Semyon Varlamov Has Been Colorado Avalanche' Most Disappointing Player So Far This Season

The Colorado Avalanche were one of the biggest surprises in the 2013-14 season. They went from the worst team in the Western Conference to the top team in the Central Division in one season. They had a rookie coach in Patrick Roy and a very young roster.

This season, they are back at the bottom of the standings. The only major loss they had from last season was Paul Stastny. They brought in veteran forward Jarome Iginla to offset that loss in offensive production. They are still playing as terrible as any bad team in the NHL.

One can point to the lack of a net presence as to why the Avalanche could be so inconsistent. Semyon Varlamov had his best season ever in 2013-14. His 41 wins were 15 more than he ever had in his career. His .927 save percentage was a career-high. This season, Varlamov is just plain bad. He has a .909 save percentage. That ranks 31st in the league. His 3.21 GAA ranks 39th.

The disappointing play can be blamed on the injury issues that Varlamov has dealt with. He has been out with a groin injury on three different occasions. That injury is clearly hurting his play when he is on the ice as well. A groin injury may be the worst kind of injury for a goaltender to have. It hurts the player’s mobility more than any other. Now, coach Roy says that he is going to be out for a few weeks.

One of the good things about last season was the Avalanche had a great backup to Varlamov. Jean-Sebastien Giguere was more than a capable backup. When he was called upon to play, they knew the veteran could hold his own. He unfortunately retired last season. The Avalanche currently have Reto Berra and Calvin Pickard backing up. One has played well and the other has been terrible.

It is unrealistic to think Pickard can continue to be the best goalie on the Avalanche all season long. Varlamov needs to return soon and play up to last year’s standards. If that doesn’t happen, then this team needs to get used to being at the bottom of the standings.

Nick Villano is the New Jersey Devils writer for Rant Sports. He also adds to the site’s NBA, MLB and NFL content. You can follow him on Twitter or add him to your Google circle.