The Colorado Avalanche are the NHL posterchildren for the rich who get richer.

Already sporting the best record in the league, the Avs bolstered their already talented lineup by acquiring perennial All-Star defenseman Rob Blake at the trade deadline.

2000-01 by the numbers

Record: 52-16-10-4, 118 points (1st overall, 1st West, 1st Northwest) Man-games lost to injury: 186 (17th) Goals for: 270/3.29 (4th) Goals against: 192/2.34 (T3rd) Differential: 78 (2nd overall) 20-goal scorers: Joe Sakic (54), Milan Hejduk (41), Peter Forsberg (27), Alex Tanguay (27), Chris Drury (24) 50-point scorers: Sakic (118), Forsberg (89), Hejduk (79), Tanguay (77), Drury (65), Ray Bourque* (59) * - no longer on team

But while it may have seemed like the Avs simply set their goal, then accomplished it, it wasn't nearly that easy.

After sweeping the Vancouver Canucks in the first round of the playoffs, the Avalanche were taken to Game 7 by the L.A. Kings in the Western Conference semifinals. They suffered another scare hours after eliminating the Kings when Peter Forsberg underwent emergency surgery to remove his spleen. After downing the Blues in five games in the conference finals, the Avs displayed their resiliency again when they fell behind the New Jersey Devils 3-2 in the Stanley Cup finals, staved off elimination on the road in Game 6 and parlayed their home-ice advantage in the playoffs into a championship in Game 7.

Looking at next season
Next season, the Avalanche have the challenge of being the defending champion, the team everyone wants to beat. Fortunately for them, they are armed with virtually the same lineup as last season.

The Avs secured the core of their Cup-winning team by re-signing captain Joe Sakic, goaltender Patrick Roy and Blake. The moves are testament to the players' desire to stay in Denver and their belief that Colorado will remain a title contender. By extending coach Bob Hartley's contract two more seasons, the Avalanche believe he can keep them there.

If the Avalanche have any weaknesses heading into 2001-02, it's depth on defense and in goal -- although they are still in better shape at both positions than a majority of teams in the league.

While the Avalanche may not be as strong on defense after the loss of Ray Bourque to retirement and Jon Klemm as a free agent to the Blackhawks, they should be able to compensate with the signing of free agent Todd Gill and the continuing development of Martin Skoula. With Nolan Pratt now in Tampa Bay, Rick Berry (0-4-4, plus-5 in 19 games) and Bryan Muir (0-0-0, even in eight games) become the top candidates for the No. 6 spot, which would force the Avs to dip well into their minor-league system for help should injuries strike. And count in injuries striking. Last season, Skoula and Bourque were the only defensemen who didn't miss a game due to injury. Adam Foote led the corps with 47 games missed.

Of course, any defensive deficiency will continue to be backed up by Patrick Roy, who captured his third Conn Smythe trophy as the MVP of the playoffs. While he shows no sign of slowing down, he has hinted that the end of his career is drawing near. His three-year deal gives the Avalanche that much time to determine if David Aebischer or someone else is their goalie of the future.

Through strategic planning or just dumb luck, the Avalanche will enter the 2001-02 season with almost the same exact forward lineup as last season. The lone exceptions being unrestricted free agent Dave Reid, who has yet to sign with a team, and Chris Dingman, who was traded to Carolina. With the top two lines of Alex Tanguay-Sakic-Milan Hejduk and Chris Drury-Forsberg-Ville Nieminen, the Avalanche should remain one of the top offensive teams in the league.

If player retention is any indication, the odds of the Avalanche repeating as Cup champions are pretty good. But as they proved by beating the 2000 champion New Jersey Devils, it isn't as easy as it looks.

Sherry Skalko is the NHL Editor for ESPN.com.