Colorado Avalanche First NHL Team to Make 2026 Playoffs

The Colorado Avalanche are headed back to the playoffs, and they're the first team in the NHL to punch their ticket this season.

Colorado secured the franchise's ninth straight playoff appearance Friday night with a sharp 4-1 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. The win came at a perfect time for a team that had stumbled through a rough patch, losing four of their previous five games.

Coach Jared Bednar saw something different in his team during their last shootout loss to Dallas. That momentum carried into Chicago, where the Avalanche dominated from start to finish. Martin Necas summed it up perfectly after the game: "I think if we just play like that, there isn't many games we're going to lose."

The timing matters. Colorado sits at 45-13-10, leading the Western Conference by four points over Dallas and 10 points ahead of Minnesota. They're one of only three teams in franchise history to clinch a playoff spot in fewer than 70 games during an 82-game season.

The Bright Side

This isn't just about making the playoffs. It's about a team finding its rhythm when it counts most.

After racing to a 33-4-7 record in January, the Avalanche watched Dallas go on a tear with a 15-1-1 stretch. A 7-2 home loss to Pittsburgh without Sidney Crosby stung. But instead of panicking, Colorado regrouped and rediscovered the dominant play that made them a powerhouse all season.

Even better news is coming. Captain Gabriel Landeskog and three other injured forwards are traveling with the team on their current road trip. Some could return as early as Sunday, giving the Avalanche even more firepower heading into the final stretch of the regular season.

The playoff berth is just the beginning. With key players healing and the team playing its best hockey in weeks, Colorado is peaking at exactly the right moment.