RSS Avalanche Team Notes

[Colorado Avalanche]

Why your favorite NHL team won’t win the Stanley Cup – Part Two

After examining the impending failures for the Eastern Conference last week, let’s tee up the Western Conference’s trail of tears. Your team won’t win the Stanley Cup. You know how I know?

17. Anaheim Ducks

So when I said that the Flyers have the ugliest jerseys in the world, I hadn’t even thought of the orange eye soar out in Anaheim. You have some talent, but none of that talent wants to stick around. You’re not even the second-best hockey club in your state, but man, you’ve cashed in on the Mighty Ducks play from the ’90s. Unlike Charlie Conway and the gang, you don’t win, and your squad currently offers a quality vacation opportunity with a bit of hockey mixed in for visiting clubs. Where’s Gordon Bombay when you need him?

18. Calgary Flames

Calgary could have and didn’t draft Cale Makar, and that is why they won’t win a Stanley Cup. The Kid from Calgary was sitting right there in front of the Flames, but I guess they didn’t see enough. I bet they saw plenty when he joined the Avalanche in the 2019 playoffs and scored in his first pro appearance against Calgary in a series that Colorado would eventually win handily. Mistakes were made.

19. Chicago Blackhawks

The Blackhawks landed the next Sidney Crosby when they drafted Connor Bedard. Except not really, as his stock drops faster than the value of his one-of-a-kind hockey card. Is he talented? No doubt. He and the Blackhawks won’t win the Stanley Cup because cup runs come from a balance of young, affordable talent and savvy veteran leadership. Instead of opting for an affordable and savvy approach, the Blackhawks continue to attract slow and steady spectators around Bedard. This team somehow feels further from another winning era despite drafting “the next generational talent” in Bedard.

20. Colorado Avalanche

The Avalanche won’t win the Stanley Cup because, despite what Chris MacFarland and Joe Sakic think, they aren’t close enough to have traded away all of their worth while assets and young promising prospects. Based on what’s been dealt since 2022, the Avalanche should have won again already, and the fact that they haven’t points to some mismanagement. Currently, the Avalanche are missing a whole line’s worth of NHL-caliber players, and they don’t have much to leverage to bring in more. Right now, the Avalanche feel like the buddy you went with to the casino who won’t stop going to the ATM for more cash despite losing an ungodly amount on roulette (a.k.a the Dallas Stars). I guess we pop in another Zyn and watch the money burn.

This is the Colorado Avalanche. They have an elite 1st line, a strong top 6, a top 5 defense, a top 10 goalie duo, and a very good 4th line. Their defect is that they can't get past Dallas https://t.co/PUrjhrtUTH pic.twitter.com/5LyHZ6eMG4

— bamboozle (@ibamboozIe) August 15, 2025

21. Dallas Stars

The Dallas Stars and their fans want to be the Colorado Avalanche so bad that they decided to take on the burden of paying Mikko Rantanen $12 million to go ghost when it matters. Beating the Avalanche in the playoffs will prove the most glorious achievement in Dallas Stars history. I’ll put it down like Uncle Junior. They don’t have the makings of a varsity athlete. But hey, at least they beat their dad that one time! Maybe Matt Duchene can sing you a little ditty while your team rides off into obscurity.

22. Edmonton Oilers

Conor McDavid has essentially been deemed the “best player in the world,” but still has nothing to show for it. Unless you count that pitiful Conn Smythe in a losing effort as an achievement. I’m honestly shocked the league didn’t give him another participation trophy for getting back to the finals. Makes sense, though, considering he was a no-show after guaranteeing a win against the Florida Panthers in game five of this year’s cup series. The Oilers won’t end Canada’s cupless era because good goaltending matters. Shocker.

Yes, we are THAT deep in the offseason. pic.twitter.com/S94WV86Fqa

— BarDown (@BarDown) August 18, 2025

23. Los Angeles Kings

Okay, you might be the best team in your state, but your state offers the worst hockey in North America. You won’t win the cup because Will Ferrell shall not watch his team win another championship until he puts out another classic comedy. LA’s hockey team is just like their city, a perfectly fake smile. They look like a good team, play like a good team, but ultimately, there’s no real substance behind the look.

