After so many nights this season when the Colorado Avalanche was scraping together enough healthy bodies to fill out a lineup, coach Jared Bednar has faced a new kind of dilemma.
He has too many healthy regulars up front, and they’re all playing well. OK, that’s certainly a first-world problem in NHL circles, but it has led to some delicate management and tough decisions.
Namely, he’s had to tell two key role players — Logan O’Connor and Parker Kelly — that while they are playing great, they’re going to be a healthy scratch. It’s happened twice so far since the trade deadline and could happen again.
“It just goes to show how deep we are, and there’s nothing you can do about it,” Kelly said. “You just have to come to the rink, be a great teammate, bring energy, and don’t pout about it. It’s out of your control.”
The Avs, until Joel Kiviranta missed Thursday night with a lower-body injury, have had 14 healthy forwards who all expect to be regulars in the lineup since the final flurry of additions before the deadline. The two odd guys out most nights have been Miles Wood and Jimmy Vesey, in part because the club’s fourth line of Kelly, O’Connor and Jack Drury has played so well.
But, O’Connor and Kelly were scratched on March 10 against Chicago and March 22 at Montreal, in part to help get Wood and Vesey some games as well.
“It’s very disappointing. There’s no way around it,” O’Connor said. “You’ve just got to be the best teammate you can be.
“It’s definitely tough. I put myself probably in the position to give them the opportunity to scratch me. Look at Joel (Kiviranta) – credit to him, he’s had a great year. I think people probably thought at the beginning of the year that he’d be the one in this position, not me.”
Bednar made it clear that his go-to fourth line has been “lights out” since they were put together, but he wants to keep all 23 players involved. Injuries are going to happen, especially if this team does embark on a long playoff run. Wood went in the lineup Thursday night for Kiviranta, who is also expected to miss the game Saturday against St. Louis.
A great example of the great work Colorado’s fourth line is doing came against the Kings. Los Angeles had two chances to get the puck out of its zone, but Kelly forced one bad play from Brandt Clarke on a potential breakout pass and then O’Connor stripped Samuel Helenius as he tried to skate away from the danger.
Seconds later, Cale Makar made a highlight-reel play to create a scoring chance, and O’Connor finished it to give Colorado a 1-0 lead.
“Those are definitely the types of plays that I’m proud of,” O’Connor said. “I think that’s an identity shift for our line. Good on the forecheck, recovering pucks and then getting to the dirty areas. Those are the types of goals we’re going to have to look to score in the playoffs.”
O’Connor did have a slow start to the season coming off hip surgery that ended his 2023-24 campaign early. Kelly spent the first two-thirds of the season learning to play center, but said he feels freed up to be more physical and unlock his forechecking skills now that he’s back on the wing. And Drury has been a consummate No. 4 center since arriving in the Mikko Rantanen blockbuster.
The depth and good health have helped ignite a 12-1-1 run and made the Avs one of the hottest teams in the NHL. It’s also led to tough decisions, but Kelly and O’Connor have responded well and the fourth line has been a clear asset when it was once just filling time earlier this season.
“I think we’re really connected right now,” Kelly said. “(O’Connor) is one of the best forecheckers in the league. He’s going to hunt you until he gets it back. (That goal) was a great play by him. Then just put it in Cale’s hands and let him do the rest while we go to the net. It’s kind of meat and potatoes, but that’s been one of our strengths.”
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