Offside by a Mile

This will be our final episode before a little hiatus from recording to follow. The network has come to an agreement that this is a good time for a break from podcasts to mark the ‘end’ of the inaugural season of The Hockey Podcast Network, and us here at Offside by a Mile. We end on a high note and brought on Neil Villapiano, @thenvpshow on Twitter, the newest host of the New Jersey Devils podcast for THPN. We had a great chat with Neil about all kinds of things happening in the hockey world now, and over the course of this season. We chat at length about Taylor Hall and his journey this season and going forward, the New Jersey Devils and their chances in the draft lottery, and the NHL draft in general gets a lot of attention in our conversation. We talk more about the Avalanche and their chances at success this post season, and how we look in the crease going in. Of course, there is much more to unpack in this chat as we fly past an hour talking with Neil, in regular OBAM fashion. We hope you enjoy this chat and join us in welcoming Neil to the network! From all of us here at OBAM, we greatly appreciate each and every one of our listeners and followers. We’ve had a fantastic time with the podcast, and feel we couldn’t have picked a better team to digest and dissect all season. We’ll be back with you in July in full force! #GoAvsGo Twitter: https://twitter.com/OffsideByaMile YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKf38Lh9suWhKwWSNbAtpMA? Check out all 35 podcasts of The Hockey Podcast Network (THPN) at https://thehockeypodcastnetwork.com/ and on Twitter https://twitter.com/hockeypodnet and, find THPN and all podcasts on all your favorite podcast platforms!

Welcome everyone, and speaking of the Montreal Canadiens (on our last episode we talked about how crazy it is that the Habs had a chance at the Stanley Cup this season), we had our THPN affiliate’s over at Habs Nightly join us for this episode. In this special Across the Quarantine episode, and one of our favourites to date, we discuss the NHL’s playoff format at length, and a number of other topics from the year pertaining to the Habs and Avs. We chat with Cory and Mason about Carey Price and what his influence will mean to the Habs in the upcoming series versus the Pittsburgh Penguins. On a similar level, we explore impacts from players like Shea Weber, Max Domi, and Alex Galchenyuk. As the regular season has officially ended, the NHL awards are a big topic of discussion. We talk Cale Makar, and his shot at the Calder Trophy versus Quinn Hughes, the case for Nathan MacKinnon for the league’s MVP and Hart Trophy, and explain why Joe Sakic should be the favourite for the NHL’s best general manager of the year. As per OBAM fashion, we take this chat into many different topics, such as previous Canadian team playoff runs, how other teams match up in the play-in series’, the Avalanche’s goalie situation heading into the playoffs, and the interesting Central Division this season. Hope you enjoy this chat as much as we did. Twitter: https://twitter.com/OffsideByaMile YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKf38Lh9suWhKwWSNbAtpMA? Check out all 35 podcasts of The Hockey Podcast Network (THPN) at https://thehockeypodcastnetwork.com/ and on Twitter https://twitter.com/hockeypodnet and, find THPN and all podcasts on all your favorite podcast platforms!

In this episode: We share our opinions on NHL’s 24-team playoff plan. The NHLPA voted in favour of the huge plan for the eight play-in series for teams placed 5-12 in each conference to gain entry into this year’s playoffs. The top four teams in each conference will play a round robin series amongst themselves that will determine the top four seeds. There are so many details that still need to be nailed down, and we go over some of the main issues that we have with this format. In our opinions, it is certainly not a perfect format, but like we’ve said before, nothing can be favourable to every team. Montreal is ten points out of the playoffs as the standings sit since the pause, but they still have an opportunity at the Stanley Cup. We go over how this affects the Avalanche. The round robin games between the Western Conference could see them finishing as low as fourth place with the worst-case scenario. One thing is certain; hockey is nearing its return! It might finally be time to get excited, as the league seems to have things in serious motion. Stay tuned this week for more developments on this plan. Thanks for tuning in, catch you next week! #GoAvsGo Twitter: https://twitter.com/OffsideByaMile YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKf38Lh9suWhKwWSNbAtpMA? Check out all 35 podcasts of The Hockey Podcast Network (THPN) at https://thehockeypodcastnetwork.com/ and on Twitter https://twitter.com/hockeypodnet and, find THPN and all podcasts on all your favorite podcast platforms!

