The Colorado Avalanche just finished a season full of personal bests, and the list was loaded with familiar names.
Nathan MacKinnon hit a career-high 53 goals and took home the Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy. Martin Necas got to 100 points.
Parker Kelly scored 21 goals. Scott Wedgewood won more than 30 games.
Sam Malinski turned in a 40-point season.
That kind of individual production helped push Colorado to 55 wins and the Presidents’ Trophy. Doing it again as a team is a tall order.
But a few more career years? That’s a much more realistic target.
Here are five Avalanche players who could set new highs in 2026-27.
Cale Makar is the obvious headliner. He finished with 79 points last season, but his career best is 92 from 2024-25, and there’s a strong case that he gets back over that mark.
He’s 27 now, turning 28 in October, and firmly in his prime. He’s also in the final year of his contract, though an extension is expected before the season starts, so this isn’t about chasing a new deal.
It’s about rediscovering another gear. His numbers dipped a bit last season, especially on the power play, and that could be enough to light a fire.
If he rebounds the way he’s capable of, he’ll be right back in the Norris Trophy conversation.
Sam Malinski looks like another defenseman ready to climb. Colorado has made blue-line offense a calling card for years, with Makar and Devon Toews leading the way, and Malinski fit right into that pipeline last season.
He broke through with 40 points while his ice time kept rising, eventually settling into a second-pair role next to Brett Kulak. That setup should help him again.
The pairings are already established, and Kulak’s steady, stay-at-home game gives Malinski room to jump into the attack. A huge leap isn’t the expectation, but a small bump in offense feels well within reach, especially if he gets second-unit power-play time.
In goal, Mackenzie Blackwood is a strong candidate to set a new win total. Colorado leaned harder on Wedgewood than expected last season because Blackwood was behind after an injury before training camp.
Even after he returned, he never fully took back the starter’s job, and Wedgewood handled the heavier load through much of the postseason. That shouldn’t be the same story this time.
Blackwood’s career high is 28 wins, set in 2024-25 between Colorado and the San Jose Sharks, and if he arrives healthy and on schedule, that number should be vulnerable.
Artturi Lehkonen has been knocking on the door of 30 goals for what feels like forever. Every season, he seems to be tracking toward it.
Every season, something gets in the way. Injuries have played a part, and so has a late-season scoring dip.
His best shot came in 2024-25, when Gabe Landeskog missed the season and Mikko Rantanen was traded. Lehkonen still managed 27 goals in only 69 games, and if he had stayed healthy, he likely would have cleared 30.
This could finally be the year he gets there.
The last name is Fedor Svechkov, who is positioned for a bigger role on a reshaped fourth line. Jack Drury and Joel Kiviranta are gone, leaving Logan O’Connor and Parker Kelly as the only returning regulars from that group.
Colorado brought in Svechkov in the Drury trade with the idea that he could grow into the long-term fourth-line center spot. He’s signed for $1.25 million over each of the next two seasons, and he should get the first crack at the job.
There’s also a chance Zachary L’Heureux makes a real impact and posts a career high in points, but he wasn’t a full-time NHL player last season. Svechkov was.
He played 70 games in 2025-26 after appearing in 52 the year before, and he finished with 17 points in both seasons. If he earns Jared Bednar’s trust defensively and spends most of the year between Kelly and O’Connor, topping that total should be within reach.
In Other News...
Chris MacFarlands Martin Necas Move Looks Bigger For The Avalanche Now
Chris MacFarlands decision to lock up Martin Necas before the NHL salary cap took its next big jump is looking smarter by the day for the Avalanche. Necas followed the deal with a breakout season, finishing with 38 goals and 62 assists in 78 games, and the timing of the extension now stands out as one of those front-office moves that can quietly shape a roster for years.
For Colorado, the benefit goes beyond the player himself. By getting Necas signed when it did, the Avalanche preserved more room to build around him instead of chasing a much pricier contract later, a kind of cap management that can determine how much depth a contender can keep in place. Even after MacFarlands departure, the move still looms large because it gave the franchise flexibility at a moment when every dollar matters. [Read more 🡒]
Avalanche Legends Are Coming Back For A Special Hockey Weekend
A familiar summer showcase is headed back to Magness Arena, with Colorado Avalanche and University of Denver hockey alumni set to meet on Sunday, Aug. 23 in a special weekend event that should give fans a chance to see some old favorites in a new setting. The day is being built around more than just the game, too, with a Fan Fest planned to add the kind of atmosphere that turns a reunion into a full hockey weekend.
There will also be a VIP experience attached to the event, giving the weekend a more exclusive feel for fans who want to get closer to the action. Tickets go on sale July 27, and with alumni appearances still being rolled out, this is one of those late-summer dates that could draw plenty of attention from a fan base that never really stops caring about its legends. [Read more 🡒]