2024-2025 Colorado Avalanche Playoff Preview

Built Different. That’s not just the playoff slogans; that’s what this Colorado Avalanche team is: Built Different. From the depth acquisitions to the goalie pickups, this team is possibly the deepest roster we have ever seen in Colorado. Let’s go back through the season and see just how the Avs got back to the playoffs and how they can make another climb back to the mountaintop.

Heading into the 2024-25 season, the Avalanche were coming off a tough second-round exit after a double-overtime loss to the Dallas Stars. However, that did not deter them from having cup aspirations again this year. The Avs came into the season with a couple of new faces after losing trade deadline acquisitions like Sean Walker and Brandon Duhaime to free agency, as well as the retiring Andrew Cogliano and Zach Parise. Because of these personnel losses, the Avs needed to fill nine spots before the start of the season. Three of those were taken by resigned players Casey Mittelstadt, Joel Kiviranta, and Jonathan Drouin. In July, the Avs signed forward Parker Kelly, defenseman Calvin De Haan and Erik Brannstrom. Branstrom didn't make it out of camp and was traded to Vancouver before the season started. In August, the Avs signed defenseman Oliver Kylington, but just like Calvin De Haan, he was flipped at the deadline later in the season. The Avs completed their roster with call-ups for Ivan Ivan, Nikolai Kovalenko, Sam Malinski, and Cal Ritchie. Ivan, Kovalenko, and Ritchie filled in for an injured Artturi Lehkonen, Jonathon Drouin, and a suspended Valeri Nichushkin. The Avs seemingly had their roster set, ready to head into battle. However, the ongoing goaltender situation posed a big issue.

It’s been no secret that the Avalanche have had goaltending problems dating as far back as Patrick Roy, but it's doubled down since cup-winning goaltender Darcy Kuemper left in 2023. The Avs thought they had found a solution with the trade acquisition of Alexander Georgiev, who came in and won 40 games in his first season while posting a 2.53 GAA. The following year, there was a noticeable drop-off, as shown by the now 3.02 GAA and the .897 save percentage. As we entered this season, management and fans were both tentative with Georgiev, but they gave him one last shot. On December 9th, the Avalanche traded Alexander Georgiev to the San Jose Sharks along with Nikolai Kovalenko and two draft picks for Mackenzie Blackwood, Givani Smith, and a draft pick. This move came less than two weeks after the Avs traded backup Justsus Aunnunen to Nashville for Scott Wedgewood. Within two weeks, the Avalanche fixed their goaltending problems. They dropped Georgiev’s 3.38 GAA and .874 SV% for a better goaltender in Blackwood. Before December 9th, the Avs had given up the third-most goals and were sitting at the second wild card spot with a 16-13 record.

Since then, the Avs have been rolling with a 32-16-4 record, jumping them to third in the division. They have given up the fourth least number of goals, and their overall GAA is at 2.42 instead of 3.55. The change was seen immediately. Blackwood didn’t give up more than two goals for his first 12 starts in an Avalanche uniform, with only two regulation losses. As of 4/12, Blackwood has a 2.25 GAA and a .915 SV%. Three weeks later, the Avs extended Blackwood for five years, cementing the Avs move. It’s safe to say that the Avs have fixed their goaltending issues, but there was still more to resolve.

The Avs, even when healthy, were still lacking cup-worthy depth. That was until Chris McFarland pulled off what seems like the heist of the century. On January 24th, the Colorado Avalanche sent Mikko Rantanen to the Carolina Hurricanes in a three-team trade that saw the Avs collect Marty Necas, Jack Drury, and two draft picks. At the time, this seemed like a trade that would help both cup-hopeful teams, but while the trade sat and the deadline grew closer, it was obvious that Rantanen wasn’t working out. Through 13 games with Carolina, Rantanen collected only two goals and six points while wielding a -3 and 10 PIM. He was unwilling to sign an extension with Carolina, leading to a trade that sent Rantanen to Dallas, where he signed an eight-year extension and sent him on a direct collision with the Avs. On the other side of that trade, Necas has put up 11 goals and 26 points through 28 games. It was clear that the Avalanche could elevate Necas and raise him to an even higher level than what he was already playing at. Drury has also been an excellent acquisition for the depth, scoring four goals from the fourth line.

