This is bad.

The Colorado Avalanche’s 9-6-1 record isn’t the issue. It’s a fine place to be after 16 games for a team that, last season aside, hasn’t always been known for getting off to hot starts in recent memory.

The problem is that Colorado is getting absolutely dismantled far too often. And it’s happening on the road, against teams that, at least so far this season, should have given the Avalanche little reason to fear them.

Tuesday night’s 7-2 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena encapsulated just about every issue Colorado has faced over the past several weeks. Columbus entered the game ranked 29th in the NHL in goals per game and proceeded to put together its most productive offensive performance of the season.

It’s becoming a troubling pattern.

When the Philadelphia Flyers beat Colorado two weeks ago, they were coming off just their first win, 10 games into the season. They proceeded to put three goals on the Avs. The Flyers now rank 32nd in the NHL in goals.

When the Avalanche visited Winnipeg on Oct. 7, the Jets scored three times against Mackenzie Blackwood and picked up one of their five wins this season. Winnipeg entered Tuesday 0-7-2 in its previous nine games before pulling off an incredible comeback against Montreal. And oh yeah, the Jets also rank 31st in the league in goals.

Sandwiched between the Jets and Blue Jackets are the Chicago Blackhawks, whose 30th-ranked offense scored twice early in Monday’s matchup. Colorado managed to rally and win that game, sparing an already ugly road stretch from becoming a complete disaster.

And who could forget the disgraceful performance in Nashville a little more than a week ago? The Avalanche surrendered six goals to a Predators team that ranks 23rd in the league in scoring and had played the night before.

Tuesday was another all-around disaster.

Scott Wedgewood got the start and allowed four goals on nine shots before being pulled. Mackenzie Blackwood wasn’t much better in relief, surrendering three goals on 15 shots. The Avalanche gave up a goal just 28 seconds into the game and then watched Columbus score four times in the second period.

The power play was largely ineffective, with Nazem Kadri’s goal on a two-man advantage serving as the lone bright spot. Colorado’s top line of Nathan MacKinnon, Martin Necas and Artturi Lehkonen, along with its top defensive pairing of Cale Makar and Devon Toews, each finished minus-3.

Nothing went right. Everything went wrong. And whatever the Avalanche need to do to get this figured out, it needs to happen quickly. Head coach Jared Bednar has his work cut out for him.

Losses in October and November are fine. But these kinds of performances are absolutely not.

Bad: Central Division Won’t Let Up

While the Avalanche were busy getting embarrassed in Columbus, the other top teams in the Central Division were taking care of business in regulation and gaining ground in the standings.

The Dallas Stars defeated the Washington Capitals, the Minnesota Wild beat the Philadelphia Flyers, and the Utah Mammoth took down the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Colorado’s margin for error in the division isn’t getting any bigger. They’re now fourth place behind all three of the aforementioned clubs.

Good: Nichushkin Enjoyed That One

Good for Valeri Nichushkin, who scored his second goal of the season and recorded his first multi-point game with his new team. And he did it against his former team.