Colorado Avalanche Clinch First 2026 NHL Playoff Spot - Crushed Chicago Blackhawks
Colorado Avalanche clinch Stanley Cup Playoffs 2026 with win over Blackhawks. Check NHL standings, team record and race for top seed in Central Division!!
Colorado Avalanche playoffs 2026 confirmed after Blackhawks win as NHL standings 2026 heat up with Dallas Stars chasing top Central Division spot
The Colorado Avalanche finalized a Stanley Cup Playoffs berth with a 4-1 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Stanley Cup playoffs qualification 2026 was played at United Centre on Friday.
Meanwhile, they focused to rediscover consistency and coming back to their trademark style of hockey in the final stretch.
Avalanche centre Brock Nelson said, “There’s no easy game. It’s nice to clinch for sure, but big picture, we want to finish on top and be the No. 1 seed. We know how important that is with the Central, how tight it is. Every game for us is critical for now.”
Colorado (45-13-10) reached 100 points with the final win, and the NHL standings 2026 Avalanche lead. They have a four-point lead on the Dallas Stars for initial space in the Central Division.
For 117 game days, this season, the Avalanche has been the top team in the NHL. They are the sixth team over the past 40 years to reach a triple-digit total in a term. However, they don’t have a stranglehold in the division like the Stars are 15-1-1 in their last 17 games to stay on their heels.
The prime goal for Colorado is to come back to the strong, leading hockey it played early this season. It results in a 15-1-5 start.
Josh Manson said, “I definitely think you don’t want to be searching for it going into the playoffs." You wish to feel it going in, but in saying that, the hockey we’re playing now until the end of the year is possibly the most key hockey. That’s just how it really works.
He also added, “You look at the standings, and every game is important. As much as it is fine-tuning, it’s also desperation. We need to find our game and be winning games.”
