Avalanche core starts offseason work early after playoff sweep

Colorado scored seven goals in four losses to Vegas.

Wire Report IntelligenceUpdated Aug 201 min read

What happened: Devon Toews has joined optional skates, while Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar and Scott Wedgewood are doing individual work. Martin Necas is training overseas after posting career highs of 38 goals and 62 assists.

Why it matters: The Colorado Avalanche won the Presidents' Trophy at 55-16-11 before the Vegas Golden Knights swept them in the Western Conference Final. Their league-leading offense fell from 3.63 goals per game in the regular season to 1.75 in that series.

By the numbers: Colorado finished 26 points ahead of Vegas, 121-95, but lost the series 4-0 and went 1-for-10 on the power play. Necas recorded 100 points in 78 games, while MacKinnon led the NHL with 48 goals.

What to watch: Training camp will show whether the early work produces lineup or conditioning changes. Necas' added strength will be a focal point entering 2026-27.

Sources

Yahoo NHL 2026-08-20T21:53:08.528459+00:00

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