Aarif Deen
Despite bowing out in four games in the Western Conference Final, the Colorado Avalanche remain among the NHL’s Stanley Cup favorites for the 2026-27 season.
Depending on the sportsbook, the Avalanche are either ranked first or second in Stanley Cup championship odds. Among the five sportsbooks listed in the hyperlink, Colorado has the No. 1 odds twice and is second behind the 2026 Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes three times.
While Colorado has one of the older rosters in the league, it’s quite a talented group. Led by Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar, the Avalanche have most of their roster already under contract for the upcoming season, albeit without much cap space to fill out the remaining holes.
On Tuesday, the Avs traded Ross Colton for draft picks to clear up some space, likely to allocate it to their blueline.
They have four of their top eight defensemen under contract and will need to figure out what to do with key RFA Jack Drury.