The Colorado Avalanche, the NHL franchise based in Denver, actually got its start as the WHL’s Quebec Nordiques. They moved to the NHL in 1979, along with the Edmonton Oilers, Hartford Whalers, and Winnipeg Jets.
Only the Oilers remain, with the Whalers moving to Carolina in 1997, the Jets moving to Arizona in 1996 (a new Jets team was born when the Thrashers moved to Winnipeg in 2011), and the Nordiques moving to Colorado and becoming the Avalanche in 1995.
Musical cities and franchises aside, the Nordiques were absolutely in need of new life. In 1989, 1990, and 1991 they were bad enough to get the No. 1 overall pick, including Eric Lindros in 1991.
He famously refused to play for the hapless Nordiques and forced a trade to Philadelphia. Ironically, if Lindros had agreed to sign with the Nordiques, he would have moved to Colorado a few years later and won a pair of Stanley Cups. He finished his Hall of Fame career without one.
In their very first year in existence, the Avalanche beat the Florida Panthers 4-0 to win the first-ever professional sports championship in Colorado.
Future Outlook
The glory days of the 1990s and early 2000s are gone. That is when the Avalanche won nine consecutive division championships and those two Stanley Cup Championships. But the current version of the Avalanche plays high-tempo, high-scoring hockey and is one of the most fun teams to watch in the NHL.
They’re also one of the best teams, finishing the COVID-shortened season of 2019-20 with the second-most points in the Western Conference.
Colorado has one of the youngest cores in the league, with each of its top three point scorers during that season playing at 24 years or younger. The old man of their goal scorers, Gabriel Landeskog, was only 27 during the season.
This team has good ownership and management and loyal support throughout the Rocky Mountains. They offer a great game experience at the Pepsi Center in downtown Denver – located halfway between Empower Field at Mile High (Broncos) and Coors Field (Rockies) – and will never relive the dark days of Quebec that led to their departure.
The Avalanche are one of the best and most stable franchises in the NHL, and Colorado can look forward to cheering for a winner for many years to come.
Avalanche Betting Forecast
One thing to keep in mind as you venture into the world of hockey betting is that, when compared to the NFL, college football, or the NBA, significantly fewer people bet on hockey. That makes the market softer – meaning that it is less efficient.
Fewer eyes, fewer wagers, and less attention by the bookmakers means that you, the informed hockey bettor, have a better chance of finding deals.
To test out if you’re good at finding value on Avalanche wagers, compare what you bet against the closing line. Let’s say you bet at -125, and the closing line is -130. Well done. You beat that line and got good value.
However, if the closing line was -120, you lost value. So test yourself often and keep track of where your bets fall in comparison to the close.
How do you find that betting value to begin with?
When judging the Avalanche and their opponent’s goaltenders, you want to look at five vs. five save percentage and expected save percentage. That breaks down the saves made and weighs them against the quality of the shots faced, really telling you how the goalie is playing.
For the offensive side of things, look at possession, possession adjusted for score, and expected goals. These tell you not only if the Avalanche are better than their opponent, but by how much.
Using that information, come up with your own win probability, and then compare that to the win probability presented by the moneyline. If your number is close to or even above the posted line, you’ve found a value bet.
Star Players
As with any great team, the Avalanche are largely driven by their star players. The great Patrick Roy is a large reason the Avalanche won the Stanley Cup in 1996, with Mr. Avalanche Joe Sakic carrying the Stanley Cup load in 2001. Hard to say that anyone on this team is going to climb to those same heights, but there are indeed some great players to watch.
Nathan MacKinnon, Center: He’s fast, he’s strong, he’s skilled, he’s young, and the already MVP candidate MacKinnon is only getting better. As a rookie, MacKinnon was the youngest Avalanche player to ever take the ice (just one month after his 18th birthday), the youngest Avalanche player to ever record a hat trick, and in 2017, at 22 years old, he appeared in his first All-Star Game.
The shortened 2019-20 season was his third straight with at least 90 points.
Cale Makar, Defenseman: As a 21-year-old rookie this season, Makar averaged 0.88 points per game, which was tops for rookies and fourth overall among defensemen. The former UMass star scored his first NHL goal on his first NHL shot.
Gabriel Landeskog, Forward: Landeskog was the youngest permanent captain in NHL history (19 years, 286 days) when he was given the honor in 2012, beating Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby by 11 days. He’s just the fourth captain in Avalanche team history. He won the Calder Memorial Trophy as a rookie in 2012 and is the unquestioned leader of the team.
FAQ on Betting the Avalanche
Is it legal to bet on the Avalanche at a Colorado sportsbook?
Yes. Colorado sports betting laws do not place any wagering restrictions on betting local professional or college teams, including the NHL and the Avalanche.
What is a puck line, and is it worth betting?
The majority of hockey bets will be done on the moneyline. But you can also bet on a puck line, which is similar to point spread or baseball run line.
The line is almost always 1.5 goals (minus for the favorite and plus for the underdog) and also comes with odds. As an example, you might get the Avalanche -1.5, but by giving goals, it also pays +135. At +1.5 (getting goals), it may pay -160.
Just as with any wager, if it meets your definition of a value bet, make it.