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5 Things That Must Happen If The Avs Are Going To Get Back To The Playoffs

DENVER (CBS4) - Congratulations, Avs fans. You survived another long, hot summer without hockey. You endured the rival Chicago Blackhawks hoisting yet another Stanley Cup.

And now you can look forward to the new season with hope and optimism. (Or something like that.)

Last year, Avs fans looked for their heroes to improve on the previous season that saw the team win the Central Division, only to lose a heartbreaking 7 game playoff series to the Minnesota Wild.

But, oh were they in for disappointment. The Avs sleepwalked through the first two months of the season and never recovered, missing the playoffs in a season that began with such hope. So as we embark on the 2015-16 season, here is a list of 5 things that must happen for the Avs to get back to the playoffs.

1. Fast Start
If I had a dollar for every time I heard a player or coach tell me the team needs to get off to a fast start, I wouldn't have to be sitting at this laptop typing this column. But for the Avs, it's a must. The team will play 13 of its first 21 on the road, including a 7 game, 13 day road trip in mid November. They have to find a way to win most of the 8 home games in that stretch and get 6 or 7 wins away from Pepsi Center. Last season, the Avs dug themselves a hole halfway to China, picking up just 15 points in their first 17 games. The season was doomed from that point on. Despite being the third best team in all of hockey after Valentine's Day, there was no love for the Avs when playoff berths were awarded. The Avs were left on hockey's altar. Another slow start would mean more heartbreak this season.

Nathan MacKinnon
Nathan MacKinnon #29 of the Colorado Avalanche controls the puck against Mike Hoffman #68 of the Ottawa Senators at Pepsi Center on Jan. 8, 2015. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

2. Nathan MacKinnon Has To Be Better
Sophomore slumps happen in every sport. Avs forward Nathan MacKinnon is proof they happen in hockey, too. After a rookie season that saw MacKinnon win the NHL's Calder Trophy for Rookie of the Year, MacKinnon had a disappointed second year. MacKinnon scored just 14 goals and tallied only 38 points last year, good for seventh best on the team. He also missed 18 games due to injury. The points need to go up and the number of games missed needs to go down.

Erik Johnson
Erik Johnson #6 of the Colorado Avalanche puts Chris Kreider #20 of the New York Rangers into the glass at Madison Square Garden on November 13, 2014. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

3. Stay Healthy
The Avs had the league's second highest number of man games missed last season, with players missing a total of 371 games due to injury. Your best players have to be on the ice, and last year, the Avs best players missed too much time. In addition to MacKinnon's 18 games missed, top defenseman Erik Johnson missed 35 games due to injury. With Johnson now signed to a new 7 year deal, the Avs are counting on him to be an anchor on the blue line. You can't anchor the blue line or any line watching from the press box.

Pittsburgh Penguins v Colorado Avalanche
Head coach Patrick Roy of the Colorado Avalanche protests a call with referee Mike Leggo #3 as they face the Pittsburgh Penguins at Pepsi Center on March 4, 2015 in Denver. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

4. Patrick Roy Gets His Touch Back
In Patrick Roy's first season as head coach, everything he touched turned to gold. From the opening night shouting match with Anaheim coach Bruce Boudreau to every roster move and line combination, if Roy tried it, it worked. He probably could have put CBS4 Sports Anchor Vic Lombardi on his 2nd line and gotten a goal and an assist out of him. Last year was a different story. Roy tried different line combinations, different defensive pairings and on many occasions, nothing worked. His moves and his players reaction to those moves has be be better this season.

Semyon Varlamov
Goalie Semyon Varlamov #1 of the Colorado Avalanche defends the net against the Boston Bruins at Pepsi Center on Jan. 21, 2015. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

5. Improve Defensively
Last season, Avs goalie Semyon Varlamov faced more than 31 shots per game. He had the league's 12th best save percentage, but the 28th best goals against average among NHL goalies. The disparity comes down to the defense playing in front of Varlamov. He can't be expected to bail out a bad defense night after night. Patrick Roy likes his defensemen jumping into the play in the offensive zone. But they can't forget about what their primary job is.

- Written by CBS4 photographer Dave Wille

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