On this episode, Jared and Tyler review the Avalanche’s advanced stats recap made by our stat fanatic and THPN affiliated podcast, The Ice Analytics Podcast. It was an interesting display of numbers behind all of the Avs, and it produced some intriguing topics around the players’ underlying stats. Burakovsky was the best offensive forward in the entire league relative to time on ice. We chat about his time on the first line and his impact offensively. Nichushkin had, surprisingly, the best defensive stats for the Avs’ forwards, and we ponder why that is the case. With news that the league is progressing towards a plan for returning, we ponder the 24-team format. Why do people want the season cancelled still? Why do people think there will be a hypothetical asterisk beside this year’s Stanley Cup Champion? We try to answer some of these questions and give our personal opinions on those and other subjects pertaining to this season. We wrap up with some chatter about the LA Rams stadium, and the ridiculous price tag it has racked up. As always, stay safe and healthy during this crazy time. Thank you all for tuning in, and for the continued support of us at Offside by a Mile, and THPN! #GoAvsGo Twitter: https://twitter.com/OffsideByaMile YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKf38Lh9suWhKwWSNbAtpMA? Check out all 35 podcasts of The Hockey Podcast Network (THPN) at https://thehockeypodcastnetwork.com/ and on Twitter https://twitter.com/hockeypodnet and, find THPN and all podcasts on all your favorite podcast platforms!

After several weeks with some great guests stopping in to chat on the podcast, Jared and Tyler take us back to the roots. After no live sporting events in about eight weeks (yes, it’s hard to believe) we chat about UFC 249 that took place on Saturday, May 9. It was an interesting event with no fans in attendance, and endless precautions in place. It was definitely an amazing card, and a breath of fresh air to have some kind of sports back. That conversation leads us into our thoughts on how the NHL and other sports could react and plan for their own return. We get back into revelling at the season before the pause for the Avalanche. This team has us extremely excited for a return to hockey. We go through a number of different players and aspects of the Avs, what they meant to the season, and how they could affect the team upon the season’s continuation. We dive into who surprised us, who impressed us, who intrigues us going forward, and some more gushing about Sakic and his brilliant moves throughout the last calendar year. With what seems like a progression towards some actual news on what’s to come, our chat in this episode has us feeling goosebumps when thinking about the return of hockey. Fingers crossed. As always, stay safe and healthy during this crazy time. Thank you all for tuning in, and for the continued support of us at Offside by a Mile, and THPN! #GoAvsGo Twitter: https://twitter.com/OffsideByaMile YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKf38Lh9suWhKwWSNbAtpMA? Check out all 35 podcasts of The Hockey Podcast Network (THPN) at https://thehockeypodcastnetwork.com/ and on Twitter https://twitter.com/hockeypodnet and, find THPN and all podcasts on all your favorite podcast platforms!

This episode features a great chat with our friend Spencer (@MacWinnon on Twitter). After our Central Division #AcrosstheQuarantine series, we take a content trip back home to take a deep look at the situation of the Avalanche. With the information and proposals out there in regards to continuing and finishing the 2019-20 NHL season, we chat about the potential playoff format, how that looks for the Avs, and how we feel about it as fans. The NFL just had their draft. The NHL draft has also been a big topic of discussion. We share our thoughts on how and when that could take place. The Avs had some current events with the signing of our Finnish goalie prospect, Justus Annunen, to a three-year ELC. The 20 year-old has turned some heads, and for good reason. We talk about the Avs’ goaltending situation, and what the addition of Annunen means to the organization. There is a bunch to unpack, and some usual OBAM rants and tangents. Big thanks to Spencer for joining us, and we’ll definitely be catching up with him when hockey is back. #GoAvsGo Twitter: https://twitter.com/OffsideByaMile YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKf38Lh9suWhKwWSNbAtpMA? Check out all 35 podcasts of The Hockey Podcast Network (THPN) at https://thehockeypodcastnetwork.com/ and on Twitter https://twitter.com/hockeypodnet and, find THPN and all podcasts on all your favorite podcast platforms!

This week’s episode features our friends Tom and Wags at Bluenotes, our THPN affiliate podcast for the St. Louis Blues. Tom has been on the show a few times already, and we’ve had some great talks, but this is our first time having the pleasure to chat with Wags. He joined Tom and the Bluenotes podcast earlier in the season. It would be around this time when we could’ve been experiencing a playoff series between these top Central Division clubs. We fantasize about the idea, but delve into the reality. We get into some talk about the Blues and their cap situation going forward. What can they do about it, and what/who should they prioritize? With the unexpected break giving players time to heal, most teams will be completely healthy if/when the season resumes. We get into the factors of rest and rust, and how that could influence the type of hockey to be played. The addition of a healthy Vladimir Tarasenko poses an interesting topic for us on the Blues’ contributors up front, and how Ryan O’Reilly has seemingly taken over the team. As Avs fans would agree, it will be very interesting to see fully healthy squads when the time comes. Hopefully that is soon. Until next week, we hope you enjoy this episode. This wraps up our Central Division #AcrosstheQuarantine series. We’d like to give a big thank you to Tom and Wags, and all of the other hosts who graciously joined us on Offside by a Mile over the past weeks. #GoAvsGo Twitter: https://twitter.com/OffsideByaMile YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKf38Lh9suWhKwWSNbAtpMA? Check out all 35 podcasts of The Hockey Podcast Network (THPN) at https://thehockeypodcastnetwork.com/ and on Twitter https://twitter.com/hockeypodnet and, find THPN and all podcasts on all your favorite podcast platforms!

