Round One Preview: Colorado Avalanche vs. LA Kings

We usually do a phase-by-phase preview, but since we had to wait till game 82 to figure out Colorado’s first-round matchup, we decided to do all three phases of this glorious game and matchup in one fell swoop. For starters, this matchup definitely has David vs. Goliath vibes, but LA looks like a better team (on paper) than its regular-season result suggests.

We’ve seen eight Presidents’ Trophy-winning teams be eliminated in the first round dating all the way back to 1991, but should the Avalanche and their fans be worried this time around? The journey begins. Watch and listen to it live 📺🎙️ pic.

twitter. com/RVbjTIAVFS — Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) April 17, 2026 The Avalanche swept the season series (3-0) with MacKenzie Blackwood securing two of the three victories, with Scott Wedgewood having one. Let’s take a deeper look and see what may be cause for concern, or ammo for confidence in round one!

Forwards The Colorado Avalanche might not have “five, six, seven of the best players in the world,” as LA Kings head coach DJ Smith put it, but I’d wager they have three in Nathan MacKinnon, Marty Necas, and Cale Makar. The first two listed should give the Colorado Avalanche a decided advantage, although the Kings do have some top-end talent to be aware of. It’s Anze Kopitar’s last ride, so he and his talent represent a bit of a wild card in this series.