The Colorado Avalanche face a grueling schedule this upcoming season. Specifically, the taxing nature of the 2025-26 season is due to the significant break in February due to the Olympics in Milano-Cortina.
Unlike other leagues around the world, the NHL will shut down in order to accommodate players heading to the Olympics. Other major sports leagues, like the NBA and soccer, have Olympic tourneys that occur during their offseasons. MLB organizes its World Baseball Classic prior to the beginning of the regular season.
As such, the Avalanche will have to go through the gauntlet just to lock up a playoff spot.