The Colorado Avalanche are off to a hot start this season. The club is 3-0-1, a stark contrast from last year’s 0-4 opening. Aside from the hiccup against the Dallas Stars in the first game of the season, the Avalanche have looked dominant.
That dominance has caught the attention of one former NHL bench boss. During an appearance on NHL Network published on October 15, Bruce Boudreau had nothing but love for the Colorado Avalanche.
Boudreau stated:
“I know they’re a good team. They’re 3-0-1, but Nathan MacKinnon, Martin Necas, Cale Makar, they’ve come out and been gangbusters.”
Indeed, MacKinnon, Necas, and Makar have led the way offensively, providing the Avalanche with the scoring needed to propel them to the early Central Division lead.
Boudreau added:
“They still haven’t gotten goals from Landeskog, and Brock Nelson, and Nichushkin, and they’re still 3-0-1. Scott Wedgewood in net has got a goals-against-average under two.”
Boudreau’s point underscores just how much more dangerous the Avalanche could be when the rest of the team hits its stride.
In the meantime, Boudreau offered the following conclusion:
“I just looks like they’re saying, ‘I’m on a mission this year. We’re not going to start off slow.’”
Nobody is liking what they've seen from the @Avalanche more than Bruce Boudreau! 🗻 pic.twitter.com/TqSCPzx3hs
— NHL Media (@NHLMedia) October 15, 2025
The mission this season is not only to make a lengthy playoff run, but to win a Stanley Cup. With the club assembled in Colorado, the Avalanche have as good a shot as anybody to hoist the Cup in 2025.
MacKinnon, Necas leading the way in scoring
One of Boudreau’s points underscored how Nathan MacKinnon and Martin Necas are currently atop the league in scoring.
Entering Wednesday night’s action, the NHL points leaders as Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel and Minnesota Wild forward Kirill Kaprizov. They’ve got nine points apiece to start the season. Meanwhile, MacKinnon and Necas are right behind with eight.
Both players have shown unbelievable talent on the ice. But most importantly, they’ve led the way with their leadership and determination. It’s evident that both MacKinnon and Necas want to win as badly as anyone else on the ice.
Of course, the rest of the team’s contributions should not go unnoticed. Even if said contributions don’t show up on the scoresheet, the Avalanche have proven they’re a team that can rally and win even when not everyone gets on the scoresheet.
Key defensive contributions from the entire blue line core, plus Scott Wedgewood’s tremendous performance in MacKenzie Blackwood’s absence, have been nothing short of fantastic. That said, Wedgewood and the Colorado Avalanche will have another chance to prove why they’re the best team in the league as they take on the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday night at Nationwide Arena.