Colorado Avalanche vs Dallas Stars Series Predictions and Best Bets

by Ryan Cobbett - 4/15/2025

Another series that has been set for some time is the Dallas Stars and the Colorado Avalanche. This may be the most entertaining first-round matchup, as both teams have been neck-and-neck all season long. However, Mikko Rantanen will be facing off against his old squad. Colorado took the season series against Dallas, going 2-1 and finishing with a +2-goal differential. The home team won all three games between these two, and there was an average of eight combined goals per game. The Stars will have home ice advantage in this one, but the Avalanche are a dangerous team with plenty of stars.

Doc’s Sports offers NHL expert picks for every game on our hockey predictions page.

Team Summaries

Despite the current six-game losing streak as of this writing, the Stars are second in the Central Division standings with 106 points with one game remaining in the regular season. Their +57-goal differential is the second-best mark in the Western Conference and is tied for the third best mark in the NHL. Dallas has averaged 3.38 GF/G, which is the third best mark in the league, and they also rank sixth in the league in GA/G (2.68). Their penalty kill is elite, and their power play unit is a lot scarier with Rantanen in the mix. Matt Duchene is the team leader in points (81) and assists (51), while Jason Robertson is right on his heels with 80 points, and he is the team leader in goals (35). Robertson, Duchene, and Wyatt Johnston form an elite scoring trio, as all three players have at least 30 goals on the season. The Stars pride themselves on their depth, and they made some incredible moves at the deadline to add to it. Mikael Granlund and Cody Ceci came over from the Sharks and have played some valuable minutes, while Rantanen takes the Stars’ star power to the next level. Dallas has 10 players who have tallied at least four points this season, and that mark does not include Miro Heiskanen or Tyler Seguin, who both have missed significant time due to injuries. However, both could return in the playoffs. Jake Oettinger has continued to be as reliable as ever in the crease, as he has posted a 36-17-4 record across 57 appearances this season and has allowed just 2.53 GA/G.

The Avalanche were proactive in figuring out their needs early in the season. Despite a 5-7 start to the season, Colorado has posted 102 points on the year and has secured the last guaranteed spot in the Central Division. They had virtually no goaltending at the beginning of the season, but they quickly addressed that by adding Mackenzie Blackwood and Scott Wedgewood via trade. Those two have been elite in Colorado this season, as they have combined to allow just 2.16 GA/G across 56 games. It helps when you have guys like Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar in front of you. MacKinnon has reached 116 points this season, which is the second most in the NHL, while leading the league in assists with 84. Makar led all blueliners with 92 points, which was also good for a Top 10 finish in the league. Artturi Lehkonen and Valeri Nichushkin both reached the 20-goal mark this season, though both are banged up ahead of the playoffs. Martin Necas was brought in from Carolina in the Rantanen deal, and he has posted 28 points in 30 games with Colorado and has 27 goals and 83 points on the season. The Avalanche have also been seeing some progress from Gabriel Landeskog, who has rejoined the team after a short rehab stint with their AHL affiliate. Landeskog may not do much on the ice if he is ready to go this postseason, but his presence on the bench and in the locker room is invaluable for the Avalanche.

Goalie Matchup

Oettinger has been elite on home ice this season, as he has allowed just 2.14 GA/G across 32 home starts while posting a 24-7-1 record. He will need to perform better against Colorado in this one, as he has allowed 3.48 GA/G in his two starts against the Avalanche this season. Oettinger has allowed just 2.46 GA/G across 47 playoff appearances in his career, and he has a career .915 SV% in the playoffs.

Blackwood has been solid all season both at home and on the road. Away from home, he has allowed just 2.73 GA/G, but his home record of 16-7-3 is much better than his 12-14-3 road record. He has stopped 62 of the 67 shots he has seen from Dallas this season, but he is 0-1-1 against the Stars this season. This year’s playoffs will be a new animal for the 28-year-old Canadian, as he has yet to see playoff action in his eight-year career.

Skaters to Watch

Dallas Stars:

Rantanen will be the talk of the series, as he will face off against his old team right off the bat. Rantanen has struggled since departing from Colorado (by his standards), as he has just 24 points in 32 games.
Duchene had the clutch double-overtime goal that sent Colorado packing last postseason, and he has four points (2g, 2a) in three games against them this season.
Robertson doesn’t mind the noise from the opposing fans. In fact, he welcomes it. He has recorded 20 of his 35 goals on the road this season.

Colorado Avalanche:

Makar has seven points (3g, 4a) in his three games against the Stars this season.
Lehkonen has five points (3g, 2a) in his three games against the Stars this season.
Nichushkin has done his damage away from home, as he has picked up nearly 65% of his points on the road this season.

Colorado Avalanche vs Dallas Stars Series Predictions and Best Bets

This will certainly be the biggest series to follow in the first round of the playoffs, as both of these two teams are considered to be true Stanley Cup contenders. Colorado will be out for revenge after Dallas ended their season last year, but the Stars have only improved since then, and Blackwood’s lack of playoff experience is a huge X-Factor to follow in this series. Colorado is the current favorite to win the series at -125, but I like Dallas to win as the underdogs here. They have come up just short over the last few years. And with the additions of Granlund and Rantanen, they have shown unprecedented aggressiveness to end their Stanley Cup drought. Dallas wins a hard-fought series here in seven games.

My Pick: Dallas Stars to Win: +104, Series Total Games: Over 5.5 -188, Series Exact Games: 7 Games +195

Get NHL picks on every single game, or if you want our very best bet premium picks by the experts, sign up for your free $60 account with a guarantee.

Start:	April 16, 2025 @ 10:00 PM
Expert:	Scott Spreitzer
Free $60 Account Sign Up

Colorado Avalanche vs Dallas Stars Series Predictions and Best Bets

Most Recent Hockey Handicapping