The Colorado Avalanche rounded out the regular season with a 5-1 win over the Edmonton Oilers at home. They finished 50-25-7 overall marking their third-straight 50-win season.

The Avs had the best home record in the league at 31-9-1 (63). Only the 2021-22 Cup team had more wins (32) and points (68) on home ice.

The last ten games of the season sparked concern. The Winnipeg Jets game felt like a new low losing 0-7 at home, and a third period collapse cost them two points in Vegas.

Game 82 wouldn’t mean much – their matchup was decided and Edmonton didn’t ice a full lineup: Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Zach Hyman, Evan Bouchard, Evander Kane, and Mattias Ekholm did not play. 

But, it was a needed confidence boost in front of the home fans one last time before the playoffs begin.

Season Finale

Nathan MacKinnon took a final bow in Ball Arena to conclude a historic regular season. He registered two assists and broke Peter Stastny’s franchise record for the most points in a season. He now holds the new record with 140 points (51g/89a).

“Obviously, reaching it is a team accomplishment,” he said. “A lot of guys have helped me out along the way. We’ve had tons of great hockey this season but my focus is definitely on the playoffs.”

His points total fell four shy of Nikita Kucherov for the NHL-lead, but he finished first in the league for even-strength points. His 92 even-strength points are the most the NHL has seen since Jaromir Jagr (95) in 1995-96. 

He was also among NHL-leaders in points (2nd), assists (3rd), and goals (4th).

The Art Ross Trophy will go to Kucherov, but MacKinnon should be at the top of Hart Trophy ballots.

Nathan MacKinnon joined Kucherov as the second player to record 140 points in 2023-24 – the seventh season in NHL history to feature multiple players at the 140 mark and first since 1995-96 (Jaromir Jagr and Mario Lemieux).

He also finished the regular season with a point in 39 of Colorado’s 41 home games this season. Real ones know that it should be 40 of 41 home games if it wasn’t for an inconsistent technicality and Ryan Lindgren’s stick.

He wasn’t the only one to conclude a special season.

With an assist on Thursday, Cale Makar recorded 90 points (21g/69a) this season to become the 12th defenseman (29th instance) in NHL history to record 90 points in a campaign. Makar finished the regular season second among NHL defensemen in goals, assists and points.

He was just two points back from Quinn Hughes for the first place points spot.

Devon Toews also chipped in an assist to post his third straight 50-point campaign (12g/38a). He’s the third defenseman in franchise history to record three or more consecutive 50-point seasons following Makar (four straight; 2019-present) and Sandis Ozolinsh (three straight; 1995-98).

Both had what could be considered “down” years defensively, but at even strength their Corsi-for percentage finished above 50.

Makar’s average time on ice was ninth in the league and both Makar and Toews finished in the top-20 in overall minutes.

Their Corsi-for percentage (for all d-pairs that played at least 1000 minutes together) placed them as a sixth ranked pairing at five-on-five (52.94%) and they allowed the sixth-lowest scoring chances-against within those parameters as well.

They played big minutes together and produced at an impressive pace.

To put it into perspective, they played 831:06 at five-on-five in the Cup season and allowed 393 scoring chances-against. That was the lowest among the pairs for that year (who played at least 800 minutes).

This season they combined for 1029:11 minutes and were on the ice for 488 scoring chances-against at 5v5. Their expected goals-against in 2021-22 (30.08) was lower than this year’s (38.57).

Their Cup season was stronger defensively, but the difference isn’t as big as it’s felt riding some of the lows of this year.

What’s Ahead

MacKinnon said the team is humbled going into the postseason and he believed it was a good thing.

“We had a great week of practice trying to work on things defensively – sort out some issues. We got another couple of days to get ready to go here,” he said.

Jared Bednar was asked how he felt about the state of the team heading into the playoffs.

“I think we’re fine,” he said confidently. “Yeah. I like where we’re at. This week’s work breaking down some of our issues here recently, some of the steps we’ve taken in the Minnesota game early in the Dallas game, early in tonight’s game (certainly we’re gonna have to extend that for a full 60 minutes like we did against Minnesota) but a lot of hard work, video work, and practice the last couple of days does us good. Guys are mentally in a good spot.”

Bednar said that his excitement as a coach is high.

“I can’t say that it’s not a stressful time for a coach. The best part of the game is getting to the Stanley Cup playoffs and being able to participate in that. We know it’s going to be a grind. Every team in the West is deep and strong. We’re facing a really good team in Winnipeg. It’s going to be a great challenge.”

Colorado’s next game is Game 1 of the First Round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs set for Sunday (April 21) in Winnipeg at 5 PM MST.

They’ll be on the road for the first two games but Ross Colton discussed the benefit of beginning a series this way.

Tampa Bay started seven of eight playoff rounds on the road during their 2021 and 2022 runs during which they won another Cup and advanced to the Stanley Cup Final.

“We have played well at home but in years past when I have been in the playoffs,” he said. “I honestly think it’s better we go on the road and steal some games and kind of get the momentum coming back here.”  

The Avs had the tenth-best road record in the league for the 2021-22 regular season and went on to lose just one road game in their Cup run.

Colorado’s road record placed 13th this season.

The best time of the year is finally here.