Colorado Avalanche vs Utah Mammoth 20 September 2026 Prediction

Last season ended earlier than Colorado Avalanche fans had hoped. Utah Mammoth also fell short, exiting in the first round of the playoffs. Both teams were eliminated by the Vegas Golden Knights. Utah has also gone nearly two years without a win in Denver under manager André Tourigny.

Colorado After Winning the Presidents' Trophy

Colorado had an excellent 2025/26 regular season, winning the Presidents' Trophy by a comfortable margin and entering the playoffs as the Stanley Cup favorite. However, Jared Bednar's team was swept 4-0 by Vegas in the Western Conference Final. Management opted against major roster changes and instead made targeted additions. Goaltender Nikita Novoselov joined the Avalanche from Yekaterinburg after posting a .932 save percentage in the VHL. Colorado also lost Russian forward Valeri Nichushkin, who recorded 49 points in 2025/26 before moving to the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Utah Adds Players from Minsk

Utah also lost to Vegas in last season's playoffs, falling 4-2 in the first round. Defense was the main concern, as the Mammoth allowed at least four goals in four of the six games. That contributed to the decision to send goaltender Vitek Vanecek to the New York Islanders. Utah then added two players from Dinamo Minsk during the offseason. Egor Borikov had 30 points on 16 goals and 14 assists in 2025/26, while Vadim Moroz finished with 29 points on 14 goals and 15 assists. The Mammoth also strengthened their offense by acquiring Vincent Trocheck from the New York Rangers after a 53-point season with 16 goals and 37 assists.

Colorado's Head-to-Head Advantage

Utah has struggled against Colorado in recent seasons, losing six of the past seven head-to-head meetings. The Avalanche also scored first in six of those seven games and usually converted that early advantage into a win.

Colorado Avalanche vs Utah Mammoth Prediction: Colorado Avalanche to Win

Main prediction: Colorado has won six of its past seven meetings with Utah and will also have home-ice advantage. The Avalanche are difficult to beat in Denver, while Utah's roster has not changed significantly since last season. The pick is Colorado Avalanche to win.

Goals prediction: Colorado had one of the NHL's most productive offenses during the 2025/26 regular season. Bednar's team consistently plays on the front foot and generates plenty of scoring chances. Sebastian Cossa is likely to start in net for Utah after allowing 2.3 goals per game in the AHL in 2025/26. Colorado Avalanche team total over 2.5 goals is the secondary pick.