They just capped off one of the greatest regular-season turnarounds in modern NHL history by improving a full .277 in points percentage (.406 to .683).
By estimations, that's the fifth-highest points percentage improvement the league has seen since 1980, with only the 1993-94 San Jose Sharks (+.345), 1981-82 Winnipeg Jets (+.300), 1992-93 Quebec Nordiques (+.294) and 2006-07 Pittsburgh Penguins (+.286) gaining more ground during a single season.
But now comes the hard part: Turning that turnaround into playoff success.
And, simply put, recent NHL history isn't on the Avs' side.
Since 1980, 15 NHL squads have improved by at least .200 in points percentage from the previous season. But here's how they fared in the playoffs:
- 10 of the 15 lost their first postseason series, with eight of those 10 failing to take advantage of home ice and falling to lower-seeded teams
- One squad won its first playoff series before falling in the ensuing round
- Three of the 15 won at least two postseason series before falling in the conference finals
- One team ( the 2005-06 Carolina Hurricanes, who improved .220) capped its Cinderella-esque season by hoisting the Stanley Cup
So will the Avs buck the trend and become the second team on this list to make it to the Stanley Cup Finals? Or will they fail to win even a single postseason series, as a full two-thirds of their most-improved compatriots have done?
The answer will start to take shape Thursday night when the Avs host the Minnesota Wild in Game 1 of the Western Conference quarterfinals.
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