The wait is over, and we are on the cusp of the 2024-25 NHL season. The Colorado Avalanche will be one of the most talked about teams in the league for a variety of reasons. Missing Artturi Lehkonen and Gabriel Landeskog for the start of the season presents a few challenges among many.
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Every talking point has been explored to death. More than a few things will happen over the course of the season, each of which will have a potentially drastic impact on what happens in the end. Let’s take a look at some of the predictions that are more likely to come true this season.
Prediction 1: Calum Ritchie Will Play a Substantial Role
With so many vacancies in the lineup, position battles have garnered the most attention in the offseason. Calum Ritchie, the Avalanche’s 2023 first-round pick, could find himself in a very opportune situation to make the team. More importantly, he could have a substantial impact on at least the beginning of the season.
The 19-year-old forward has all the physical skills to be an impact player. He’s already 6-foot-2, 200 pounds, and is strong despite his age. He battles down low, makes life tough for goaltenders with his net-front presence, and would give the Avalanche a little extra something.
There is no telling when Lehkonen, Landeskog, or the suspended Valeri Nichushkin could return. With so many opportunities available for the taking, now is the time for Ritchie to make an early impact on the team. Even if he doesn’t stick around once the team starts getting healthier, he should play a big role in the early weeks of the season.
Prediction 2: Cale Makar Will Have His Best Season Yet
The Avalanche will need to get out to a fast start in order to gain a bit of breathing room until all of those important pieces can return. For that reason, they are going to lean heavily on the big three of Cale Makar, Nathan MacKinnon, and Mikko Rantanen.
Makar has done everything imaginable during his five seasons in the NHL. He has made the NHL All-Star First or Second Team four times, and won the Calder Trophy, Norris Trophy, and Conn Smythe Trophy en route to the 2022 Stanley Cup.
Makar is coming off his best offensive season where he registered career-highs in assists (69) and points (90). At 25 years old, he is in his physical prime. He is the best defenseman in the NHL in every conceivable way. With more pressure being put on the stars of the team, don’t be surprised if he gets off to a start that has him among the offensive leaders not only at his position but the league as a whole.
Prediction 3: Team Defense Will Take a Step Back
Secondary offense is definitely a concern with so many players out, but the real issue could be team defense. The top four are back and a known commodity, but the bottom pairing is in transition. It wasn’t good last season, and a pair of reclamation projects could grab the final two spots.
More importantly, missing a key contributor like Lehkonen can only have a negative impact on team defense. That’s not to say the Avalanche will fall into the bottom third of the league defensively, but it will be noticeable.
Figuring out the bottom pairing will help. Getting a career season (in a contract year) from Alexandar Georgiev will go a long way as well. Some pundits have the Avalanche as a top-five defense currently but don’t be shocked if they fall outside of the top 10 amidst early struggles.
Colorado Avalanche Final Record Prediction
The Avalanche won 50 games in 2023-24 yet finished third in the Central Division. The Dallas Stars and Winnipeg Jets each won 52 games, topping the 110-point mark. The competition is only going to get tougher with the improvements made by the Nashville Predators and the holes in the Avalanche lineup.
The Avs are going to take a step back even if it isn’t a major one. Finishing in the top three in the division may be a tall order given the level of competition. It wouldn’t be surprising to see them crack the 100-point mark but capture a wild card spot because of the depth of the division.
The Western Conference is deeper than it has been in recent years and will make life tough for a thin Avalanche roster. A record in the 47-28-7 (101 points) range feels realistic given the current talent level and issues the Avalanche are dealing with. A strong start and a return of crucial offensive pieces could take them much higher.
A Wild Card Season
This is the most uncertain season in recent memory for the Avalanche. The top-end talent is there and arguably the best in the NHL. Those three big pieces will carry the load on most nights, especially during the early portion of the season.
Getting those three critical forwards back will make the Avalanche much better. The only question is how far into the season those returns will come. If the Avalanche can find a way to start strong and grow their room for error until those returns, they could emerge as a contender before long.
