The Colorado Avalanche have put themselves in a tricky spot early, and it has less to do with talent than with the mistakes that keep showing up in their own end.
For a team that rolled through the regular season and grabbed the Presidents’ Trophy, anything short of sharp, controlled hockey is going to feel like a letdown. That’s the reality for a roster that sits near the top of the Stanley Cup contender conversation but has looked a little too ordinary out of the gate.
The problem isn’t that Colorado lacks firepower. It’s that the defensive lapses have been too costly to ignore.
The pattern has been there for all to see. Against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
In the shootout loss to the Dallas Stars. In losses to the Philadelphia Flyers and New Jersey Devils.
The Avalanche have often carried the puck, generated more looks, and still walked away empty because a handful of breakdowns changed the game.
That’s the part that has to sting. Hockey can turn on one bad read, one lazy turnover, one uncontested look in front of the net. Colorado is still a strong team and still built to make noise in the playoffs, but the margin shrinks fast when the mistakes pile up.
Goaltending has taken its share of heat, and some of that criticism makes sense. Mackenzie Blackwood hasn’t completely matched the expectations that came with his chance to become “the man” in Colorado’s crease. But this hasn’t been a one-man problem, either.
The latest loss to the Devils was another example. The opening goal came after a turnover and left Scott Wedgewood with an uncontested chance to face. That sort of breakdown has been showing up far too often this season, and it’s hard for any goaltender to bail out a team when the looks against are that clean.
Even a loaded offense can only cover so much. Nathan MacKinnon, Martin Necas, and the rest of the group can overwhelm opponents when things are rolling, and the power play is still part of the equation.
But banking on the attack to erase every issue is a shaky plan. Not every night will be an offensive showcase.
There is still reason to believe Colorado can fix this. The club has already shown what it can do defensively, leading the NHL in goals against per game last season at 2.40. Since the start of the 2024-25 season, the Avalanche have allowed 2.63 goals per game, which is the best mark in the league.
So the ingredients are there. The roster is deep, the staff has been through enough to recognize the problem, and the team has the kind of leadership needed to snap out of this quickly. The question is whether they tighten things up before those same lapses start costing them against the tougher opponents ahead.
In Other News...
Avalanche Fans Have A New Reason To Watch Toronto Closely
The trade market is starting to heat up around one of Colorados future assets, and the Maple Leafs are right in the middle of it. Toronto is reportedly willing to pay a premium price to land an impact defenseman, with the conversation centered on pieces that could include the Avalanches 2027 first-round pick or top prospects. For a Colorado team that has already seen its draft capital become part of bigger league-wide discussions, that kind of buzz is worth monitoring closely.
One name being floated in those talks is Easton Cowan, the kind of prospect Toronto would have to consider moving if it wants to swing big. At the same time, Nashville has also been involved in conversations about defenseman Brady Skjei, whose contract and lack of trade protection make him a player to watch as teams search for help on the blue line. For Avalanche fans, the intrigue is less about Torontos shopping list than about how far the market could stretch and what it might mean for Colorados future assets. [Read more 🡒]
Megnas Return Gives Colorado A Boost Fans Will Notice
Jayson Megna gave the Colorado Eagles exactly the kind of lift that tends to matter in the middle of a season grind, scoring twice in a 4-1 win over the Bakersfield Condors and finishing it off with the game-winner. The veteran forwards return was one of the cleaner storylines of the night, and it came with Colorado getting contributions in the other key areas too, as the Eagles cashed in on special teams and kept the pressure on from start to finish.
Ilya Nabokov backed it up in net with 34 saves on 35 shots to move to 4-1-0, giving Colorado the kind of steadiness that can make a lineup feel deeper than it looks on paper. Bakersfield tried to reset its crease by turning from Connor Ungar to Nathan Day during the game, but the Eagles never let the shift change the rhythm, and Megnas presence was the kind of boost fans will notice again if it carries over. [Read more 🡒]
Avalanche Top Line Finally Looked Like A Problem Again
For much of the night at Ball Arena, the Avalanches top line looked like the version that can tilt a game by itself. Nathan MacKinnon, Martin Necas and Artturi Lehkonen combined for nine points in a 6-3 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning, with MacKinnon finishing with a goal and three assists as Colorados offense found a familiar rhythm. The power play also chipped in once, and MacKenzie Blackwood backed it up with 31 saves to help the Avalanche keep control.
There were still a few rough edges, though, which is where this one gets more interesting for Colorado. The penalty kill had its issues, and a controversial late sequence added some noise to a night that otherwise felt like a step toward getting the teams most dangerous trio rolling again. If the Avalanche are going to lean into that kind of top-end firepower, theyll still want the rest of the details cleaned up behind it. [Read more 🡒]