Continued growth and success appear imminent for the Avalanche.
Going 7-5 in the playoffs and coming up a win shy of advancing to the Western Conference final is an experience that will help mold the core players in what still will be considered a young NHL team next season.
The Avs will continue to build around all-star forwards Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen and Gabe Landeskog, their most-talented and deepest blue-line in more than 15 years and goalie Philipp Grubauer, who was excellent late in the regular season and into the playoffs.
MacKinnon is just 23, Rantanen 22 and Landeskog 26.