The Avalanche entered the year with playoff ambition. ... as they enter play Saturday with an 11-9-0 record. ... here is the biggest surprise and disappointment early on for the Avalanche in 2024-25.

The biggest hindrance to the Avalanche's upcoming Stanley Cup pursuit starts and ends in net. When the team hoisted the trophy in 2022, they had Darcy Kuemper and Pavel Francouz backstopping the team.