The Colorado Avalanche continue to rack up nominations in this year’s NHL Awards. Several Avs players have already received nominations: Nathan MacKinnon for the Hart, Cale Makar for the Norris, Gabriel Landeskog for the Bill Masterton, and Brock Nelson for the Selke.
But there was one notable snub. And that was Jared Bednar for the Jack Adams. Well, the NHL Awards rectified that snub in good measure by nominating Chris MacFarland for the Jim Gregory Award as the NHL’s top executive.
The Avalanche GM got a nod alongside Central Division rival GM Bill Guerin of the Minnesota Wild and Pat Verbeek of the Anaheim Ducks.
All three execs deserve to get the nod as best GM during the 2025-26 season. But it’s MacFarland who should be the clear winner. MacFarland engineered the offseason in-season acquisitions of Nic Roy and Nazem Kadri, while bringing blueliners Brett Kulak and Nick Bankenburg at the deadline.
Plus, MacFarland’s offseason cap dump move, the one that sent Charlie Coyle and Miles Wood to the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for Gavin Brindley and a draft pick, has proven to come up aces.
There’s no question that MacFarland has emerged as one of the NHL’s top executives. It would be an absolute travesty if the Avalanche GM did not take home the hardware once the season is over.
Bednar and MacFarland key tandem in Avalanche success
Regardless of the moves a GM makes, the coaching staff has to translate that vision into on-ice results.
That’s why the Bednar Jack Adams snub hurts so much. But that’s all right. Having the NHL recognize MacFarland’s singular achievements is a decent consolation prize.
That said, there’s one other thing I’ve always said is much better than any individual award: Winning the Stanley Cup. And that’s what the Colorado Avalanche are marching towards. Sure, getting major awards is always nice.
But just look at Connor McDavid. Wouldn’t he love to trade a couple of those Hart Trophies for the Stanley Cup? In fact, one of the major reasons why Nathan MacKinnon is considered one of the all-time greats is because he has a Cup ring.
That’s not to say that a player like McDavid wouldn’t fall among the all-time greats. Realistically, McDavid won’t enshrine himself as one of the true greats until he has a Cup.
MacKinnon has one and is marching towards a second. Two Cups, well, that would place this Avalanche crew among the best teams of this century.
Oh, and two Cups in four years will ignite the dynasty discussion for the Avalanche. But that’s a topic for another day.
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