On this episode, in our #AcrosstheQuarantine venture, we chat with the man, the myth, the legendary THPN co-founder, Isha, who also hosts the Sota Pod, our Minnesota Wild podcast affiliate. We have a great chat about the season for the Wild, including segments on Kevin Fiala, Zach Parise, Ryan Suter, and many more. For a team that is right on the fringe of the playoffs this season, there’s a lot mull over. We also dip into what Bruce Boudreau meant to the team, and when his time in Minnesota had come to an end. There’s a lot to unpack in this chat, and we hope you all enjoy it as much as we did! Big thanks to Isha for taking time to chat with us! #GoAvsGo Twitter: https://twitter.com/OffsideByaMile YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKf38Lh9suWhKwWSNbAtpMA? Check out all 35 podcasts of The Hockey Podcast Network (THPN) at https://thehockeypodcastnetwork.com/ and on Twitter https://twitter.com/hockeypodnet and, find THPN and all podcasts on all your favorite podcast platforms!

On this episode, in Across the Quarantine, we chat with the boys from the Caps Chirp Podcast, our Washington Capitals THPN affiliates. It was a very enjoyable and humorous talk about numerous topics. We dive into what the pause means for Alex Ovechkin’s season, career and his always analyzed climb in the NHL’s overall goal record books. We also chat at length about the playoff picture and how the Caps and Avs have similar, but also different situations. Also, going forward into the unknown, we get into what the future of the season could look like. Thanks to those boys for coming on our show, and we hope you all enjoy! #GoAvsGo Twitter: https://twitter.com/OffsideByaMile YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKf38Lh9suWhKwWSNbAtpMA? Check out all 35 podcasts of The Hockey Podcast Network (THPN) at https://thehockeypodcastnetwork.com/ and on Twitter https://twitter.com/hockeypodnet and, find THPN and all podcasts on all your favorite podcast platforms!

Episode 53 description On this episode we chat with Grant from the Hungry for Hawks Talk podcast, our Blackhawks affiliate at The Hockey Podcast Network. We get into lots of Hawks talk about their situation this year. We chat about their coaching, management, and trade-deadline acquisitions. We have a lengthy discussion about the state of things presently, and everything surrounding this NHL pause. There’s so much to think about when it comes to some very key business aspects, like entry-level contracts and their nine-game rule, and what the pause could mean for the Seattle expansion draft. We miss hockey so much it hurts. This week would have been the end of the regular season and the beginning of the playoffs. On a positive note; as per Gabriel Landeskog, the two players diagnosed with COVID-19 on the Avalanche have fully recovered! Hang in there folks! #GoAvsGo Twitter: https://twitter.com/OffsideByaMile YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKf38Lh9suWhKwWSNbAtpMA? Check out all 35 podcasts of The Hockey Podcast Network (THPN) at https://thehockeypodcastnetwork.com/ and on Twitter https://twitter.com/hockeypodnet and, find THPN and all podcasts on all your favorite podcast platforms!

The virus makes an appearance within the Avalanche organization. There are two Avs players that have recorded cases of coronavirus. One has completely recovered after being in isolation, and the other is in isolation as we speak, making his recovery. Hopefully they nipped that in the bud, and that is the last case we hear of. The Avs also made two minor-league signings with T.J. Tynan and Jacob MacDonald inking deals. We jump into a collab with Mike from A Clean Skate podcast – our Dallas Stars affiliate podcast for The Hockey Podcast Network. We start with how we’ve been spending our time in isolation. Then we get into some hockey talk about the probable first round matchup between the Stars and Avs, and we can’t hold back our excitement for that series. We all predict we’d see a very close and exciting series. We also get into THPN’s Twitch channel. Some of the network’s hosts will be streaming EA Sports NHL20 for some fun extra content. Stay safe and stay healthy out there! Let’s beat this virus and get our sports back! #GoAvsGo Twitter: https://twitter.com/OffsideByaMile YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKf38Lh9suWhKwWSNbAtpMA? Check out all 35 podcasts of The Hockey Podcast Network (THPN) at https://thehockeypodcastnetwork.com/ and on Twitter https://twitter.com/hockeypodnet and, find THPN and all podcasts on all your favorite podcast platforms!

