Winning the Presidents' Trophy is about as difficult as finding a squishy dumpling at Five Below five minutes after they open. Winning it a second time in a row is as rare as a McDonald's ice cream machine that's actually working.
Nathan MacKinnon is already under contract with the Colorado Avalanche through the 2030-31 season, but that doesn’t make it any less interesting to wonder what another extension would have looked like if the superstar center were eligible to sign one this summer.
Expectations aren’t hard to find around the Colorado Avalanche organization. They run high and lengthy if we are honest. Starting with some obvious things, Nathan MacKinnon should remain one of the NHL’s premier offensive players.
You don't need advanced statistics to know the Colorado Avalanche can fly. Anyone who has watched Nathan MacKinnon blow through the neutral zone, Martin Necas turn on the jets or Cale Makar seemingly go from zero to 60 in the blink of an eye already knows that.
The Colorado Avalanche have already done just about everything possible to establish themselves as one of the NHL’s elite teams. They have Nathan MacKinnon.
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.
Ok, that’s a stupid question, right? There really isn’t even a question as to what the ultimate goal is for the Colorado Avalanche. It’s the Stanley Cup.
Ilya Nabokov, 23, was selected by the Colorado Avalanche in the second round (38th overall) of the 2024 NHL Draft. The Russia native spent 2025-26 on loan with Metallurg, posting a 22-7-5 record, 2.74 GAA and .901 save percentage in 38 regular-season games before going 2-4 with a .892 in seven playoff appearances.
When Martin Necas entered his first full season with the Colorado Avalanche, there were some high expectations. He exceeded them. During the 2024-25 campaign, Necas put up 83 points split between Colorado and Carolina.
It would be seemingly unthinkable that the Colorado Avalanche would be open to trading superstar defenseman Cale Makar. But, as one scribe points out, stranger things in the NHL have happened, and the Avs are a team known for making drastic moves.
The Colorado Avalanche have been quiet, but they have made significant moves that could change the layout on the ice. When the Avalanche signed Vinnie Hinostroza, they didn’t do it to add a big offensive weapon.
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.
The Colorado Avalanche had what some fans could describe as a disappointing postseason and what some fans could describe as not a terrible postseason. The Avalanche and head coach Jared Bednar lost to the Vegas Golden Knights in a sweep in the Western Conference Final back in late May.
Devon Toews continues to receive recognition as one of the NHL’s most dependable defensemen. The Colorado Avalanche defenseman was ranked No. 20 on NHL Network’s list of the league’s top defensemen heading into the 2026-27 season.
Cale Makar of the Colorado Avalanche was selected by NHL Network as the best defenseman for a fifth consecutive year. The annual list is chosen by producers and analysts from the network.
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).
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.