3 Burning Colorado Avalanche Questions Heading Into 2026-27 Season
We are another day closer to the start of the 2026-27 season as we finally know the schedule for the upcoming season. The Colorado Avalanche have an 84-game marathon to get back to the playoffs and redeem themselves.
Before we get there, though, what are some burning questions surrounding the team this season? The Avalanche hope to get over the hump and get back to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 2022. To do that, what are they hoping to do in the regular season?
1. Can Martin Necas hit 100 Points Again?
In his first full season with the Avalanche, Martin Necas eclipsed the 100-point mark for the first time in his career in 2025-26. He tallied 38 goals and 62 assists in 78 games, while being a plus-47. He did that after putting up 28 points in 30 games in 2024-25 following the trade from the Carolina Hurricanes.
The question is, can he do it again? The Avalanche are in a "win now" mode, and having Necas have another 100-point or more season to support Nathan MacKinnon would be huge. When Necas had his career year with the Hurricanes in 2022-23 (71 points), he followed that up with 53- and 55-point seasons.
However, he is now in a system that rewards him for his speed, stick-handling, and run-and-gun style. Furthermore, it helps when he is on a line with a 127-point MacKinnon on the first line, along with the power play. If Necas can hit 100 or more points again, that could be pivotal in the long run for the Avalanche to have another deep playoff run. The hope is that Necas can be consistent year in and year out.
2. The Lumberyard Going Lights Out Again
It's been mentioned before, but it needs to be repeated: the lumberyard needs to have another Vezina-like performance in 2026-27. The duo of Scott Wedgewood and MacKenzie Blackwood won the Jennings Trophy last season by allowing the fewest amount of goals. While it's tough to do it back-to-back seasons, are they capable of getting near that level again?
Blackwood had a 23-10-2 record in 39 games (36 starts) with a 2.51 goals-against average (GAA), a .904 save percentage (SV%), and three shutouts. Regarding Wedgewood, he had a 31-6-6 record with a 2.02 GAA, a .921 SV%, four shutouts, and his first-ever point (assist).
While it'll be hard to replicate those numbers, there is a chance that both goalies could give the Avalanche a chance to win a good amount of games in 2026-27. Will it be 55 games again? There is a good chance, but even 50 to 52 wins could be enough to win the Central Division. Furthermore, it might be enough to claim the first seed in the Western Conference.
It will come down to the defense standing tall throughout the season. While there is not much turnover on the blueline, the defense would be up-and-down from night to night. However, if they can be consistant, they could take pressure off Wedgeood and Blackwood. All in all, if they can even get within the realm of last years numbers, there's a chance for another Jennings coming to the lumberyard.
3. Will the Bottom Six Scoring Support the Top Six?
It's no surprise that the Avalanche leans heavily on MacKinnon, Necas, and defenseman Cale Makar to tally most of the points. Even Brock Nelson last season had 65 points. However, even after Val Nichushkin's 49 points, along with Artturi Lehkonen's 48 points, there is a bit of a drop-off.
Defenseman Sam Malinki had 40 points in a breakout season, followed by Parker Kelly and Gabriel Landeskog having 35 points. That said, the Avalanche need a more balanced scoring touch this upcoming season.
While they did lead the NHL in goals last season, Nelson (33), Necas (38), and MacKinnon (53) were the only three to have 30 or more goals in 2025-26. Lehkonen (21), Kelly (20), and Makar (20) rounded out the six players to have 20 or more goals.
The hope is that the Avalanche can see guys like Nazem Kadri, Nicols Roy, Gavin Brindley, Ross Colton, etc., find a way to give support to the top guys throughout the season. The depth scoring going cold in the Western Conference Final against the Vegas Golden Knights was one of the reasons why it ended in four games.
While the Avalanche will be within the top five in goals next season, they will need to have that not only in the regular season, but also in the playoffs. It'll be interesting to see how head coach Jared Bednar deploys his lines this upcoming season and how the guys will do on a nightly basis.
There are many other questions for the Avalanche for the upcoming season. These are three to wonder about as we get closer to the 2026-27 regular season. One thing is for sure: the Avalanche want to redeem themselves and reach the ultimate goal once again.
Zach Martin is originally from Northeast Ohio, but has resided in South Carolina since 2016. He has been a credentialed hockey writer with The Hockey Writers since 2023 as the Carolina Hurricanes beat writer, where he has written player profiles, storylines, game recaps, general pieces and more. Zach had the opportunity to attend the 2026 Stanley Cup Final as credentialed media covering the Carolina Hurricanes. He's written about ESPN's Mike Monaco, along with player exclusives over the last couple of years. Zach has also covered games for the World Juniors, IIHF World Championships, and the 2026 Winter Olympics. He has also covered the Colorado Avalanche and some other NHL teams at large over his time with THW.