade the front line by adding a player of O'Reilly's caliber. 

Ottawa Senators

Like Calgary, Ottawa has dealt with a major injury early on this season.

The team's point leader from last season, Jason Spezza, will likely be out for most of the year after undergoing back surgery last week.

This leaves the Senators with a lack of depth up the middle.

Fortunately, Ottawa has played very well this season and remains in good position for the postseason. However, it is unknown how long that will last—especially if another injury occurs.

Adding a player like O'Reilly would be go a long way toward keeping the Sens afloat.

Nashville Predators

Last season proved once again what can happen when a team with a great goalie gets hot in the playoffs. The Los Angeles Kings rode Jonathan Quick and their defense to a Stanley Cup title.

This year, Nashville has allowed the second-fewest goals per game at 1.77. Pekka Rinne has been outstanding, and even Chris Mason has played well in his appearances.

However, the lack of offensive production is also a concern. The Predators are dead last in the NHL in goals scored per game and the squad does not have any elite scorers.

Colin Wilson has played well early on and has a lot of potential, but the other lines do not produce much at all.

With O'Reilly, Nashville would be a dangerous team in the postseason.

The Colorado Avalanche have an interesting situation on their hands regarding the health and future of captain Gabriel Landeskog.

Landeskog hasn’t played since Jan. 26 against the San Jose Sharks when he took a blow to the head on a hit courtesy of forward Brad Stuart. Landeskog’s status hasn’t been as clear as it could be because of Colorado’s policy of talking to players with injuries during media time, but the Avs did place him on the injured reserve list Feb. 1.

Landeskog only tallied one goal in four games for Colorado before being forced to sit since then.

The absence of Landeskog is apparent since Steve Downie is already out for the season with a torn ACL and Colorado hasn’t been able to re-sign restricted free agent Ryan O’Reilly. But players such as Matt Duchene, P.A. Parenteau and John Mitchell have all stepped up this season.

The hit that Landeskog took from Stuart—which can be seen below—could put Colorado in a tough spot.

That tough spot was brought up by Adrian Dater of The Denver Post when he asked what Colorado should do about Landeskog:

Good question: should the Avs just shut down Landy for year and not risk it or play him if he says he's ready?

— adater (@adater) February 8, 2013

So if the Avs have the choice of shutting Landeskog down for the rest of the season or letting him play when he’s healthy, what should they do?

Why Colorado Should Shut Landeskog Down

Heading into Monday’s matchup against the Phoenix Coyotes, the Avs sit in 28th place in the NHL with eight points in the first 10 games of the season. Colorado hasn’t played as well as many expected, but that’s primarily because of injuries and the inability to get O’Reilly back.

There still may be 38 games left for the Avs to play, but I don’t see them as playoff contenders as of now. That being said, there shouldn’t be a big rush to get Landeskog back on the ice.

The last thing Colorado needs is to have him come back earlier than he really should and end up like Sidney Crosby, who is basically the poster child for concussions in the NHL. No one knows how long it’s going to take Landeskog to bounce back and be healthy enough to play again.

Landeskog wasn’t cleared to practice on Saturday, but might be able to take the ice on Sunday, according to Mike Chambers of The Denver Post. Let’s use “might” loosely, though. The length of time necessary to recover from a concussion varies, but to be safe, two weeks may be a little premature.

Even with Landeskog in the lineup, the Avs probably aren’t going to make much noise. There’s no sense in risking his future for a shortened season that will end with a missed postseason.

Why Colorado Should Let Landeskog Play

If Landeskog is healthy, he should be on the ice as much as possible, right?

A lot has to happen for Landeskog to play. It’s not as simple as him saying, “OK, I’m ready.” No, it’s much more complicated. He would have to pass a couple of concussion tests and be cleared by team doctors. And even if he were to get cleared, Colorado would still have the option of sitting him.

But if all goes well, Landeskog should be cleared relatively soon. That’s an assumption based off of Chambers’ tweet saying that there is a chance he practices on Sunday. If he gets cleared to practice, there’s probably a chance he plays within the week, potentially against the Minnesota Wild on Thursday or the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday.

