Avalanche Closing In On Presidents’ Trophy As Final Stretch Begins

As the 2025–26 NHL regular season enters its final stretch, the Colorado Avalanche find themselves in a commanding position atop the league standings—and in firm control of the race for the Presidents’ Trophy.

Colorado improved to 48-13-10 (106 points) after a playoff-esque 3-2 win over the Winnipeg Jets, extending their winning streak to four games. With 11 games remaining, they’ve created separation not only in the Central Division—holding a nine-point edge over the Dallas Stars—but also in the race for the league’s top overall seed.

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A win in the rematch would only tighten their grip.

“We’re still fighting for first place, so every win’s important until they put the mark beside our standings,” head coach Jared Bednar told NHL.com. “So, we have something to play for down the stretch run here. And we’ve had a good year, but we’re not comfortable—we’re still just kind of fine-tuning our game for going into the playoffs.”

Despite their strong position, the math behind clinching the Presidents’ Trophy remains intriguing. The Avalanche’s primary challenger, the Carolina Hurricanes, also have 11 games remaining and currently sit at approximately 96 points. If Carolina were to win every game from here on out, they would earn 22 additional points, finishing with a maximum of 118 points.

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That sets Colorado’s magic number at 119 points—meaning the Avalanche will likely secure the Presidents’ Trophy with roughly six to seven more wins down the stretch. In practical terms, an 8–3 finish would comfortably secure the award, while a 7–3–1 record could also be sufficient depending on Carolina’s results. However, given the parity of the modern NHL, it is unlikely the Hurricanes will win all of their remaining games, barring unforeseen circumstances.

Leading the Avalanche is Nathan MacKinnon, who scored twice on seven shots Thursday night as Colorado defeated Winnipeg 3-2 at Canada Life Centre. It marked the…