The Colorado Avalanche had their best regular season in franchise history, with the most wins and best record in their 30 year history in the Mile High City. The journey this year included more than a few bumps and bruises, though the high points for the team certainly included getting their Captain, Gabe Landeskog back for (most of) the regular season after a three year absence from the first 82 games of the year, as well as winning the President's Trophy with the best record in the league for the fourth time in franchise history.
However, all that, and carrying the only pair of forwards on the same team to reach 100 points through the first 82 games, still had the Avs come up short when it came down to the Western Conference Final. After dominating their first two playoff matchups with the L.A.Kings and Minnesota Wild, Colorado was swept by the Vegas Golden Knights and sent home early
Cale Makar had to sit out for the first two games of the series due to injury, and it was clear to many watching that the Avalanche as a whole were struggling in one aspect or another during the series with their health. Nathan MacKinnon took a shot to the knee and struggled while finishing Game Three and starting Game Four.
The Avalanche have much of their roster locked in for the next year at least, and head coach Jared Bednar is likely to return. Not returning, however, is general manager Chris MacFarland, who was granted permission to speak to and hired by the Nashville Predators on June 2. MacFarland traded the Avs' first round picks for the next two years at the trade deadline in pursuit of their all-in push for the Cup this year and re-signed defenseman Sam Malinski earlier in the season as well.
However, Makar, who finished as runner up in this year's Norris Memorial Trophy voting, is in the last year of his current deal and the Avalanche have little cap space in the offseason, which leaves several questions on the road ahead as former GM and current Avs' President of Hockey Operations Joe Sakic temporarily resumes his role in roster control and management.