The Colorado Avalanche Show How Inferior The Chicago Blackhawks Are Right Now

If there is a franchise that knows rebuilds take time, it is the Avalanche.

The Avalanche made the playoffs one time between the 2010-11 season and the 2016-17 season. During that time, they finished dead last in the division three times and second to last twice.

They had to win the NHL Draft Lottery to get their superstar in MacKinnon. They still had to build a roster around him after he was taken in 2013.

They had to use first-round picks to get Makar and Rantanen. They then had to make key trades and free-agent signings to build the rest of the team around him. The result has been six straight playoff appearances since the 2017-2018 season and winning the Stanley Cup in 2022.

The Hawks are trying to build up their team much like the Avalanche are in terms of using a generational talent to be the foundation. It took Colorado three offseasons just to get a playoff-worthy roster around MacKinnon (the Avalanche did make the playoffs during MacKinnon's rookie season of 2013-14).

That is why this rebuild is going to take some time. It showed the past five days.