The Stanley Cup Playoffs are officially on the calendar for the Colorado Avalanche for the 9th consecutive season. First team to 100 points. First team to clinch a playoffs spot.
Since the Olympic break, the Av’s have gone (9-4-1) with the season record currently at (46-13-10), still on top 1st overall in the Western Conference and the NHL with 102 points.
Recently, Colorado hasn’t been playing to their full potential, which is still better than all of the other NHL teams. Over the past few weeks, key players have come and gone, and now the Av’s will aim towards regaining the flawless chemistry that they started out with toward the beginning of the season. With Sam Girard gone, and Nazem Kadri back in the mix, they’ll have to restructure their approach to improve their struggling powerplay unit. Colorado is currently ranked 28th in the NHL on the powerplay at (16.7%). It’ll be interesting to see how it all pans out adding two of the OGs forwards, (Logan O’Connor & Nazem Kadri), and adding Ross Colton back in the lineup.
“Keep firing away” is the name of the game with the many weapons Colorado has brought back as of today. Nathan MacKinnon is currently the first runner-up for the “Maurice Richard Trophy” Award with the most goals in the league (45), barely ahead of (MTL) Cole Caufield with 43 goals, and (TB) Nikita Kucherov with 40 goals. All have had a brilliant showing so far this season.
A few days ago, Nazem Kadri scored his “Welcome Home” goal with a good indication that nothing has changed in his game since his departure. Two days ago, Gabe Landeskog scored in his first game back from injury instantaneously contributing, in true Captain fashion showing how much better this team performs when he is back in the lineup. Marty Necas has been on a hot streak leading the Av’s with 10 points in the last 5 games (5 goals, 5 assists). Necas (+45) and MacKinnon (+57) are still the plus/minus leaders in the NHL also.
Tonight, the best out of Nova Scotia, “Cole Harbours Finest” Nathan MacKinnon and Sidney Crosby will go head-to-head as the Avalanche take on the Penguins in Pittsburgh, PA. It’ll be the second and last time these two teams will go against each other. Great news for Colorado, Fan favorite (FW) Logan O’Connor is finally good to go after being on IR for several months after surgery will make his season debut tonight. Speedy (FW) Ross Colton returns in the lineup tonight on the 2nd line with Brock Nelson and Val Nichushkin, just in time to turn it up and get cooking before the playoffs. The only piece that is missing is Artturi Lehkonen who should be back in time for the playoffs. That’ll give the Avalanche a “full-strength” roster that will be absolutely terrifying for whoever the Av’s face during the 1st round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Dante Robinson | Senior NHL Analyst for The NSR Network
