Other Denver teams need to adopt the Avalanche’s playoff mindset

The Colorado Avalanche are Stanley Cup champions. They got there by defeating the two-time defending champs, the Tampa Bay Lightning. On their way to the Cup, the Avalanche advanced out of the second round, overcoming their own personal boogeyman.

The Avalanche left no doubt that they were the best team in the NHL. They were not scared of anybody as they entered the playoffs and Stanley Cup Final.

If the Broncos and Nuggets hope to be the next major Colorado sports franchise to hoist a championship trophy, they need to take on the attitude of the Avalanche.

Prior to the Avalanche winning the Stanley Cup, the 2015 Broncos were the Colorado last team to get a parade (of the four main professional sports). Not only was 2015 the last time the city of Denver won a championship, it’s also the last time the Broncos defeated the Chiefs.

Since Week 2 of 2015, the Chiefs have blanked the Broncos. Not only that, the Chiefs have played in four-straight AFC Championships, two Super Bowls and won one Super Bowl. The Chiefs have clearly established themselves as the best team not only in the AFC West, but the entire AFC.

The Broncos struggled to beat the Chiefs and are during a six-season playoff drought. If the Broncos are indeed a Super Bowl contender this year, they are going to have to overcome both challenges.

When the Broncos played in Super Bowls 48 and 50, they had to defeat Tom Brady in the AFC Championship Game on both occasions. To be the best, they had to beat the best. For the Broncos to break through and return to elite status, they must beat the Chiefs, and not just once.

The road for the Broncos returning to the Super Bowl likely means playing the Chiefs three times, twice in the regular season and once in the playoffs. The Broncos can no longer be intimidated by the Chiefs. Since 2015, they’ve had good opportunities to defeat their rival, but in the end the Chiefs end up bullying the Broncos.

The Chiefs aren’t scared of the Broncos and they shouldn’t be. The Broncos are going to have to prove that they are now a problem for the Chiefs. Even with Russell Wilson under center, if the Broncos are unable to take down their division rival, nothing else matters.

Obviously, the Broncos have to break the playoff drought, but it’s meaningless if they can’t be a formidable opponent for the Chiefs. The Broncos need to confront the demon that is Kansas City if they hope to take the next step.

The Nuggets have the back-to-back NBA MVP and have not much success to show for it. They had an incredible run in the bubble in 2020, but were unable to defeat LeBron James in the Western Conference Finals. In the 2021 playoffs, the Nuggets were dominated in the second round by the Suns. And in 2022, they were outclassed by the resurgent Golden State Warriors.

With the Warriors once again healthy, they are the top dogs in the NBA. As much fun as it was to watch the Nuggets come back from two 3-1 deficits in the bubble, they ultimately lost to LeBron and the Lakers. The Nuggets have yet to be a threat to the top teams in the NBA.

The Nuggets must show they can beat the elite teams in the NBA. With Jamal Murray returning to join Nikola Jokic, the Nuggets have no excuse to not play in the NBA Finals next season. Even with an injured roster, they were competitive with the Warriors at times, so a healthy roster should match up with NBAs best, no excuses.

The Avalanche entered the 2022 playoffs with many questions surrounding their ability to finish as Stanley Cup champions. The Avalanche were able to advance out of the second round by showing up in the big moments, and they beat the mentally tough, experienced and accomplished Tampa Bay Lightning.

Essentially, no challenge was too big for the Avalanche. Instead of bowing down and being in awe of the Lightning, the Avalanche looked at Tampa Bay’s recent success and said, “So what?” The Avalanche never faltered in these playoffs, there were bumps in the road, but they overcame them.

For the Broncos and Nuggets, they can no longer be intimidated by the Chiefs, LeBron James, the Suns or the Warriors. The Avalanche didn’t get lucky. Instead, they knocked down whoever was placed in front of them.

The Avalanche knew they were better and played like it. What happened in the past with the second round or whatever their opponent had accomplished was irrelevant to the Avalanche. If the Broncos and Nuggets are unable to adopt the same attitude, they’ll miss out on their own parade.

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