Avalanche Clinch Franchise-Best Regular Season, Set to Face Kings in Playoffs

Colorado finishes with 121 points, the most in franchise history, and will host Los Angeles in the first round.

Apr. 17, 2026 at 6:29am

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a hockey game between the Colorado Avalanche and Los Angeles Kings, with the players and action broken down into overlapping planes of vibrant blue, red, and silver colors.The Avalanche's playoff clash with the Kings promises an intense, hard-fought series between two Western Conference powers.Denver Today

The Colorado Avalanche capped off a historic regular season with a 2-0 win over the Seattle Kraken, finishing with a franchise-best 121 points. They will now face the Los Angeles Kings in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, with Game 1 set for Sunday at Ball Arena in Denver.

Why it matters

The Avalanche's dominant regular season performance establishes them as a top Stanley Cup contender, while their matchup with the Kings continues a recent playoff rivalry between the two teams.

The details

The Avalanche's win over the Kraken, combined with victories by the Anaheim Ducks and Edmonton Oilers, means Colorado will face the Kings in the opening round. Defenseman Brett Kulak will be facing the Kings for the fifth consecutive year in the playoffs. Goaltender Scott Wedgewood had a standout season, leading the NHL in goals-against average and save percentage to help the Avalanche allow the fewest goals in the league.

  • The Avalanche clinched the Presidents' Trophy as the NHL's regular-season champions a week ago.
  • Colorado's win over Seattle on Thursday night set a new franchise record with 121 points.
  • Game 1 of the Avalanche-Kings first-round series is scheduled for Sunday, April 17 at 1 p.m. in Denver.

The players

Brett Kulak

A defenseman for the Colorado Avalanche who will be facing the Los Angeles Kings in the playoffs for the fifth consecutive year.

Scott Wedgewood

The Avalanche goaltender who led the NHL in goals-against average and save percentage this season, helping Colorado allow the fewest goals in the league.

Parker Kelly

A forward for the Avalanche who had a career-best 21 goals and 35 points this season after signing a four-year, $6.8 million contract extension last July.

Jared Bednar

The head coach of the Colorado Avalanche, who guided the team to a franchise-record 121 points in the regular season.

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What they’re saying

“That's pretty crazy. They had a little bit different-looking teams each year, and they competed hard. I know there were multiple times when we were down in the series. They had us on the ropes a few times. That's just how the playoffs work sometimes.”

— Brett Kulak, Avalanche Defenseman

“A solid, solid season. Consistent, not too many lulls where we didn't play very close to the we could play. I thought it was a focused group from start to finish. And now the fun stuff starts.”

— Jared Bednar, Avalanche Head Coach

What’s next

Game 1 of the Avalanche-Kings first-round playoff series is scheduled for Sunday, April 17 at 1 p.m. at Ball Arena in Denver.

The takeaway

The Avalanche's historic regular season has set them up as a top Stanley Cup contender, but they will have to get past a familiar foe in the Los Angeles Kings, who have given Colorado trouble in recent playoff matchups.