Colorado Loses Svatos for Season

If either Jon Klemm or Jack Johnson has a ski vacation planned for lovely Colorado anytime soon, they may want to check their cancellation options. The Los Angeles defensemen laid out two of the Avalanche's top players in a 5-2 loss on Saturday; today, the Avs found out just how much damage was done. From Terry Frei of the Denver Post:

Avalanche winger Marek Svatos, the team's leading goal-scorer with 26, was diagnosed as having a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. He will require surgery and will miss at least the rest of this season, the team announced today. Veteran winger Ryan Smyth was determined to have a suffered a concussion and a minor lef shoulder separation, and the team said he will be out indefinitely. The Avalanche said he would not be allowed to exercise until the concussion symptoms disappear, and the team didn't specify a possible timetable for when that might be.

Does this put more pressure on Peter Forsberg to get back on the ice to serve his role as Puck Messiah in Denver? He told the media on Monday that he needs to "be honest" with himself rather than rush back ahead of schedule. In the meantime, the Avalanche -- who enter Tuesday night's game with Vancouver tied with the Canucks and Predators with 74 points for the last two playoff seeds in the Western Conference -- will rely on goalie Jose Theodore and, once again, attempt to play through some devastating injuries.

On Tuesday, I'll have rather in-depth look at how some Colorado fans see Coach Joel Quenneville as more of a detriment than a blessing this season. More on life after Svatos and Smyth at The Dog and Pony Show.