The Colorado Avalanche could reach the Western Conference Final this season, according to a projection.
According to Tankathon’s way-too-early 2026 NHL Draft rankings, the Avalanche are slated to land therefore 29th overall pick. That may not seem like a particularly impressive happening, especially since the pick belongs to the New York Islanders.
But there’s a lot more to that pick than meets the eye.
The final four picks in the first round belong to the conference finalists. As such, the Avalanche are projected to land the 29th, with the Carolina Hurricanes the 30th. Based on the projection, the Edmonton Oilers land the 31st pick and the Florida Panthers the 32nd.
Under this scenario, the Avalanche would meet the Oilers in the Western Conference Final this season. The Oilers would get revenge on the Avalanche for their last meeting. The Avs swept the Oilers in the 2022 Western Conference Final en route to the Stanley Cup.
Now, it’s debatable whether the Oilers could beat the Avalanche in a head-to-head showdown. But as far as projections go, the Oilers get the edge.
The projection ends with the Florida Panthers landing their third straight Stanley Cup, but then again, would that outcome change if the Avalanche faced the Panthers instead of the Oilers?
Avalanche could unseat Panthers in Stanley Cup Final series
The prospect of a third-straight Oilers-Panthers Stanley Cup Final series seems like a decent possibility. The Eastern Conference side of the bracket could see some surprises this season. However, the consensus is that the Panthers will emerge as the Beast from the East once again in 2026.
The Western Conference side of the question isn’t quite so clear. The Oilers seemed to suffer a setback insofar as their lineup depth is concerned. The club has some question marks to consider, as scoring behind Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl will be pivotal.
Assuming the Avalanche down the Oilers again in the Western Conference Final, the Avs could run into the Panthers.
Would the Avalanche have a better chance against the Cats?
The short answer is yes. The Avalanche have a much deeper team than the Oilers. Colorado boasts an elite defensive pairing that virtually no other team in the NHL can match. The sheer firepower in the Avalanche lineup is something the Panthers may not be able to match.
Of course, the Panthers play a physical, grinding game in the postseason. Paul Maurice has mastered the art of playoff hockey with his yeoman club. That’s an aspect the Avalanche will need to match.
But then again, the Avalanche’s physicality is highly underrated. Playing against Nathan MacKinnon is like trying to stop a city bus. Devon Toews and Josh Manson can bang heads with the best of them.
And then, there are Valeri Nichushkin, Logan O’Connor, and Parker Kelly. They all have a tough physical side to them that could stack up with Brad Marchands and Matthew Tkachuks of the NHL.
Then, there's Cale Makar. We could spend all day talking about what Makar could do to the Panthers' defense. Keep in mind that peak Makar is like saying Einstein was a sharp cookie.
A Panthers-Avalanche Stanley Cup Final would boil down to the Panthers trying to hold back the Avalanche’s vaunted attack. If anything, the Toronto Maple Leafs exposed the chinks in the Panthers’ armor during their second-round series last spring.
The Leafs couldn’t beat the Panthers when they were down. But that’s something the Avalanche could accomplish.
One last thing, unlike Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon has proven he has the mettle to close out a series against the best team in the NHL. In 2022, the Avalanche unseated the back-to-back Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning.
Could history repeat itself in 2025-26?