The Colorado Avalanche are about midway through their bye-week, a little NHL-mandated break that for some reason couldn’t be for the Olympic Games. Ostensibly, the bye-week gives players a chance to rest, a vacation time.
For the Avalanche, though, the bye-week seems to come at an inopportune time. The Avalanche in general and certain players specifically are hot. Taking a vacation right now could derail their momentum.
The Avs just finished a stellar home stand. It started out rough, with a loss to the NHL-worst Arizona Coyotes. However, the Avs then went on to win five straight against some good teams, including the New York Islanders and the Central Division rival Winnipeg Jets and Minnesota Wild.