Our Colorado Avalanche vs Calgary Flames preview covers the odds, puck line, total, start time, TV channel and where to watch on Thursday, October 8, 2026. The Colorado Avalanche (2-1-0 this season; 55-16-11 in 2025-26) visit the Calgary Flames (0-3-0 this season; 34-39-9 in 2025-26) at Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, Alta. Puck drop is 9:00 PM ET (7:00 PM MT). TV: ALT / KTVD / Sportsnet West.
Storyline: Colorado is on the second night of a back-to-back after a 3-2 loss at Winnipeg on Wednesday, Oct. 7. Colorado opened 2-0-0 with 14 goals in two home wins. Calgary is 0-3-0 with three goals in three games, all losses by at least three goals, and returns home after stops in Vancouver and Seattle. Colorado won all three meetings last season (NHL.com). DraftKings lists Colorado at -238 and Calgary at +195 on the moneyline, with the total at 6.5.
Colorado Avalanche vs Calgary Flames Odds, Puck Line & Game Info
| Matchup | Colorado Avalanche @ Calgary Flames |
|---|---|
| 2026-27 Records | Colorado Avalanche 2-1-0 | Calgary Flames 0-3-0 |
| 2025-26 Records | Colorado Avalanche 55-16-11 | Calgary Flames 34-39-9 |
| Head Coaches | COL: Jared Bednar (11th season) | CGY: Ryan Huska (4th season) |
| Puck Line | COL -1.5 (+105) | CGY +1.5 (-125) |
| Moneyline | Colorado Avalanche: -238 | Calgary Flames: +195 |
| Total | O/U 6.5 (o+110 / u-130) |
| Venue | Scotiabank Saddledome (Calgary, Alta.) |
| Date / Time | Thursday, October 8, 2026 — 9:00 PM ET |
| TV / How to Watch | ALT / KTVD / Sportsnet West |
| Probable Starting Goalies | COL: TBD (Mackenzie Blackwood / Scott Wedgewood; Mackenzie Blackwood started Wednesday) | CGY: TBD (Dustin Wolf / Devin Cooley) |
Odds via DraftKings (through ESPN) as of Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026, ~11:13 PM ET. Totals ranged from 6 to 6.5 across books at research time. Lines move, so check your sportsbook before puck drop. Starting goalies had not been confirmed at research time.
Colorado Avalanche Preview: Second Night of a Back-to-Back
2025-26 recap: Colorado went 55-16-11 (121 points), won the Central Division and the Presidents’ Trophy, and led the NHL in goals scored while allowing the fewest. Nathan MacKinnon won the Rocket Richard Trophy with 53 goals and finished with 127 points, Martin Necas had 100 points, and Cale Makar was the Norris Trophy runner-up. The Avalanche swept Los Angeles and beat Minnesota in five games before Vegas swept them in the Western Conference Final (NHL.com).
Offseason moves: GM Chris MacFarland left to run Nashville’s hockey operations. Colorado traded Valeri Nichushkin to Columbus and sent Ross Colton and Jack Drury to Nashville in separate deals, bringing back forwards Fedor Svechkov and Zachary L’Heureux. The Avalanche also signed forward Jaden Schwartz to a three-year contract and added defenseman Noah Juulsen (NHL.com).
Key players & coach: MacKinnon, Necas, Makar, Brock Nelson (33 goals last season), Artturi Lehkonen, Nazem Kadri and captain Gabriel Landeskog lead the way, with Devon Toews, Sam Malinski and Brent Burns also on defense. The penalty kill ranked first in the NHL last season (84.6 percent). Jared Bednar is in his 11th season as coach.
Goalies: Scott Wedgewood (31-6-6, 2.02 GAA and .921 save percentage) and Mackenzie Blackwood (23-10-2, 2.51 GAA) shared the William M. Jennings Trophy last season. Blackwood started both home games, making 27 saves on 31 shots against Los Angeles and 25 saves on 26 shots against St. Louis. Colorado had not confirmed a starter for Thursday at research time.
Season so far: MacKinnon and Lehkonen scored twice each in an 8-4 win over Los Angeles on Sept. 30, and Nelson had a goal and two assists. On Oct. 3, Makar, Necas (twice), Josh Manson, Lehkonen and Nicolas Roy scored in a 6-1 win over St. Louis (NHL.com).
