Colorado Avalanche defense should not depend on shot blocking.
You’ve heard it every game so far this year: the commentators talking about the Avalanche shot blocking numbers, the players saying in interviews it’s a focus for the team this year, and the audible groan you yourself make as you see superstar Nathan MacKinnon take yet another hard rubber disk to his valuable body.
The Avalanche defense seems to love being based on shot blocking, and it’s working (in their fairy tale land!) They’re only 7th last in shots allowed per game. However there’s more than meets the eye when it comes to shot blocking, and we’re going to dig underneath the surface to examine why this not an effective crutch for the Avalanche in the defensive zone.