NHL EDGE stats 2026-27 season outlook for Colorado Avalanche

As part of NHL.com's 32 in 32 series, we will identify key NHL EDGE stats for each team to preview the 2026-27 season. Today, we look at three advanced metrics trends surrounding the Colorado Avalanche:

1. Skating speed

The Avalanche are arguably the fastest team in the NHL. Last regular season, Colorado ranked first in 20-plus mph speed bursts (2,643), with forwards Nathan MacKinnon (455; second) and Martin Necas (348; sixth) among the League leaders in that category. The Avalanche, who reached the Western Conference Final, led the NHL in 22-plus mph speed bursts during the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs (37).

MacKinnon had the second-fastest max skating speed in the NHL during the regular season (24.78 mph; behind Beck Malenstyn's 24.94), and Necas had the most 18-20 mph speed bursts in the entire League (1,030). As a result of the Avalanche's blazing speed, they were the only team with two 100-point scorers last regular season in MacKinnon (127; third) and Necas (career-high 100; tied for seventh).

The Avalanche also have a generational defenseman in Cale Makar, who has won the Norris Trophy twice (2022, 2025), Calder Trophy (2020), Stanley Cup and Conn Smythe Trophy (both with Colorado in 2022). Makar's elite offensive game is also fueled by his skating speed; he led the NHL in max skating speed during the 2026 playoffs (23.92 mph) and finished second among defensemen in 20-plus mph speed bursts last regular season (223; behind Matthew Schaefer's 269).

2. Perimeter offense

The Avalanche, who led the NHL in goals per game last regular season (3.63), specifically excelled in perimeter offense, leading the League in both midrange goals (104) and long-range goals (32). MacKinnon ranked second in the NHL in both midrange goals (20; behind Macklin Celebrini's 25) and midrange shots on goal (149; behind Celebrini's 159). Veteran defenseman Brent Burns ranked third in the entire NHL in both long-range shots on goal (114) and long-range goals (seven), while MacKinnon was close behind in long-range goals (six; tied for fourth in League).

The underlying reason for Colorado's finishing ability from distance is its shot speed; the Avalanche led the NHL in average shot speed (60.36 mph) and 80-plus mph shot attempts (661) last regular season. The Avalanche have had notable forward departures in Valeri Nichushkin (traded to Columbus Blue Jackets), Ross Colton and Jack Drury (both traded to Nashville Predators) this offseason, but the addition of Jaden Schwartz could add to their shot speed prowess.

Schwartz, who was limited to 50 games last season with the Seattle Kraken, has ranked highly among forwards in hardest shot in all five seasons of the NHL's puck and player tracking era (since 2021-22) and has bounce-back potential in Colorado's potent offense:

• 2025-26: 89.40 mph (80th percentile)

• 2024-25: 91.32 mph (85th percentile)

• 2023-24: 96.37 mph (95th percentile)

• 2022-23: 96.33 mph (96th percentile)

• 2021-22: 95.13 mph (90th percentile)

3. Dominance at 5-on-5

The Avalanche have been among the NHL's most dominant possession teams in recent seasons, and their success helped them roll through the regular season and win the Presidents' Trophy in 2026. Colorado ranked second in 5-on-5 shot attempts percentage (56.4; behind Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes' 59.1) and third in offensive zone time percentage (42.8). The Avalanche also had two of the top 10 players in 5-on-5 shot attempts differential during the regular season in defenseman Sam Malinski (plus-476; fourth) and MacKinnon (plus-431; eighth).

Colorado also led the NHL in team save percentage (.909) last regular season with the efficient tandem of Scott Wedgewood and Mackenzie Blackwood. The Avalanche had two of the NHL's top 10 goalies in quality starts percentage (Wedgewood was first at 74.4; Blackwood was ninth at 61.1) last regular season, with Wedgewood at the top of the NHL in 5-on-5 save percentage (tied with Dan Vladar at .927) to support his team's consistently strong even-strength metrics. Although Colorado was swept in four games by the Vegas Golden Knights in the Western Conference Final, the Avalanche had a better 5-on-5 shot attempts percentage than the Golden Knights (55.1 to 44.9) and dealt with injuries to its two best players in MacKinnon and Makar during that series, indicating Colorado's championship window remains wide open.