Colorado Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar said his players gave it their all and the end of their Stanley Cup hopes was not for lack of effort. After being eliminated in six games of the second round by the Dallas Stars, the Avs have to figure out what can and needs to be adjusted to go further next season.
"It's always emotional this time of the year in the playoffs because the stakes are so high. I think our guys handled it pretty well. You're kind of riding that emotional roller coaster after games and then trying to get even keel before the next one and get focused in on what you need to do to win. Guys did that. They played hard," Bednar said after the final loss of the postseason. "It's always taxing in playoffs, especially when you're playing teams like this. It's tough to win and you know, you got to be at your best every night to do it. But I think end of the day, all you can ask us for is the guys to give you everything they got and I think they did that."
Related: Stars forward Matt Duchene scores game-winner in double OT to eliminate Avalanche from Stanley Cup Playoffs
The Avs faced adversity to begin the playoffs — Jonathan Drouin was lost to injury. The team went to work without him and beat the higher-seeded Winnipeg Jets in five games to advance to the next round.
It took overtime for Colorado to beat Dallas in Game 1 but Valeri Nichushkin had two points in that game and was riding a playoff goal-scoring streak, which ended in Game 3. And then he was gone. The 27-year-old Russian was placed in the NHL Player Assistance program for violating Stage 2 restrictions and was moved to Stage 3, which automatically suspended him for at least six months.
Bednar said his team handled the loss of Nichushkin and Devon Toews (illness) in Game 4 well, on the same night Drouin returned to the lineup.
"We're not the only ones battling through stuff. Every team … you're not going through the playoffs without adversity and having to overcome adversity and being a resilient team. I thought our guys handled it good. They played hard.
"All you can ask is for them to give you their best and I think they did that. Sometimes it's not good enough, but I like the character in our room. I like the leadership in our room. They fought to the end, which I like and I think that's the things you're looking for," Bednar said.
The Avs coach said his team did not lose any of their games because they didn't put in the work — it just was not good enough to beat a really good Stars team.
"I'm proud of our team. There's no question. People might have some other judgments, but I'm proud of our team for the reasons that I just gave you," Bednar told The Hockey News' Colleen Flynn.
Those reasons were his team's perseverance and resilience. While they displayed those qualities, the question lies — would they have been able to go further had they not had to deal with that adversity? Management, coaches and players along with fans will never know but it is something that will linger into next season if the main reason for that adversity — Nichushkin — is not addressed.
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