The content continues! This week’s episode we chat with Conor and Brendan from Grit Per 60 Podcast, our Winnipeg Jets affiliate podcast for the Hockey Podcast Network. We have a great chat about the season before the abrupt halt, and our thoughts on how the NHL can or should finish the season. We also talk about random topics from marble races/sports, to what we can bet on in these days of isolation, and more. Enjoy the sports talk and content! Happy isolation! Stay safe and stay healthy out there. #GoAvsGo Twitter: https://twitter.com/OffsideByaMile YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKf38Lh9suWhKwWSNbAtpMA? THPN: https://thehockeypodcastnetwork.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/hockeypodnet

First full week of no hockey, and basically no sports, but we’re still here! We chat about the proposal put forth by the NHLPA regarding the finishing of the season, which would see the playoffs stretch to as long as the end of September. Then in our “Across the Rink” segment, if you can call it that right now, we chat with Devin from Hold the Mayo sports and the host of Rippin Biscuits podcast, our Nashville Predators affiliate for the Hockey Podcast Network. We chat about a number of things, from the Preds themselves to the rest of the sports world, including the UFC continuing some events. He’s a hilarious guy so you won’t want to miss this interview! Stay tuned for following episodes with more guests and a number of different topics to get us through social distancing. #GoAvsGo Twitter: https://twitter.com/OffsideByaMile YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKf38Lh9suWhKwWSNbAtpMA? THPN: https://thehockeypodcastnetwork.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/hockeypodnet

The NHL comes to an abrupt halt over the coronavirus, and suspends the season for an indefinite amount of time to combat the spread of the virus. We have been without hockey and most sporting events now for not even a week, and it feels weird. However, we actually have a game to cover! We didn’t get to talk about the Wednesday night game against the Rangers because it was a late one, and we had to record earlier. It was a really exciting game to watch, and the Avs came up with the win in overtime. Two powerplay goals, helped along by the returning rookie sensation Makar, and he was just that; sensational. He also controlled his time in OT and put the puck to the net that would get tipped by J.T. Compher; a beauty at that. Frankie also stood on his head and made some amazing saves. We wrap up the episode talking about the virus’ effect on the NHL and the sports world as a whole. It’s going to be a long and interesting ride as we continue forward. Time will tell exactly what will come of all this. #GoAvsGo

Depletion. The Avalanche get back into the win column against San Jose, and take the game 4-3. Yes, you heard that correctly; the Avs finally scored four goals in a game! It resulted in a win. This game showed an increased effort level, and it looked like the Avs actually had a bit of jump in their step, finally. Gabe Landeskog and Nate MacKinnon continued to impress. Some shaky defense still, but they got it done. The game against the Kings, however, was a gong show. It was a really odd, and almost awkward game, and for some reason the Kings have the Avs’ number this season. Quick played a great game, and even stopped a penalty shot. The Avalanche did not have much of a push back for the majority of this one, and in the process of losing to one of the leagues lowest ranking teams; we also lost our MVP in MacKinnon. He should only be out one to two weeks, but any time without him will be difficult to say the least. Makar draws back into the line-up against the Rangers, so hopefully he’s the start of everyone returning healthy. It is needed. #GoAvsGo

This episode is recorded before the San Jose game on Sunday night. The Avalanche see their winning streak come to an end against the Anaheim Ducks after a thrilling overtime period, and a game of almosts and lots of posts. The Ducks win 4-3. It was a tough break as the Avs hit five or six posts throughout the game, including a couple in OT. On the other end of things, we delve into the defensive breakdowns that put Nikita Zadorov under the magnifying glass, and into the doghouse. He was the worst, but he was not the only one to blame. On Saturday, the Avs took on the Vancouver Canucks, and we witnessed a complete regression of all the good defensive efforts the team has provided as of late. Looking back, with the injury situation, we’re surprised it took this long for one of these games filled with bloopers. It was tough to watch. We are feeling the effects of the important absences in the roster, and it all compounded into this 6-3 loss. The Avalanche gave up more than they could put in for these two games, but hopefully it becomes a blip in the radar. Need a short memory on this one. #GoAvsGo

The Avalanche continued their franchise-record road win-streak, and they push it to nine-straight, and that’s also seven-straight wins in general. The Red Wings didn’t put up a huge fight for the Avs, but they still only won by a score of 2-1. Hutchinson drew in for his first start with the Avs, and started his night of with a rocky start, and let in a less-than-average goal early. However, he settled in to decent form as the game went along. The two goals for the Avs came from Namestnikov – on his first in blue and maroon – and O’Connor with his 2nd career goal. Two relatively unsuspected scorers, but that seems to be a trend for this team: when one guy is in a slump, there are at least a couple of depth players picking up the slack. The Avs continue to roll, winning one-goal games, and providing great defensive efforts on a nightly basis. Let’s see if they can keep it going. #GoAvsGo

The Colorado Avalanche has now won six-straight games, and heavily on the back of some outstanding play by Frankie. It gets us talking about the goalie competition when Grubauer returns from his injury (whenever that may be). We chat about three more wins for the boys, all of which ended in a score of 3-2. Buffalo, Carolina and Nashville all fall victim to some timely goals, great goaltending and some very good defensive outings for the bulk of the team. The Avs haven’t scored more than three goals since early February, and have been winning games in ways that weren’t happening earlier on this season. Jost has been finding some production with several good appearances as of late, and Johnson also snapped a massive 61-game goalless drought with an ENG against the Preds. The schedule for March is a sprint. There’s at least three games a week and some more back-to-backs. Detroit is next up, Monday evening, 5:30 pm MST. Let’s keep the good times rolling! #GoAvsGo

