Cody McLeod arrived too late for the glory years of the Colorado Avalanche, but he hopes to see them return very soon.

The 26-year-old Binscarth product wrapped up his fourth season with the National Hockey League club this spring and to say it was a trying year would be putting it mildly.

The Avalanche limped to a 30-44-8 record, their worst showing since moving from Quebec City 16 years ago, and finished second-last in the NHL's overall standings.

"Definitely, from a team standpoint, it was a long year," McLeod said. "We were doing well right up until Christmastime there and then I guess you could kinda say the wheels fell off a little bit. Nobody was happy with their season, I guess you could say. It's always tough when you go through a stretch of games like that, but we've just gotta regroup and get ready for next year."

On Dec. 19, the Avalanche were in the thick of things at 19-10-4. From that point on, they won only 11 times in their final 49 games.

That would be frustrating in itself, but given that the Avalanche seemed to be a team on the rise in 2009-10, the follow-up this season was particularly disappointing.

"We've got some good young players that are going to be real important keys to the team within the next few years," McLeod said.

"As a young team, you're always going to go through those growing pains and that kinda stuff. You've gotta learn the league and just get more experience. It was just kind of a letdown after we weren't supposed to make the playoffs the year before and we did and we gave San Jose a good go (in the first round of the playoffs before losing in six games) and it was just tough this past season.

"We had a lot of injuries. That was one main reasons. There was a few aspects, but I think that was the biggest key point is we had some injuries."

Now that the NBA draft lottery has concluded and the Cleveland Cavaliers will select No. 1 overall, the complete draft order is set. As a result, SB Nation has released its first 2011 NBA Mock Draft. Down at No. 22, the Denver Nuggets select Kansas Jayhawks shooting guard Josh Selby:

Selby missed the first nine games of the season due to an NCAA rules violation suspension and then scored in double-digits in nine of 14 games. At that point, he missed three games to injury and lost his scoring touch over the rest of the season. Is he the kind of player who should have returned to school to improve his stock after a second year in college?

One player the Nuggets would likely wish they could have but won't be in a position to draft is Colorado Buffaloes guard Alec Burks. In this mock, Burks goes where he's placed in several other mock drafts: No. 10 to the Milwaukee Bucks. Burks' projection is around picks 10-14.

If the Nuggets want to look at another position, maybe in the front court, Brazilian Lucas Nogueira (No. 24 to the Thunder in this mock) could be a viable selection. If the Nuggets are able to retain fellow countryman Nene, there could be a strong combo up front.

There’s nothing like closing out the season at home against the Chiefs. Then again, there is something like it.

Quick flashback: January 3, 2009. Jamaal Charles basically stood up on the wave and rode it all the way through last season. It was during this game that he had 25 carries for 259 yards and 2 touchdowns. He rode that performance and averaged 6.4 yards per game in 2010. The Broncos were within three at the start of the 4th quarter, but then things blew up and it was Chiefs – 44 Broncos – 24. Game, set, match. That put the cap on Josh McDaniels’ full year as head coach.

That bitter taste was partially washed away when the Broncos hosted the Chiefs at home in 2010. Better flashback: The Broncos were on a four game losing streak and captain D.J. Williams was on the sidelines to start the game because of a DUI arrest. The kickoff soared and so did the Broncos. Kyle Orton threw for 296 yards and 4 touchdowns and Tim Tebow threw his first career touchdown and ran for another. Denver’ defense stuffed the run and allowed just 51 yards on the ground. Final score? Broncos – 49 Chiefs – 29.

Over the past two seasons, we’ve ridden the highest of highs and the lowest of lows as Broncos fans. That’s just the way it goes when a team makes a significant coaching change after long tenured coach Mike Shanahan was shown the exit door.

Which Broncos team will show its face is yet to be determined, but closing out the 2011 season at home against arguably the Broncos’ biggest rival is the grand finale of this fireworks show.

The Chiefs later half of the schedule is not for the faint of heart. Their final six games has them going up against New England at Foxboro, hosting the Steelers, traveling to Chicago and New York (Jets), hosting the defending Super Bowl Champion Green Bay Packers, and then throwing out the welcome mat for the Raiders.

