3 questions facing Colorado Avalanche

NHL.com is providing in-depth roster, prospect and fantasy analysis for each of its 32 teams from Aug. 1-Sept. 1. Today, three important questions facing the Colorado Avalanche.

1. Is Gabriel Landeskog all the way back?

After missing nearly three years while recovering from a knee injury and surgeries, the Avalanche captain returned in Game 3 of their seven-game loss to the Dallas Stars in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The forward had four points (one goal, three assists) and averaged 17:13 of ice time in five games, and there also was an emotional lift to teammates who had watched him work his way back.

The 32-year-old was one of the game's elite power forwards prior to his injury, scoring 30 goals in 51 games in 2021-22. The Avalanche believe he could return to that level.

"For the first time in many, many years we're going into an offseason with the expectation that Gabe is going to not only play but play consistently and be able to play well," general manager Chris MacFarland said.

2. How big of an impact can Brent Burns have?

The 40-year-old defenseman signed a one-year contract on July 2 to play a 22nd NHL season and said one of the reasons he chose the Avalanche was that they provided his best chance of winning the Stanley Cup.

"I think it's a special group here," Burns said. "Whatever they ask of me, that's what I want to do. That's all I'm really looking at right now."

Burns brings some needed size (6-foot-5, 228 pounds), and MacFarland said he should help the penalty kill. His work ethic also should make him a good fit.

"You don't have the career, and the length of the career, he's had without taking care of yourself," MacFarland said. "You don't start taking care of yourself at 31, 32 to play until you're this age. That starts at a young age, that discipline and that level of commitment. ... I think he's going to fit right in with our group."

3. Is the goaltending good enough?

The Avalanche revamped their goalie depth on the fly last season, trading for Scott Wedgewood (Nov. 30) and Mackenzie Blackwood (Dec. 9).

It worked during the regular season. In the 51 games following Blackwood's debut Dec. 14, Colorado allowed 2.39 goals per game and had a .918 save percentage at 5-on-5. In 31 games before that, the Avalanche allowed 3.52 goals per game with an .890 5-on-5 save percentage.

But in his first run through the playoffs, Blackwood had an .892 save percentage in starting all seven games against Dallas.

Blackwood is entering his eighth NHL season, but this will be the first time he's beginning one as a No. 1 goalie on a team with legitimate Stanley Cup hopes. How he handles that pressure could have an enormous bearing on the Avalanche's championship aspirations.