The Colorado Avalanche may still be one of the top teams in the league, but they’ve recently hit a rough stretch. Colorado has lost three of its last four games, including a heavy 7-2 defeat against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Monday. Despite sitting atop the standings, Colorado is clearly trying to rediscover its rhythm.
Amid the recent struggles, star forward Nathan MacKinnon shared an honest assessment of the team’s form as the playoffs approach.
Colorado Avalanche Hit Rough Patch Before Playoffs
Colorado’s dip in form has come shortly after the trade deadline. Before the roster changes, the Avalanche were on a roll, winning five straight games, including a March 8 shootout victory over the Minnesota Wild. Since then, however, the team has struggled to maintain the same level of consistency.
On March 6, the Colorado Avalanche acquired Nazem Kadri (20% retained) and a 2027 fourth-round pick from the Calgary Flames for Victor Olofsson, Max Curran, and conditional 2028 first- and 2027 second-round picks.
Colorado also traded picks to the Toronto Maple Leafs for Nicolas Roy, added Nick Blankenburg from the Nashville Predators, and earlier acquired Brett Kulak from the Pittsburgh Penguins for Samuel Girard and a 2028 second-round pick.
With several new faces joining the lineup and others moving out, the Colorado Avalanche is still trying to build the right chemistry.
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MacKinnon noted that the constant lineup changes and defensive adjustments have been part of the problem. “We’ve just been making so many mistakes,” MacKinnon said. “We have a lot of new guys, and a lot of old guys out… 7 D, I don’t like 7 D. Different D pairs every shift isn’t great… the flow is off for sure.”
Colorado has recently dressed seven defensemen, which can make it difficult for players to settle into consistent pairings and establish rhythm during games. “I think chemistry matters, you know, and if a guy’s used to playing centre, filling in, routes, it’s no one’s fault. A lot of different line combinations lately, for everybody, so it’s hard,” he said.
Beyond lineup adjustments, the Avalanche star also highlighted issues with the team’s offensive approach. “We’re too perimeter, we don’t shoot enough. We haven’t had 30 shots in four games now, which is very, very, very rare for us. Usually, we work off that D1 shot, but obviously our forwards need to help our D more.”
Even some recent wins, MacKinnon admitted, may have hidden deeper problems. “Sometimes winning can mask some stuff,” he added, pointing to the win against Seattle after the trade deadline.
With the playoffs approaching, the Colorado Avalanche will look to regain form when they face the Dallas Stars on Wednesday.
