Colorado’s 20-1 start fuels fantasy chatter: Wedgwood’s steadying presence, Landeskog’s return, and Brent Burns driving a potent back end lift the Avalanche’s ceiling early. Montreal’s Balduk four points in three and Lane Hudson’s looming extension add fresh fantasy angles, while Winnipeg fights through blue-line injuries as Connor and Hellebuyck shoulder heavy workloads. Early season moves promise big shifts for rosters.

Avalanche start 3-0-0 behind Wedgwood’s steady fill-in for Blackwood, Landeskog’s return lending leadership, and Burns’ veteran edge stabilizing the blue line. Early energy and improved pace hint at last year’s rust fading as the team builds depth and structure.

Offense centers on Mikko Rantanen and Nathan MacKinnon, with Burns mentoring a younger pairing. Haxtall’s new special-teams approach shows promise on the power play, which must finish more consistently. Dallas and Buffalo loom as early-season tests to confirm whether the surge sticks and goaltending holds.

Montreal climbs into playoff talk as Suzuki leads a hungry core that believes it can beat anybody. The team expects tougher nights and bigger moments, with Slafkovský and Xhekaj emerging as the new heartbeat. Caufield and Newhook are pegged as catalysts for a deeper attack, while management guards the core at the deadline. A Florida overtime memory and a front-office push set the tone for a confident, continuity-driven season.