Wednesday’s result: Colorado lost 3-2 to Winnipeg at Canada Life Centre on Wednesday, Oct. 7, so Thursday’s game is the second night of a back-to-back. Colorado goals: Jaden Schwartz and Fedor Svechkov. Mackenzie Blackwood started in goal for Colorado and made 16 saves on 19 shots. Stuart Skinner started for Winnipeg and made 32 saves on 34 shots. (NHL.com)
Injuries: Forward Logan O’Connor (lower body) is on injured reserve; he was ruled out of the game in Winnipeg but might be an option in Calgary, per the Denver Gazette. Forward Georgii Merkulov and goalie Trent Miner are on the injured non-roster list (ESPN).
Calgary Flames Preview: Still Looking for a First Win
2025-26 recap: Calgary went 34-39-9 (77 points), finished seventh in the Pacific Division and missed the playoffs. The Flames scored 2.54 goals per game, the fewest in the NHL (NHL.com). Matt Coronato led the team with 45 points, and Morgan Frost (22 goals) and Mikael Backlund each had 43.
Offseason moves: Calgary acquired defenseman Simon Nemec, the No. 2 selection in the 2022 draft, from New Jersey with forward Maxim Tsyplakov and signed Nemec to a five-year, $36.25 million contract. The Flames also acquired defenseman Jake Middleton from Minnesota for Blake Coleman and Olli Maatta, and Ryan Lomberg signed with Columbus (NHL.com).
Key players & coach: Coronato, Frost, Backlund, Joel Farabee (20 goals last season), Connor Zary, Ryan Strome, Yegor Sharangovich and 20-year-old Matvei Gridin lead the forwards. Nemec, Kevin Bahl, Zach Whitecloud, Middleton and 2024 No. 9 selection Zayne Parekh are on the back end. Ryan Huska is in his fourth season as coach.
Goalies: Dustin Wolf, a Calder Trophy finalist in 2024-25, went 23-29-3 with a 3.01 GAA and .899 save percentage in 57 games last season. He made 26 saves on 32 shots in the opener and 21 saves on 27 shots at Seattle on Sunday. Devin Cooley went 10-10-6 with a 2.69 GAA and .909 save percentage last season and made 22 saves on 25 shots at Vancouver on Oct. 3. Calgary had not confirmed a starter at research time.
Season so far: Seattle won 6-1 at Scotiabank Saddledome on Oct. 1, and Strome scored the Flames’ only goal. At Vancouver on Oct. 3, Coronato scored on the power play in the first period, but the Canucks scored four times in the third in a 4-1 win. At Seattle on Sunday, the Kraken led 5-0 before Frost scored on the power play in the third period of a 6-1 loss (NHL.com).
Injuries: Forward Jonathan Huberdeau is on injured reserve after hip resurfacing surgery in March (NHL.com, ESPN).
Key Matchup Notes: Avalanche vs Flames
- Schedule spot: Colorado is on the second night of a back-to-back after a 3-2 loss at Winnipeg on Wednesday. Calgary last played Sunday at Seattle. Colorado hosts Toronto on Saturday, and Calgary hosts Anaheim on Saturday.
- Last season: Colorado won all three meetings: 9-2 and 3-1 at home on March 30 and April 9, and 3-1 at Calgary on April 14 (NHL.com).
- Special teams: Colorado went 4-for-9 on the power play and did not allow a power-play goal in its two home games. Calgary has scored two of its three goals on the power play and has killed 90 percent of penalties.
- Scoring: Colorado scored 14 goals in its two home games, and MacKinnon had five points. Calgary has three goals in three games and has allowed 16.
- In goal: Blackwood had a .912 save percentage in his two home starts. Wolf has a .797 save percentage in two starts, and Cooley stopped 22 of 25 in his only start.
- Odds snapshot: Colorado -238 / Calgary +195 on the moneyline, Avalanche -1.5 (+105) on the puck line, total 6.5 (DraftKings).
How to Watch Colorado Avalanche vs Calgary Flames
Date: Thursday, October 8, 2026
Puck drop: 9:00 PM ET (7:00 PM MT)
Venue: Scotiabank Saddledome, Calgary, Alta.
TV: In the U.S., Altitude Sports (ALT) and KTVD carry the game in the Avalanche’s market (NHL.com), and ESPN also lists ESPN+ streaming. In Canada, Sportsnet West carries it (NHL.com). No U.S. national TV broadcast is listed at research time.
Check the puck line, moneyline and total above against your sportsbook before the October 8, 2026 puck drop, and look for confirmed starting goalies closer to game time.