The Colorado Avalanche rebounded from a slow start to the regular season in 2024-25, finishing with 102 points and a third place seed in the Central Division before their Game 7 loss to the Dallas Stars in the first round. With sweeping changes to the roster, fans and media are left wondering whether the team can have another successful year -- and a deeper playoff run.
Colorado is led by superstars like Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar, who have paved the road to victory time and time again with their explosive offense and equally impressive defensive game. There's no doubt in the abilities of those guys to carry the team, but there are some questions lingering about the supporting cast.
Have the Avalanche done enough to replace Mikko Rantanen?
The biggest piece of news from last season was the Mikko Rantanen trade, which sent the star forward to the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for Martin Necas, Jack Drury, and two draft picks. Rantanen would end up being the dagger that ended Colorado's season in the playoffs after he joined the Dallas Stars following a brief stint with the Hurricanes.
Rantanen was responsible for back-to-back 100 point seasons with the Avs and was on track for his third in a row before the trade. It's no easy task to replace a player of that caliber, and there it's still unclear whether Necas alone can produce a similar amount of offense to the flashy Finnish forward.
Necas took Rantanen's spot on the top line and had a career-best season offensively, tallying 27 goals and 83 points in 79 games split between Carolina and Colorado. However, the 26-year-old has had some ups and downs in terms of his output, bobbing back and forth from 40 points in 2021-22, then 71 points the following year, and falling back to 53 before his breakout this past season.
It's almost certain that Necas will not be putting up the 100+ points that Rantanen did. With Artturi Lehkonen likely skating alongside Necas and Nathan MacKinnon at center, it would take a serious boost from the wingers to help support MacKinnon's tremendous offense. His numbers took a small dip after losing Rantanen, going from 1.53 points per game to 1.36 after the trade. If Necas can rise to the occasion in his contract year, the Avs will be sitting pretty in the Central Division.
Will Gabriel Landeskog play the full season?
Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog missed three entire seasons after multiple knee surgeries held him off of the ice. But his triumphant return for the 2025 playoffs was a major bright spot for the team, as he recorded a goal and three assists in his first five games played since the club's 2022 Stanley Cup championship.
Now, Landeskog's longevity is still uncertain at this point. After missing such significant time due to his serious knee injury, being thrown back into an 82-game season could prove to be tough. But he was among the league's best forwards before his unfortunate setbacks, scoring 30 goals in just 52 games during the 2021-22 season.
If he can play the way he did during the postseason, it will undoubtedly carry the Avs in the right direction as far as going on a deep run this year and GM Chris MacFarland is confident that Landeskog is up to the task.
"For the first time in many, many years we're going into an offseason with the expectation that Gabe is going to not only play but play consistently and be able to play well."Avalanche GM Chris MacFarland
Can Mackenzie Blackwood remain consistent?
Goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood ran away with the starting job after being acquired from the San Jose Sharks in December. The 28-year-old posted a 22-12-3 record with the Avalanche, recording a .913 SV%, 2.33 GAA, and 3 shutouts. The team's overall goals against at 5-on-5 improved from 3.52 to 2.89 after Blackwood joined the team.
Once the playoffs hit, though, Blackwood's performance took a step back. His save percentage dropped to .892%, and he allowed 2.71 goals per game. That is similar to the performance the New Jersey Devils got out of Blackwood, where he had several stellar seasons before his game took a significant hit and he was eventually dealt to the Sharks.
The good news is that backup Scott Wedgewood was more than reliable when it was his turn to take the net. That gives the Avalanche confidence that the team can grind out wins no matter who is starting. If Blackwood is in his top form, Colorado will thrive backstopped by him, but if he falters then that could spell trouble.
The Avalanche have the potential to be one of the top contenders in the Western Conference with solid goaltending and reliable offensive output from its top six.