Avalanche fans want to know -- Can Patrick Roy be replaced?
Although he's been a member of the Colorado Avalanche for three years, Colorado fans don't think David Aebischer is up to the task of guarding the Avs' net. He's on a mission to set them straight.
It's the million dollar sports question in Denver.
No, it's not about Kobe. That's happening in that other Colorado town down the road.
Nor is the question whether or not the Colorado Rockies and Denver Nuggets ever have good teams. And, it's not whether Jake Plummer can make Broncos' fans forget Brian Griese.
The question on every Denver sports fans mind right now, or at least those who inhabit the malls and supermarkets wearing their Joe Sakic and Peter Forsberg jerseys, is how will the Colorado Avalanche do now that Patrick Roy, aka, "St. Patrick," has hung up his goalie pads for good.
Will David Aebischer, Roy's backup, be able to do the job, or should the Avs' management do what a majority of fans would like them to do, make a very special plane ride up to Quebec City and BEG Patrick to put on the skates just one more year.
Avs' fans seem to forget, or maybe they don't want to remember, that even though the Swiss born Aebischer is only 25 years old, he's been on the team for three years now.
When Roy needed a rest, it was Aebischer who went in net.
One would think replacing a legend such as Roy would make anybody want to run to the nearest drugstore to pick up some Advil or Tylenol to calm their nerves.
No worries there. Hockey goaltenders are a different breed of person.
If you've just allowed the other team to score, you take a drink of water, put your mask back on and get ready to do the job you were paid to do.
It's part of the game and Aebischer is ready to handle it.
He will handle the so called pressure of replacing Roy the same way he handles pucks shot by sharpshooters on teams like the Dallas Stars and Detroit Red Wings.
While he doesn't have the commanding locker room presence that Roy had, and probably never will, Aebischer knows that when he steps onto the ice and into the Avalanche net, his teammates will back him up.
Even though the Avalanche have gotten stronger with the addition of Paul Kariya and Teemu Selanne, the question always seems to pop up over and over again.
Now that Roy is gone, how good will the team be?
Should Avalanche general manager Pierre Lacroix make another one of his blockbuster deals and "get a real goalie?"
The answer is -- no, he shouldn't. He already has a "real goalie."
Avalanche fans, rest easy and enjoy the great hockey team you have. Aebrischer will do just fine in net.
He knows he won't replace Roy as number one in Avalanche fans hearts, but he's not trying to do that.
Along with his teammates, he's just trying to give your Colorado Avalanche team another shot at winning the Stanley Cup.
No, it's not about Kobe. That's happening in that other Colorado town down the road.
Nor is the question whether or not the Colorado Rockies and Denver Nuggets ever have good teams. And, it's not whether Jake Plummer can make Broncos' fans forget Brian Griese.
The question on every Denver sports fans mind right now, or at least those who inhabit the malls and supermarkets wearing their Joe Sakic and Peter Forsberg jerseys, is how will the Colorado Avalanche do now that Patrick Roy, aka, "St. Patrick," has hung up his goalie pads for good.
Will David Aebischer, Roy's backup, be able to do the job, or should the Avs' management do what a majority of fans would like them to do, make a very special plane ride up to Quebec City and BEG Patrick to put on the skates just one more year.
Avs' fans seem to forget, or maybe they don't want to remember, that even though the Swiss born Aebischer is only 25 years old, he's been on the team for three years now.
When Roy needed a rest, it was Aebischer who went in net.
One would think replacing a legend such as Roy would make anybody want to run to the nearest drugstore to pick up some Advil or Tylenol to calm their nerves.
No worries there. Hockey goaltenders are a different breed of person.
If you've just allowed the other team to score, you take a drink of water, put your mask back on and get ready to do the job you were paid to do.
It's part of the game and Aebischer is ready to handle it.
He will handle the so called pressure of replacing Roy the same way he handles pucks shot by sharpshooters on teams like the Dallas Stars and Detroit Red Wings.
While he doesn't have the commanding locker room presence that Roy had, and probably never will, Aebischer knows that when he steps onto the ice and into the Avalanche net, his teammates will back him up.
Even though the Avalanche have gotten stronger with the addition of Paul Kariya and Teemu Selanne, the question always seems to pop up over and over again.
Now that Roy is gone, how good will the team be?
Should Avalanche general manager Pierre Lacroix make another one of his blockbuster deals and "get a real goalie?"
The answer is -- no, he shouldn't. He already has a "real goalie."
Avalanche fans, rest easy and enjoy the great hockey team you have. Aebrischer will do just fine in net.
He knows he won't replace Roy as number one in Avalanche fans hearts, but he's not trying to do that.
Along with his teammates, he's just trying to give your Colorado Avalanche team another shot at winning the Stanley Cup.
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