from Mark Kiszla of the Denver Post,

If the Avs can bury the hatchet with Ryan O’Reilly, they can raise the Stanley Cup together.

Yes, O’Reilly left Colorado in 2015, his relationship with the Avs broken by acrimonious bickering about money.

But eight years is enough.

All is forgiven, my wayward son.

Make a trade for O’Reilly and the Avs would not only have the second-line center they’ve been missing since Nazem Kadri left town, but there wouldn’t be a team in the Western Conference that could prevent Colorado from advancing to the Stanley Cup Final.

After sleep-walking through a championship hangover and slapping BandAids on a roster beset by injury, center Nathan MacKinnon sat in the Avalanche locker room looking forward to some R&R at the beach before reporting for all-star festivities in Sunrise, Fla.

“We’re just trying to weather the storm of injuries. We’re confident if we can get in (the playoffs), we’ll have a good chance,” MacKinnon said Saturday, after Colorado turned back a late push from St. Louis in a 4-2 victory.

continued