As the trade deadline neared, there were still a couple of areas the Avs wanted to address. They made multiple blockbuster trades within a week of each other in early March. The Avs added D Ryan Lindgren, LW Jimmy Vesey, and G Nicholas Kempf from the New York Rangers in exchange for C Juuso Parssinen, D Calvin de Haan, and two draft picks. That move addressed the defensive hole and added another depth piece. The Avs weren’t done, though. On March 6th, the Avs blew out Georgiev and the Sharks 7-3 in a game that saw 11 combined points between Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar. While that game was finishing up, the news broke of a trade with the New York Islanders. The Avs acquired F Brock Nelson and William Dufour in exchange for Cal Ritchie, Oliver Kylington, and two draft picks, including a first-rounder. Later that night, the Avs acquired Charlie Coyle and a draft pick from the Boston Bruins for Casey Mittelstadt, William Zellers, and a draft pick. Just like that, the Avs added two huge pieces, but when the dust settled, they brought back fan favorite Erik Johnson. It was a really successful trade deadline for the Avalanche, and everything that needed to be addressed was addressed. Since the deadline day, the Avs have gone 11-5-2, clinching them the third seed in the Central Division and another 100-point season.

Even with the depth acquisitions, the Avs stars continued to do their thing. Nathan MacKinnon leads the NHL in points with 116 and assists with 84. MacK is on track for another Hart Trophy, while Cale Makar tries to find himself another Norris. Makar leads all defencemen in points with 92, goals with 30, and assists with 62. Makar became the first defenseman to score 30 goals in a season since 2008-09. During that game in San Jose, Makar also became the first defenseman since Paul Coffey in 1986 to have two goals and four assists in one game.  The Avs lineup is already filled with stars, but there’s still one missing.

Avalanche Captain Gabriel Landeskog has not played an NHL game since the Stanley Cup-clinching game in 2022. It’s been well-documented that he is going through a long and hard journey back to the NHL following a series of knee surgeries. Avs fans started losing hope until Landeskog began practicing with the team again. He started traveling with the team to practice, and on April 10th, Gabriel Landeskog suited up for the Colorado Eagles and played in his first pro game in over 1,000 days. It was incredible, to say the least, to see the number 92 on the ice again. He followed that by surprising many people by playing the very next day with the Eagles, which he inevitably scored in! It was his first goal since game three of the Stanley Cup Finals on June 20th of 2022. Landeskog came back, and that’s all people wanted to see. Over 120,000 people, to be exact. 120,000 people watched the live stream of his return to the ice while a sold-out Blue Arena cheered him on. While there’s still no timetable for his return, Landy can only play in one more Eagles game due to the rules of a conditioning loan. With that in mind, we could very well see #92 in burgundy and blue when the playoffs start next week.

Speaking of the playoffs, the Avalanche are headed back to the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the eighth straight season. With the Avs finishing third in the division, it sets us up for a round-two rematch with the dastardly Dallas Stars. The Avalanche will match up with the Stars in a seven-game series for the third time in five years, but this one is different. Not only does this matchup come in the first round, but the Avs have never been stronger. If you throw Landeskog’s return into the mix, these Avs could be unstoppable. The Avs won the season series against Dallas with a 2-1 record, with their only loss coming in late November. Dallas may be a strong team, but the Avs are built differently. This roster has tenacity and determination, and I don’t foresee many scenarios where the Avs don’t climb the mountain and bring Lord Stanley back to Colorado. Depending on the start of Landeskog, I have the Avs coming out on top of the Stars in a thriller seven-game series. These two powerhouses will put everything on the line to get through to the second round. This is the Stanley Cup Playoffs. This is elevated hockey. This is your 2024-25 Colorado Avalanche!