Episode 44 description This episode is all about trade deadline, and the aftermath. This one is also prior to the game against the Sabres. We breakdown the two trades the Avalanche made before trade deadline. Vladislav Namestnikov came over from Ottawa for a fourth-round draft pick in 2021, and Michael Hutchinson was brought in for Calle Rosen from Toronto. Not the most highly touted pieces by any means, but could be exactly what the Avs need down the stretch. All injured players will be back before playoffs. We take a look at the rest of the league and share our thoughts on some other moves that happened on deadline day. #GoAvsGo

In this episode we recap all three Avalanche wins in a row. The Avs played a much better game this time around against the Islanders, and employ a simple strategy: put pucks to the net, and lots of traffic. It was needed to solve Varlamov. The Avs win this one 3-1. The Ducks game was a bit of a snooze fest, but the Avs played a strong game defensively, and locked down they’re own zone to prevent many high quality chances. They’re offence was overpowering the Ducks at times. Finally we get Frankie his first- ever shutout, the same day he signs his $4 mil/two year contract. What a stretch he’s had, just playing phenomenal. Gibson was also very good for the Ducks. 1-0 win. The Kings game was a defensive struggle, and with Burakovsky getting injured against the Ducks, more support and depth was needed by the rest of the roster. The only goal scored against Frankie was a penalty shot in the first period. The Avs mostly dominated the rest of the game, but Quick had an amazing performance with numerous terrific saves. It goes through an interesting overtime period and the Avs end up winning in the shootout with only Donskoi being able to solve Quick. It was a big 2-1 win for the Avs. We wrap up with our thoughts going into the NHL’s trade deadline. The Avs continue to close the gap in the Central Divison. #GoAvsGo

First off, this is recorded on Tuesday, Feb. 18, so it is prior to Islanders’ game. We recap the loss in OT against the Tampa Bay Lightning. What a crazy game it was. It was a super intense, and playoff-like atmosphere. There wasn’t much missing from this game when it comes to the events that transpired. Two goalie-interference calls against the Avs get us talking about the ruling. McElhinney would get an Oscar from us on the second one. A terrible second period for the Avs was followed by one of the more crazy andexciting third periods this season, and that led to overtime. Unfortunately,MacKinnon had a bad giveaway that led to a Kucherov breakaway and goal to win the game for the Lightning’s 11th-straight win. The Avs must stop the bleeding. #GoAvsGo @offsidebyamile @hockeypodnet "PLAYLINE" THPN LOTTO! How to play ⬇️ ➡️ Click: playline.go2cloud.org/aff_c?offer_id…18&aff_id=1398 ➡️ Create Account w. promo THPN ➡️ Deposit $5 - receive $20 FREE ➡️ Enter $.50 or $2 contests ➡️ Predict # of goalie saves ➡️ 5k & 20k prizes

In this episode we break down the two losses in a row. The first was a loss against the Capitals; a game the Avalanche had under control, and were clearly winning. However, a bunch of bad penalties killed their momentum, and let the Caps back in the game. Both goaltenders played outstanding, and the Avs fell 3-2. Then it was time for the big NHL Stadium Series matchup. To put it simply, this game was a complete dud. Again, the Avs seem to shoot themselves in the foot in a game that looked to be heading into overtime. The Kings scored a goal with just under a minute, and then secured the victory with an empty net goal. Toffoli ended up scoring all three goals for the Kings, giving him the first ever hat trick in an outdoor game. Kings win 3-1. We wrap up the episode talking about the issues fans had with everything surrounding this outdoor game. It sounds like it was more of a headache than a good experience, which is a hard pill to swallow. Depressing episode to say the least, not to mention that Grubauer and Calvert both left this game with lower-body injuries. Welcome back Colorado Ambulance. #GoAvsGo

We start the episode off with our heartfelt prayers going out to Jay Bouwmeester after his scary incident last night in the Blues and Ducks game. No one ever wants to see a crazy health episode happen in a hockey game. That was a shocking and emotional moment, and everyone involved should feel proud of how they handled the situation. Then, we get into the spicy 3-2 win over the Wild. It was a prototypical rivalry game, with lots of physicality and grinding battles. Francouz had a good showing in his first start since before the big break. Then we get into the 3-0 win over the Sens. The Avs keep the streak alive when they finally come back into the Pepsi Centre after a while away from the home arena. Another good performance for the Avs overall, and Grubauer was perfect for his second shutout of the year. Unfortunately, Kadri had to leave the game, and is out for roughly 4-6 weeks. We wrap up with a short look at the Caps in town on Thursday, and the big Stadium Series game on Saturday. Lot’s of good stuff coming up, and the Avs are hot! Five-straight victories. #GoAvsGo