24. Minnesota Wild

The Wild are living up to my least favorite backhanded nickname, “the mild.” They have Karill Kaprisov, and he’s legit, but he misses games like Joel Embiid and can’t carry the team. The State of Hockey has officially moved to Colorado, and the Wild doesn’t seem to be putting up much of a fight. Rugged look for a team that at one point knee-to-kneed their way past a young Nathan MacKinnon and the Colorado Avalanche and ended Patrick Roy’s career. Much like Dallas, Minnesota’s claim to fame comes from beating the real studs of the Central Division but not from actualizing any true championship pedigree.

25. Nashville Predators

Money can’t buy you happiness, and it also can’t buy you a winning hockey team. Nashville won’t hoist this season because management went full Daddy’s credit card but threw money at the wrong things. Superteams don’t work, but I don’t even think Nashville is all that super. Super old, maybe. I hear Milan Lucic is looking for a gig. Or maybe Jagr will come out of retirement.

26. San Jose Sharks

LOL

27. Seattle Kraken

The Kraken crushed their brand, but the hockey has played out a lot like Marshawn Lynch’s pronunciation of their expansion picks. Lack of preparation and identity still grip the team that isn’t even the NHL’s baby anymore. Kraken won’t win the cup because they overpaid for Phillip Grubauer, expecting him to be a top performer, but instead got just okay. We could have told you that. If only the other teams hadn’t learned from the monster they created in Vegas, or Seattle had made an effort to replicate that. Instead, they decided to start as a modest and unimpressive hockey club.

Marshawn Lynch announcing the Seattle Kraken’s draft pick is amazing pic.twitter.com/Nd8eQfY9P7

— Athlete Swag (@AthleteSwag) July 22, 2021

28. St. Louis Blues

The Blues won’t win a Stanley Cup because they are more interested in bottles. Jordan Binnington is one outburst away from having 1,000 too many and will likely retire a one-hit-wonder who played well in the world championship for Team Canada. The rest of the roster is a who’s who of nobodies in the NHL. Funny thing is, Greg Wyshynski called the Avalanche bland in 2022, but the Blues in 2025 eat like a potato pancake.

29. Utah Mammoth

Speaking of modest and unimpressive, the Mammoth squandered their brand and looks like an NHL 26 World of Chel squad that some 14-year-old conceptualized in 20 minutes between his second and third Mountain Dew. The colors are bland and meaningless; the Mammoth name comes a year too late and isn’t an improvement on Utah Hockey Club. They might not be called the Arizona Coyotes anymore, but that’s still who they are at their core, and so, they will win nothing!

First look at the Utah Mammoth in NHL26 pic.twitter.com/NbNFenJCEe

— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) August 6, 2025

30. Vancouver Canucks

The Canucks are more likely to be relocated than to win hockey’s most coveted prize. They may have the game’s second-best defender, but beyond that, all I see is turmoil. Elias Petterson and his feelings don’t win hockey games, but then again, neither do the Vancouver Canucks, so I guess that’s a match made in heaven?

31. Vegas Golden Knights

Vegas won’t win the Stanley Cup because they can’t hide their most expensive contracts in LTIR, and the hockey gods never forget. What they did to Marc Andre Fluery, one of the league’s most prized personalities and players, should go down in history as one of the most classless moves in sports history. To cast aside a legend in such a manner has them in the red as far as I’m concerned. Just like the city they play in, this squad is all smoke, mirrors, and pretend big numbers.

Three-time Stanley Cup-winning goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury is headed to the Chicago Blackhawks after agreeing to a trade with the Vegas Golden Knights, sources told @emilymkaplan on Tuesday. pic.twitter.com/3LLYgRzLD5

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) July 27, 2021

32. Winnipeg Jets

The NHL’s pretenders. You had the best season in franchise history last year, and wouldn’t you know it, Connor Hellebuyck turned back into Swiss cheese when the playoff lights came back on. They won’t win the cup because I can’t imagine them icing a better team than the one they did last season, and that still wasn’t enough. The team, at least, isn’t as cold and lifeless as the city they play in!

There you have it, folks, that’s why your team won’t win. Doctors recommend you take this article with a grain of salt and a dose of humor, as it is meant to be lighthearted and fun. If you are triggered and choose to screenshot or share my comments, please tag me and call me out appropriately!

