There aren't many surprises when it comes to the path that the Colorado Avalanche are going to take in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. It would take a monumental collapse to relinquish the President's Trophy, which gives them home ice throughout the playoffs. Their opponent in the first round is more up in the air, but as far as Colorado can see, it might not matter.
The main objective in the Central Division this season is to avoid slipping to the 2 vs. 3 matchup. The Dallas Stars and Minnesota Wild will likely take that matchup, and there is a strong chance it'll be a lengthy series that pushes both teams to their limits. Colorado is hoping that they'll walk through the first round and be rested and recovered in time to dominate whatever remains.
The chances of the Avalanche walking through the first round are quite good when looking at the teams fighting for that second wild card spot. The Utah Mammoth have had some questions lately, but it looks like they are pretty secure with holding on to the first wild card spot. That leaves a bunch of bad teams battling it out to see who gets the honor of facing Colorado.
Of the teams fighting it out, the Winnipeg Jets have the best goal differential at -17. The Predators, who are currently in the driver's seat, have an abysmal -20 mark. The Los Angeles Kings, who might have the best chance of passing off the Predators, have a goal differential of -27.
While records can vary, goal differential is a strong indicator of whether a team will be a threat in the postseason. Teams could catch lightning in a bottle for a few weeks and pull off an upset, but it's unlikely.
Avalanche will benefit from Western Conference pillow fight
Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid called the Pacific Division a “pillow fight” after another terrible loss for his team. While he was specifically talking about his division, it's safe to say that the full conference can get that moniker outside of the top three in the Central Division. The most competitive series for the Avalanche out of the first three will be the winner of the Stars and Wild, while the first round and the Western Conference Final may not be too tough a fight.
The Anaheim Ducks are unproven, while the Vegas Golden Knights and Oilers don't have a goalie to stop the offensive firepower of the Avalanche, Stars, or Wild. It actually wouldn't be overly surprising if the Mammoth find a way to get through the Pacific side of the bracket and create an All-Central Division Western Conference Final.
The Avalanche may not be on the record-breaking pace they were on at the start of the year, but their hot start did set them up for some favorable postseason matchups. The second-round battle with whoever wins the 2 vs. 3 matchup was unavoidable, but if that's the toughest round they have and they persevere, another Stanley Cup could be coming to Denver.
The Stanley Cup Final could be difficult if the Tampa Bay Lightning advance through the Eastern Conference Final. However, the rest of that conference is a bunch of unproven teams looking to make their first trips to the final. The fans would love an Avalanche-Lightning final, but Colorado is likely hoping for a couple of upsets along the way.
