The Colorado Avalanche are making the NHL look easy right now, and they’re doing it without even needing their power play to click.
After crushing the Anaheim Ducks 4-1 on Tuesday night, the Avs improved to an incredible 11-1-5 record. Their 27 points tops the NHL standings, and they’re showing no signs of slowing down.
Nathan MacKinnon is putting on a show this season. He’s leading the league in everything that matters – 14 goals, 18 assists, and 32 total points. That’s six points ahead of San Jose’s rookie sensation Macklin Celebrini.
Not to be outdone, Cale Makar is dominating from the blue line. He’s the highest-scoring defenseman in the NHL with 23 points, including 6 goals and 17 assists.
"When you watch the Avs at Ball Arena, it feels like they’re skating downhill at the other team," says Tyler Yaremchuk of Daily Faceoff LIVE. "There’s something about the atmosphere and speed they play with."
The numbers back up what everyone’s seeing on the ice. Colorado leads the NHL in shots, goals, scoring chances, and high-danger attempts during 5-on-5 play. And they’re not just leading – they’re running away with these categories.
Here’s what’s really scary: their power play is currently ranked just 21st in the league.
"We know how hard it is to generate offense at 5-on-5, and they’re doing it," says former NHL goalie Carter Hutton. "While their power play can be streaky at times, you know they’re going to find a way to generate offense from it, which makes them even more dangerous."
Just imagine what happens when that power play starts clicking. The rest of the NHL might want to take notice – this Avalanche team is looking like a serious Stanley Cup contender, and we’re not even through the first quarter of the season.
