The Colorado Avalanche are historically bad.
Following Saturday's 6-1 drubbing at the hands of the Winnipeg Jets, the Avalanche fell to 17-43-3 through 63 games, and are trending toward the worst season of any team in the shootout era.
| Team | Season | Record | Point % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado Avalanche | 2016-17 | 17-43-3 | .294 |
| Buffalo Sabres | 2013-14 | 21-51-10 | .317 |
| Buffalo Sabres | 2014-15 | 23-51-8 | .329 |
| Philadelphia Flyers | 2006-07 | 22-48-12 | .341 |
| Arizona Coyotes | 2014-15 | 24-50-8 | .341 |
Related: Avalanche's Comeau bizarrely passes up breakaway
The modern point system was introduced at the beginning of the 2005-06 season after the lockout wiped out an entire season, and with it came a structure wherein teams earn points for losing in overtime or the shootout.
Those Buffalo teams directly ahead of this year's Avalanche were deep in the midst of a rebuild, with the latter roster seemingly constructed with the intent of making sure the club had the best possible chance of drafting at least Jack Eichel and hopefully Connor McDavid.
In short, it's no small feat to post a sub-.300 winning percentage in today's NHL, especially for a team not actively tanking.
Joe Sakic has said he remains committed to first-year head coach Jared Bednar despite the poor season, while the long-term futures of core players like Gabriel Landeskog and Matt Duchene are up in the air after much trade talk prior to this year's deadline.
In the meantime, this seems like a lost season in Denver, with a top draft pick soon to be added to the mix.
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