NHL EDGE stats: Avalanche-Golden Knights series in 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs

NHL.com's fantasy staff continues to cover the latest trends and storylines in the League through the lens of NHL EDGE puck and player tracker stats. Today, we provide three underlying metrics to watch for in the upcoming Stanley Cup Playoffs series between the Colorado Avalanche and Vegas Golden Knights.

1. Golden Knights’ high-danger prowess

Vegas leads the NHL in high-danger goals (27) this postseason and ranks second in high-danger shots on goal (100) behind the Montreal Canadiens (101). Golden Knights forwards Mitch Marner, Brett Howden and Pavel Dorofeyev are tied for the League lead in high-danger goals (five each). Marner leads Vegas in high-danger shots on goal (13) this postseason and is tied for fourth in the NHL in that category.

Colorado’s leader in high-danger shots on goal this postseason has been forward Gabriel Landeskog (13; tied for fourth in NHL). Landeskog, Jack Drury and Nicolas Roy are tied for the Avalanche’s lead in high-danger goals this postseason (two each). Colorado, as a team, ranks sixth in high-danger goals (12) and fifth in high-danger shots on goal (79) during the playoffs.

Golden Knights goalie Carter Hart, who has started all 12 of their playoff games and is 8-4, ranks fifth in the NHL in high-danger save percentage (.877) this postseason. During the regular season, Vegas had a stingy defense; the Golden Knights were tied for the second-fewest high-danger shots on goal allowed (396; Philadelphia Flyers only allowed 385).

Avalanche goalie Scott Wedgewood, who has played eight of their nine games this postseason (seven starts) and has a 7-1 record, ranks 10th in high-danger save percentage (.852). Mackenzie Blackwood, who has appeared in three playoff games for Colorado (one start; won Game 4 on road against Minnesota Wild in second round, has a high-danger save percentage (.688) well below the NHL playoff average (.827).

Read more: EDGE stats behind Marner’s breakout postseason

2. Avalanche’s skating speed

Colorado center Nathan MacKinnon, who’s one of the best in NHL postseason history in terms of per-game scoring metrics and the front-runner for the Conn Smythe Trophy, leads the entire NHL in 20-plus mph speed bursts (65) and 22-plus mph bursts (10) during the 2026 playoffs. In the Avalanche's series-clinching Game 5 win against the Wild, MacKinnon surpassed frequent linemate Martin Necas for the most 20-plus mph speed bursts in a single game this postseason (14; Necas had 13 in Game 1 against Minnesota). Necas is tied for third in 22-plus mph speed bursts (six) this postseason and ranks fourth in 20-plus bursts during the playoffs (50).

The Avalanche, as a team, have the most 22-plus mph speed bursts (28) this postseason and rank second in 20-plus mph bursts (287). Colorado also has four players in the top 10 in max skating speed this postseason: defenseman Cale Makar (23.92; first), forwards Valeri Nichushkin (23.66; second), Necas and Brock Nelson (23.25 each; tied for eighth).

Vegas, meanwhile, ranks fifth in 20-plus mph speed bursts (245) and eighth in 22-plus bursts (11). Golden Knights center Jack Eichel is tied for fifth in the entire NHL in 20-plus mph speed bursts (49) and also ranks highly in max skating speed (23.14 mph; 10th among forwards). An X-factor for Vegas in terms of skating speed is William Karlsson, who returned in the Anaheim series after a long injury absence; the two-way center has 58 speed bursts of at least 18 mph in just six games this postseason.

3. Possession battle

A series between two recent Stanley Cup winners (Avalanche in 2022; Golden Knights in 2023) could boil down to 5-on-5 play, as well as conversions in high-pressure situations. The Avalanche have had a significantly better 5-on-5 shot attempts percentage (56.0 in series victories over Los Angeles Kings, Minnesota Wild) compared to the Golden Knights (48.5 in series victories over Utah Mammoth, Anaheim Ducks).

The Avalanche have also been the better even-strength team this postseason, outscoring their opponents 23-13 at 5-on-5 over their first nine playoff games; the Golden Knights have scored the same number of goals at 5-on-5 as their opponents (25-25 in 12 games). Wedgewood has been particularly strong in high-pressure situations; he leads the NHL in 5-on-5 close save percentage (1.000), meaning when the game is tied in the first or second period or within one goal in the third period. Hart, meanwhile, has a 5-on-5 close save percentage (.892) that’s below the NHL average this postseason (.913).

Veteran defenseman Brent Burns, who has never won the Stanley Cup in his long, successful NHL career, leads Colorado in 5-on-5 shot attempts differential this postseason (plus-62; fifth in entire NHL), while Marner leads Vegas in that category (plus-24). Some of Colorado’s other depth players are among the NHL leaders in 5-on-5 shot attempts percentage this postseason: defenseman Josh Manson (65.7; first), forwards Logan O'Connor (63.7; fourth) and Jack Drury (62.7; seventh) rank among the top 10 (minimum five playoff games played).

Another key matchup is the Golden Knights’ penalty kill (86.8 percent in playoffs) under new coach John Tortorella (hired March 29) against the Avalanche’s power play (25.0 this postseason), which has scored power-play goals in five of their past six playoff games. Three players in this series are tied with each other for second in the NHL in power-play goals this postseason (MacKinnon, Mark Stone, Dorofeyev have three each); MacKinnon’s game-tying goal against the Wild in their eventual Game 5 win to clinch the series came with the goalie pulled for an extra attacker. Necas, meanwhile, leads Colorado in power-play shots on goal this postseason (10) but has yet to score a power-play goal

An X-factor for the Avalanche in all situations is Nazem Kadri, who was re-acquired by the Avalanche from the Calgary Flames prior to the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline. Three of Kadri’s six points this postseason have come on the power play, where he plays on the first unit with MacKinnon, Makar, Necas and Landeskog. It’s worth noting this series features four of the NHL’s top 10 players in midrange shots on goal during the playoffs: Necas (14; third), Dorofeyev (12; tied for sixth), Kadri and MacKinnon (11 each; tied for ninth).