Move over, Detroit. Denver is about to become Hockeytown USA.
The Avalanche is listed as the top team over the next three seasons in ESPN’s NHL future power rankings, which ranks each franchise’s roster, prospects, contracts and management.
Colorado received an overall score of 87.8 — edging out Tampa Bay (87.7) — and earned high marks in all four criteria, especially prospects (second) and contracts (second).
From ESPN’s Emily Kaplan: “Everyone in the NHL is talking about the Avalanche these days. They are loaded enough to win now, and their best players are young and cheap; case in point is Nathan MacKinnon, a top-three player in the league, playing on a ridiculous bargain at $6.