Troy Tulowitzki homered among his three hits and drove in three runs in Colorado's 12-7 victory over the San Diego Padres. Jorge De La Rosa (5-1) managed to snag the win despite giving up nine hits and five runs in 5 2/3 innings. The Rockies, who scored five times over the first two innings before adding three insurance runs in the eighth, snapped a two- game skid and won for just the second time in eight games. Cameron Maybin had a 4-for-4 night with a pair of homers and three RBI for the Padres. Dustin Moseley (1-5) allowed nine hits and six runs in four innings to suffer the loss.

Fernando Martinez and David Wright clubbed two- run homers in the eighth inning as the New York Mets rallied for a 6-4 win over the Houston Astros. Jason Bay also went deep for the Mets, who scored all their runs from the seventh inning on to win for the sixth time in eight tries. The Astros, who had a pair of runners thrown out at the plate, suffered their seventh loss in nine contests. Mets starter Dillon Gee fanned a career- high six batters in five-plus innings, while Houston's Bud Norris struck out eight over 7 1/3 innings. Bay homered to left with two outs in the seventh, and the Mets used more power to grab the lead the following inning. Justin Turner singled to lead off. Martinez, hitting for reliever Pat Misch (1-0), then homered to right field.

The Colorado Avalanche signed forward Milan Hejduk, one of the top scorers in franchise history, to a one-year contract Wednesday.

Hejduk, 35, scored 22 goals and had 56 points last season, his 12th with the Avalanche. He tied Joe Sakic's franchise record by scoring 20 or more goals for the 11th straight season.

The Czech Republic native entertained thoughts of possibly calling it a career after the 2010-11 season. But now he's eager to return for another go-round following a frustrating year in which the Avalanche won their fewest games (30) and tallied their fewest points in the standings (68) since relocating from Quebec to Denver in 1995.

"It was a bad season last year, but I think this team has quite a potential if everybody gets healthy. I think it's going to be a different story. I'm still pretty positive for next year," Hejduk said in a conference call. "It was always my intention to play for the Avalanche as long as I can and as long as they're interested."

The Denver Post reported the deal was worth $2.6 million with incentives that could push it to $3 million, which is what he made last season.

Hejduk is one of the team's most prolific scorers, ranking fourth in franchise history in goals (357) and points (757).

"Milan has been a big part of our organization throughout the past 12 seasons," Avalanche general manager Greg Sherman said. "He's been one of the top goal scorers in the NHL over the last decade and we look forward to having him back."

With longtime defenseman Adam Foote's retirement, Hejduk becomes the elder statesman on a squad filled with youngsters.

"There's nobody near my age group," Hejduk said, chuckling.

A three-time Olympian, Hejduk won a gold medal with the Czech Republic at the 1998 Winter Games in Nagano, Japan, and a bronze medal at the 2006 Olympics in Torino, Italy.

The Denver Nuggets traded away Carmelo Anthony last season, and will look to replace him in this year's draft.

JaJuan Johnson is a SF that can come in and contribute right away at the NBA level.  Johnson is a superior athlete, but he still need to put in some work on his outside game to be productive in the NBA.

However, his athleticism and length should make him a very effective defensive player early in his career.  If Johnson can improve his range and his ability to create he will turn out to be a very productive NBA player.

If Johnson fails to improve his flaws though he may turn out to simply be a shut-down defender in the NBA.

MADD Colorado kicked off its sixth annual Walk Like MADD® event during a night of bowling to "STRIKE out drunk driving" with some very special guests... the Denver Broncos Cheerleaders! The cheerleaders were there to cheer on MADD supporters and volunteers, along with local businesses and community partners, as they bowled to raise awareness and funds to keep Colorado communities safe. The kickoff bowling event was designed to give Walk teams the opportunity to sign up their walkers and raise funds — all while having a fun night as a team

The 2011 Denver Walk Like MADD is presented locally by the Law Firm of Bachus & Schanker, MADD Colorado's Statewide Sponsor since 2009. "We are honored to be a part of Walk Like MADD as the Statewide Sponsor," says Darin Schanker, founding partner at the law firm of Bachus & Schanker, LLC. "Our experience in personal injury law has shown us firsthand the devastating effects drunk driving has on victims and families. Through both our financial contributions and our continued participation as a Walk Like MADD sponsor, we hope to support the invaluable programs and victim services provided by MADD."

