The Colorado Avalanche have won six straight games, and they’re 8-2-0 in their past 10 games. With the strides the Avs have taken since making numerous trade acquisitions, Colorado is shaping up to be one of the most dangerous teams in the Central Division and the NHL. And no team should want to take them on in the Stanley Cup playoffs.
As it stands, the Avalanche are in third place in the Central, just six standings points behind the Dallas Stars for second place in the division. The Stars do have a game in hand on Colorado, and the first-place Winnipeg Jets are 12 points ahead of the Avs, so home-ice advantage for the Avalanche may be a bridge too far for them the rest of the way this season.
But really, which teams should want to take on the Avs in Round One this spring? Colorado is 22-10-2 at home, and while their road record of 17-14-0 leaves something to be desired, the Avs are a different team after picking up centers Brock Nelson and Charlie Coyle and defensemen Ryan Lindgren and Erik Johnson. Combined with their early-season trade pickups, Colorado has a good chance to beat any team in the league on any given night, and even if they do have to take on the deep and talented Stars in the first round, there’s no sense that the Avs would be a huge underdog in such a series.
The Avalanche’s remaining schedule is not going to be easy on them. As per Tankathon.com, the Avs have the ninth-toughest schedule in the league in their final 17 games. But the way Colorado has dominated their recent games, the ceiling for the Avalanche is sky-high.
The road ahead for the Avs will be difficult, but that’s true of just about every NHL playoff team. And the deep, skilled and gritty lineup Avalanche GM Chris MacFarland has built is the envy of many of his colleagues. Colorado has what it takes to enjoy a long and fruitful playoff run, and they’re going to give fits to any opponent they run into.
