The Colorado Avalanche survived a brutal wave of mid-season injuries to secure the NHL’s ultimate regular-season prize. Colorado defeated the Calgary Flames 3-1 at Ball Arena on Thursday night to officially clinch the league’s top overall seed and the 2026 Presidents’ Trophy. Built on the foundation of a dominant 30-2-7 start to the year, the Avalanche maintained their grip on the standings down the stretch. The victory mathematically eliminated the Carolina Hurricanes from catching Colorado.
Nathan MacKinnon sealed the milestone late in the third period. He scored an empty-net goal with 55 seconds remaining to hit a career-high 52 goals for the season. Gabriel Landeskog and Martin Necas also found the back of the net for Colorado. Goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood anchored the defensive effort with 28 saves, according to a detailed report by TSN.
THE COLORADO AVALANCHE WIN THE PRESIDENTS TROPHY 🏆 pic.twitter.com/YrB7ByjshN
— Spittin' Chiclets (@spittinchiclets) April 10, 2026
Calgary fought to keep the game tight despite a relentless offensive push from the Avalanche. Goaltender Dustin Wolf stopped 38 shots. Tyson Gross provided the lone offensive spark for the Flames. He scored his goal in just his third career NHL game. The rookie managed to crack Blackwood’s shutout bid, but Calgary fell short of mounting a full comeback.
The win pushes Colorado to a 52-16-10 record with 114 points. They have four games remaining in the regular season. The Associated Press verified the updated standings early Friday morning. This finalizes the postseason power structure across major sports markets, guaranteeing the Avalanche home-ice advantage through the entirety of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Why the Presidents’ Trophy Makes Colorado the Heavy Stanley Cup Favorite
Securing the top seed does more than just ensure Game 7s are played in Denver. This marks the fourth time the Avalanche franchise has won the Presidents’ Trophy. They previously captured it in 1996-97, 2000-01, and 2021-22. History is on their side. Colorado hoisted the Stanley Cup the last two times they achieved this regular-season milestone.
The team is also seeing rare production from its blue line. Brent Burns recorded an assist on Thursday night. At 41 years old, Burns tied Hall of Famer Nicklas Lidstrom for the second-most points in a season by a defenseman aged 40 or older in NHL history, CBS Sports reported. That deep defensive scoring threatens to overwhelm lower-seeded opponents in the upcoming first round.