Colorado Avalanche: Breaking News, Rumors & Highlights

Cale Makar Negotiations With Avalanche Reportedly Nearing Completion

Key NHL insider Elliotte Friedman indicated on the Aug. 7 edition of NHL Tonight that progress is being made in contract negotiations with Cale Makar. Makar currently only has one season remaining on his six-year, $54 million contract (a $9 million AAV).

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The Quiz of the Day

One Improvement Each Avalanche Goalie Needs to Make in 2026-27

Goaltending will be one of the more important storylines for the Colorado Avalanche heading into the 2026-27 season. The Avalanche have plenty of firepower in front of the crease, but their ability to make another deep playoff run will depend in part on getting reliable goaltending throughout the season.

Colorado Avalanche News / Colorado Avalanche On SI / August 7

One Improvement Every Avalanche Forward Needs to Make in 2026-27

The Avalanche’s forward group has undergone some change, but there is still no shortage of talent heading into 2026-27. Nathan MacKinnon remains the centerpiece

NHL News / The Hockey Writers / August 7

Avalanche’s Aging Core’s Window to Win is Slowly Closing

Despite bowing out a bit earlier than anyone thought, a sweep at the hands of the Vegas Golden Knights, the Colorado Avalanche remain on the shortlist of contenders going into the 2026-27 season.

San Jose Sharks News / Yardbarker Quizzes

The ''EA NHL,'' covers since 2000' quiz

How many of the players to grace the cover of each EA NHL video game going back to 'NHL 2000?"

The 'First-overall NHL Draft picks' quiz

The 'Conn Smythe Trophy winners' quiz

The 'Most NHL goals all-time' quiz

NHL News / Yardbarker / August 7

Predators GM Chris MacFarland is taking an expensive shortcut

The Nashville Predators needed a different plan after missing the playoffs for the second consecutive season. MacFarland certainly gave them one.

Florida Panthers may have built the NHL's most hated roster

Flyers can no longer hide behind rebuilding label after aggressive summer

Penguins face uncomfortable reason top players no longer want to play in Pittsburgh

The ''EA NHL,'' covers since 2000' quiz

NHL News / Yardbarker

The best and worst NHL free agency deals since 2000

The NHL has had an interesting new millennium. It was a league sans a salary cap when the 2000s started… and then the owners locked the players out for an entire season.

Colorado Avalanche News / Colorado Avalanche On SI / August 6

Avalanche Fans Believe Colorado Is Built to Win the Stanley Cup

The Colorado Avalanche entered the 2025/26 season as a team overlooked by many, but by the end of the regular season, they'd put it all together, and with some big additions at the trade deadline, they cruised to the Presidents' Trophy and the No.

Colorado Avalanche News / Colorado Avalanche On SI / August 6

Ranking the Top 10 Prospects in the Colorado Avalanche System

Last year, the Colorado Avalanche won the Presidents' Trophy, and while it didn't turn into a Stanley Cup Finals appearance, their Stanley Cup window remains wide open thanks to the likes of Cale Makar and Nathan MacKinnon.

Cale Makar News / Stadium Rant / August 6

Cale Makar Deserves To Be The First $20 Million NHL Player, But Won’t Hurt His Team

It is usually a pretty short list of Players when it comes to who The Best Defenseman in the NHL right now is, Cale Makar, Quinn Hughes, Zach Werenski, and after last year Matthew Schaefer.

Nathan MacKinnon News / Trade Talk Sports / August 6

Insider Spitballs Idea of Avalanche Moving on From Nathan MacKinnon

The saying when it’s hard to believe that a big-name NHL star may become available is that Wayne Gretzky was once traded, so anyone can be dealt. That still rings true today, though some players feel far more untouchable than others.

Brad Hunt News / Colorado Avalanche On SI / August 5

Former Avalanche Defenseman Brad Hunt Announces Retirement

Former Colorado Avalanche defenseman Brad Hunt has officially announced his retirement from professional hockey — with the former blueliner having spent two season with the Avalanche from 2022-24.

NHL News / Yardbarker

The defining figure for every NHL franchise

People will talk about the “Mount Rushmore” for a franchise, which is to say the four people, usually four players, that most define the franchise. Not always the four-best players, but the four that evoke the essence of the franchise.

Colorado Avalanche News / Colorado Avalanche On SI / August 4

Where Does the Colorado Avalanche Goaltending Tandem Rank in the NHL?

When the Colorado Avalanche won the Stanley Cup back in 2022, they did so behind a fantastic run from veteran Darcy Kuemper, who posted a 2.57 GAA across 16 appearances in the Stanley Cup Playoffs that year.

