<p>There are few constants in the NHL, but the Colorado Avalanche have operated as a barometer of success under head coach Jared Bardner and president of hockey operations Joe Sakic. Colorado won the Stanley Cup in 2022 and entered the year as a primary contender once again, but made several seismic changes that shook up the landscape of the league.</p>
<p>Colorado traded <a href="https://theleafsnation.com/news/how-mikko-rantanen-trade-whats-next-mitch-marner">superstar forward Mikko Rantanen earlier this season</a> in a blockbuster deal with the Carolina Hurricanes, receiving Martin Necas, Jack Drury and two picks in return. Sakic and general manager Chris McFarland were aggressive at the deadline, acquiring Charlie Coyle, Brock Nelson, Ryan Lindgren among others, emerging as <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/2025-nhl-trade-deadline-winners-losers-dallas-stars-colorado-avalanche-florida-panthers-toronto-maple-leafs">one of the clear winners</a>, while becoming more agile during their contention window.</p>
<div class="bam-inline-promotion-block" data-max-length="2" data-placement-id="2106" data-context="web-content-promocard" data-property-id="324">Bednar raved about his new-look lineup ahead of Wednesday&#8217;s game against the <a href="https://theleafsnation.com/news/tavares-noise-marner-matthews-leadership-mackinnon-toronto-maple-leafs">Toronto Maple Leafs</a>.</div>
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<div data-max-length="2" data-placement-id="2106" data-context="web-content-promocard" data-property-id="324">&#8220;There&#8217;s nine new guys in the lineup. A lot of key players in the lineup, with strength down the middle, with the addition of (Brock) Nelson and (Charlie) Coyle, something that we felt we needed to improve. On the back end, with (Ryan) Lindgren. And also, (Jack) Drury in the middle of the ice. There&#8217;s so many changes. I guess they were steadily saying they were going to do what they could do, to try to help our team. You&#8217;ve got players like Nate and Cale, and you don&#8217;t want to miss out on opportunities, if you think you have a chance to win, and I think those guys always give you a chance to win. But finding guys and being able to fit them in under the cap, can be a challenge.</div>
<div data-max-length="2" data-placement-id="2106" data-context="web-content-promocard" data-property-id="324"></div>
<div data-max-length="2" data-placement-id="2106" data-context="web-content-promocard" data-property-id="324">&#8220;I think they did an outstanding job showing belief in our team and having a real good understanding of what we needed, and trying to fit them in those spots. Because there are some challenges with (captain Gabriel Landeskog) being out, you go into the year and you&#8217;re hoping he&#8217;s going to make his return, and you can&#8217;t spend all this money and that can hamper you in the offseason, which is probably one of the reasons why we started a little bit thin. Some of the injuries had something to do with that. To be able to revamp our roster on the fly has been impressive.&#8221;</div>
<p>In some ways, the Avalanche serve as a blueprint for the Maple Leafs, as they&#8217;ve maximized their chances at winning a Stanley Cup, built cleverly around their foundational superstars and traded Rantanen when it became clear that both parties were unlikely to reach an extension, despite the fact that the power forward emerged as one of the best players in franchise history. Rantanen and Marner may be inextricably linked beyond their shared draft class, after the Maple Leafs <a href="https://theleafsnation.com/news/report-hurricanes-asked-toronto-maple-leafs-marner-rantanen">reportedly asked their star winger to waive his no-move trade clause</a>, in a potential deal with the Hurricanes for the power forward.</p>
<p>Bednar was asked about how to defend Marner entering Wednesday&#8217;s matchup, as he leads the Maple Leafs with 21 goals and 82 points in 66 games.</p>
<p>&#8220;Like most good players, great players in the league, you got to be aware of where he is on the ice. And you also have to <em>really</em> work hard to check the puck back when he has it. Skating to check is something that&#8217;s really important. You have to try to take away time and space and playmaking ability every chance you get. He&#8217;s willing to hang on to it, he&#8217;s willing to make you miss, you have to be really dialled into what you&#8217;re doing and make sure you&#8217;ve got the right guys out against him.&#8221;</p>
<p>Nathan MacKinnon leads the NHL with 103 points and could be in line for his second consecutive Hart Trophy. <a href="https://theleafsnation.com/news/craig-berube-north-south-hockey-challenge-stopping-nathan-mackinnon-cale-makar">Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube provided a droll response</a> about how to game plan for the Avalanche superstar, before providing a more expansive answer.</p>
<p>&#8220;Well, I don’t know. But if you find out before the game, you can let me know,” Berube said.</p>
<p>&#8220;You just got to stay up on top of him as best as you can. It’s just like playing (Connor) McDavid. They’ve got great speed, they’re competitive guys with tons of skill. It’s about trying to slow them down. Picking them up in the neutral zone, trying to get on top of them, deny them the puck as much as possible, deny them time and space, it’s all the same things every coach does.&#8221;</p>
<p>It should be a thrilling contest Wednesday, featuring some of the NHL&#8217;s most explosive stars, as the Maple Leafs look to take down one of the leading Stanley Cup contenders, before hitting the road on Thursday to take on the New York Rangers.</p>
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There are few constants in the NHL, but the Colorado Avalanche have operated as a barometer of success under head coach Jared Bardner and president of hockey operations Joe Sakic. Colorado won the Stanley Cup in 2022 and entered the year as a primary contender once again, but made several seismic changes that shook up the landscape of the league.

