Colorado Avalanche: 4 bold predictions for 2022-23 NHL season
The Colorado Avalanche are looking to repeat as Stanley Cup champions in the 2022-23 NHL season. They had a busy offseason, signing Evan Rodriguez and Alexandar Georgiev and giving Nathan MacKinnon a contract extension. Darcy Kuemper and Nazem Kadri left the team for Washington and Calgary respectively.
Cale Makar is expected to record 100 points this season. Makars is a fast skater, strong, capable of delivering big hits, agile and a smart passer. He has one of the nastiest slap shots in the NHL. He took 240 shots last season, which is an impressive number for a defenseman.
Alexandar Georgiev will start ahead of Pavel Francouz in Colorado. He will play behind an elite defense and a team that dominates possession of the puck. The Avs play at a high pace and can overwhelm their opponents with their relentless attack. Georgiev will be playing behind the elite defence and will see fewer shots.
Nathan MacKinnon registered 88 points last season, including 32 goals and 56 assists. He was the runner-up for the award in 2019-20 and finished third in 2020-21. Mackinnon will compete with Connor McDavid and Auston Matthews for hockey's most valuable player award.
The Colorado Avalanche won the Stanley Cup last year. They are expected to repeat that feat in the 2021-22 NHL season. Florida Panthers won Presidents' Trophy last season, but they struggled in playoffs. Kadri and Kuemper won't be around in 2022-23. Rodriguez and Georgiev will be good replacements.
