Without Peter Forsberg to help on offense, the Colorado Avalanche, behind goalie Patrick Roy, turned into defensive specialists last season. After losing a three defensemen to free agency, will the presence of Forsberg for the entire season be enough for the Avalanche to maintain their place near the top of the Western Conference?

ESPN.com asked for your thoughts about the Avalanche. Here is an edited sampling of your responses:

Peter Forsberg will definitely make things easier for the Avs during the regular season, but I don't think their chances at the Cup will improve. The Game 7 loss to the Wings showed that if Roy is not on his game, they have no chance. They have a great team, but Roy still carries them. I don't think they will be able to knock off the Wings.

John Kyle
Canton, Ohio

The Avs will be an offensive powerhouse this season, which is good because after last season... Roy's age and the number of goals he'll let in have no where to go but up. John Schatz
Colorado Springs, Colo.

Offensively, the Avs will be much better this year. Having Forsberg back, for hopefully a good majority of the season, will take A LOT of pressure off Sakic and I can guarantee that he will score more than 26 goals. The defense this year might be a little questionable. Losing Kasparaitis won't devastate them, since they were doing so well before they got him. A big question mark is Patrick Roy. Can he play as well this year as he did last year? A season like that is difficult to duplicate. If Roy plays as well as he did when the Avs won the Cup two years ago, the Avs shouldn't have too much to worry about. As a devout Avs fan, I am disappointed to see that they didn't go after any free agents this summer. Why Pierre Lacroix always waits until the trading deadline to get someone, I'll never know. But I do know that with Yzerman sidelined for the first three months is when the Avs have to make their move if they want home ice for the playoffs.

Mike Perry
Las Vegas

Detroit's still in the league ... so anything the Avs do doesn't really matter!

Ben Jimines
Bloomington, Ind.

Overall, the balance in offense is there, especially with the leadership of Peter Forsberg and Joe Sakic. It would have been nice to see Colorado re-sign Darius Kasparaitis, but Pierre Lacroix was not impressed with his performance. Maybe Colorado could not afford him? Defense is going to be a big question, especially with the health of Rob Blake and Adam Foote. It's very rare to see both of them put in a full season due to injuries. Colorado needs to sign a couple of good defensemen that are able to put in at least 20 minutes per game. Maybe Colorado can sign Jason Smith from Edmonton?

Eric Brungardt Loveland, Colo.

Sure, they have Forsberg back, but a healthy Forsberg couldn't save the team in the playoffs once Roy went down. Roy proved that if he makes a mistake, he may not be able to get back into his game quick enough. The Wings out scored Colorado 9-0 in games that a healthy-minded Roy should have won. Colorado will be a contender until the team gets torn apart, but they may no longer be the top dog of the West.

Dustin Burns
Detroit

Colorado's chance to get back to the Stanley Cup can be summarized in two words ... Peter Forsberg. This team goes as he goes, as evidenced by his dominance in the playoffs. With an improved division, Peter the Great won't be able to sit out all season again. The West is stacked, and Colorado, although a terrific team, may not be the favorite, even in their own division. Vancouver proved that they are the next up-and-coming team in the division, and Colorado will need all weapons in their arsenal to hold them off.

Robert Cozart
Denton, Texas

The Avs will make the finals, as long as the following happen:
1) The big names stay healthy (obviously).
2) Hartley allows lines to gain chemistry. Every one knows the Avs' scouting is top-notch, which is why they have quality youth on their roster. Getting them to perform well with the likes of Sakic, Forsberg, and Blake will be key. Coach Hartley will have to show patience in determining the best combinations of first- and second-year players with the veterans.
3) Patrick has to remain focused and "hungry" like last season ... if he continues his "better with age" trend, look out everybody! Aebischer is among the best backups in the league, but he's lost in the shadows. Hopefully, David will gain some deserved recognition this season. Goaltending will not be a problem area for Colorado for a LONG time. (Credit again to the scouting).
4) I also suggest the Avalanche organization hire me in some sort of public relations capacity (mascot, tour guide...), or any other position that needs filled or could be created and filled by me. That would guarantee they have the best season possible. Even if the above three things don't happen. Hey. It doesn't hurt to try. By the way, I am willing to relocate, Mr. Kroenke and Mr. Lacroix!

Mike Woodbury
Findlay, Ohio

I still see Colorado as the most talented team in the Western Conference. For all of Detroit's "dominance" last year, people forget that the Avs came within a fluke goal by Detroit of winning that series last spring (off of DeVries' glove and onto Robitaille's skate). They have maybe the two best forwards in the league in Sakic and Forsberg, the league's best goalie, and one of the top two defensemen. They don't spend money like Detroit can, but they will fill the holes they need to fill by the trading deadline, and will probably be the favorite to win the Cup. This is one of the most consistent, best-run franchises in pro sports.

Terry Phillips
Harrison Township, Mich.

The Avs will win it all this coming season. I hope that the Dead Wings make it to the West finals again so the Avs can show them how it feels to not repeat.

Dwayne Evans
Long Beach, Calif.