We recap the road wins against the Senators and the Blue Jackets. Both games were another good example of how the Avalanche needs to play in this back half of the season. The boys have strung together some better performances as of late. The Sens game was another dominating outing, and a very similar outcome to the game before that, against the Sabres. It was complete dominance over two teams that are simply not as good as the Avs. That’s how it’s done. The game against the Blue Jackets was an intense competition. The Jackets have settled into playing a hard defensive, collapsing Torts-style game. Their record since early December reiterates that. The Avs hit lots of posts, but were finally able to make good of some chances late in the game to take the win. Grubauer played well in both games. Next up is Minnesota on Sunday night, and we’ll get to that game on next episode, because we didn’t have time to record post-game. Then we have the rematch against the Sens back at home to start our home stand. #GoAvsGo

The offensive outburst, and the Avs newly forged second line fuelled the team to a 6-1 beat down over the Sabres. We recap that game, and highlight the excellent play by the entire team. It’s definitely something that we needed out of the Avs, and that controlling performance is exactly what they needed on this road trip. We have an #AcrosstheRink segment in this episode. This time we chat with Shane from @frozenbiscuit92, our @hockeypodnet Ottawa Senators affiliate podcast. The Avs play the Sens twice within a week (including Thursday night’s affair). It seemed fitting to check in with Shane on his thoughts this season. #GoAvsGo

The Avalanche finally resumed their season after the long break. The first game back was against the Flyers, in Philadelphia, to start the five-game road trip with lots of travel. It wasn’t the best effort, especially with some annoyingly common defensive blunders. The top line struggled, along with the Makar and Graves pairing. Overall, the Avs outplayed the Flyers for the majority of the outing, but the breakdowns and giveaways are a common villain when it comes to the Avs losing games. Also, they didn’t quite have the execution that we’re used to. Could have used some saves from Grubauer in the third, but the blame can’t only fall on his shoulders as he made some brilliant saves earlier to keep it tight. Avs continue the trip against Jack Eichel and the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday.

This is the last episode before the Avalanche return to game-action. We start the episode off having a conversation about Ian Cole’s crazy summer regarding his hip surgeries and recovery. He went through hell, and we admire his dedication and commitment. We take the bulk of this episode to review the roster and discuss how each player has played during the first “half” of the season. We grade their performances and give our thoughts on what they did well, and what, if anything, they can improve on. Overall, the team has performed well. We wrap up with a short look ahead to the Flyers on Saturday. That game starts a five-game road trip for the Avs. We’ll see if the boys can keep the momentum they gathered before the break, and build off the three-game win-streak.

In this NHL All Star weekend episode, we discuss the skills competition and what we thought of it. The new event - the Shooting Stars – was an interesting addition to the competition, and we share what we thought of it. The actual ASG was actually a decently exciting showing, in our opinion. We then get into some trade-deadline talk and skim over some of our thoughts as the date pulls within a month. We go over some of our targets for the Avalanche. We also get to chatting briefly about some Colorado Eagles, including T.J. Tynan making the AHL ASG, and catch up on some other prospects for the Avs. Season gets ramped back up on Saturday when the Avs start their five-game road trip in Philadelphia – a team which has played great hockey lately.

The long break begins. The Avs close out the unofficial first half of the NHL season with a great five-game road trip in which they attained eight out of ten points, and no regulation losses. We begin the episode with some general analysis of the standings in the Western Conference, and some other general thoughts around the league. We then recap the 6-3 win over the Red Wings, and go in-depth with some overall thoughts of the play of some Avs, as of late, influenced by play in the most recent games. The NHL Allstar Game and events are this weekend. Have a great time watching the spectacle, and cheer on Nathan MacKinnon as he represents Colorado.

In this episode: we breakdown the 4-0 Avalanche victory against the Sharks. It was a dominating outing for the Avs, and Grubauer got rewarded with his first shutout of the season, and he had a terrific performance. Next, in the #AcrossTheRink segment, we catch up with Tom Franklin from the Bluenotes podcast, our THPN St. Louis affiliate, after the afternoon affair between the Blues and Avs. The good guys came out on top for the second time in-a-row against our divisional rivals, and ended up chasing Jordan Binnington in the process. We chat to Tom about that game and all things leading up to both the Blues and Avs extended breaks, including the NHL All Star Game taking place in St. Louis. Tom will be there with media. We close the episode with a short preview of the Monday afternoon game against the Red Wings, the last game before the 11-day break.

In this one we chat about the heartbreaking overtime loss to the Dallas Stars. They sweep the season series by winning all three games against the Avalanche this year. Bishop is basically a cheat code when he’s on top of his game, and he was in this one, stopping 41 of 43 shots. This one felt very much like a playoff game, like we predicted with Michael in our last episode. We then do a short preview of the Sharks game on Thursday, and the Blues matchup on Saturday. Three important home games left before the long break for the Avs.

