The 2016-17 NHL season was one for history’s dust bin for the Colorado Avalanche. They ended the season at 22-56-4 good for 30th in the league with 48 points.
The record was no fluke or result of bad bounces. The Avs were at or near the bottom of the league for most statistical rankings.
There was never a time the club showed a glimmer of hope. Combine that with swirling 
rumors of trades during the season and signings or waiving of players like Matt Duchene and the campaign was a disaster.
Mikko Rantanen scored 20 goals for the Avs, a major accomplishment on a team where the drop off was precipitous after the top three scorers; Nathan MacKinnon scored 16 goals and 53 points to take the club’s top scorer spot, Duchene had 18 goals and 41 points.
Only one team in any sports league recalls the past year, the champion. In this case, the Avs really want to forget the season but try to find lessons.
If the off season has been any indication there were few lessons found.
Colorado did resign six restricted free agents to short-term deals. Those signings included forwards Gabriel Bourque and Felix Girard and defenseman Duncan Siemens on one-year, two-way deals.
Matt Nieto and Rocco Grimaldi also signed one-year deals. Grimaldi was the leading scoring with 31 goals for the San Antonio Rampage, the Avs’ AHL affiliate.
Jonathan Bernier was signed as a free agent to a one-year contract worth an estimated $2.75 million. He tended goal for the Anaheim Ducks last season and started in 33 games.
“Jonathan is a proven NHL netminder who brings experience to our goaltending position,” Avalanche general manager Joe Sakic said. “He is coming off a strong season with the Ducks, and we look forward to having him and Semyon Varlamov as our goalie tandem this season.”
Bernier was needed when Calvin Pickard was selected by the Las Vegas Golden Knights in the expansion draft. Last season he went 21-7-4 with a 2.50 goals-against average, a .915 save percentage.
The surprise signing was that of Nail Yakupov to a one-year deal worth less than a million dollars.
In 40 games with the St Louis Blues last year, he had a total of nine points.
“Nail is a young, skilled winger who will add depth to our lineup,” Sakic said. “We look forward to seeing him at training camp.”
Not exactly a flourish of a welcome for a former number draft pick. Yakupov was selected by the Edmonton Oilers in and in his first season he netted 17 goals and 31 points in a lockout-shortened season. Since then, Yakupov has been a disappointment on the ice and variously denigrated as a problem player.
At $875,000 for a one-year “show me” contract, Avs may find a few more goals than last season. If not it will be easy to end the experiment quickly.
Sakic may still have more moves in mind but they need to happen fast if the Avalanche are to overcome last season’s dreadful outcome.
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