Avalanche analysis: What went wrong with Colorado’s power play, and why there could be optimism moving forward

The power play failed the Avalanche at the end of last season, and may have cost the franchise another long playoff run.It wasnt the only reason the Dallas Stars prevailed in an incredible seven-game series full of twists and turns, but it was one of the biggest.

One of Jared Bednars longtime lieutenants, Ray Bennett, was let go in large part because of it.As the 2025-26 season nears, one of the biggest storylines for the Avalanche centers around what is next with the man advantage.

Dave Hakstol replaced Bennett, but during his one stint as an NHL assistant coach with the Toronto Maple Leafs, he was not in charge of the power play.How the assistant coaching duties will be disturbed is one part of this.

What sort of tactical or philosophical changes might occur is another, too.

And the final part might be the most fascinating: The Avs are going to start training camp with the deepest collection of players who could make an impact on the power play since the Stanley Cup run in 2022.What went wrongSeventy minutes into the opening-round series with the Stars, the Avalanche power play was fine.

Nathan MacKinnon had scored with the man advantage in a Game 1 win, and he gave the club a 1-0 lead early in Game 2 with another.At that point, the Avs were 2 for 6.

They went 1 for 16 over the rest of the series, including some demoralizing missed opportunities.Colorado had a power play at the end of regulation and to start overtime in both Games 2 and 3.

The Avs also had a chance midway through the third in Game 3.

A goal on any of those three chances and the series looks completely different.

They had chances early in Games 5 and 7 in Dallas, but didnt cash in.Its a small sample size, but one simple diagnosis is the Avs just didnt find enough shot attempts, both in quantity and quality.

They averaged 98.41 shot attempts per 60 minutes against Dallas.Winnipeg, which had the best power play in the regular season, and Edmonton, which is among the gold standards in the Connor McDavid era, both averaged about 115 per 60.

Colorado produced 17.46 chances in the high-danger area per 60 minutes.

Edmonton, Winnipeg and Toronto were all over 30.Sometimes, shot volume and shot quality dont matter when you have MacKinnon and Cale Makar, because they score on shots that mere mortals do not.

But the same can be said for McDavid and Leon Draisaitl in Edmonton, or Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner together in Toronto.MacKinnon had all three of Colorados power-play goals in the series.

One was a fortuitous carom off a Dallas defender.

Another was a well-placed shot through traffic.

Shoot the puck ...

is the right play, sometimes.While the Avs were also unlucky to some degree their expected goals on the power play against the Stars were nearly double the actual ones it also may have just been natural regression from the regular season.Related ArticlesAfter breakout season, Max Curran offers hope for Avalanche late-draft success storyAvalanche analysis: Breaking down position battles at Colorado training campAvalanche Journal: 10 biggest questions as training camp beckonsKeeler: Avalanche-DU Pios alumni game MVP? Not Peter Forsberg.

Not Joe Sakic.

It was Denver hockey moms.Renck: Avs-DU alumni game benefits youth hockey, but is really about players taking care of each other?Colorado didnt shoot the puck enough with the extra man during the regular season, too.

The Avs were between 23rd and 26th in the NHL in shot attempts, shots on goal, scoring chances and high-danger chances per 60 minutes, but still finished eighth by converting 24.8% of the chances.The Dallas series may have also been the culmination of a years-long downward trend.

From 2020-22 the Presidents Trophy winning season and the Cup year the Avalanche was third in shot attempts, shots on goal and scoring chances per 60 with the man advantage, plus eighth in high-danger chances.All of those numbers have trended down since then, including the worst numbers this past season.

From 2022-25, the Avs are between 16th and 21st in those four categories.Lots of potential solutionsThe good news for the Avalanche is the roster.

Colorado has all of the components to produce a dynamite power play this coming season.Makar, MacKinnon and three guys from a beer league could work.

The Avs have far better options than that.Gabe Landeskog was one of the best net-front players in the NHL before his knee injury.

Hes back, and while it wasnt a power-play goal, the work he did at the edge of the crease on Samuel Girards tally in Game 4 is exactly what could help.While Landeskog was away, Valeri Nichushkin also became one of the leagues very best net-front guys.

The Avs also added Victor Olofsson late in the offseason.Olofsson is a left-handed shooter who has thrived playing on the right flank with the man advantage in his career.

He scored five times in just 74 minutes on the power play with Vegas, and the heat map of his attempts shows exactly why he could be a good fit where Mikko Rantanen used to set up for the Avs.(screenshot via MoneyPuck.com)Then there is Brent Burns, who is going to end up in the Hockey Hall of Fame in part because of his skill set on the power play.

Hes one of the best ever at either getting shots through from the top of the zone or putting it right where the guy in front can tip them.Joe Pavelski was extolling Burns virtues while accepting a place in the U.S.

Hockey of Fame earlier this month.

What might some combination of Landeskog and Nichushkin be able to do if Burns is teeing them up?The Avs have all kinds of great options now, but also a few questions.

If everyone is healthy, MacKinnon, Makar, Landeskog, Nichushkin, Burns, Olofsson, Artturi Lehkonen, Devon Toews, Brock Nelson and Martin Necas are all guys who can produce on the power play.Thats 10 players, and doesnt even include Girard or Ross Colton, who have seen plenty of PP ice time in recent years.

So ...

two really good units, right? Well, the Avs have loaded up PP1 and let it play a ton for a long time.

Makar and MacKinnon are probably still going to get a lot of time, so it might be more like PP1 and PP1.5 instead of a true second unit.Will the Avs really play Olofsson over the more established stars? Jonathan Drouins brain and his passing ability were big pluses, but his one-timer and/or shot threat from the right circle was not.

Thats a strength for Olofsson.Then, again, there is Burns.

Will the Avs consider letting him play at the top of the zone on PP1, where Makar has patrolled for several seasons? Makar did see some time on the flank early in his NHL career.

If not, where does Burns fit on PP2?There are all kinds of possibilities.

What if the Avs went outside the box and put Burns at the top, Landeskog and Nichushkin in the middle as the net-front/bumper combo, and let MacKinnon and Makar start on the flanks but float around the way McDavid and Draisaitl often do?That unit could be devastating together, or not.The Avs are still fourth in the league in conversion rate and third in actual power-play goals scored since Makars first full season.

But theres been some erosion in recent years.Colorado has the talent, depth and varied skillsets to build an elite power play.

There could be a new voice and new ideas this year.Improving the power play is one way for the Avs to find their way back to the top of the NHL mountain.Want more Avalanche news? Sign up for the Avalanche Insider to get all our NHL analysis..

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