The Colorado Avalanche could lock up a playoff spot with a strong first month of the 2025-26 season. Last season, the Avs got off to a horrendous 0-4 start. That put them behind the eight-ball early.
While the Avalanche caught up with a strong rest of the season, they couldn’t overtake the Dallas Stars for the second spot in the division. Well, finishing second or third is largely inconsequential except for home-ice advantage.
Be that as it may, a strong first month this season would be huge in helping the Avalanche get through a grinding regular-season schedule. Coming strong out of the gate will help the Avs avoid needlessly fighting off wild card contenders nipping at their heels.
The Avs’ October slate starts on the road against the LA Kings on the 7th. Then, Colorado returns home for two contests, one against the Utah Mammoth and the other against the Dallas Stars.
The Avalanche are then on the road for two against the Buffalo Sabres and the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Avs play one game at home against the Boston Bruins before heading out for one against Utah.
After that, it’s the Carolina Hurricanes at home, the Bruins on the road, and then a home-and-home set with the New Jersey Devils. Lastly, the Avs close out the month against the Vegas Golden Knights on Halloween.
All told, Colorado’s first month includes six of 12 total gams against non-playoff teams (two against Utah, two against Boston, one against Buffalo, and one against Columbus). The Avalanche have a good opportunity to exit the month with eight to 10 wins. A 10-2 mark to start the season would be a phenomenal way to set the tone for what figures to be one of the most taxing seasons in a long time.
Colorado Avalanche must focus on depth this season
One of the things I’ve been reiterating over the last few weeks is the importance of depth. The grinding schedule of the 2025-26 will test the Avalanche’s depth. There will be injuries to deal with, inconsistency, and cold streaks. Some players will need rest, while others may simply rotate in and out of the lineup.
I wouldn’t be surprised to see coach Jared Bednar rotate most of his players in and out of the bottom six. While he may prefer to stick with a given lineup game in and game out, Bednar may see the need to give some players more time off.
One such player could be captain Gabriel Landeskog. Ladeskog hardly looked out of place during the playoffs this spring. However, there’s no telling how well his body could hold up during the 82-game grind this upcoming season.
Of course, the hope is that he could play a full season. But with 12 back-to-back sets this season, it’s a possibility that Landeskog hits the ice for about 60 to 70 games.
Although, my biggest concern is how well Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar will hold up. They won’t have the luxury of the Olympic break to recover. They will be in the thick of things over in Milano-Cortina.
Similarly, Artturi Lehkonen will be representing Finland, and Landeskog will be playing for Sweden. Brock Nelson could get the nod for Team USA, while MacKenzie Blackwood is seen as a dark horse candidate for Team Canada.
All told, the Avalanche will need to rely on their depth to give their stars a break when needed. If Colorado can manage everyone’s workload well, there’s no reason to believe the Avalanche can’t be an unstoppable force come next spring.