Jaden Schwartz News / Colorado Avalanche On SI / August 4

Can Jaden Schwartz Bounce Back? Avalanche Are Betting He Can

In the documentary Some Kind of Monster, Lars Ulrich's father Torben Ulrich famously responded to an early demo song of Metallica's by saying, "Delete that." When it comes to Jaden Schwartz's 2025-26 season, "delete that" probably sums it up best.

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The '2026 CFB preseason Coach's Poll' quiz

The 'NFL 1,500-yard rushers' quiz

The 'Most TDs by NFL franchise' quiz

The 'Last five-hit game by MLB team' quiz

Colorado Avalanche News / Colorado Avalanche On SI / August 3

When Will Ilya Nabokov Make Big Impact on Colorado Avalanche Franchise?

The Colorado Avalanche are entering the 2026-27 NHL season with a goaltending duo of Mackenzie Blackwood and Scott Wedgewood. However, fellow netminder Ilya Nabokov has also become a name for Colorado.

Nathan MacKinnon News / Colorado Avalanche On SI / August 2

Avalanche's Biggest Strength Isn't Nathan MacKinnon

Make no mistake, Nathan MacKinnon is the engine that drives the Colorado Avalanche. He is a former Hart Trophy winner and remains one of the NHL’s most dominant players.

Brad Hunt News / Daily Faceoff / August 2

Brad Hunt retires after 10-year NHL career

Former NHL defenseman Brad Hunt announced on social media that he’s retiring from professional hockey. “Hockey has been a huge part of my life for as long as I can remember.

Colorado Avalanche News / Colorado Avalanche On SI / August 2

Ryan O'Reilly Makes Too Much Sense for the Colorado Avalanche

The Colorado Avalanche are built to win now. Every move the Avs make should be about improving the team's chances over the next two or three seasons, not five years from now.

Brad Hunt News / Pro Hockey Rumors / August 2

Brad Hunt Retires From Professional Hockey

Veteran defenseman Brad Hunt announced on social media yesterday that he has retired from professional hockey. Hunt’s decision brings to a close a professional hockey career that spans 14 years, 422 AHL games, and 288 NHL games.

Colorado Avalanche News / Colorado Avalanche On SI / August 1

3 Worst-Case Scenarios for the Colorado Avalanche in 2026-27

The Colorado Avalanche will once again enter the season with Stanley Cup expectations. Nathan MacKinnon remains one of the NHL’s most dominant players, Cale Makar continues to redefine what an elite defenseman looks like, and the organization spent the offseason reinforcing its veteran core instead of making sweeping changes.

Colorado Avalanche News / The Hockey Writers / July 30

3 Colorado Avalanche With the Most to Prove in 2026-27

The Colorado Avalanche, despite bowing out in the Western Conference Finals, remain the class of the conference. Joe Sakic, back in the role of general manager after the departure of Chris MacFarland, deserves credit for his hand in building one of the strongest rosters in the league.

Joe Sakic News / The Hockey Writers / July 27

Joe Sakic Deserves More Credit for Masterful Handling of the Avalanche

The Colorado Avalanche may have had a disappointing end to their 2026 Stanley Cup Playoff run, but the situation is far from doom and gloom. Despite several changes, they remain the team to beat in the Western Conference.

Cale Makar News / Inside The Rink / July 27

Player Profile: Cale Makar

Cale Makar is a 27-year-old defenseman from Calgary, Alberta, Canada, who was born on October 30, 1998. Makar began his hockey career with the NWCAA Bruins under-18 team as a 13-year-old.

Tyler Weiss News / Inside The Rink / July 23

ECHL: South Carolina Stingrays Bring Back Forward Tyler Weiss

The South Carolina Stingrays have reunited with forward Tyler Weiss, signing the former Brabham Cup contributor for the 2026-27 season. After a career-best 2024-25 season with South Carolina, Weiss earned an AHL contract with the Chicago Wolves.

Zakhar Bardakov News / Pro Hockey Rumors / July 20

Zakhar Bardakov Eyeing An Eventual NHL Return

SKA forward Zakhar Bardakov said in an interview with Sport Express that he’s far from done with the NHL, even after a swift return to the KHL following his rookie season in Colorado.

Colorado Avalanche News / Daily Faceoff / July 17

Memorial Cup-winning coach Jussi Ahokas hired by Avalanche’s AHL team

A promising bench boss with a winning pedigree is turning pro for the first time…on this side of the pond. On Friday, the Colorado Avalanche announced that the team has hired Jussi Ahokas as the team’s as the new head coach of their American Hockey League affiliate, the Colorado Eagles.

Colorado Avalanche News / Daily Faceoff / July 15

2026-27 NHL Prospect Pool Breakdown: Colorado Avalanche’s Top 10

Welcome back. It’s time for Daily Faceoff’s third annual NHL Prospect Pool Breakdown, looking at the best all 32 teams have to offer. We’re highlighting the top 10 prospects for every franchise, their biggest strengths and weaknesses, and so much more.