The first few weeks of the NHL season have been good for the Colorado Avalanche. The burgundy and blue have 16 points, tied for the best total in the Western Conference and the second-best total across the league, Nathan MacKinnon’s 17 points are tied for the third-most in the league and Cale Makar has four more points than any other defenseman.
Don’t forget about Martin Necas, who has racked up 13 points in 11 games as he’s been on a tear to start the season. As a result, he got the contract extension he’s been seeking ever since he was traded to Colorado back in January — an eight-year deal with an average annual value of $11.5 million.
The Avalanche brass did the right thing by getting this deal done before the turn of the calendar year. If Necas kept playing at a point-per-game pace without a contract extension, tensions would’ve gotten tight as the trade deadline approached, just like last year with Mikko Rantanen.
Colorado has done all this without Mackenzie Blackwood, their main man in between the pipes. He underwent surgery for a lower-body injury back in May, and hasn’t been out on the ice for Colorado yet. He made his season debut in the lineup in Tuesday’s chaotic win over the Devils, but just as the backup to Scott Wedgewood. He didn’t see any action.
As a result, the Avalanche have moved to the top of the list for the odds to win the Stanley Cup in 2026, with +700 odds to bring Lord Stanley home for a fourth time. They have also been given +360 odds to win the President’s Trophy (most regular season points), +350 odds to win the West and +110 odds to win the division.
The Hurricanes and Golden Knights are right behind the Avalanche at +800, then the Panthers and Oilers at +850 and the Stars at +900. Every other team has at least 12-1 odds to achieve hockey’s greatest team feat.
This is a big season for hockey in the Mile High City. With Gabriel Landeskog finally back and healthy and the rest of the roster playing at a high level, the start has been what Avs fans have been looking for. The window for a championship will always be open with MacKinnon and Cale Makar, but with MacKinnon getting older and a handful of important role players getting older, it’s of the utmost importance to win now.
