Avalanche must exploit this advantage of 2026-27 schedule

There’s an interesting nuance in the 2026-27 NHL schedule. It’s one that the Colorado Avalanche must absolutely take advantage of.

The Avalanche will have a total of 12 games this upcoming season, in which they’ll play teams on the second leg of back-to-back games. That's great for Colorado, considering that not every team will have the same luck. Some teams, like the Montreal Canadiens, will play 19 such games. Others, like the Toronto Maple Leafs and Winnipeg Jets will only play five.

So, what exactly does that mean?

It means that the Avs will have 12 games this season in which they’ll be playing tired teams and facing backup goalies.

That’s why these games are ones Colorado cannot afford to lose.

While playing a team on the back half of consecutive games doesn’t automatically mean two points, it does make life a little easier. Teams playing on consecutive nights tend to come out a bit slower, with coaches giving their backup goalies a start.

However, that might not necessarily be the case. Since coaches will know they’re facing Colorado, they could opt to start their backup goalie on the first night and save the starter for the second game.

Those decisions come with the territory. The Avalanche will once again be one of the teams to beat in the NHL. So, it would make sense that everyone will want to beat them anyway they can.

Avalanche can’t afford to give away points early in the season

One of the biggest regrets that teams have late in the season is squandering points in October and November. Missing out on points early in the season is one of the worst ways that teams can bury their playoff hopes.

After all, there’s no way to make up points lost in November during the second half of the season. Once points are lost, they’re gone forever.

That’s what the Avalanche need to avoid. The team cannot afford to waste points early on. In fact, the best thing the Avs can do is build up a solid lead in the Central Division. Doing so would allow the club to breathe a little easier during the second half of the season.

If there’s anything we learned from the past season, it’s that pacing becomes crucial in the postseason. Teams that can start hot, settle in, and then pick up the pace towards the end of the regular season tend to do well in the postseason.

For Colorado this past season, running out of gas in the third round of the playoffs became its Achilles heel.

Let’s hope that doesn’t happen this upcoming season. Pacing, depth, and hopefully an absence of major injuries can help the squad remain strong and productive heading into pro sports’ toughest playoff tournament.

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