Avalanche disappointed but proud after Game 7 loss to Kraken in 1st round

DENVER -- The Colorado Avalanche overcame quite a lot this season but fell short in their bid to repeat as Stanley Cup champions, losing 2-1 in Game 7 of the Western Conference First Round to the Seattle Kraken on Sunday.

"It was pretty impressive what they've overcome," Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said. "Some years it's a little tougher than others, and this was a tough one. I've been in the game at the pro level for quite some time, and there's a lot of stuff that happened this year that you just can't plan for. That's why it's so disappointing for me. It's not frustrating at all.

"I went through that months ago. [It's] disappointing because I wanted our guys, like this group in the locker room, to be able to advance and just keep fighting, keep giving it their all."

The Avalanche played the entire season and postseason without their captain, Gabriel Landeskog, who had knee surgery in October. Colorado would lose a total 463 man-games to injury during the regular season, missing at times key pieces such as forwards Valeri Nichushkin and Darren Helm, and defensemen Josh Manson, Cale Makar, Bowen Byram and Erik Johnson.

RELATED: [Complete Avalanche vs. Kraken series coverage]

The Avalanche were four points out of the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Western Conference on Jan. 12, but they went on a 31-7-4 run to end the regular season and finish first in the Central Division.

"It was one thing after the other this year, and I feel like we didn't have a full lineup all year, but it didn't deter us or sway us from playing our game," Johnson said. "It was a next-man-up mentality, and the guys just responded every night. And to be where we were at the end of the season, I think we're proud."

Makar agreed.

"I'm definitely proud of the group," he said. "I don't think there's ever going to be a season again, knock on wood, that we go through that many injured guys again and that many injured games. It's so tough and everybody was grinding it out playing big minutes in certain months that you shouldn't be playing big minutes in. Everybody was grinding. Proud of the group, for sure. Unfortunate end, but it only motivates you more."

Those injuries and player absences continued into the playoffs for the Avalanche, with the most notable being Nichushkin, who missed the final four games of the series for personal reasons.

But unlike during the regular season, the Avalanche weren't able to overcome that adversity against the Kraken. They allowed the first goal in each of the seven games of the series, including falling behind 2-0 in Game 7.

"It was another test for our group. That's what it was, and we had lots of them," Bednar said. "Sometimes life throws things at you, and same with sport, and you've got to just keep grinding and try to overcome them. Obviously every guy that's out would have helped, but they're out and that's sometimes the way it goes."

The Avalanche now will turn their focus to some tough decisions that need to be made during the offseason. Forwards J.T. Compher, Lars Eller, Evan Rodrigues, Andrew Cogliano, Matt Nieto and Helm, and defensemen Erik Johnson and Jack Johnson all can become unrestricted free agents.

"I don't know. Our season ended five minutes ago. I haven't really thought about it at all," Erik Johnson said. "[I'm] just sad because you put in so much work, and ultimately we did accomplish our goal here (last season), but you don't want to go out like this. But whether if it's the end of the road or not, I was just proud to play here for as long as I did, and just grateful for everything."