Notebook: Have the Avalanche Unlocked a Secret Weapon?

I’m reminded lately of when Patrick Roy shifted Ryan O’Reilly to the wing a decade ago and how the forward’s offensive numbers took off. That 28-goal season is still O’Reilly’s career-high all these years later.

Roy did it because the Avs were loaded at center. They still had Paul Stastny in his prime, Matt Duchene was a big part of the team, and they had just drafted Nathan MacKinnon No. 1 overall. All four of them needed to play in the top six, which by the end of the season was the case. And O’Reilly was moved to the wing. But you knew it wasn’t going to last. O’Reilly was and still remains one of the best two-way centers in the NHL. And as effective as he could be on the wing, he’s a far more valuable piece up the middle. Just ask the 2018-19 St. Louis Blues.

The Avs are in a similar situation now but it’s not because they have an abundance of centers — they’re just missing way too many top-six wingers. Ross Colton was shifted to the wing early in the season and has remained there. In the past handful of games, he’s lined up on the top line alongside Mikko Rantanen and MacKinnon. It’s a position he’s familiar with and where he played in Tampa Bay. But ever since Colorado acquired him, head coach Jared Bednar instead moved him to center to replace J.T. Compher up the middle.

But after watching the last few games of Colton on the wing, I genuinely ask, have the Avalanche unlocked a secret weapon?

I’m not necessarily downplaying his effectiveness at center. But as the 3C center behind Casey Mittelstadt and MacKinnon, he’s not quite as effective in the middle, especially not for $4 million on a cap-strapped team. If he was Colorado’s No. 2 center, then sure, keep him there and use him on the wing only as needed. But as the 3C, I’d much rather see him on the wing.

There are so many things that seem to be unlocked in his game when he’s on the wing and playing with the stars. Even with Colton being a goal behind former teammate Nikita Kucherov for the most in the NHL, it’s not just the offensive production that sticks out in recent games. It’s the way he plays. It’s the forechecking, the mucking and grinding in the corners, and the added ability to show off his speed when he’s not handling centerman responsibilities. This was something Bednar broke down quite well following the victory against Anaheim late last week. And it’s worthy of a refresher.

“Part of Colton’s game, which makes…