Adams County Assessor Gil Reyes accepted Colorado Rockies and Avalanche tickets and lunch invitations from the vice president of a company that won reductions totaling $23 million on the taxable values of its warehouses.

The gifts are detailed in a series of e-mail exchanges, which indicate that Reyes and Randall Hertel enjoyed a cordial, chatty relationship that mixed business with the pleasures of ballgames.

In one, Hertel thanked Reyes for "championing" a tax refund on two of its buildings to the county commissioners. The decision saved the company more than $200,000 a year on those buildings alone.

Hertel is a senior vice president of Majestic Real ty Co., a company based in City of Industry, Calif., that led all contributors to Reyes' 2002 and 2006 assessor campaigns. The company and its officers and affiliates gave a total of $14,000 in $1,000 checks to Reyes. He ran unopposed for a third term in 2010.

In another message, Hertel told Reyes the taxable value he wanted set on a building not yet built, hoping a low tax bill would help his company win a bid to construct a record-storage center for the federal government.

Reyes replied that "the figures you have proposed would be favorably considered."

The Denver Post previously reported that Majestic Realty and other contributors to Reyes' campaigns had won property-tax reductions, prompting a state investigation.

Asked about the e-mails, Reyes issued a statement April 29 expressing regret but adding that he expects the state investigation will support the values he set on the Majestic properties.

"As the county assessor, I have worked diligently to ensure Adams County property values are fairly and accurately assessed. I have every confidence that the values set for the Majestic properties have been properly derived," he stated. "Nonetheless, I recognize some of my communications with Mr. Hertel were inappropriate, and I regret any implication they may have on the integrity of my office."

Hertel declined to answer questions, citing the state investigation.

He did say Majestic failed to win the bid for a new National Archives and Record Administration storage center in Colorado.

The Colorado Avalanche Information Center said a damaging avalanche has already struck in Summit County. The avalanche demolished 100-year-old trees and a voltage tower.

A different situation is playing out in the southern Colorado where snowpack levels were below average in at least four southwestern basins.

The Rio Grande basin measured in at only 72 percent of average. Dry vegetation, low moisture levels and high winds have sparked several wildfires in the region and national wildfire experts have been predicting a costly season in the area as they continue to struggle with drought conditions.

About 180 miles east, Greeley officials have also begun to prepare for high water levels from the spring runoff. They predicted the flow rate of the Poudre River north of the city to peak at 6,000 cubic feet per second — enough to fill four Olympic size swimming pools every minute. The highest flow rate ever recorded for the Poudre river peaked at 6,610 cubic feet per second in 1999 when the river flooded its banks, caused several road closures and threatened homes.

Greeley authorities say they've been removing fences, trees and foliage that might contribute to river blockages and Routt County officials say they're offering free sandbags to residents with a history of flood mitigation.

the New York Knicks were one and done in the playoffs but they made huge news at the trade deadline. New York agreed to a blockbuster 13-player deal with the Denver Nuggets and the Minnesota Timberwolves which brought Carmelo Anthony to New York. The Knicks sent Wilson Chandler, Danilo Gallinari, Raymond Felton, Timofey Mozgov, 1 first-round pick and 2 second-round picks to the Nuggets in exchange for Anthony, Chauncey Billups, Shelden Williams, Renaldo Balkman and Anthony Carter. The Timberwolves sent Kosta Koufos to Denver, Corey Brewer to New York, and received Eddy Curry and Anthony Randolph from New York and a second-round pick from Denver. Rounding out the top 10 OVER teams: New York (46-34-2) Philadelphia (46-35-1), Denver (44-34-4), Dallas (44-36-2), San Antonio (44-36-2), Portland (43-36-2), Detroit (44-38), Houston (43-37-2).