The Colorado Avalanche are on track to have perhaps the greatest season in franchise history.

Goals Record

The original Colorado Avalanche team, assembled for the inaugural 1995–96 season following the franchise’s relocation from Quebec to Denver, still holds the record for most regular season goals in club history. That group found the back of the net 326 times, a relentless offensive display that culminated in a Stanley Cup championship, sealed by a four-game sweep of the Florida Panthers. But it wasn’t just about the goals, as Patrick Roy—acquired in a midseason trade from the Montreal Canadiens—backstopped the Avalanche with elite goaltending throughout the playoffs.

This statistic is surprising on several fronts. First, if posed as a trivia question, most fans would likely guess that the 2021–22 Avalanche team holds the record for most regular season goals in franchise history. Surprisingly, that’s not the case. The 2021–22 squad scored 312 goals, falling short of the 326 tallied by the inaugural 1995–96 team. Still, it was the first time the Avalanche had reached the 300-goal mark in a regular season since that inaugural campaign, making the achievement remarkable in multiple ways. But now the Avs are on track to do it all over again.

It's About More Than Just Numbers

So far, the Avalanche have scored 142 goals in 36 games. At this pace, they are on track to finish the 82-game regular season with 323 goals—just a hair shy of the franchise’s all-time record. But if you think this team is dangerous now, expect them to look slightly different—and potentially even more formidable—by the time the trade deadline arrives, with a roster built for a deep playoff run and a serious shot at a fourth Stanley Cup title.

That said, it’s worth not getting too caught up in the numbers. Statistics are fun—many of us are obsessed with them—but hockey is more than just numbers. The game today is faster than it was 30 years ago, equipment and training are more advanced, and medical and nutritional knowledge has improved dramatically. Goaltenders now are monsters, and goals come at a premium. It’s harder than ever to put up the type of offensive numbers the Avalanche are chasing, yet this modern-day roster is still in the conversation to potentially make history.

That speaks volumes about how deep and talented this team truly is. And scoring isn’t the only area where the Avalanche are excelling or approaching record-breaking territory.

Defense Wins Championships

The 2001–02 Avalanche set a franchise record for the fewest goals allowed with 169. Technically, the 2012–13 team allowed just 152, but that season was shortened to 48 games due to a nearly four-month NHL lockout. When adjusted for a full 82-game schedule, 169 remains the true benchmark.

Like the team’s goal-scoring record, the Avalanche are tracking in the vicinity of record-breaking territory on the defensive side—but this one might be a bridge too far. So far this season, they’ve allowed 80 goals, which projects to roughly 182 over an 82-game season—well past the 2001–02 mark. Even so, it underscores just how dominant Patrick Roy was, even in the later stages of his remarkable career.

But here’s something today’s Avalanche can do that the 2001–02 team couldn’t: win the Stanley Cup. That would be ideal. As for the other challenge, they don’t have to worry about facing the Detroit Red Wings in the Western Conference Final anymore, since the Red Wings are now in the Eastern Conference. The Dallas Stars are still a possible obstacle as they usually, but hopefully they’ll be taken care of easily by the Avs or perhaps another team will handle them along the way.

No matter how you look at it, the 2025–26 Colorado Avalanche could go down as the greatest team this franchise has ever put on the ice.

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.