The Colorado Avalanche (35-8-9) visit the Detroit Red Wings (32-17-6) in a cross-conference clash with playoff implications. The Avalanche lead the Central Division and sit atop the Western Conference, boasting elite offense but recent defensive lapses. The Red Wings, second in the Atlantic, have been steady at home but face a tough test against Colorado’s star power. This is their only scheduled meeting of the 2025-26 season, reviving echoes of their historic 1990s-2000s rivalry. Expect high-scoring action given both teams’ potent attacks.
Venue: Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, Michigan
Puck drop is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. ET (12:00 p.m. CT, 11:00 a.m. MT)
TV/Streaming: ABC, ESPN+, Hulu, Sportsnet
Recent Team Forms
The Avalanche have cooled off after a hot start, going 4-5-2 in their last 11 with defensive issues. The Red Wings are 6-2-2 in their last 10, riding home strength but dealing with a flu bug.
Avalanche (4-5-1 in last 10): Colorado averages 3.7 goals scored but 3.9 allowed recently. They’ve dropped two straight, including a 7-3 thrashing by Montreal (Jan. 29) where they were outshot in the third. Wins include a 4-1 over Toronto (Jan. 25) and 5-2 over Washington (Jan. 19), but losses to Ottawa (5-2, Jan. 28) and Florida (2-1, Jan. 4) highlight road woes
Last 5 Games:
| Date | Opponent | Result |
| Jan 29 | @ MTL | L 3-7 |
| Jan 28 | @ OTT | L 2-5 |
| Jan 25 | @ TOR | W 4-1 |
| Jan 23 | @ PHI | L 3-7 |
| Jan 21 | @ LAK | L 1-2 (SO) |
Red Wings (6-2-2 in last 10): Detroit averages 3.0 goals scored and 2.1 allowed, with strong goaltending. They’ve won four of six at home, including a 5-1 over Vancouver (Jan. 8) and 4-0 shutout over Montreal (Jan. 10). Recent losses include 3-1 to LA (Jan. 27) and 4-3 OT to Carolina (Jan. 12), but a 5-1 over Winnipeg (Jan. 24) shows resilience
Last 5 Games:
| Date | Opponent | Result |
| Jan 29 | vs WSH | L 3-4 |
| Jan 27 | vs LAK | L 1-3 |
| Jan 24 | @ WPG | W 5-1 |
| Jan 22 | vs PHI | W 3-2 |
| Jan 21 | @ UTA | L 2-3 (OT) |
Injury Report
Injuries hit Colorado’s depth, while Detroit manages a key defenseman absence and illness.
Avalanche:
Gabriel Landeskog (LW, upper body/broken ribs): Out, expected back in weeks
Logan O’Connor (RW, hip surgery): Out indefinitely.
Devon Toews (D, upper body): Day-to-day, game-time decision.
Joel Kiviranta (F, lower body): Week-to-week.
Red Wings:
Simon Edvinsson (D, lower body): Out, on IR since Jan. 28
Team-wide flu bug: Potential late scratches, recalls include Justin Holl (D) and Sheldon Dries (F).
Projected starters: Scott Wedgewood (Avs, .905 SV%) vs. John Gibson (Wings, .893 SV%)
Key Player Matchups
This game features star forwards clashing with top defensemen, plus a goaltending battle.
Nathan MacKinnon (Avs C) vs. Dylan Larkin (Wings C): MacKinnon leads the NHL with 38 goals and 85 points, on a tear with multi-point games. He’ll face Larkin (Wings captain, 25G, 50P), a shutdown center who’s key in faceoffs (54% FO%)
Martin Necas (Avs RW) vs. Alex DeBrincat (Wings RW): Necas (acquired mid-season) has 20 goals; his speed tests DeBrincat (23G, 45P), Detroit’s top sniper with 3 points in a recent shutout
Cale Makar (Avs D) vs. Lucas Raymond (Wings LW): Makar (10G, 40A) quarterbacks Colorado’s power play (28% efficiency). Raymond (20G, 42P) is Detroit’s breakout star, challenging Makar’s mobility
Goaltending Duel: Scott Wedgewood (Avs) vs. John Gibson (Wings): Wedgewood (2.61 GAA) steps up with injuries; Gibson (three shutouts) has been lights-out, including a 27-save blanking vs. Montreal
Projected Lineups (per NHL.com
Avalanche: Rantanen-MacKinnon-Nelson; Lehkonen-Necas-Nichushkin; Wood-Colton-Mittelstadt; Kiviranta (if available)-Trent Frederic-Makarov. Defense: Girard-Makar; Johnson-Manson; Malinski-Behrens. Goalie: Wedgewood.
Red Wings: DeBrincat-Larkin-Raymond; Kane-Compher-Tarasenko; Berggren-Copp-Rasmussen; Motte-Kaspar-Veleno. Defense: Chiarot-Seider; Maatta-Petry; Gustafsson-Holl (recall). Goalie: Gibson.
Series History
Detroit holds the all-time edge: 84-74-5-6 overall (including playoffs), with a 67-57-5-6 regular-season record. The rivalry peaked from 1996-2002 with five playoff meetings and five combined Stanley Cups (Detroit 3, Colorado 2) Recently, Colorado has won three straight, including a 5-2 victory in their last matchup (March 2025). At Little Caesars Arena, Detroit is 4-3 in the last seven.
Game Odds
Colorado Avalanche – 155
Detroit Red Wings 6.5
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Friday, January 30, 2026
