The Avalanche’s perfect start sparks talk of chasing a Stanley Cup record

After a dominant 6–0 start to the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Avalanche have fans wondering whether they could match — or even surpass — the Oilers legendary 16–2 postseason run from 1987–88. It’s early, but the path is becoming clearer with each win.

The Avalanche have looked every bit like the “wagon” many expected entering the season. Their flawless opening to the playoffs has the station asking a real question: Could this team be on the verge of one of the greatest Stanley Cup runs of all time?

Zach Bye is usually the first to warn listeners not to get ahead of themselves. But on Thursday’s edition of “The Drive with Zach Bye and Phillip Lindsay,” he didn’t follow his own rule.

Looking back at NHL history, Edmonton set the modern standard with a 16–2 march to the Cup to cap the 1987-88 season. Several teams — including the 2022 Avalanche — have gone 16–4, but no one has come close to matching the Oilers dominance.

Bye posed one simple question: “Will the Western Conference Finals, on paper, be an easier task than this round?”

Right now, it’s possible. The Wild may be the toughest opponent the Avs face before the conference finals.

And Colorado is dominating the series. The Avalanche are outscoring Minnesota 14–8, and the Wild have already tried two different goaltenders — both with poor results. The Avs have approached this postseason with a business‑like mentality, and this series has been no exception.

Bye sees no clear answers for Minnesota, leading him and co‑host Will Petersen to agree that the series likely ends in five games. If that happens, the Avalanche could enter the Western Conference Final at 8–1, potentially facing a weaker opponent.

In 2022, the Avs swept their Western Conference Finals opponent (Edmonton). And if history repeats itself, with the Avalanche sweeping either the Ducks or the Golden Knights, Colorado could reach the Stanley Cup Final with a 12–1 record.

“Yes, I’m acknowledging we’re getting ahead of ourselves,” Bye said. “But if you actually game‑theory it out, the path is there for them to surpass what they did in ’22 — and maybe even get in the neighborhood of the ’87–’88 Oilers.”

The path to history is right in front of this Avalanche team. They’ve shown a desire to be great at every step this season. The goal is the Stanley Cup, but cementing themselves as one of the greatest teams ever would be a defining exclamation point on a historic year.

How far can this 6–0 start take them — and will the Avs enter the conversation as the greatest sports team in Colorado history? Puck drops in Saint Paul on Saturday at 7:00 p.m. MT for Game 3.

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