Colorado Avalanche season preview
After being riddled with injuries during the 2022-23 season, Colorado is looking for a massive bounce-back year in 2023-24. The Avalanche may have won their division for the third year in a row last season, but a first-round exit in the 2023 playoffs was a massive disappointment after winning the Stanley Cup the season prior. They are one of, if not the most, electrifying squads to watch and I have high expectations for this team, which I definitely view as a Stanley Cup contender.
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Offense
On paper, I don’t think this roster is as strong as their Stanley Cup team in 2022, but Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen, and defenseman Cale Makar still provide a ton of offense. Rantanen had a breakout year last season, as he tallied 55 goals and 105 points, which were new career-highs. Colorado’s biggest issue is that the team is very top-heavy, so the Avalanche need more depth scoring if they want to reach their potential.
It could be argued that the Avalanche have the most elite talent in the NHL with MacKinnon, Rantanen and Makar. Unfortunately, they lost depth pieces like Evan Rodrigues, J.T. Compher, and Alex Newhook this summer. That should hurt a bit, but they were able to bring in Ryan Johansen, who will replace their captain — Gabriel Landeskog will unfortunately miss this season due to injury. Other names that the Avalanche have added are Ross Colton, Miles Wood, and Jonathan Drouin.
Defense
Colorado’s blue line is absolutely outstanding, starting with their first pair of Makar and Devon Toews. Had Makar been able to stay healthy all season, he could have had a real shot at winning the Norris Trophy for a second straight season (66 PTS in 60 G). In my opinion, he is hands down the best defenseman in the entire NHL.
This blue line is “complete”, as I love what the Avalanche have with their defensive depth. Last season, they finished in the top 10 of the league in expected goals against per 60, while finishing second in scoring chances against (per 60). They simply don’t have many flaws.
Goaltending
Last season was Alexandar Georgiev’s first full campaign as a starting goaltender, and he did not disappoint for Colorado. He finished tied for first in wins (40) and boasted a .919 save percentage with a 2.53 goals against average, while also finishing in the top 10 with +21.9 goals saved above expected. He had the third-highest number of starts last season (62 G), and I expect him to get most of them again this season, but Pavel Francouz is a more than capable backup to help the Avalanche win some games. Colorado has a very solid one-two punch in net.
Player To Watch – F Jonathan Drouin
Drouin was the third overall pick back in the 2013 NHL Draft. He was a guy that had tremendous upside and high expectations. He hasn’t had a true breakout season just yet, but as of right now, he is slotted as the left wing with MacKinnon and Rantanen, so if there was ever a year for him to do it, it’s this one. Drouin and MacKinnon played together in junior hockey when they were both in Halifax, so reuniting these two could provide the spark that he has needed.
Outlook
Colorado’s elite talent will again help the team surge into the playoffs. And the Avalanche are looking to win the division for the fourth season in a row. They will have some tough competition, but with MacKinnon, Rantanen and Makar at the helm, there are some nights when those three could be flat out unstoppable. The ceiling for this team is very high, and I am confident this group will be competing for Lord Stanley once again in the spring of 2024.
