{"id":646576,"date":"2026-08-20T22:54:20","date_gmt":"2026-08-20T22:54:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/646576\/"},"modified":"2026-08-20T22:54:20","modified_gmt":"2026-08-20T22:54:20","slug":"why-fans-should-remain-optimistic-about-avalanche-this-season-nhl-insider","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/646576\/","title":{"rendered":"Why fans should remain optimistic about Avalanche this season | NHL Insider"},"content":{"rendered":"

After a disastrous conference final against Vegas and an underwhelming offseason, the majority of Avalanche fans that this writer has heard from over the summer are pretty down on the team.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s understandable considering the franchise went all-in to win the Stanley Cup, didn\u2019t get the job done and had to sell off some important players in the summer to become cap compliant. It\u2019s not all sunshine and rainbows and next week we\u2019ll take a look at why some reasons for concern are very valid, but for now, we\u2019ll keep the glass half-full approach.<\/p>\n

Because for as \u201cblah\u201d as the last few months have been, this is still a good team just weeks away from the start of another training camp.<\/p>\n

No. 8 and 29 are still in Denver<\/p>\n

Yes, the Avalanche have lost some key players, but as long as Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar are still wearing burgundy and blue, this team will be competitive. And, at least for now, there\u2019s still a good supporting cast around them for that to continue next season.<\/p>\n

Winning is all that really matters, especially to these two, but you can\u2019t take for granted being able to watch two of the best players in the world on a nightly basis. They each have the ability to win games by themselves, and as long as they\u2019re in an Avalanche uniform, this group has a fighting chance. <\/p>\n

Continuity on defense<\/p>\n

Bringing back both Brett Kulak and Brent Burns isn\u2019t the splash on defense that some were hoping for, but the Avalanche are very much following the \u201cif it\u2019s not broken, don\u2019t fix it\u201d approach to their blueline. For all but those final four games last year, it was not broken.<\/p>\n

The Avalanche allowed 10 fewer goals at 5-on-5 than the next closest NHL team and finished in the top five in expected goals against. Only three teams allowed fewer scoring chances against than Colorado. For as deadly as they were offensively, and they were deadly, they didn\u2019t give the other team an inch. The loss of a few important penalty killers in Jack Drury and Valeri Nichushkin will force them to make some adjustments and test the overall team defense, but that could also be a reason why they decided to keep some continuity on their blueline.<\/p>\n

Defense is usually the area where teams struggle the most at the start of a new season as teams implement new systems and build chemistry. By bringing back the same six defensemen they ended last season with, the Avalanche should (theoretically) be ahead of the curve, which could allow them to get off to another strong start.<\/p>\n

\"ColoradoColorado Avalanche goaltender MacKenzie Blackwood (39) stops a shot during the second period in Game 4 of the Western Conference finals series against the Vegas Golden Knights in Las Vegas. (AP Photo\/John Locher)<\/p>\n

Woodshed remains<\/p>\n

Since arriving in Colorado, Scott Wedgewood has been a revelation. His goals saved above expected across his 64 games with the Avalanche have been elite. Last season was a much larger sample size, but he did the same thing the year before in a lesser role. Goaltending can be fickle, but given what he\u2019s provided since being acquired, you have to at least expect solid play when Wedgewood is in.<\/p>\n

While not impossible, Wedgewood starting 43 games feels unlikely if Mackenzie Blackwood is healthy to start camp, which he\u2019s expected to be. Even in a \u201cdown\u201d year, Blackwood\u2019s numbers were still strong. He just lacked consistency and couldn\u2019t seem to get into a rhythm after missing the first month of training camp. Expectations are high within the organization for a healthy Blackwood to repeat his performance from the year prior.<\/p>\n

With an 84-game regular season, the Avalanche will need both and are in good shape in net. It just might be wise to commit to one as \u201cthe guy\u201d heading into the postseason.<\/p>\n

Other Central contenders were quiet<\/p>\n

It\u2019s hard to deny that the Avalanche had an underwhelming offseason, but the two teams they fought all season long with for the Central Division title didn\u2019t exactly do much either.<\/p>\n

