QUICK HITS
BLUES What. A. Start.
The Blues knew they were in for a tough test to open the season, facing off against two top teams in the Stars and Avalanche back-to-back in Games 1 and 2. While the second contest still awaits, the team passed its first challenge with flying colors, securing a 4-0 win at American Airlines Center.
Newcomer Mason McTavish opened the scoring just 1:34 into the game to give the Blues the early lead. That was padded on a goal from Dalibor Dvorsky in the second period. St. Louis iced the game late with empty-net goals from Jimmy Snuggerud and Pius Suter, and Joel Hofer shut the door in net, making 25 saves for his first shutout of the season.
It wasn't all good news, however. Forward Alexey Toropchenko left the game early with an upper-body injury. Blues Head Coach Jim Montgomery said after the game that more would be known Saturday, but the injury was "more than day-to-day."
AVALANCHE The reigning Presidents' Trophy winners recorded 55 wins and 121 points in the standings for a first-place finish in the Central Division last season. An overwhelming Stanley Cup favorite, the Avalanche were unexpectedly swept by the Vegas Golden Knights in the Western Conference Final.
Looking to return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs for their 10th consecutive season, the Avalanche made their fair share of offseason moves.
The club re-signed numerous key pieces, including Cale Makar to an eight-year, $20.4 million AAV extension that will take effect in the 2027-28 season. Additionally they re-upped defensemen Brent Burns, Brett Kulak and Sam Malinski. Former Blue Jaden Schwartz also came on board, signing a three-year contract as an unrestricted free agent. The Avalanche also announced an extension for Head Coach Jared Bednar, keeping him behind the bench through the 2030-31 season.
However with the additions, there were also departures. Colorado traded forward Valeri Nichushkin to the Columbus Blue Jackets for draft picks, and forwards Ross Colton and Jack Drury to the Nashville Predators in separate packages that brought Fedor Svechkov and Zachary L'Heureux to Denver.
Despite an offseason of change, the Avalanche look to be a force to be reckoned with once again with Nathan MacKinnon, Makar, Martin Necas and captain Gabriel Landeskog leading the charge.
Colorado enters this matchup against the Blues fresh off an 8-4 win against the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday. MacKinnon, who won the Rocket Richard Trophy last season with a career-high 53 goals, scored twice and Brock Nelson recorded a goal and two assists.