The Avs could certainly use Landeskog on the squad’s top lines. Playing Landeskog would give them a big scoring threat that could make the difference between winning and losing. And this season, Colorado has done too much losing.

Colorado may sit in the cellar of the Western Conference, but the Avs are just four points off of eighth-place St. Louis. A couple of quick wins and Colorado is more than back in the playoff hunt. But that may still be a bit of a stretch.

If Landeskog is healthy and the Avs feel that they can make a run at a postseason berth, don’t be shocked to see him playing.

The stalemate between the Colorado Avalanche and forward Ryan O’Reilly has gone on long enough, but that doesn’t mean that a deal is going to happen anytime soon.

O’Reilly, a restricted free agent, has yet to take the ice for the Avs this season and as Adrian Dater of The Denver Post reports, a deal seems unlikely:

The Avs’ contract offers to their leading scorer from last season remain two years at $7 million or five years at about $17 million. While the differences on a two-year deal are much closer than a five-year deal (O’Reilly wants in the neighborhood of $25 million on that one), the Avs appear to have drawn a line in the sand with their offers.

Dater goes on to report that as time goes on, it will become more and more likely that O’Reilly won’t play for Colorado anytime in the future, stating, "With no softening of the O’Reilly camp’s stance, that would seem to leave only two possibilities: a trade or an offer sheet from another team."

Obviously, the Avs would love to have O’Reilly on the ice as much as possible, but they aren’t willing to overpay for his services. Colorado feels its offers are more than reasonable while O’Reilly doesn’t necessarily agree. It just doesn’t seem like either side is going to give in at any point in the negotiations.

Trading or allowing O’Reilly to go elsewhere is the last thing Colorado needs. With Steve Downie out for the season with a torn ACL and captain Gabriel Landeskog out for the foreseeable future with a head injury, Colorado could use a forward that can put the puck in the net.

Dater tweeted a few days ago that as long as forward Michael Sgarbossa continues to impress, it may make it easier for Colorado to completely part ways with O’Reilly.

But for now, we continue to wait.

Matt Duchene Doesn’t Lose Faceoffs

Colorado hasn’t been that impressive in the faceoff circle this season, but forward Matt Duchene has been spectacular lately.

The Avs rank 14th in the NHL in faceoff win percentage at 50.3 percent through their first 10 games of the young season. Duchene is 108-of-204 this year going one-on-one in the circle, for a win percentage of 52.9, putting him in the top 40 in the league.

Colorado has gone 1-2 in its past three games, but faceoffs—when Duchene takes them—haven’t been the problem. He won 16 of 22 against the Anaheim Ducks, 15 of 20 against the Dallas Stars and 16 of 24 against the Edmonton Oilers.

In other words, compared to Duchene’s season average, he is winning about 20 percent more of the draws he takes.

Duchene will have a tough task the next time he takes the ice, going up against the Phoenix Coyotes. Antoine Vermette and Boyd Gordon each rank in the top 25 in faceoff win percentage this year while Phoenix as a team is just a few percentage points ahead of Colorado.

Semyon Varlamov Cooling Down

After a great start to the season, goalie Semyon Varlamov has quickly cooled off and is now in a bit of a slump.

Varlamov led the Avs to wins in two of the team’s first three games of 2013 but has gone 1-5 since then. In those first three games, Varlamov had a .949 save percentage. The last six times he’s taken the ice for Colorado, his save percentage has dropped around six percent to .884.

The Colorado netminder ranks 17th in the NHL in save percentage with a .910 and 17th in goals-against average at 2.55.

Varlamov’s teammate, Jean-Sebastien Giguere, has only played in two of Colorado’s games in 2013 and might get the start against the Coyotes, but that hasn’t been confirmed yet. That assumption is based off of Varlamov’s workload lately and that he hasn’t played well at all.

Giguere is well-rested and could give Varlamov a much-needed night off. Phoenix is 4-4-2 this season, and the Avs are going to have to play their best game to top them and snap this skid of poorly played games.