from Mike Chambers of the Denver Post,

“You don’t have enough talent to win on talent alone.” — U.S. Olympic hockey coach Herb Brooks, preparing his team, a huge underdog against the Soviet Union, at the 1980 Olympics

Unlike the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team, the Avalanche unquestionably has enough talent to compete with the world’s best. Based on their 12 first-round draft picks, plus two other players chosen early in the second round, the Avs, on paper, could stack up well against the Russians. But against the rest of the NHL?

This team has talent. The big question is if it’s ready to win now.

Optimism exists because of the 12 new faces on the team from this time a year ago, the high-end young talent and second-year coach Jared Bednar settling in with a hand-picked staff. But understandable skepticism surrounds a team that finished in the NHL cellar last season with a franchise record-low 48 points.

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