Breaking Down the Avalanche’s 2025-26 Schedule

The Avalanche open the 2025-26 season on Oct. 7 in a road game at Crypto.com Arena against the Los Angeles Kings. Two nights later, they host the Utah Mammoth in their home opener at Ball Arena.

From a lengthy Olympic break, back-to-backs, reunions, and more. Here are the highlights of the Avs’ regular season schedule, in a year when they’ll be celebrating their 30th Anniversary.

READ MORE: Chinakhov Wants Out of Columbus — Why the Avalanche Should Make a Move

Mikko Rantanen and the Stars Arrive Two Nights Later

That very next game after opening night and the home opener is against Rantanen and the Dallas Stars. The Avs host them on Oct. 11 at Ball Arena in the first of four meetings this season. Each of the other three will come in March or April, near the start of the postseason.

Dallas eliminated Colorado in Game 7 last May, and Rantanen’s third-period hat trick sank his former club.

12 Back to Backs

The Avs have 12 sets of back to backs this season, as the Olympic break will play a part in compressing a handful of games around the league.

Lengthy Olympic Break 

Speaking of which, for the first time in 12 years, NHL players are going to the Olympics, and the NHL will take a break during the tournament.

Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar, Gabe Landeskog, and Martin Necas were already named to the rosters of their respective nations. We’ll likely see Devon Toews play for Canada, too, and potentially Mackenzie Blackwood (Canada), Artturi Lehkonen (Finland) and Brock Nelson (USA) also partaking in the tournament.

The last Avalanche game before the break is at home on Feb. 4 against the San Jose Sharks. They return to action three weeks later on Feb. 25, on the road at Utah.

The opening game of the tournament is on Feb. 11.

Necas Returns to Carolina

Necas, Jack Drury, and the Avs take on the Carolina Hurricanes on the road on Jan. 3. It’ll be the first game back for the former Canes duo since the blockbuster trade involving Rantanen nearly a year prior.

Read More: Avalanche Mailbag 2.0: Necas’ Next Contract, Trade Value, and Bottom-Six Depth Uncertainty

Brock Nelson on Long Island

Speaking of returns, Nelson will return to Long Island to take on his former longtime team, the New York Islanders, on Dec. 4. I’d imagine Jonathan Drouin and Calum Ritchie will be in the lineup for New York in that game as well.

Hockeytown Home and Home 

I’m biased about this a little bit, but some of my favorite games each year are still when the Avs and Red Wings play against each other. Even if it’s not the same feel as it was 20 years ago.

The Avalanche are in Detroit on Jan. 31, playing a local 1 p.m. EST Saturday game at Little Caesars Arena. Both teams will then head to Colorado for a rematch two days later at Ball Arena.

Post Olympic Break Sprint

Following the Olympics, the Avs are set to play their final 27 games, or one-third of the season, in 50 days. In that stretch, they’ll play 14 on the road, 13 at home, and nine of those are against Dallas, Edmonton, Winnipeg, and Vegas. Those are the four teams that finished atop the Western Conference last postseason.

It’s going to be a fight to the end. Especially in those match ups against the Jets and Stars for seeding in the Central Division. Buckle up.