Avalanche Looking to Join Exclusive Club in 2026-27
Winning the Presidents' Trophy is about as difficult as finding a squishy dumpling at Five Below five minutes after they open. Winning it a second time in a row is as rare as a McDonald's ice cream machine that's actually working. But that's what the Colorado Avalanche are hoping to accomplish in 2026-27.
The Avalanche finished 2025-26 with 121 points, which earned them the Presidents' Trophy and home-ice advantage throughout the playoffs. Unfortunately, they were bounced in the Western Conference Finals in a four-game sweep by the Vegas Golden Knights.
Now they have the opportunity to be one of the few teams in NHL history to finish atop the league in consecutive seasons.
How Rare Are Back-to-Back Presidents' Trophies?
According to hockeyreference, there have been seven teams who have won consecutive Presidents' Trophies. Here is the list of winners and how they fared in their respective seasons:
Edmonton Oilers-1985-86 and 1986-87
1985-86: In a season where Wayne Gretzky set the regular season mark of 215 points in a season, his Oilers won 56 games and had 119 points before being ousted by the Calgary Flames in the division final.
1986-87: Won the Stanley Cup over the Philadelphia Flyers.
Calgary Flames-1987-88 and 1988-89
1987-88: Finished with 105 points before losing to the Oilers in the division final.
1988-89: Improved to 117 points and defeated the Montreal Canadiens in the Stanley Cup Final.
Detroit Red Wings-1994-95 and 1995-96
1994-95: Led the league in points during the lockout-shortened season but were swept by the New Jersey Devils and their neutral zone trap in the Stanley Cup Final.
1995-96: Followed with a then-NHL-record 62 wins and 131 points, but the Avalanche bounced them out of the Western Conference Final in six games.
Dallas Stars-1997-98 and 1998-99
1997-98: Won 49 games and had 109 points before the Red Wings eliminated them in the Western Conference Final.
1998-99: Won 51 games and had 114 points and defeated the Buffalo Sabres for the Stanley Cup in a Game 6 triple overtime game that still angers Sabres fans the second they hear the name Brett Hull.
Detroit Red Wings-2003-04 and 2005-06*
2003-04: Won 48 games and finished with 109 points only to lose to the Flames in the second round.
2005-06: The 2004-05 season was canceled because of the lockout. Detroit returned and picked up where they left off, winning 58 games and totaling 124 points. But they were defeated in the first round by Chris Pronger and the Edmonton Oilers, who eventually reached the Stanley Cup Final.
Vancouver Canucks-2010-11 and 2011-12
2010-11: Won 54 games and had 117 points before the Boston Bruins beat them in seven games for the Stanley Cup.
2011-12: Had 111 points but were upset by the eventual Stanley Cup champion Los Angeles Kings in the first round.
Washington Capitals-2015-16 and 2016-17
2015-16: Dominated the regular season with 120 points but lost to the Pittsburgh Penguins in the second round.
2016-17: After a regular season of 118 points, they were ousted once again by the Penguins in the second round.
Colorado Has Done This Before
The Avalanche won the Presidents' Trophy in 1996-97 and again in 2000-01, when defenseman Ray Bourque ended his storybook career with a Stanley Cup win over the New Jersey Devils in seven games.
They have never won the Presidents' Trophy back-to-back.
When you look at the history of those early Avalanche teams with Joe Sakic, Peter Forsberg, and Patrick Roy, it's surprising they didn't accomplish the feat.
Why the Avalanche Actually Have a Chance
Colorado still has a relatively good sized window in order to win a second consecutive Presidents' Trophy.
Nathan MacKinnon, who will be 31 in September, is still one of the league's premier offensive players. Cale Makar is in the prime of his career and gives the Avalanche quite the advantage from the blue line. Martin Necas is another high-end offensive weapon who contributes to the Avalanche's very strong core. Newly signed Jaden Schwartz could give the team an even bigger offensive boost if he can stay healthy.
The team depth is there, but the key will be goaltending. Can Scott Wedgewood and Mackenzie Blackwood rebound to be the backbone the Avalanche desperately need?
The 84 Game Wrinkle
Two more games have been added to the 2026-27 regular season. How will those two games affect the Avs' pursuit? The Avalanche have 10 sets of back-to-back games this season.
There will be importance stressed upon keeping the veterans healthy. Will head coach Jared Bednar prioritize postseason readiness over chasing first overall?
Another Presidents' Trophy won't define Colorado's season.
Another Stanley Cup will.
But if the Avalanche can survive 84 games and once again finish above everyone else, they'll have accomplished something even some of the greatest teams in franchise history never managed to do.
If another Presidents' Trophy happens to be followed by another Stanley Cup, no one in Colorado will complain about having both.
