The Colorado Avalanche enter the second round of the 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs as a heavy favorite to win the Western Conference and eventually hoist the chalice for the first time since 2001.
Some call them dominant, a juggernaut or, in popular hockey parlance, a "wagon." Whatever the label, the Avalanche have earned it, with a star-studded roster, a 119-point regular season and the only sweep of the first round, against the Nashville Predators.
"They're a great team, Colorado, we all know that. They've got a lot of high-end players," said St. Louis Blues coach Craig Berube, whose team opens their series against the Avalanche on Tuesday night. "You're going to have to do a lot of things right, and you're going to have to be real disciplined."
Easier said than done. After speaking to opponents, scouts and analysts, here are some of the reasons why the Avalanche are this postseason's steamroller -- and why many are wondering if there's any way to stop them.