Ask a hockey fan who they think will win the Cup this season, and they’ll probably give you the expected answers. The Florida Panthers are expected to three-peat, even without Aleksander Barkov. The Dallas Stars and the Edmonton Oilers look to be great again. Maybe the Carolina Hurricanes and Toronto Maple Leafs get over the hump. There aren’t a lot of picks for the Colorado Avalanche.
It wasn’t long ago that the Avalanche were on top of the mountain. They were the team to beat and expected to be a Cup-caliber team every year. Fast forward, and they’ve gotten the one-and-done reputation. So, don’t be surprised if they go on a run this season, even if they’ve drifted out of everyone’s minds.
The MacKinnon & Makar Revenge Tour
If there are two players who are particularly looking to get their revenge, it’s Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar. They saw how their season ended with Mikko Rantanen taking over Game 7 while they had no answers as the Stars took the series. Look for two of the game’s best players to take over games when it matters most, especially if they face Rantanen and the Stars again.
The duo will lead the way in the playoffs but it’s worth adding that they will keep the Avalanche near the top of the Central Division as well. MacKinnon and Makar are the star players who will carry this team. At the same time, this isn’t the same old top-heavy Avalanche team.
Avalanche Have Depth
The Rantanen trade changed the complexion of the Avalanche. When they moved him, they answered a question in real time about their ability to win with only four skaters taking up all of their cap space. Instead of being a top-heavy group, the Avalanche now have contributors throughout the lineup.
Martin Necas and Valeri Nichuskin are key parts of the top six. Brock Nelson is the top-six center the Avalanche have searched for since Nazem Kadri left in 2022. On the defensive unit, Brent Burns is a valuable veteran addition while the goaltending duo of MacKenzie Blackwood and Scott Wedgewood is good enough. There’s a good chance they end up with the best record in the Central Division, as they have star power and depth.
The Avalanche Will Make a Splash if Needed
It’s still unknown whether Sidney Crosby is staying with the Pittsburgh Penguins or will ask for a trade. Will he stay loyal to the team that he’s spent his entire career with or play on a contender and make one more run at a Cup? If he wants to end his career on a contender, the Avalanche are one of the few teams that make sense.
The Avalanche acquiring Crosby changes the conversation around them. If they get him, they become the team to beat in the Western Conference, although to be fair, any contender that adds Crosby becomes the team to beat.
Even if they don’t get Crosby, expect the Avalanche to make a big move. Kadri is a great fit, and the Avalanche can bring him back to add that missing piece. They are in a good spot, even without the assets to make a splash, as they have the players to attract a star, especially if there isn’t a bidding war for some of the players on the trade block.
Landeskog is Back & At Full Strength
It’s easy to forget what a healthy Gabriel Landeskog looks like. The Landeskog-MacKinnon-Rantanen line was once the best in the NHL and led the team to the Cup in 2022 but a significant knee injury sidelined the Avalanche captain. It’s been a long journey back, and last season wasn’t a fair evaluation of him.
Landeskog will be with the Avalanche from day one to start the season. He might not be the consistent 30-goal scorer or 60-point getter but he’ll be good enough to upgrade the Avalanche. Even if he adds 20 goals to the offense, the team will take it.
Avalanche Road To The Finals
The Central Division isn’t a juggernaut, at least that’s what it seems. The Stars will be great but they didn’t take a step forward in the offseason. The Winnipeg Jets lost Nikolaj Ehlers, and after winning the Presidents’ Trophy, they’ll take a step back. The rebuilding teams look to jump into the playoff picture but they have their question marks.
The Avalanche are still a great team, and while they never took a big step forward, they certainly didn’t take a step back. Plus, they are built for the playoffs now compared to how they looked in the previous seasons. In 2023, they were caught napping against an upstart Seattle Kraken group. The past two seasons, they have lacked the depth or star power to beat the Stars. Now, they check off both boxes, and it makes them a team built to win the Cup this season.
Crosby stays put. Give that thought up!
Necas is not Moose, let’s hope he does not wish to be paid like him!
Let’s hope injuries stay clear of the Avs stars and all are healthy for the playoffs. The biggest foe will be the Stars once again, and it will be another fantastic series!