Dallas finished second in the Central before falling to the Minnesota Wild in round one. It looked iffy for a while, but they were able to get star forward Jason Robertson back under contract for this upcoming season. Beyond that, the biggest move they made was dealing away young 20-goal scorer Mavrik Bourque for nothing so they could re-sign Robertson. They\u2019re still a good team, but didn\u2019t do much to improve.<\/p>\n

And then you have the Wild, who the Avalanche eliminated with relative ease in the second round. While their fans are concerned whether or not Quinn Hughes will re-sign with them, there also has to be some mild concern around key departures this summer. Marcus Johansson, Vladimir Tarasenko and Mats Zuccarello all left via free agency, with the latter being a large loss to their deadly power play. That\u2019s 53 goals and 150 points exiting their lineup. They did bring in Blake Coleman, a dependable middle-six winger who will help, but that\u2019s a lot of offense out the door.<\/p>\n

Utah will be the team to watch in the Central, as they added dependable veterans in Vincent Trocheck and Anders Lee to their forward core. They\u2019ve improved, but closing that massive 29-point gap in the standings between themselves and the Avalanche won\u2019t be easy.<\/p>\n

\"ColoradoColorado Avalanche center Nazem Kadri (91) prepares for a faceoff against the Minnesota Wild during the third period in Game 5 of the second round of the NHL playoffs Wednesday, May 13, 2026, at Ball Arena in Denver. (The Gazette, Christian Murdock)<\/p>\n

Comparing rosters<\/p>\n

The current Avalanche roster is a downgrade from the one Colorado finished the postseason with, but is it worse than the one that started last year and was the best in the NHL? That\u2019s probably the right way to look at things, and the two groups are comparable.<\/p>\n

Colorado\u2019s deadline acquisitions, over the course of an entire season, are expected to replace some of the full-time departures. While Nazem Kadri won\u2019t provide the same defensive impact Nichushkin did, the center should be able to put up similar numbers to the Russian offensively. Nicolas Roy has historically been a more productive offensive player than Jack Drury and should see time on the penalty kill with a full training camp under his belt. Brett Kulak seemed like a better fit for what the defense needs over Sam Girard.<\/p>\n

And then you have the wild cards. Both Ross Colton and Joel Kiviranta took big steps back offensively last season. A healthy Jaden Schwartz alone could replace production from both of those players. Combined with the influx of youth, particularly the arrivals of Fedor Svechkov and Zachary L\u2019Heureux from Nashville, and the Avalanche should be able to replace the two departing veterans with ease.<\/p>\n

How Joe Sakic tweaks the lineup in season could make or break things, but the current roster is comparable to the one the Avalanche got off to a red-hot start with last season.<\/p>\n

What I\u2019m hearing<\/p>\n

Some changes to Altitude\u2019s broadcast team next season. Rachel Tos announced that she\u2019ll be stepping away from her role as team reporter, a role that recently had a job listing appear. Tos is fantastic and will stay in the Altitude family, but welcomed a son earlier this year and said she wants to make family her priority at the moment. Lauren Gardner returns to Altitude and will be a part of all their broadcast teams, although her exact role with the Avalanche remains to be seen.<\/p>\n

The Avalanche, like every other team, will be getting a \u201cHometown Remix\u201d jersey at some point this coming season from Fanatics. Forgive me for not having a ton of faith in Fanatics properly pulling this off, but hopefully I\u2019m wrong.<\/p>\n

What I\u2019m seeing<\/p>\n

Sunday\u2019s Avalanche alumni game at Magness Arena should be a great time. Joe Sakic was injured last year and couldn\u2019t play, but it sounds like he\u2019s expected to play this year.<\/p>\n

Looked at prices for a seat at the Winter Classic in Utah and just about had a stroke. One ticket outlet says seats start at $282. That\u2019s a lot of dough to watch a game where visibility is typically not great.<\/p>\n

What I\u2019m thinking<\/p>\n

A handful of Avalanche regulars and prospects are already skating at Family Sports if fans are hankering to see some hockey in August.<\/p>\n

August is usually the quietest month of the year in the NHL, but this one feels particularly quiet. General managers got all the chaos out of their systems back in late June.<\/p>\n


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