Source: https://www.milehighhockey.com/nhl-...te-nhl-team-wont-win-the-stanley-cup-part-two

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

Colorado Avalanche Top 25 Under 25: #5 Sean Behrens

The Top 25 Under 25 is a collaboration by Mile High Hockey staff members. Six writers have ranked players under the age of 25 in the Colorado Avalanche organization as of September 1, 2025. Now, we’ll count down each of the 25 players ranked (plus one Honorable Mention).

Name: Sean Behrens

Age: 22

Position: Defense (L)

Height: 5’10”

Weight: 176 lbs.

Likely 2025-26 Team: Colorado Eagles

2024 Rank: #5

Final Rank: #5

High Rank: #2 (Brennan)

Low Rank: #8 (Jackie, Ryan)

2024-25 Statistics:

Did Not Play Due to Injury

Coming in at number five on our Top 25 Under 25, holding steady despite an entire missed year, is defenseman Sean Behrens. One of this organization’s most lauded youthful defenders, he finally received an opportunity during the prior season…almost.

Sean Behrens with the assist on the OT winner for DU! #GoAvsGo #GoPios pic.twitter.com/z6uwvXHz8f

— Mile High Hockey (@MileHighHockey) April 12, 2024

Behrens is an offensive defenseman who is great at moving the puck. Prior to the unfortunate last season (which we will discuss in a moment), he spent three seasons at the University of Denver. There he would help the Pioneers win two championships in three seasons. Behrens would win several awards while attending DU, which included the NCHC All-Rookie Team and NCHC Defenseman of the Year. All this was after the Colorado Avalanche had drafted Behrens in the second round of the 2021 draft.

AND THE PIOS CONNECT!

Tic-Tac-Goal by Sean Behrens to give DU a 3-0 advantage.#GoPios pic.twitter.com/HWdc7Lj8qN

— Denver Hockey (@DU_Hockey) March 3, 2024

Behrens, despite being small in stature, did not let that stop him during his collegiate career. He was recognized equally for delivering blows as for enduring them. In 112 contests with the Pioneers, Behrens finished with 10 goals and 71 assists. The eye-popping stat for him was his plus-45 before deciding to turn pro.

Sean Behrens (#GoAvsGo) with a thunderous open-ice hit on Macklin Celebrini pic.twitter.com/8MMFekaXQG

— J.D. Burke (on bsky) (@JDylanBurke) April 11, 2024

After his junior year with DU, Behrens decided it was time to turn pro and signed his entry-level contract with the Avalanche. Colorado immediately assigned him to the AHL Colorado Eagles on an amateur tryout agreement. It did not take long for Behrens to get comfortable at the professional level during his pro debut on April 20, 2024. He would help on a Peter Holland goal to tally his first point.

During training camp last fall, Behrens was fighting for a puck in the corner during a scrimmage and tore his ACL. It forced him to miss the entire season for the Eagles (72 regular season and nine playoff games). He stayed with the Eagles and rehab his knee and began skating right before the playoffs ended.

The Barrington, Illinois, native will be a key part of the Eagles’ defensive core this upcoming season. He unfortunately has not played in any games since April 26, 2024, so there may be an adjustment period for the American. If the Avalanche’s blue line suffers injuries, Behrens might finally debut in the NHL this season.

"I just can’t wait to get back and play hockey again, just get back to doing what I love.” Sean Behrens#Avs #GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/wfERpxhBIU

— Hockey Mountain High (@HockeyMtnHighCO) August 25, 2025

2025 Top 25 Under 25​

#25 Louka Cloutier

#24 Ivan Yunin

#23 Nikita Ishimnikov

#22 Chris Romaine

#21 Nolan Roed

#20 Linus Funck

#19 Max Curran

#18 Jake Fisher

#17 Saige Weinstein

#16 Francesco Dell’Elce

#15 Cooper Gay

#14 Christian Humphreys

#13 Tory Pitner

#12 Taylor Makar

#11 Zakhar Bardakov

#10 Chase Bradley

#9 Matt Stienburg

#8 Danil Gushchin

#7 Nikita Prishchepov

#6 Trent Miner

Source: https://www.milehighhockey.com/2025...rado-avalanche-top-25-under-25-5-sean-behrens

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

NHL 26: The Sequel to the Sequel to the Patch That Never Came

NHL 26 is coming out in about two weeks, but don’t get too excited just yet.

