As we quickly approach to the month of December, the Avalanche continue to coast through the league leaving teams guessing if there is even a weak spot that exists within the Av’s roster. Mackenzie Blackwood has quietly developed into one of the top goalies in the NHL, and after having back-to-back shutouts, he might be the best in the game right now.
The Avalanche increased their winning streak to 10 games in a row, including 3 straight shutouts in a row from the woodshed (Wedgewood & Blackwood), which is unheard of. It is still early in the season, but Colorado has been putting on a show, potentially having one of the hottest starts to a season that we’ve ever seen. This is a dynasty that has been building for years with a lot to prove with the newly acquired roster for the 2025-26 season.
Colorado has an arsenal of speed; it’s a thing of beauty for Av’s fans yet terrifying for opposing teams looking to slow them down and figure out how to stop this team which is looking almost impossible to do with the level of tenacity that Colorado brings every night.
Records are broken at least once a week, and the numbers on the stat sheet are absurd. Number 1 in goals scored. Number 1 in goals against. Also, Colorado is the 3rd team in NHL history with 1 regulation loss or fewer through the first 23 games of the season. That has only been achieved by the 1979-80 Philadelphia Flyers, and the 2012-13 Chicago Blackhawks.
The Defense has been shutting down high scoring teams while also producing offense, and Cale has been at the helm of it all. Makar has 457 points in 417 career games, now in elite company with Bobby Orr and Paul Coffey. All three defensemen averaged more than a point per game with at least 400 games played. That right there clearly shows how good Cale Makar has been performing.
The Av’s look like such a complete team all around with everyone contributing, not just the first and second line. The 3rd and 4th lines could easily be a 1st or 2nd line for several other teams. Even Brent Burns, who is currently the oldest player in the league at 40 years old, has been playing lights out and contributing as if he still has a few years left in the tank. Burns has 29 long range shots on goal and is tied for 9th in the NHL and one behind Cale Makar, who has 30 shots in 8th place.
If the Avalanche continue slaughtering teams like they have, there won’t be much else for them to prove throughout the regular season, except to see how many more records they’re able to break. They are (17-1-5) on the season. Colorado is on a clear path to stay undefeated at home and dominate on the road considering the opponents listed on the schedule this month.
Dante Robinson | Senior NHL Analyst for The NSR Network
