The Colorado Avalanche are on a tear to begin the 2025-26 season, posting a 17-1-5 record, a pace we haven't seen since the Boston Bruins in 2022-23. In that season, the Bruins passed the Montreal Canadiens' previous record of 132 points in 1976-77, and added two more for good measure. While the Bruins broke a long-standing single-season record that season, there are reasons to believe the Avalanche are going to make sure it doesn't take 46 years to break it again.
The 39 points the Avalanche secured put them five points clear of the next closest team with a game in hand. However, if any team is going to avoid resting on its laurels, it's the team led by Nathan MacKinnon. One of the most intense players in the game takes no days off, and it's evident that his mindset is trickling down the lineup. Look no further than the team taking part in a full-team practice on Thanksgiving Day as proof that this team isn't slowing down.
For any team to break this kind of record, they do need some luck along the way. The good news for the Avalanche is that the most challenging part of their schedule is out of the way on their 23-game tear to start the season, and there's a pretty clear path the rest of the way. The Avalanche have the third-easiest schedule remaining over their final 59 games, according to Tankathon.
Three games against each of the Calgary Flames, Nashville Predators, and St. Louis Blues, who are likely heading towards the draft lottery, will undoubtedly help the Avalanche's chances of breaking the record.
One parallel between 2025-26 Avalanche, 2022-23 Bruins
The Bruins were a force led by David Pastrnak and Brad Marchand, but it's worth noting that Pastrnak had 113 points that season, while the next closest was Marchand with 67. You can argue that the Avalanche have a deeper lineup, which is a scary thought for the rest of the league, especially when their goalies are playing lights out to start the year.
Linus Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman took the league by storm in 2022-23. Ullmark led the way with a .938 save percentage and a 1.89 goals-against average, while Swayman had an acceptable .920 save percentage and a 2.27 goals-against average. The stats look eerily similar to Scott Wedgewood (.918 save percentage and a 2.09 goals-against average) and Mackenzie Blackwood (.928 save percentage and a 1.98 goals-against average).
Another trait of that Bruins team was that it seemed like every week they were breaking a record or posting a stat that hardly any other team had. The Avalanche has been doing the same, as evidenced by their first three-game shutout streak since the Patrick Roy era earlier this week, and becoming only the fourth team in history to start an NHL season with one regulation loss in their first 20 games.
The Avalanche are as deep as they've ever been, and their stars, MacKinnon and Cale Makar, are stepping up like they usually do. If the depth scoring and goaltending hold, there's really nothing that can stop the Avalanche.
To reach 136 points to break the Bruins' record, the Avalanche would need to go around 47-10-2 in their last 59 games. Considering they have just one regulation loss in their first 23 games, there's no reason to believe they can't reach that goal, even if they go through a mid-season slog.
