Avalanche Proving To Be Top Draw Away From Pepsi Center

The Avalanche lead the NHL in road attendance so far this season, showing that opposing fans "want to see the young and exciting roster" that includes MVP candidate C Nathan MacKinnon and rookie D Cale Makar, according to Mike Chambers of the DENVER POST. The Avs through their first 17 road games are playing in front of an average crowd of 18,163, slightly higher than the Maple Leafs and Devils, the only other teams to average more than 18,000 fans away from home. MacKinnon and Makar "sell tickets," just like top duos for the other main draws -- the Leafs' Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner and the Devils' Taylor Hall and Jack Hughes. The Oilers, led by another "show-stopping" attraction in C Connor McDavid, rank 25th in road attendance, but that is "probably just an example of far-flung Alberta fitting a predominant American league." Meanwhile, the Avs are also "doing well with home attendance," averaging 17,750 fans through 14 games at Pepsi Center. That is good for 13th highest in the NHL (DENVER POST, 12/14).