EA is basically that Tinder date whose entire bio is just humblebrags wrapped in gym selfies. Yes, they’ve got a body sculpted by algorithms, eyes like that viral mugshot guy who accidentally became a Calvin Klein fantasy, and a wellness routine so optimized it makes them look like a prime Zac Efron.

But here’s what EA doesn’t put in the glossy trailer: underneath the swagger and the six-pack, there’s some unresolved trauma — and more than a few performance issues when it counts.

At the core of EA Sports’ identity crisis is its engine: Frostbite. This thing was never built for sports games. It was engineered for first-person shooters. like Battlefield — games where blowing up a wall is a feature, not a glitch. Frostbite was made for environmental destruction, not precision passing or footwork algorithms.

The Gameplay Engine Is Not Built to Handle Sports Games

The result? No sports-specific tools, no optimized pipelines — just brute-force adaptation. Former EA developers have gone on record saying they had to build everything from scratch. And while that sounds innovative on paper, it’s more like trying to bake a cake with a grenade launcher.

Picture this: you’re a surgeon, and a patient is wheeled in for brain surgery. You open the toolkit and realize something’s very wrong.

“Doctor, those aren’t neurosurgical tools.”
“No, they’re not,” you reply grimly. “They’re… for foot surgery.”

But EA MediPrime shrugs:
“Sorry, that’s the kit. And you’ve got an exclusive contract with us until 2028. Best of luck.”

Our Top 10 players in NHL 26 pic.twitter.com/QzI3ESIIUc

— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) August 27, 2025

So, yes. The gameplay, if you watch the trailers and the deep dives very closely, are very much the same. However, the puck movement is more realistic. Wow. That would be like Madden, in their next game, touting improved ball trajectory as a feature. That is quite literally the bare minimum. Star players are going to skate like themselves. Incredible. It’s like a billion dollar company should be expected to use their resources and budget to make the game more realistic. After all, they do have the simulation license.

EA appears to be reintroducing pre-game presentation elements to Be A Pro mode — and one can reasonably assume they’ll appear in quick play as well. These atmospheric flourishes aim to give each arena a sense of personality.

For instance, if you’re playing for the San Jose Sharks, players now skate onto the ice through the gaping, fog-belching jaws of a massive shark head — because subtlety is for expansion teams without branding.

The Washington Capitals get their own brand of theatrics, entering the rink with crimson lighting, dense fog, and a towering digital eagle flexing on the scoreboard like it’s auditioning for a Marvel reboot.

And then there are the Toronto Maple Leafs, whose pre-game sequence bathes Scotiabank Arena in soft blue lighting while grainy nostalgia reels from 1967 play across the jumbotron — a gentle reminder that the franchise’s last meaningful moment is now eligible for a senior discount at Taco Bell. Okay, that last sentence was a joke — but alas, so are EA’s attempts to resell you old features.

NHL 26 also pushes an improved media feature where you answer questions from reporters that may or may not impact your future progression or your relationship with your teammates, only this system was actually ported over from UFC 5. If you look at it closely enough, you will see it’s the same thing for the most part. That’s not a problem, though. It’s smart to work with other developers on your team to make a better game. The issue arises when such a modest adaptation is marketed as a groundbreaking leap forward. For veterans like myself, who have followed the NHL series since the late ’90s, this kind of rebranding rings hollow — particularly when it’s used to justify spending an additional $70 for a slightly polished roster update.

Take NHL 23, which proudly touted the return of improved pre-game presentation by bringing back the national anthem — a feature that quietly vanished about 24 years ago and then re-emerged like a long-lost uncle at Thanksgiving, now rebranded as “new.” Except this time, it was limited in scope, inconsistent across teams, and often just didn’t show up at all. It’s not an isolated case. Madden 26 reintroduced the beloved weekly recap show, which hadn’t appeared since 2011. Sounds promising — until you realize it only recaps three games. Not the week. Not the full slate. Just… three.

This is the EA playbook: take a feature that fans loved, strip it for parts, then reintroduce it years later with great fanfare — but somehow, less functionality than before. It’s like getting back together with an ex, only to realize they’ve forgotten your birthday and now charge microtransactions for therapy So if these latest “improvements” to pre-game presentation turn out to be underwhelming, well — act surprised if you must, but don’t pretend you weren’t warned.

But hey, pricey pond hockey is finally gone after five years.

