Congratulations, Colorado Avalanche!
The best team in the NHL at activating their defensemen & playing positional-interchanges hockey
This team's style of play was awesome to watch. A clinical performance from their high-end defensemen to control the play. Looking at Makar, Toews, Byram, and Girard (before the injury) activate everywhere was a pleasure to watch.
Besides that, here are two impressive details from their defensive core who have greatly contributed to their success:
Modern rush defense
The Avalanche did a great job defending the rush and denying access to their zone. Their highly mobile defensive core defended the rush with great skating and tight gaps. This video from Dimitri Filipovic of Toews/Makar against Edmonton demonstrates exactly what Colorado rush defense wall is all about. Hard back-pressure from the forward, allowing their mobile defensemen to break plays with strong gaps, then quickly transitioning to offense:
2. Constant activations and positional-interchanges from all their defensemen
As mentioned, Colorado's high-end defensemen were dominant all over the ice. It was also impressive to see their more defensive-minded/physical defensemen contributing to their style of play. With all their defensemen involved in activations, it makes them a hard team to defend against and the best team at playing this style of hockey.
Here are a few examples from Josh Manson in yesterday's Stanley Cup game:
1- Colorado's 2nd goal
Manson and Johnson squeeze on rush defense to keep a tight gap and make an NZ stop. With MacKinnon putting back pressure and Rantanen skating toward his net to retrieve the puck, Mason interchanges position and quickly activates in the play on the change of possession. Colorado play fast to beat Tampa NZ pressure for the odd-man rush:
2- Colorado's 1st goal
The first step in involving their defensemen in this sequence is the D activation off-the-faceoff. What's interesting is what happens after that. Not only does Manson finishes his route on his first activation, but after Rantanen’s keep in at the blue line, Manson stays involved low in the offensive zone to maintain offensive pressure and make sure Colorado keep the puck to stay in OZP. With Manson playing in the inner slot and Rantanen's off-the-puck dive activation on the inside, Colorado's OZP slides in some kind of 1-3-1 (2-3), leaving their best forward open for a one-timer:
3- This sequence of Byram (and Manson) is another good example of Colorado's defensemen's involvement in transition, then in OZP
Playing the net-front D in defensive zone coverage, Byram immediately activates to play the center role once Colorado gains possession. After the entry, Colorado set their OZP. We can see Manson activating (scissors) and finishing his route at the net, opening space for their highly skilled forward to work with the puck along the wall:
Congratulations to all Colorado Avalanche players and staff members. A complete team that can play many styles and was an absolute blast to watch. A well-built team with good drafting and development, plus great acquisitions via trades/free agency with analytics support.
Congratulations to Tampa as well for another impressive run!!