{"id":544143,"date":"2026-04-06T18:14:14","date_gmt":"2026-04-06T18:14:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/544143\/"},"modified":"2026-04-06T18:14:14","modified_gmt":"2026-04-06T18:14:14","slug":"game-1-starter-playoff-x-factor-and-best-first-round-matchup-avalanche-mailbag","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/544143\/","title":{"rendered":"Game 1 starter, playoff ‘X’ factor and best first-round matchup | Avalanche mailbag"},"content":{"rendered":"

Welcome to Evan\u2019s\u00a0mailbag, where each week, Avalanche reporter Evan Rawal answers all your Avalanche- and hockey-related questions.\u00a0Mailbag\u00a0questions can be sent to [email\u00a0protected]<\/a>.<\/p>\n

I told myself no power-play questions due to the Avalanche\u2019s improvement since the Olympics break, but\u2026<\/p>\n

Will our power play return to scaring the \u2018living daylights\u2019 out of our opponents? Or at this point are adjustments unlikely, granting opponents a reliable \u2018view to a kill\u2019?<\/p>\n

\u2026 this one gets a pass thanks to the James Bond references.<\/p>\n

Is the power play fixed? Well, they still have to figure out how to stop giving up shorthanded goals. But when it comes to putting the puck in the opposing net, they\u2019ve significantly improved. Since the Olympics break, the Avalanche are ninth in the NHL in power play efficiency at 24.6%. Nazem Kadri has helped, but having Martin Necas and Nathan MacKinnon switch spots has been the catalyst, in my opinion. Finding the right time to hit Brock Nelson in the bumper spot as opposed to forcing the puck to him still is an issue, but the top unit has overall been much better.<\/p>\n

The last week has shown that Cale Makar is vital to this group\u2019s success, however.<\/p>\n

\"\"Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar scores during the second period of an NHL game against the Minnesota Wild, Dec. 21, 2025, in St. Paul, Minn. (The Associated Press)<\/p>\n

Which bottom-six player do you see shining in the playoffs? I remember a few guys netting some big goals in the (2022) Stanley Cup run.<\/p>\n

Who\u2019s your pick for Avs \u2018X\u2019 factor in the playoffs?<\/p>\n

I have a feeling it\u2019s going to be the guy who hasn\u2019t been in the lineup for the last handful of games: Nicolas Roy.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s be honest: It has not been a seamless transition at even strength for Kadri with the Avalanche. That doesn\u2019t mean it won\u2019t click when the playoffs start, but it\u2019s been a struggle so far. He has only one even strength points in his last 12 games. They\u2019re struggling to find the right linemates for him and part of that might be because the best option just hasn\u2019t been healthy.<\/p>\n

Nic Roy looked solid in the nine games he played before getting hurt. Like Kadri, he\u2019s not a burner. The two of them together might form a slower line, but maybe that\u2019s what Kadri needs to get going. Roy can do some of the dirty work along the boards to maintain puck control, allowing Kadri to do his thing with the puck. Outside of Vegas\u2019 2023-24 series, Roy has been consistently good in the playoffs. I\u2019d expect that to continue with the Avalanche.<\/p>\n

Do you really think Bednar will rotate the goalies in the playoffs? Seems like going with \u2018Wedgie\u2019 is a no brainer. Blackwood has been OK but seems off his game a little bit.<\/p>\n

Do you think Bednar is going into the playoffs with Wedgewood as goalie No. 1 and Blackwood as a backup?<\/p>\n

At this point, I don\u2019t know how it isn\u2019t Scott Wedgewood starting Game 1. I am not a gambling man, but if I was, I\u2019d bet good money on both playing in the playoffs. When Mackenzie Blackwood has been healthy, it\u2019s been a pretty healthy rotation between the two goaltenders. I\u2019d expect it to stay that way with Wedgewood getting the nod first. Do I think it will work? That remains to be seen because most Stanley Cup-winning teams rely on one goaltender unless an injury forces them to change course.<\/p>\n

\"\"Colorado Avalanche goaltender Scott Wedgewood (41) stops a shot by Dallas Stars left wing Jason Robertson (21) during the overtime period Wednesday, March 18, 2026, at Ball Arena in Denver.The Stars won 2-1 after a shootout. (The Gazette, Christian Murdock)<\/p>\n

Jared Bednar has made mention of the Avalanche using two goaltenders during the 2022 Stanley Cup run, and it\u2019s true they did. However, that wasn\u2019t by choice. They had to turn to Pavel Francouz because Darcy Kuemper almost lost an eye. Kuemper started nearly 60 games that season and was fantastic. If that freak accident hadn\u2019t occurred, they would have stuck with him the whole way. This situation feels different.<\/p>\n

The Avalanche have allowed the fewest goals in the league, so it seems silly to question the goaltending. But there\u2019s not a lot of playoff experience between the two. Last season was Blackwood\u2019s first foray into playoff hockey, while Wedgewood has only entered postseason games in relief. Both still have something to prove that time of year, which might not be a bad thing for the Avalanche. In a perfect world, one guy would take the ball and run with it. But I expect both to get starts this spring and quiet some of the doubters.<\/p>\n

Which potential first-round matchup scares you the most and which one do you prefer?<\/p>\n

Macklin Celebrini could very easily win the Hart Trophy if the Sharks sneak into the playoffs. If I played hockey for the Avalanche, I\u2019d want them to sneak in. Celebrini appears to be a generational player, but that\u2019s a heavily flawed team outside of the star center. Their defense is not very good. While Yaroslav Askarov is extremely talented, he\u2019s wildly inconsistent. Would it be a fun-and-exciting matchup? Absolutely. Do I think the Avalanche would easily take the down the Sharks? Definitely.<\/p>\n

\"\"San Jose Sharks center MacKlin Celebrini, center, battles for control of thge puck with Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon, right, as center Brock Nelson covers in the third period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo\/David Zalubowski)<\/p>\n

None of these teams should beat the Avalanche. Between San Jose, Nashville and Los Angeles, the three teams the Avalanche are most likely to play in round one, the Predators seem like the group that could give them the hardest time. They have veterans that have won before and played the Avalanche hard this season. That being said, the Avalanche should still be able to beat that team.<\/p>\n

I haven\u2019t been that concerned about matchup troubles for the Avalanche because they have the better roster. Upsets happen, but none of these fringe teams are setting the world on fire at the moment. What I have been concerned about is where I\u2019m going to be spending multiple days in the first round. I could think of worse places I\u2019d rather be than Nashville or San Jose. Los Angeles is acceptable but comes in a distant third place between the three. I\u2019m sweating a little bit with Winnipeg and St. Louis continuing to linger in the playoff picture, so if those teams want to back off, that\u2019d be great.<\/p>\n

Should Kiviranta play over Colton when Roy is back?<\/p>\n

When this team is healthy, I see the final spot coming down to those two. There\u2019s no doubt Ross Colton is the more talented player, but he\u2019s struggled to find consistency on a game-to-game and even period-to-period basis. It\u2019s too bad his goal on Sunday was disallowed because he really needed that one. Joel Kiviranta is a safe player and the team knows exactly what they\u2019re getting from him every night. Colton missed most of last postseason due to injury, but he was good in 2023-24 against the Jets and performed well in Tampa. I\u2019d bet he gets the first call and is told to hit everything that moves, but the team won\u2019t hesitate to put Kiviranta in if they want to play it safe.<\/p>\n


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