Source: https://www.milehighhockey.com/gene...el-to-the-sequel-to-the-patch-that-never-came

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

Colorado Avalanche Top 25 Under 25 #4 Gavin Brindley

The Top 25 Under 25 is a collaboration by Mile High Hockey staff members. Six writers have ranked players under the age of 25 in the Colorado Avalanche organization as of September 1, 2025. Now, we’ll count down each of the 25 players ranked (plus one Honorable Mention).

Name: Gavin Brindley

Age: 20

Position: Right Wing

Height: 5’8

Weight: 173 lbs.

Likely 2025-26 Team: Colorado Eagles

2024 Rank: #N/A

Final Rank: #4

High Rank: #4 (Multiple)

Low Rank: #6 (Jess)

2024-25 Statistics:

Cleveland Monsters – 52 GP: 6G, 11A, 17P

Lost in The Athletic ranking the Colorado Avalanche’s prospect pool at 32nd and dead last in the NHL was the fact that the media outlet placed Gavin Brindley as the organization’s top prospect. As basically the only remaining asset from the Bowen Byram trade through the move of Charlie Coyle and Miles Wood to Columbus, it is impetitive that the organization views the soon-to-be 21-year-old highly if they want to add talent and value back to their roster. As such, we have generously ranked Brindley at fourth as a prospect who should have impact to the organization but we aren’t quite ready to declare him our top player under 25 just yet.

Brindley was the 34th overall selection for the Columbus Blue Jackets in the second round of the 2023 draft out of Michigan. There he has a successful freshman year in which he put up 38 points in 41 games, which certainly helped his draft stock. It was his season following the draft which gave Brindley a considerable amount of hype as he led Michigan in scoring with 53 points and 25 goals in 40 games. He was named Big 10 Player of the Year and Big Ten Scoring Champion for putting up 29 points in 23 conference games. At the conclusion of his sophomore season in college Columbus signed Brindley and burned a year of his Entry Level Contract to give him one NHL game at the end of that 2023-24 season.

The international stage is where Brindley shined as well. He won bronze with team USA at the World Junior Championship in 2023 prior to the NHL draft and then was a star on the 2024 gold medal winning team. With six goals and ten points in seven games Brindley was tied for fourth in tournament scoring and named one of the top three players on team USA. The winger was even invited to the join the men’s team for the World Championship that spring where he scored a goal in five games.

Considering all this set up Brindley to hit the ground running when his pro career began last season, to then score only 17 points in the AHL and receive zero NHL games was a massive disappointment to say the least. A training camp injury didn’t help but he was back in the Cleveland Monsters lineup by Thanksgiving and still played in 52 AHL contests. A tally of only five power play points shows he wasn’t given a large role on the man advantage and it is difficult for players to score in that league without a significant offensive role. Still, it surely wasn’t the season either party wanted to see and probably why Brindley was given a fresh start with a new organization before it was too late.

Where does Brindley go from here? Was he just an undersized and overhyped prospect coming out of a dream college season who was exposed playing the pro game? Or is he a top talent who was marginalized into a lesser role and never given a chance to shine, particularly at the highest level? The truth probably lies somewhere in the middle but the Avalanche will have to be proactive if they want to change the storyline of Brindley’s career. If they expect miracles in the AHL in a similar role, it’s a quick year to the end of Brindley’s ELC next summer.

2025 Top 25 Under 25​

#25 Louka Cloutier

#24 Ivan Yunin

#23 Nikita Ishimnikov

#22 Chris Romaine

#21 Nolan Roed

#20 Linus Funck

#19 Max Curran

#18 Jake Fisher

#17 Saige Weinstein

#16 Francesco Dell’Elce

#15 Cooper Gay

#14 Christian Humphreys

#13 Tory Pitner

#12 Taylor Makar

#11 Zakhar Bardakov

#10 Chase Bradley

#9 Matt Stienburg

#8 Danil Gushchin

#7 Nikita Prishchepov

#6 Trent Miner

#5 Sean Behrens

Source: https://www.milehighhockey.com/2025...do-avalanche-top-25-under-25-4-gavin-brindley

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

Colorado Avalanche Top 25 Under 25: #3 Ivan Ivan

The Top 25 Under 25 is a collaboration by Mile High Hockey staff members. Six writers have ranked players under the age of 25 in the Colorado Avalanche organization as of September 1, 2025. Now, we’ll count down each of the 25 players ranked (plus one Honorable Mention).

