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.

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.

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 first time in 330 days that Colorado had beaten the Jets on the road in the regular season, and MacKinnon’s two-goal performance pushed him to 47 and 48 goals on the year, extending his lead atop the NHL goal-scoring race.

Mark Scheifele initiating the breakout from behind the net.

Jets forward Mark Scheifele, despite being on the opposing side, offered high praise for MacKinnon’s impact and consistency.

“He’s absolutely fantastic. He’s an absolute horse out there. He’s a guy that works on his game so tirelessly,” he stated. “On the other side, he’s a fun guy to watch. Makes a lot of plays, a lot of little plays, even that a lot of people don’t notice. So, he’s one of, if not the, one of the best, if not the best player in the league. And he shows it every single night. And it’s impressive to watch.”

While the Avalanche continue to surge, the Jets are fighting for their postseason lives. At 30-30-12 (72 points), Winnipeg sits five points back of a Western Conference wild card spot with 10 games remaining.

“Every game is huge for us, no matter the opponent,” Jets forward Cole Perfetti added. “At this stage of the year for us, we need two points every single night, so it doesn’t matter who we’re playing.”

That urgency contrasts with Colorado’s position—but not their mindset. The Avalanche are not easing into the playoffs; they are sharpening their game while chasing hardware. Contributions like Logan O’Connor’s return from injury and continued offensive dominance from their top line only reinforce their depth and readiness.

The Avalanche don’t need perfection—they just need to keep winning enough games to stay in control. The Presidents’ Trophy may not be the ultimate prize, but it remains a significant milestone. And while the Stanley Cup is the true goal, capturing both is a rare accomplishment last achieved by the 2012–13 Chicago Blackhawks.

For Colorado, the opportunity to pursue both remains very much alive—and increasingly within reach.