In this episode we chat about the OT loss to the Penguins on Friday, Jan. 10. The Avalanche actually scored a goal and played well with their net empty though, so there’s a bright spot in this one, and some kind of progress for the third period demon. However, a couple five-hole goals that squeaked by Frankie weren’t ideal, including the game-winner in the extra frame. On this edition of #AcrossTheRink we had our friend Michael at the @CleanSkatePod on the show, our Dallas Stars @hockeypodnet colleague. We chat about the divisional matchup on Tuesday in Denver, and how the teams stack up as of late, and what we can expect in this one.

In this mid-season special episode of Offside by a Mile, we chat with Spencer - @MacWinnon on Twitter - a big fan of the Avalanche and our podcast. We dive into the season so far for the Avs, and what’s gone right and wrong for the team. We also, explore different scenarios and events that have happened around the league, overall, and their relevance to the Avs. The Central Division has been a tough division, which seems to be a regular occurrence over the past few years. Colorado has had an up and down season, just like last year, and we draw some similarities and differences between both. We hope you enjoy something a little different and extra from us here at OBAM!

The Avalanche are heading home with losses to both of the New York teams to finish the three-game road trip. The Islanders shut out the Avs with a familiar face in the crease. Semyon Varlamov played a decent enough game and made some key saves, but the polished defensive play by the Islanders completely shut down everything the Avalanche had to offer offensively. The Rangers game, on the other hand, was completely winnable. The Avs squandered an early 2-0 lead, and they really dried up offensively. As the game moved along, the Avs looked more and more disconnected. The Avs come home to Denver for an extended stay, and a very important home stand. That starts against the Penguins on Friday.

S1 E29 Colorado Avalanche - Offside by a Mile

Happy New Year Avs fans! We recap the game against the Jets, and yet another disappointing finish to what was a really good game for the Avalanche. 50 mins of solid play wasn’t enough. We also chat with Conor from the Grit Per 60 Podcast, the Hockey Podcast Network’s Winnipeg Jets affiliate. We chat about events in that matchup, and just some general outlooks on both our teams through the first half of the season. We wrap up the episode announcing our first giveaway in this podcast. It’s a sweet MacKinnon hockey card combined with a nice Avalanche puck in a little plastic frame - a perfect addition to your hockey memorabilia mantel. Then we shortly preview the upcoming games against the Blues and Devils.

This episode: In two divisional matchups – back-to-backs against Minnesota and Dallas – the Avalanche came away with only one point. We recap those games and what transpired. Goaltending hasn’t been the issue, as much as fans want to blame it, but Frankie struggled a bit against the Wild. Grubauer, on the other hand, played an outstanding game against the Stars, but the Avs fell short in the shootout. The Avs led both games in the third period, but again, the team couldn’t hold on to it. Special teams continue to be abysmal. We wrap up with a look ahead to the Jets and Blues, another pair of important divisional games before the three-game New York road trip.

This is the Boxing Day episode. Merry Christmas everyone! We recap the last game before the holiday break. It was a solid 7-3 victory over the Golden Knights. It was game where everything seemed to go the Avalanche’s way. It was a good performance to stop the bad trend of third periods with a solid effort all the way through. Next up after the break is the Wild and Stars on Friday and Saturday. Two divisional matchups that will be important games.

In this episode we breakdown the awful collapses in the game against the Hurricanes, and the season-series finale against the Blackhawks. We’re seeing a lotof bad habits forming, and witnessing a major lack of effort defensively when it matters most. While it’s deeply concerning, it’s early enough for the Avalanche to nip this in the bud, but this Central Division will wait for no one. There’s one game left-Monday night in Vegas–to change the outlook heading into the holiday break, and the Avalanche need to bounce back. Make sure you follow The Hockey Podcast Network on Twitter @hockeypodnet as well as your favourite host @OffsideByaMile.

On this episode we recap the struggles against the Blues and the 5-2 loss on Monday. There were countless defensive breakdowns by the Avalanche in their own end, and a lack of interest by Zadorov on two separate occasions proved detrimental. Grubauer was not the problem. This our #AcrosstheRink segment featured Grant from the Hungry for Hawks Talk podcast, The Hockey Podcast Network’s Chicago Blackhawks affiliate. We were treated to an in-studio visit as Grant was in Calgary for the holidays. We watched the battle between the Hawks and Avs on Wednesday evening, and chat about the aftermath. It was a pretty good game for the Avs as they topple Chicago 4-1, and further the season series to 3-0 for the good guys. We also preview the rematch with the Hawks on Saturday. We part ways with Grant with our closing thoughts on the Hall trade to Arizona. The episode wraps up with a look ahead to Carolina on Thursday for a back-to-back with travel.

In this episode we recap the win against the Flyers on Wednesday, Dec. 11, and the win against the Devils on Friday the 13th. Francouz played absolutely lights-out in both of these outings, but couldn’t pull off a shutout in either as much as he deserved to. There were a couple defensive breakdowns, timely scoring for the Avs, and yet another four points. 8-1-1 in the last 10 games, the Avs keep trucking along. Next up is the battle for Central Division supremacy as the Avalanche take on the Blues Monday night. In #AcrossTheRink we chat with Tom from Bluenotes podcast, the St. Louis Blues affiliate in The Hockey Podcast Network on a bunch of topics, including Taylor Hall rumours and interest, and David Perron’s hot season.

