The Avalanche head back to Ball Arena on Friday night with a few things still hanging over them, and they’ll have to sort them out fast against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Colorado is trying to shake off a shootout loss to the Dallas Stars on Wednesday, a result that ended with the Avs still showing plenty of fight in a back-to-back against a heated division rival. Now comes the trickier part: this is their third game in four nights, and the mix of fatigue and injuries could shape everything about the matchup.
One of the biggest changes starts behind the bench in the power-play room. With Dave Hakstol leaving to become head coach at Arizona State, Brett McLean steps in and gets his first real chance to put his stamp on the group.
McLean, a former Avalanche forward who has also served as an assistant with the Minnesota Wild and Vancouver Canucks, inherits a power play that badly needs a fresh start. The early results this season have been rough, and the coaching change gives Colorado a built-in reset.
The most watched name there is TJ Hughes. There’s been growing chatter about whether the rookie still belongs on the top unit, and Friday could offer the first clue about whether McLean keeps him there or makes a switch. Nobody should expect the whole thing to look fixed overnight, but this is the first chance to see if the new voice brings a different look.
In goal, Mackenzie Blackwood looms as another major piece of the puzzle. He came through with a strong outing in Tuesday’s 3-2 win over the Stars, stopping 24 shots and helping Colorado steal a road victory.
With the schedule stacking up and Pittsburgh coming in after a loss to Chicago, Blackwood may be in line to play again. Still, it would not be a surprise if Jared Bednar turns to Scott Wedgewood after his strong showing on Wednesday night.
Whoever gets the net will need more help in front of him. Colorado cannot keep surviving on goaltending alone, especially after mistakes like Sam Malinski’s egregious giveaway and Cale Makar’s costly error on the power play. The cleanest path to a win is simple: tighter structure, fewer self-inflicted wounds, and a steadier night defensively.
Up front, the Avalanche may have to keep juggling pieces. Nicolas Roy is day-to-day with a lower-body injury, Logan O’Connor is still not ready to come off injured reserve, and Zachary L’Heureux has also been dealing with an upper-body injury. That uncertainty could lead to another night with 11 forwards and seven defensemen.
If that happens, it opens the door again for Gavin Brindley. He came close to making a big impact against Dallas, ringing both posts on a chance that would have tied the game.
That kind of effort gives Bednar something to think about, especially if Roy stays out. Brindley could get another shot, and how he handles the extra responsibility would be worth watching.
Colorado has enough firepower to handle Pittsburgh even with a few lineup questions. But between the power-play reset, the heavy workload and the unresolved injury situations, Friday should tell the Avalanche a lot about how well they can adapt.
In Other News...
Cale Makar Shares Personal Update After Brief Avalanche Absence
Cale Makar is back with the Avalanche after stepping away for a game to be with his family for the birth of his twin sons, Mattie and Rhett. The star defenseman returned to the lineup and looked right at home in his usual role, logging 28 shifts and nearly 23 minutes of ice time as Colorado got back to business with one of its most important players available again.
Makar said his family is healthy, a welcome update after a brief absence that had little to do with hockey but plenty to do with life. For Avalanche fans, it was another reminder that the cornerstone piece of the roster is as settled off the ice as he is on it, especially after signing his eight-year deal last offseason and making clear he wants to spend his career in Colorado. [Read more 🡒]
Hakstols Sudden Avalanche Exit Raises An Obvious Timing Question
Dave Hakstols sudden departure from the Avalanche staff came soon after Jared Bednar signed a four-year contract extension, giving the move a natural layer of intrigue even before the explanation surfaced. Hakstol has already moved on to take the head coaching job at Arizona State, stepping into a program that is dealing with its own significant challenges after a recent player health incident.
For Colorado, the timing is what stands out most because it invites questions about how much of this was about opportunity and how much was about the way the coaching picture had just shifted in Denver. There has been speculation about the reasons behind Hakstols exit, but nothing has been confirmed, leaving the Avalanche with a notable change on the bench and one obvious thread still hanging. [Read more 🡒]
Brent Burns Is Still Chasing The One Prize Colorado Wants Most
Brent Burns has become one of the steadier veteran pieces on Colorados blue line, bringing 23 NHL seasons of experience and a rare durability that still stands out in todays game. After signing a one-year extension in June, he settled in as a dependable presence for the Avalanche, adding depth and offering the kind of edge that only comes from having seen just about everything over the course of a long career.
Burns also kept producing at the offensive end, finishing the 2025-26 season with 12 goals and 23 assists while extending his place in NHL history with the second-longest consecutive games played streak at 1,012. For a team still chasing the Stanley Cup, his value goes beyond the numbers. Colorado gets a veteran who can log minutes, provide stability and keep pushing toward the one prize that continues to define the season. [Read more 🡒]