The Colorado Avalanche enter this 2025-26 season with one mission: Return with a Stanley Cup championship. Anything short of that will be seen as missing the mark. The Avs had a bitterly disappointing first-round exit last postseason. That situation leaves little room for shortcomings.
The Avalanche must win another Cup to quell the expectations of fans around the world. And yes, Colorado has one of the best cores in the NHL. Very few teams can boast having two all-world players making up their core. But as we saw last year, two players aren’t enough.
Of course, management has made strides to boost that core. Reinforcements have arrived, with younger players potentially replenishing some key depth roles. But just how realistic is it for the Colorado Avalanche to win a Stanley Cup in 2025-26?
The low end of expectations focuses on making the postseason. Unless Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar both go down with injuries for prolonged periods, the Avalanche should at least make the playoffs.
But that’s where things can get a little dicey. On paper, the Avs have plenty of talent to go the distance. Colorado’s top line can ride with the best in the NHL. The league-best D-pair of Makar and Devon Toews is elite on a bad day. MacKenzie Blackwood looks poised to have an outstanding year.
So, it is time to start planning another Stanley Cup parade? Not so fast. The Western Conference has several teams looking to stake a claim on a berth in the Finals. It will be these clubs that the Avalanche will need to surpass before having a shot at their fourth Stanley Cup.
Looking at Colorado Avalanche’s Western Conference rivals
When looking at the Colorado Avalanche’s Western Conference rivals, several teams stand out as the most significant. First, the Edmonton Oilers lead the pack. Any team that has Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl leading the way will get brownie points for being among the best in the league.
The Oilers have also been to back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals. So, they’re a good bet to make another significant playoff run.
Then, there’s the Dallas Stars. The Stars ousted the Avalanche in last spring’s playoffs. They’re running it back with pretty much the same team. The difference will be a new coach. That’s where things might change this season. The Stars could regress, opening the door for the Avalanche to burrow themselves to the top of the Central Division.
That brings us to the Winnipeg Jets. Last season’s Presidents’ Trophy winners will be in tough to repeat as the league’s best. They lost a key piece in Nikolaj Ehlers. But then again, they have the world's best goalie in Connor Helleybuck. Hellebuyck could be enough for another great regular season. But there’s always the chance the Jets could regress this upcoming season. If that’s the case, the Avalanche could capitalize on making even more headway.
Lastly, the Vegas Golden Knights swung for the fence by adding the offseason’s best free agent in Mitch Marner. The Knights look poised to make a run at another Cup. But it won’t be easy for them to get over the hump in an uber-competitive Pacific Division.
All told, it wouldn’t be out of the question for the Avalanche to win the Central Division and potentially set up a date with the Edmonton Oilers in the Western Conference Final.
While it may be too soon to plan the parade, Avs fans shouldn’t rule out one of the best seasons in franchise history.