The Colorado Avalanche swept through their four-game road trip this week. The team looked confident, dominant, and playing with a calm we haven’t really seen since the Olympics.
That’s fantastic for Colorado fans and no bueno for the rest of the NHL. The Avalanche are heading into the 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs with the two Hs in order: Hot and healthy.
Thursday night’s clash saw the return of Artturi Lehkonen to the lineup, and he hardly looked out of place.
Now, the only regular on the shelf is Nic Roy. He’s listed day-to-day. When he returns, the Avalanche will be at full strength. Once at complete strength, the wave after wave of attack from Colorado will be devastating for any and all opponents.
Think of it as an army that has multiple waves of attack. There is no waiting out one wave to handle a weaker one. Even the Avalanche’s fourth line is about as good as most teams can ice on any given night.
That situation alone makes the Avs a juggernaut. That juggernaut is heating up at the right time. From what we’ve seen over the years, there’s nothing more dangerous than a strong team heating up right before a playoff run.
Avalanche dominance evident late in game against Jets
A good example of the Avalanche’s dominance in their 3-2 win over the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday night came late in the contest.
Jets’ Vezina-winning goalie Connor Hellebuyck had kept the game close at 1-1 through 40 minutes. However, Nathan MacKinnon scored twice in a span of about three minutes to open up a 3-1 lead. Mark Scheifele made the game 3-2 at the midway mark of the third.
But whatever the Jets tried, it just didn’t work. Colorado did not relinquish the puck, controlling the play to the point where Hellebuyck could not get off the ice for the extra attacker. It was a tough situation for the Jets, who were desperately trying to tie the game.
Instead of the Jets pushing to tie the game late, the Avalanche maintained possession. They outshot Winnipeg 15-7 in the final frame.
The only reason the game wasn’t a blowout was Hellebuyck. He made 32 saves to keep the Jets in the game. Had it not been for the Vezina winner, the Jets could have faced a rout.
All told, this is what the Avalanche’s potential first-round opponent is up against. It won’t be a pretty sight, but for Colorado fans, it’s music to their ears.