20 Avalanche predictions for 2023

2022 went down as one of the best in Colorado Avalanche history but also saw one of the league’s most dominant postseason performances in the salary cap era. The price of that championship has been extensive, from player departures to injury recovery times that have stretched into the new year. The Avs still have a bevy of enviable talent on hand and are a team nobody wants a piece of come playoff time. Here’s how DNVR Avalanche sees 2023 going for the Avalanche.

1. The Avs actually get healthy. Mostly.

Injuries are unpredictable and silly and the issues the Avalanche have had to live with this year are pretty ridiculous. All of Josh Manson, Bowen Byram, Gabe Landeskog, Valeri Nichushkin, and Pavel Francouz get healthy eventually and play for the Avalanche this season.

2. Gabe Landeskog pushes for a 20-goal season

I have him roughly ticketed for a Valentine’s Day return on February 14. That would give him 31 games to register the 10th 20-goal season of his career. I’m giving him the furious push for 20 because Colorado’s team-wide shooting percentage issues will correct with his return and he’ll benefit from some good puck luck. He probably falls short, but I’m being bold and saying he makes it interesting.

3. An Avs player finally cracks 100 points – Mikko Rantanen

The big moose sits on 48 points in 38 games right now, which has him on pace for 103 points. That pace actually jumps up as the Avs get healthy and Rantanen drives his own line separate from Nathan MacKinnon and finishes with Colorado’s first 100-point season since Joe Sakic accomplished the feat at age 37 in 2006-07.

4. Rantanen also cracks 50 goals

While breaking the 100-point barrier would give Rantanen the Avalanche’s first 100-point scorer who is not named Sakic or Forsberg, he also cracks the 50-goal threshold, last done by Milan Hejduk in 2002-03. It will be the fourth 50-goal season in Avalanche history.

5. Nathan MacKinnon hits 60 assists

While Rantanen is moose-ing his way to Avalanche history of his own, MacKinnon passes his way into the record books as he becomes the first Avalanche player not named Sakic or Forsberg to crack the 60-assist barrier. He already has 28 in 27 games. As teams focus on MacKinnon, he defers to his teammates more and reaps the rewards of racking up assists.

6. The Avs finish with five 20-goal scorers on the roster

Rantanen (obviously), MacKinnon, Artturi Lehkonen, Valeri Nichushkin, and their big trade deadline acquisition all hit the 20-goal mark, although the import will have to do so in a split season between his current and future homes.

7. Colorado continues its splashy trade deadline history

The Avalanche have made a trade at the deadline something like 23 consecutive seasons and that continues again this year. Because of salary cap constraints, the Avs are forced to wait until deadline day to make their noise instead of making several deals in the week leading up to it as they did last season.

8. The Avs part with their 2024 first-round pick at the deadline

In his first year at the helm on deadline day, Avalanche general manager Chris MacFarland is able to keep this year’s first-round selection in the organization but agrees to part with more future capital as the 2024 top pick is out the door to bolster this year’s team for another run at the Stanley Cup.

9. That pick goes to the Arizona Coyotes

In exchange, the Avs land their 2C of the present and future in Nick Schmaltz. Having just turned 27 at the time of the trade deadline, Schmaltz was just a little too old for the Coyotes to keep for their competitive window and the Avs land a player under contract for the next three seasons. Schmaltz is an excellent fit in Colorado in that he’s both very skilled and injury prone.

10. A year later, the Avs finally land Luke Schenn

Also done at the deadline, the Avs get the guy that I was hankering for them to make a move on last year in Luke Schenn. As an expiring UFA this time around, Colorado is comfortable giving up a mid-round selection for the extra layer of depth on defense. Despite Andreas Englund’s admirable showing in Colorado, the Avs get a guy in Schenn who has already done this job before when he was a third-pairing fill-in for the Tampa Bay Lightning during their Cup-winning years.

11. Colorado falls short in its Central Division title defense

While Colorado has messed around with its recent five-game losing streak, the teams around it have enjoyed winning some games and putting separation between themselves and the wounded Avalanche. They’re going to need it, because once healthy, the Avs will come looking to defend the division title but will fall short to the Dallas Stars.

12. Colorado gets the Winnipeg Jets in the first round

In a matchup sure to cause serious friction with my wife the Winnipeg native and lifelong Jets fan, the Avs and Jets smash their explosive top-six forward groups together and Josh Morrissey gets to see what a Norris Trophy-winning defenseman looks like on the brightest stage.

13. Alexandar Georgiev outplays Connor Hellebuyck

The Avs go through the agony of losing two games in the first round against the Jets, but ultimately prevail 4-2 in a hard-fought series.

14. Colorado’s season ends in Round 2 once again

The Avs find themselves in the familiar confines of a second-round exit when Pete DeBoer continues to be Jared Bednar’s personal kryptonite and the Avs fall to the Dallas Stars, ending their title defense.

15. Sean Behrens leaves DU, helps lead Eagles on a deep postseason run

The Colorado Eagles get most of their guys back from the Avalanche and go on a deep postseason run. They make it to the Calder Cup Final after Behrens leaves the Denver Pioneers and turns pro to play top-pairing minutes in the AHL postseason.

16. The Eagles’ success garners head coaching buzz for Greg Cronin

Seeing the positive impact of Cronin’s tutelage in Loveland for young players and veterans alike, the young and developing Anaheim Ducks fire Dallas Eakins and interview Cronin for their opening. Longtime Eagles coach Aaron Schneekloth takes over for Cronin behind the Eagles bench.

17. Colorado drafts Czechia G Michael Hrabal in Round 1

I was hoping my guy Trey Augustine would have the kind of WJC to vault him into the conversation here but that didn’t happen. Hrabal, however, has had first-round buzz consistently throughout the season even though his numbers in the USHL have been okay. His exceptional size at 6’6″ is an obvious selling point.

18. Colorado opens free agency by having to pick between J.T. Compher and Evan Rodrigues

The Avs pick Rodrigues, who signs a multi-year deal with the Avalanche. They then trade for Anthony Duclair and add even more speed and goal-scoring to their forward ranks. Darren Helm and Andrew Cogliano retire. Erik Johnson returns on a one-year deal for $1M for one last hurrah in Denver.

19. Shane Bowers finally makes the Avalanche for real

After years of waiting and the incredible bad luck Bowers has been plagued by, Colorado’s need for depth and lack of salary cap flexibility means they promote from within. Shane Bowers takes over Andrew Cogliano’s old spot and we see what he’s made of.

20. Colorado’s 2023-24 opening night lineup looks like this

Lehkonen – MacKinnon – Rantanen
Landeskog – Schmaltz – Nichushkin
Newhook – Rodrigues – Duclair
Bowers – Meyers – O’Connor
Kaut

Toews – Makar
Byram – Manson
Girard – Johnson
MacDermid

Georgiev
Francouz