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The Colorado Avalanche and Carolina Hurricanes have the best chance of going undefeated in the NHL playoffs.
The Colorado Avalanche and Carolina Hurricanes have a unique opportunity to achieve something that’s never been done before: Go undefeated in the NHL playoffs.
The question has emerged as the Avalanche and Hurricanes have begun their postseasons, going 6-0 and 7-0, respectively.
Both Colorado and Carolina have an opportunity to extend their postseason winning streaks on Saturday night. The Hurricanes will be looking to wrap up their series against the Philadelphia Flyers. The Canes have a 3-0 lead on Philly, in what has been a hotly contested series.
The Avalanche, meanwhile, will face the Minnesota Wild in Game 3 of the Western Conference series. Colorado won a 9-6 shootout in Game 1, and followed that up with a solid 5-2 win in Game 2. A win would put the Avs on track to sweep their second series in a row.
And that’s the remarkable thing. No team has ever gone undefeated in the NHL playoffs. The closest any team has ever gotten was the 1988 Edmonton Oilers. The Oilers went 16-2-1 that postseason, including a “tie” in Game 4 against the Boston Bruins. The game ended midway through the second period due to a power outage at the old Boston Garden.
That amazing postseason run by the powerhouse Edmonton Oilers saw them lose just two games. They lost one game to the Winnipeg Jets in the opening round, effectively ending their chances to go undefeated in the NHL playoffs.
Beyond that, the Oilers ploughed through the Jets, Calgary Flames, Detroit Red Wings, and Bruins, winning 16 games while losing just two. Wayne Gretzky had 12 goals and 43 points in just 19 games. Yikes.
The Hurricanes’ chances to go undefeated in the NHL playoffs hinge largely on their goaltending. Frederik Andersen has been insane this entire postseason, posting a 1.02 GAA and a .957 SV%.
The mind-shocking numbers are the main reason why the Hurricanes are in the position they are in. Of course, it’s not the only reason. The Canes have gotten solid all-around play, while also avoiding taxing overtime games.
If this trend continues, the Canes could have a chance to go 16-0 in their postseason run.
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As for the Colorado Avalanche, their chances to go undefeated in the NHL playoffs will rely on their incredible depth. No team in the league can match Colorado’s depth. And it’s been that depth that’s kept the Avs undefeated.
In their first-round series against the LA Kings, the Avalanche’s bottom six powered them to the series sweep. The Kings did a good job of containing Hart Trophy nominee Nathan MacKinnon and Norris Trophy nominee Cale Makar.
But it was trade deadline acquisitions Nazem Kadri and Nic Roy that stepped up and delivered when needed. That, and some good goaltending from Scott Wedgewood, has put the Avalanche on a path to go undefeated in the NHL playoffs.
It’s worth pointing out that the Avalanche went 16-4 in their 2022 Cup run. The other team to get reasonably close was the 2012 Kings, who also went 16-4.
It could very well be that the Stanley Cup Final could see two 12-0 teams meet for Game 1. By the end of the first contest, there would only be one team with a chance to go 16-0.
Nestor Quixtan Seasoned NHL and NFL analyst and baseball writer focused on covering clubs across each league with news, analysis, and insights. Originally from Toronto, Canada, Nestor's singular experiences and background have enabled him to bring a different take on the sports world as a whole. Nestor's fondness for baseball, football, and hockey set the tone for his love and passion for writing about sports. More about Nestor Quixtan
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