Last season was a pretty good one for a few Colorado Avalanche players. Both Mikko Rantanen and Nathan MacKinnon hit 100 points in back-to-back seasons – helping MacKinnon take home his first Hart Memorial Trophy. Defenseman Cale Makar continued his offensive dominance, picking up his 250th-career assist. He also became the franchise’s career leader in points by a defenseman (336) despite playing in just his fifth season.
However, even with all of the groundbreaking efforts made by Avs players last season, there are some big numbers Colorado fans might be celebrating in 2024-25. From MacKinnon chasing down some more crazy statistics to Alexandar Georgiev creeping up the team’s record books, there are plenty of milestones to be looking out for once the puck drops on this season. Here’s a look at a handful of Avalanche players to keep your eyes on in 2024-25.
Nathan MacKinnon: More Points & Goals
It’s going to be difficult for MacKinnon to replicate his scintillating 2023-24 campaign. He set the franchise record with 140 points, notched his first 50-goal season, had two separate 19-game scoring streaks, and his 35 straight games scoring a point at home was the second-longest streak of that kind in NHL history. The good news for MacKinnon is he doesn’t even have to come close to those numbers to have meet some other impressive marks.
Entering last season, only three players in franchise history – Peter Stastny, Michel Goulet, and Joe Sakic – had recorded 100 points in back-to-back seasons. None of them accomplished the feat before the team moved to Colorado in 1995. MacKinnon and Rantanen both notched 100 points in each of the last two seasons, making them the first Avalanche teammates to do it for the franchise since Stastny and Goulet pulled it off between 1982-84. No Avalanche teammates have posted 100 points in three-straight seasons, meaning MacKinnon and Rantanen could hit some rarified air if they pull it off again.
However, another 100-point season would mean a lot for MacKinnon. He currently has 899-career points, meaning 101 points would give him 1,000 for his career. Only Sakic (1,641) and Stastny (1,048) have reached that milestone for the franchise. At 335-career goals, MacKinnon is just 40 away from tying Milan Hejduk (375) for fourth on Colorado’s all-time list, and 45 away from Stastny (380) for third. MacKinnon has hit at least 40 goals in each of the last two seasons, putting him in a great spot to chase down those greats, as well.
Cale Makar: Chasing Down 400 Points
Makar hit a couple of impressive milestones last season – becoming the fastest defenseman to reach 250 points in NHL history, and the second-fastest to reach 300 points. He missed that last mark by one game, as it took him 280 games to reach 300 while it took Bobby Orr just 279 during his time with the Boston Bruins. Makar needs just 64 more points to reach 400 points, and that’s a number he’s reached easily in each of the last three seasons.
Makar has logged 315 games in his career. It took Orr just 333 games to reach the 400-point milestone, so it’s unlikely Makar will rack up the necessary points in the next 18 contests. However, catching Orr in a scoring contest is a place where a lot of players fall short, and it certainly won’t diminish Makar’s legacy. That’s really what this is about for 25-year-old defenseman: his legacy. He’s proven to be one of the most consistent players on the ice for Colorado, and if he can keep the scoring going, he’ll still wind up one of the greatest scoring defensemen in NHL history.
Makar is also just 14 goals away from his 100th-career tally. He’s scored at least 17 in each of the last three seasons. It also helps that he is one of the faces of a high-scoring era for defensemen. With the likes of Quinn Hughes, Roman Josi, Erik Karlsson, Evan Bouchard, and a host of others, there are a number of defensemen out there pushing the offensive envelope. Makar is definitely one of those players. He might not get to 400 points as fast as Orr did, but Makar is certainly helping change the way people view defensemen. These won’t be the last milestones Makar hits, but the 100 goals and 400 points for a player that will turn 26 this season is pretty impressive.
Alexandar Georgiev: Moving Up Colorado’s Record Books
Georgiev has played only two seasons with the Avalanche since coming to the team in a draft day trade back in 2022. He has certainly made himself at home in the Colorado crease. A career backup his first five seasons with the New York Rangers, Georgiev took on a workload like nobody else over his two seasons as the starter. All he’s done is lead the league in wins in each of those seasons, notching 40 in his first season with the Avs and 38 last season. Only Semyon Varlamov (41 in 2013-14) and Patrick Roy (40 in 2000-01) have a better or equal mark in a single season in Avalanche history.
Those two seasons have Georgiev eighth on Colorado’s all-time wins list, and he has a lot of work to do to catch Roy’s record of 262-career wins. However, if Georgiev wins another 30 games this season, he’ll move into third on the team’s win list, behind only Roy and Varlamov (183). Georgiev’s seven shutouts over the past two seasons are also sixth most in franchise history. That’s pretty impressive for a guy who flies under the radar despite playing almost every night.
There is a push to take some of the load off of Georgiev so he might be more well rested once the postseason comes around, but winning 30 games isn’t out of the realm of possibility. He’s been a solid acquisition by any measure. Along with his availability, he also has a 2.77 goals-against average and .908 save percentage during his time with Colorado. The high-flying offensive stars might take up much of the limelight, but Georgiev is a pretty important part to what Colorado’s trying to accomplish – and it’s evident in his stellar numbers posted in just two seasons.
Honorable Mentions: Girard, Mittelstadt, & Landeskog (If He Returns)
Samuel Girard needs just one point to give him 200 for his career, and that would be a big accomplishment. The 26-year-old defensemen has battled through his seven seasons in Colorado, and even spent time in the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program early last season. He’s also constantly talked about as a trade piece for Colorado, and all he’s done is give the Avs some much needed depth on the back end. Girard may never have a 90-point season like Makar, but he’s been a steady contributor for Colorado and it’s great to see him reaching some of these marks.
Casey Mittelstadt might knock two milestones off his list this season. He’s just four points away from 200 for his career. After hitting at least 57 points in his last two seasons, that means he’s also within striking distance of 250-career points. That would be a huge number for him to hit, especially from a standpoint of delivering much-needed depth at the second line center – something Colorado has been searching for since Nazem Kadri left. If Mittelstadt can take the reins at that spot this season, look for him to quickly pass a number of other milestones over the next few seasons.
Gabriel Landeskog wants to get back on the ice. He’s missed the last two seasons following major knee surgery, but has vowed he will return in 2024-25. One of the most storied players in Avalanche history, the longtime captain needs just two goals to reach 250, and just 29 points for 600 in his career. Those numbers were once easily assumed for Landeskog, but now there is the very real possibility that Landeskog’s playing days may be numbered. If he can return for any amount of time this season, at anything close to his usual form, he should be able to pot at least a couple of goals. The points are a murkier mystery, as there’s no telling where he’ll be at when (or if) he gets back on the ice. The fans and the organization want to see him get out there first, as that will determine his effectiveness. Everyone involved hopes he hits those milestones, and they are interesting numbers to watch when the season starts.