We start the episode chatting about the disturbing news that surfaced on Tuesday in regards to Colorado Eagles’ trainer Tony Deynzer, and the entire situation regarding the new era of the NHL’s code of conduct. Following that conversation, we breakdown of the game between the Avs and Flames. It was a high-tempo outing, and a great matchup of two of the league’s hottest teams. Unfortunately the Avs lose in overtime, yet it’s still a point following the six-game win-streak. Then we wrap it up with a brief look ahead to the Devils on Friday, and the Avs’ weekend off. Make sure you follow The Hockey Podcast Network on Twitter @hockeypodnet as well as your favourite host @OffsideByaMile.

The Avs make it 4 in a row in Toronto as they take the Leafs out 3-1 in Kadri’s homecoming. A hilarious giveaway by Spezza led to the game-winner by Nichushkin. Overall it was a great game by Grubauer and the entire team. Then we chat about our thoughts on the Taylor Hall to the Avs rumours, and other possible UFA rentals available for the team to make this season. Lastly, a little look ahead to Montreal and Boston this week.

The Avs move to six straight wins as they wrap up their Eastern swing, beating both the Habs and Bruins in their own barns. That’s Boston’s first regulation loss at home this season. We chat more about the Taylor Hall rumours and our feelings surrounding the situation. Hopefully Grubauer and Makar are ok! Make sure you follow The Hockey Podcast Network on Twitter @hockeypodnet as well as your favourite host @OffsideByaMile.

The Avalanche lead into their three-game Atlantic Division road trip on a three-game win streak. We chat about the revenge against the Oilers, the great home and home series against the Blackhawks, and why they had so much success. Moose was back from injury with a huge night Saturday, and MacKinnon and Makar just keep rolling along. Make sure you follow The Hockey Podcast Network on Twitter @hockeypodnet as well as your favorite host

Welcome to Offside By A Mile on The Hockey Podcast Network! Stay up to date in the world of hockey with The Hockey Podcast Network. Every Monday and Thursday The Hockey Podcast Network offers a unique podcast dedicated to your Colorado Avalanche. Podcasts’ are between 30-50 minutes & available at thehockeypodcastnetwork.com or wherever you get your podcasts from. Make sure you follow The Hockey Podcast Network on Twitter @hockeypodnet as well as your favourite host @OffsideByaMile.

Welcome to Offside By A Mile on The Hockey Podcast Network! Stay up to date in the world of hockey with The Hockey Podcast Network. Every Monday and Thursday The Hockey Podcast Network offers a unique podcast dedicated to your Colorado Avalanche. Podcasts’ are between 30-50 minutes & available at thehockeypodcastnetwork.com or wherever you get your podcasts from. Make sure you follow The Hockey Podcast Network on Twitter @hockeypodnet as well as your favourite host @OffsideByaMile.

Welcome to Offside By A Mile on The Hockey Podcast Network! Stay up to date in the world of hockey with The Hockey Podcast Network. Every Monday and Thursday The Hockey Podcast Network offers a unique podcast dedicated to your Colorado Avalanche. Podcasts’ are between 30-50 minutes & available at thehockeypodcastnetwork.com or wherever you get your podcasts from. Make sure you follow The Hockey Podcast Network on Twitter @hockeypodnet as well as your favourite host @OffsideByaMile.

Welcome to Offside By A Mile on The Hockey Podcast Network! Stay up to date in the world of hockey with The Hockey Podcast Network. Every Monday and Thursday The Hockey Podcast Network offers a unique podcast dedicated to your Colorado Avalanche. Podcasts’ are between 30-50 minutes & available at thehockeypodcastnetwork.com or wherever you get your podcasts from. Make sure you follow The Hockey Podcast Network on Twitter @hockeypodnet as well as your favourite host @OffsideByaMile.

Welcome to Offside By A Mile on The Hockey Podcast Network! Stay up to date in the world of hockey with The Hockey Podcast Network. Every Monday and Thursday The Hockey Podcast Network offers a unique podcast dedicated to your Colorado Avalanche. Podcasts’ are between 30-50 minutes & available at thehockeypodcastnetwork.com or wherever you get your podcasts from. Make sure you follow The Hockey Podcast Network on Twitter @hockeypodnet as well as your favourite host @OffsideByaMile.

Welcome to Offside By A Mile on The Hockey Podcast Network! Stay up to date in the world of hockey with The Hockey Podcast Network. Every Monday and Thursday The Hockey Podcast Network offers a unique podcast dedicated to your Colorado Avalanche. Podcasts’ are between 30-50 minutes & available at thehockeypodcastnetwork.com or wherever you get your podcasts from. Make sure you follow The Hockey Podcast Network on Twitter @hockeypodnet as well as your favourite host @OffsideByaMile.