The Colorado Avalanche have been without a doubt the biggest surprise this NHL season, still in contention for the President's Trophy with only half a week left in the regular season after nearly finishing dead-last in hockey last year.

Unfortunately, the Avs were struck with some bad news as top scorer Matt Duchene will miss at least the first round of the playoffs with a knee injury.

Fortunately for the Avs, they have been without Duchene since March 29th and haven't missed a beat. They have won four of five games in the stretch since the injury, including a decisive 4-0 victory against the current division-leading St. Louis Blues.

Although Colorado could still pass up St. Louis for the division title and face a wild card team in the first round, it will need to play games in Anaheim and San Jose, making it likely that the Avs will stay put in second place in the Central and face the Chicago Blackhawks.

Chicago won the Stanley Cup last season as has still been impressive this season. The Blackhawks, like the Avalanche, have gone on a hot streak lately despite missing their top two players in Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane.

Colorado-Chicago would be arguably the most entertaining series in the first round. The Hawks have more experience and perhaps more star power, while the Avs are younger, hungrier and more willing to prove that they should be taken seriously by everyone.

The Blackhawks are not an easy task, but Colorado seems to know how to beat them, winning four of five contests between the two this season.

If these two face off in the playoffs, Colorado can still stand a fighting chance without Duchene. Semyon Varlamov has been great in net this season, and there are more than enough Avalanche scorers like Paul Stastny, Gabriel Landeskog and Nathan MacKinnon that can fill the void left by Duchene.