Colorado traded <a href="https://theleafsnation.com/news/how-mikko-rantanen-trade-whats-next-mitch-marner">superstar forward Mikko Rantanen earlier this season</a> in a blockbuster deal with the Carolina Hurricanes, receiving Martin Necas, Jack Drury and two picks in return. Sakic and general manager Chris McFarland were aggressive at the deadline, acquiring Charlie Coyle, Brock Nelson, Ryan Lindgren among others, emerging as <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/2025-nhl-trade-deadline-winners-losers-dallas-stars-colorado-avalanche-florida-panthers-toronto-maple-leafs">one of the clear winners</a>, while becoming more agile during their contention window.
<div class="bam-inline-promotion-block" data-max-length="2" data-placement-id="2106" data-context="web-content-promocard" data-property-id="324">Bednar raved about his new-look lineup ahead of Wednesday's game against the <a href="https://theleafsnation.com/news/tavares-noise-marner-matthews-leadership-mackinnon-toronto-maple-leafs">Toronto Maple Leafs</a>.</div>
<div data-max-length="2" data-placement-id="2106" data-context="web-content-promocard" data-property-id="324"></div>
<div data-max-length="2" data-placement-id="2106" data-context="web-content-promocard" data-property-id="324">"There's nine new guys in the lineup. A lot of key players in the lineup, with strength down the middle, with the addition of (Brock) Nelson and (Charlie) Coyle, something that we felt we needed to improve. On the back end, with (Ryan) Lindgren. And also, (Jack) Drury in the middle of the ice. There's so many changes. I guess they were steadily saying they were going to do what they could do, to try to help our team. You've got players like Nate and Cale, and you don't want to miss out on opportunities, if you think you have a chance to win, and I think those guys always give you a chance to win. But finding guys and being able to fit them in under the cap, can be a challenge.</div>
<div data-max-length="2" data-placement-id="2106" data-context="web-content-promocard" data-property-id="324"></div>
<div data-max-length="2" data-placement-id="2106" data-context="web-content-promocard" data-property-id="324">"I think they did an outstanding job showing belief in our team and having a real good understanding of what we needed, and trying to fit them in those spots. Because there are some challenges with (captain Gabriel Landeskog) being out, you go into the year and you're hoping he's going to make his return, and you can't spend all this money and that can hamper you in the offseason, which is probably one of the reasons why we started a little bit thin. Some of the injuries had something to do with that. To be able to revamp our roster on the fly has been impressive."</div>
In some ways, the Avalanche serve as a blueprint for the Maple Leafs, as they've maximized their chances at winning a Stanley Cup, built cleverly around their foundational superstars and traded Rantanen when it became clear that both parties were unlikely to reach an extension, despite the fact that the power forward emerged as one of the best players in franchise history. Rantanen and Marner may be inextricably linked beyond their shared draft class, after the Maple Leafs <a href="https://theleafsnation.com/news/report-hurricanes-asked-toronto-maple-leafs-marner-rantanen">reportedly asked their star winger to waive his no-move trade clause</a>, in a potential deal with the Hurricanes for the power forward.

Bednar was asked about how to defend Marner entering Wednesday's matchup, as he leads the Maple Leafs with 21 goals and 82 points in 66 games.

"Like most good players, great players in the league, you got to be aware of where he is on the ice. And you also have to <em>really</em> work hard to check the puck back when he has it. Skating to check is something that's really important. You have to try to take away time and space and playmaking ability every chance you get. He's willing to hang on to it, he's willing to make you miss, you have to be really dialled into what you're doing and make sure you've got the right guys out against him."

Nathan MacKinnon leads the NHL with 103 points and could be in line for his second consecutive Hart Trophy. <a href="https://theleafsnation.com/news/craig-berube-north-south-hockey-challenge-stopping-nathan-mackinnon-cale-makar">Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube provided a droll response</a> about how to game plan for the Avalanche superstar, before providing a more expansive answer.

"Well, I don’t know. But if you find out before the game, you can let me know,” Berube said.

"You just got to stay up on top of him as best as you can. It’s just like playing (Connor) McDavid. They’ve got great speed, they’re competitive guys with tons of skill. It’s about trying to slow them down. Picking them up in the neutral zone, trying to get on top of them, deny them the puck as much as possible, deny them time and space, it’s all the same things every coach does."

It should be a thrilling contest Wednesday, featuring some of the NHL's most explosive stars, as the Maple Leafs look to take down one of the leading Stanley Cup contenders, before hitting the road on Thursday to take on the New York Rangers.
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