The Colorado Avalanche proved quickly this season that they are the favorites to win the Stanley Cup. They got off to a commanding lead for first place in the Central Division, and didn't lose their first home game in regulation since mid-January. That's how absurd of a run the Avalanche have been on this season. That is thanks to the play of Nathan MacKinnon, who is one of the Hart Trophy favorite with 126 points to his credit, while Cale Makar had a commanding lead for the Norris Trophy for best defenseman.
The Avalanche have just six games remaining this season, one of them being on Tuesday night against the St. Louis Blues. Even with a playoff berth already clinched, the Avalanche have the chance to secure much more heading Tuesday night's matchup.
Simply put, it's a must-watch game, Avs fans.
Avalanche have chance to clinch Central division and top seed in Western Conference with win vs. Blues
The Avalanche have multiple clinching scenarios related to their game against the Blues on Tuesday night. If the Avalanche are to defeat the Blues outright, they will clinch the Central division and Western conference titles. There are multiple other scenarios they can clinch both without an outright win, according to the NHL:
- Get one point vs. Blues and the Calgary Flames defeat the Dallas Stars in any fashion
- OR if the Flames defeat Stars in regulation.
Those are three different scenarios for the Avalanche, who enter St. Louis with 110 points through 76 games played. Colorado clinching the Central division title and home ice throughout the Western conference side of the playoff bracket, it would also solidify a first-round matchup between the Stars and Minnesota Wild.
That's not all the Avalanche can clinch. They can also secure the President's Trophy, which is given to the team with the most points secured throughout the season. That can be clinched in two different scenarios:
- Defeat the Blues in regulation AND the Boston Bruins defeat the Carolina Hurricanes in regulation
- OR defeat the Blues in overtime or shootout AND the Bruins defeat the Hurricanes in regulation AND with any result of the Tampa Bay Lightning-Ottawa Senators game that's not a Lightning regulation win.
The President's Trophy does have a bad stigma attached to it, as no team who won it won the Stanley Cup since the Chicago Blackhawks did so back in the 2012-13 season. But given how well the Avalanche played throughout this season, it's easy to envision them breaking the curse.
It has been a great overall season for the Avalanche, with two of their stars likely winning individual trophies this summer. But the focus will be on the playoffs, where they are favored to hoist the Stanley Cup for the third time in franchise history.