Denver Post sports writer Bennett Durando opens up the Avs Mailbag periodically throughout the season. Pose an Avalanche- or NHL-related question for the Avs Mailbag.

This team has had missing links all season and just can’t seem to get everything going. Some like to talk about Nazem Kadri leaving as a main factor in the struggles, but I would argue the team misses their captain, Gabe Landeskog, more. Am I missing something with this team?

— Tom, Highlands Ranch

I think there’s a distinction between classifying Kadri as the biggest unfilled hole and characterizing Landeskog as the player Colorado misses most. Both are probably true. (Players have told me how valuable Landeskog’s leadership is during tough times.) And yet somehow, the Avs have started winning convincingly without both of them for the first time all season.

Both of your points speak to the same big idea: We’ve talked a lot about lack of depth and secondary scoring, but there’s an outside chance they go into the playoffs with a lineup looking something like this. (Italicized names currently hurt or not on the team.)

FORWARDS

Artturi Lehkonen-Nathan MacKinnon-Mikko Rantanen

Gabriel Landeskog–trade acquisition-Valeri Nichushkin

Alex Newhook-Evan Rodrigues-Denis Malgin

Andrew Cogliano-J.T. Compher-Logan O’Connor

DEFENSE

Devon Toews-Cale Makar

Bo Byram-Josh Manson

Sam Girard-Erik Johnson

POTENTIAL SCRATCHES

Kurtis MacDermid, Ben Meyers, Andreas Englund, Brad Hunt, Jacob MacDonald, depth D trade acquisition.

By the way, I only leave off Darren Helm because Jared Bednar says it’s possible Helm’s injury could turn out to be season-ending. But maybe he also returns, in which case he plays fourth-line center and there’s more flexibility for Rodrigues to play right wing. Or maybe without Helm, Compher plays 3C, Rodrigues moves to the wing to build a line with more scoring potential for both of them, and Malgin or Meyers can play 4C. Whatever the case, that’s a lineup that is plenty capable of winning another Stanley Cup.

If the season ended today (Fri 1/13), the Avs would be on the outside looking in. Is Bednar (or should he be) on the hot seat?

— Jack, Hooper

Nope.

Yo, Bennett. You mentioned Makar is day-to-day. Do fans need to worry about his injury heading into the spring? Feels like this team is getting healthy for a postseason run in the coming months. 

— Rip, Aurora

Worry not. Makar was on the ice in a full-contact sweater Friday in Vancouver, and he led the first power play unit at morning skate, even as he was ruled out for the game. The team is being careful with him, but I expect he’ll be playing again in the next week, maximum.

During the first half of the season, as the Avs continue to be an ongoing episode of General Hospital, Cale Makar and Mikko Rantanen have essentially put the team on their backs. But what do you think the long-term effect will be with them logging so many minutes nightly? I know they’re young, but will their tanks be fairly low by the time the playoffs come around?

— Dan Rish, Albuquerque, NM

The Avalanche’s record might actually impact this conversation. As dominant as they were last season, I initially expected the first two weeks of April this year would be irrelevant games. Obviously, one benefit of a comfortable lead in the standings is an increased luxury to lighten the load on top players before the playoffs.

That just might not be the case with this Avalanche team. My prediction as of Jan. 20 is they will be one of the three Central Division qualifiers, not a wild card. But even so, they’ve cornered themselves with slumps in early December and early January that could result in meaningful April games to clinch a playoff spot. If that’s the situation, Makar, MacKinnon and Rantanen will probably play however many minutes they’re needed.

Before this season, Rantanen played three 25-minute regular season games in his career. He has crossed that threshold 10 times this season, including five 27-minute games.

Bednar trusts his players to trust their bodies. He talks with them frequently about their ice time and how they’re feeling. He has called for more off days and optional skates than usual this season, largely because of those conversations. I think Colorado felt especially desperate for wins earlier this month, and that’s why we saw Makar playing 30 a night. When you’re winning, it’s suddenly a lot easier to ease up on those guys.

Any idea if and when this year’s Pride game will be at Ball Arena?

— Scott Kline, Boulder 

The team has not promoted a Pride Night for this season yet. After Ivan Provorov’s decision to not warm up for a Flyers’ game because he didn’t want to wear their pride-themed jerseys last week, Cogliano of the Avalanche had this to say: “Every locker room I’ve been in, the ‘inclusive’ word has been something that is the only thing I’ll describe. Everyone is a part of this hockey community, and everyone has the right to play.”

Hi, Bennett. Just want your thoughts on where the Avs mascot Bernie ranks with others in the league. Nuggets Super Mascot Rocky is No. 1 in the NBA, but we never hear much about the Avs’ St. Bernard. 

— Stephanie, LoDo

I have spent approximately eight seconds of my life thinking about Bernie before this question. That’s how prominent he is.

But your question led me on a rabbit hole into the fate of Howler the Yeti, the original mascot who reportedly fought a woman in a parking lot then disappeared.

I know you can’t exactly materialize the concept of a person dressed as an avalanche, but I’m generally not a fan of mascots that are dogs just ’cause. Bonus points to the Avs for using a breed known for alpine rescues, I guess, but my take is still an overwhelming “eh.” Bring Howler back from the wilderness. Design a new abominable snowman costume or something. Buy the rights to “Frozone” from Pixar.