The 2024-25 NHL season is reaching its most exciting stage: the Stanley Cup Playoffs. On the eve of a blockbuster matchup between the Colorado Avalanche and Dallas Stars, head coach Jared Bednar issued a firm reminder about the opposition, where former Avs forward Mikko Rantanen has taken the spotlight.
The Avalanche may have an ace up their sleeve, as captain Gabriel Landeskog is in the final stage of his long-awaited return to the NHL ice. However, whether Landeskog is fit to play or not, Colorado boasts a star-studded roster that will keep Dallas on its toes.
However, the Stars are not exempt from high-caliber talent on their roster, and the Avalanche will need to be cautious when approaching the playoff series against them. Bednar and Colorado will enjoy some extra rest days compared to Rantanen and Dallas, who have two games remaining in their schedule, while the Avs are already done with their 82 games.
While it could be equally argued that the extra time off is either beneficial or counterproductive, the Avalanche will use those days to help Landeskog put the final touches on his recovery and prepare for a grueling best-of-seven series against the Stars.
Mikko Rantanen #96 of the Colorado Avalanche carries the Stanley Cup following the series winning victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game Six of the 2022 NHL Stanley Cup Final at Amalie Arena on June 26, 2022 in Tampa, Florida.
On that note, Bednar delivered a strong warning, one which Rantanen and Dallas will certainly add to their bulletin board ahead of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
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“We’ll be ready,” Bednar said about the playoffs, via NHL.com. “We’ve got a whole week here to get prepared for Dallas. We know they’re a very good team, obviously, and they’ve been tough competition for us the last few years.”
Recent history
This postseason’s clash between the Stars and Avalanche will be the teams’ seventh postseason meeting, and their third since 2020. So far, Dallas has the upper-hand, boasting a 4-2 record in playoff series against the Avs.
Head coach Jared Bednar of the Colorado Avalanche watches as his team plays the Dallas Stars in the third period at Ball Arena on January 18, 2025 in Denver, Colorado.
The Stars have eliminated Colorado in 2020, en route to a Stanley Cup Final loss, and did so last season before falling to the Edmonton Oilers in the Western Conference Final. Bednar and Colorado will look to turn the tide against Dallas, finally defeating them in a best-of-seven series for the first time since the 2005-06 NHL season.
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Good omen?
The Stars will have home-ice advantage, which, interestingly enough, may be a good sign for the Avs. The Avalanche have a losing postseason record at home against the Stars, going 8-10, while they hold the edge when playing in the Lone Star State, with an 11-8 mark.
