Three November Tests That Could Shape the Avalanche’s Early Season

Colorado’s consecutive wins have offered a welcome reset, but November should show whether the Avalanche can turn that momentum into steadier hockey. A packed opening stretch, Josh Manson’s lengthy absence and a pair of meetings with a confident Montreal team put pressure on different parts of the roster.

The Avalanche beat Calgary 5-2 on Saturday, their second straight victory and their first consecutive wins since opening night. Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar remain central to the offense, Artturi Lehkonen has produced consistently, and Mackenzie Blackwood has supplied stability in goal. Those strengths give Colorado a foundation. The question is whether the team can sustain its level when the schedule tightens and its defense adjusts.

A four-game opening stretch will test Colorado’s consistency

The month begins with two road games in quick succession: Chicago on November 2, followed by Columbus on November 3. Colorado then returns to Ball Arena to host Nashville on November 5 and Detroit on November 7.

That sequence offers an early test of how well the Avalanche manage energy across consecutive nights and how reliably the full lineup can contribute. A back-to-back leaves little time to reset between games, so shifts that keep the team organized and limit avoidable mistakes matter. Colorado will need more than its leading scorers to carry the load through the stretch.

Nashville and Detroit bring another kind of challenge. Both have enough talent to make Colorado pay when its coverage breaks down. The results will be useful, but the details should matter just as much: whether the Avalanche defend with control, get support throughout the lineup and hold their level after a difficult road trip.

The schedule later sends Colorado east for games at Toronto on November 10, Ottawa on November 12 and Montreal on November 14. The Canadiens then visit Ball Arena on November 25. These matchups provide a chance to see how Colorado handles different opponents over a longer span, and whether its recent improvement holds up away from home.

Manson’s absence puts pressure on the blue line

Manson is expected to miss approximately eight weeks with an ankle injury, a major gap for a defense that loses one of its most experienced and physical players. He leads Colorado in hits and brings defensive responsibility that can be difficult to replace through one lineup change.

Noah Juulsen is expected to take on a more regular role, while Brett Kulak could become increasingly important as coach Jared Bednar adjusts the pairings. The immediate challenge is finding a workable distribution of assignments, especially when Colorado needs to protect a lead or handle sustained pressure. A replacement can fill minutes; replacing Manson’s combination of physical play and experience is a different task.

That leaves Cale Makar and Devon Toews at the center of the adjustment. Colorado needs its top defensemen to continue driving play, but asking them to absorb too much can make the rest of the unit less forgiving. The depth options will have to keep the structure stable enough that the team’s most heavily relied-upon defenders can remain effective in their own roles.

If Juulsen and the other available defensemen settle in, Colorado can manage the absence without making it the defining story of the month. If the pairings struggle, defensive depth could become a larger topic as the season progresses. For now, the clearest measure will be whether the Avalanche can defend consistently while Manson is out.

Two Montreal games offer a revealing matchup

Montreal arrives at the meetings with momentum: the Canadiens have won five straight while playing without captain Nick Suzuki. Their run points to a supporting cast that has handled increased responsibility, with young players and veterans helping keep the team competitive.

Colorado visits Montreal on November 14, then hosts the Canadiens on November 25. The games land at different points in the schedule, giving the Avalanche two chances to respond to the same opponent. They also offer a look at how Colorado matches up against a team finding ways to win through adversity.

The first meeting comes amid Colorado’s eastern swing, so travel and the preceding games will form part of the test. The return matchup gives the Avalanche a home date against Montreal later in the month. How the teams handle those different settings could make the pair especially instructive, though the outcome will depend on the lineups and play on each night.

A Thanksgiving checkpoint is often used to gauge where teams stand in the playoff race. The source article cites historical data indicating that teams in a playoff position by Thanksgiving reach the postseason 75% of the time, while recognizing that exceptions exist. That figure is a broad reference point, not a forecast for Colorado.

The Avalanche have plenty of season left, but a demanding November can clarify what their early results have yet to settle. If the offense keeps producing, the defense absorbs Manson’s absence and the team strings together more complete performances, Colorado can build a stronger position in a competitive Central Division. These three storylines will show where the roster is holding firm—and where it needs answers.