5 Avalanche Players Who Could Be Award Candidates in 2026-27
The Colorado Avalanche had no shortage of individual award candidates during the 2025-26 season.
Nathan MacKinnon was a Hart Trophy finalist and won the Rocket Richard Trophy. Cale Makar was once again a Norris Trophy finalist, while Brock Nelson finished as a Selke Trophy finalist.
Gabriel Landeskog won both the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy and Mark Messier Leadership Award.
Martin Necas put together the first 100-point season of his career, while Scott Wedgewood and Mackenzie Blackwood won the William M. Jennings Trophy.
With the 2026-27 season quickly approaching, several Avalanche players could find themselves back in the award conversation.
Nathan MacKinnon — Hart Trophy
It is difficult to make an award-candidate list without starting with MacKinnon. The veteran forward is coming off another outstanding season, scoring 53 goals and 127 points in 80 regular-season games.
Those 53 goals led the NHL and earned him his first Rocket Richard Trophy, while his 97 even-strength points were the most in a single season since Wayne Gretzky recorded 103 in 1990-91. MacKinnon also finished third in league scoring and was a finalist for the Hart Trophy.
There is little reason to expect his production to suddenly fall off. If MacKinnon once again approaches or surpasses the 120-point mark, he should remain one of the league's strongest Hart Trophy candidates.
Cale Makar — Norris Trophy
Makar has become almost synonymous with the Norris Trophy conversation, and that should continue in the coming season. The defenseman was a Norris finalist for the sixth consecutive season in 2025-26 after recording 20 goals and 79 points in 75 games.
He also became the first defenseman since Phil Housley and Al MacInnis to record three straight 20-goal seasons.
Makar's 79 points were down from the 92 he recorded in 2024-25, but that is hardly a reason to remove him from the conversation. A return to the 90-point range could put him in an excellent position to win his third Norris Trophy.
Brock Nelson — Selke Trophy
In his first full season with the Avalanche, Nelson scored 33 goals and 65 points while becoming one of the most important pieces of Colorado's league-leading penalty kill. He also won at least 50 percent of his faceoffs and was one of just 10 players with at least 30 goals and a faceoff percentage above 50 percent.
Another strong two-way season could keep Nelson firmly in the Selke conversation, particularly if Colorado's penalty kill remains among the NHL's best.
Martin Necas — Hart Trophy Dark Horse
Necas is the biggest offensive wildcard on this list. The forward exploded for a career-high 38 goals and 62 assists for a total of 100 points in his first full season with Colorado.
His 76 even-strength points ranked sixth in the NHL, and his chemistry with MacKinnon helped form one of the league's most productive duos.
Repeating 100 points would put Necas in a much different tier of league-wide recognition. He may not enter the season as a Hart favorite, but another elite offensive campaign could change that quickly.
Gabriel Landeskog — Masterton Trophy
After missing three consecutive regular seasons because of knee issues, the Avalanche captain returned to play 60 games in 2025-26 and recorded 35 points. Colorado went 45-7-8 when he was in the lineup, showing just how significant his return was to the team's success.
Landeskog ultimately won the Masterton Trophy and the Mark Messier Leadership Award, becoming the first player in NHL history to win both awards during the same season.
While it may be difficult to duplicate that specific award season, if Landeskog stays healthy and continues to make an impact, his leadership and comeback story will remain noteworthy.
The Avalanche have plenty of star power throughout their roster, and that should once again translate into plenty of individual award consderation.
MacKinnon and Makar are the safest bets, but the rest could have compelling cases of their own when the 2026-27 season comes to a close.
