There has been plenty of conversation lately surrounding the age of the roster for the Colorado Avalanche. That’s not really something one can deny. Colorado has built a team that is ready to compete for the Stanley Cup, and that takes a lot of veterans.
A recent interview with Colorado Avalanche prospect Ilya Nabokov offers something more interesting than another update on a young goalie trying to make the NHL.
Joe Sakic is fully immersed in Colorado hockey. He has spent the offseason making decisions about who is going to be wearing the burgundy and blue during the 2026-27 Colorado Avalanche season.
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.
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 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.
In his first full campaign with the Colorado Avalanche, center Martin Necas logged career highs in goals (38), assists (62), points (100), time on ice per game (21:30); in addition, defenseman Sam Malinski would also post his best NHL season in 2025-26.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The Colorado Avalanche have plenty of experience and talent on their blue line heading into the 2026-27 season. Cale Makar and Devon Toews remain one of the NHL’s premier defensive pairings, while Josh Manson and Brent Burns bring veteran experience.
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.
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.