Name: Ivan Ivan

Age: 23

Position: Center

Height: 6’0

Weight: 190 lbs.

Likely 2025-26 Team: Colorado Eagles/Avalanche

2024 Rank: #11

Final Rank: #3

High Rank: #2 (Adrian)

Low Rank: #6 (Brennan)

2024-25 Statistics:

Colorado Avalanche – 40 GP: 5G, 3A, 8P

Colorado Eagles – 36 GP: 2G, 10A, 12P

One of the biggest surprises in the 2024-25 season was Ivan Ivan not only making the Colorado Avalanche opening night roster but playing in 40 NHL games in the first half of the season, and that is reflected in our ranking of the 23-year-old center at the third spot on our list. Due to the number of injuries on the Avalanche roster he was even entrusted with third line duty and didn’t look out of place especially with eight points of production and a little pop of offense on the second power play unit. At one point Jared Bednar declared Ivan was a “NHL player” and strong analytics backed that up.

Then the Avalanche decided to remake their roster and paired Ivan with the literal worst player in the NHL by expected goals (22.68%) in Givani Smith. A minor injury gave the Avalanche the excuse to send Ivan to the Colorado Eagles even as he still had a 51.49% expected goals after his run on the fourth line with sub-replacement level players. Ivan wasn’t as productive as one would have hoped in Loveland with just 12 points in 36 games. Part of it was getting used to the lack of structure in the AHL, surely some loss of confidence but also a diminished offensive role on the Eagles with minimal power play opportunity played a part as well.

So to say this upcoming season is pivotal for Ivan is an understatement. He will be in the final year of his Entry Level Contract after three years in the organization. Considering the amount of NHL experience Ivan already has and the level of versatility and defensive acumen he can provide in a bottom six role, he should be a strong candidate to graduate to the NHL by the end of the season. If Colorado’s goal is to remake the bottom lines with rentals and trades in the second half of the year again that opportunity might not be there for Ivan, which is the greatest concern and question for him heading into the 2025-26 season.

2025 Top 25 Under 25​

#25 Louka Cloutier

#24 Ivan Yunin

#23 Nikita Ishimnikov

#22 Chris Romaine

#21 Nolan Roed

#20 Linus Funck

#19 Max Curran

#18 Jake Fisher

#17 Saige Weinstein

#16 Francesco Dell’Elce

#15 Cooper Gay

#14 Christian Humphreys

#13 Tory Pitner

#12 Taylor Makar

#11 Zakhar Bardakov

#10 Chase Bradley

#9 Matt Stienburg

#8 Danil Gushchin

#7 Nikita Prishchepov

#6 Trent Miner

#5 Sean Behrens

#4 Gavin Brindley

Source: https://www.milehighhockey.com/2025...olorado-avalanche-top-25-under-25-3-ivan-ivan

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

Avalanche Rookie Camp Roster Revealed

With just over a week until the Colorado Avalanche rookies convene at Family Sports Center, the roster for the one-day camp practice and two rookie showcase games has been revealed.

The roster for Rookie Tournament is set pic.twitter.com/RP0sIMJz7m

— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) September 2, 2025

It is a small group of 14 forwards, eight defensemen and three goalies scheduled to be part of the group, just enough to field a team for those two tournament games. Power forward Taylor Makar has been skating in a non-contact jersey and is unavailable to participate on ice. Defenseman Sean Behrens seems ready to go after missing all last year with injury. It’s interesting two forwards who played pro with the Colorado Eagles all season in Chase Bradley and Nikita Prishchepov are expected to attend but the newly signed Zakhar Bardakov is not.

The brief rookie camp practice will be held at Family Sports Center at 10:30am on Thursday, September 11th in preparation for the two-game rookie tournament slate. Both games will be hosted by the South Suburban Sports Complex in Highlands Ranch. The Avalanche rookies play Utah on Friday, September 12th at 6 p.m. and then face Vegas on Sunday, September 14th at 1 p.m. Main camp kicks off back at Family Sports Center on Thursday, September 18th at 9 a.m. See you there!

Source: https://www.milehighhockey.com/prospects-in-the-pipeline/57619/avalanche-rookie-camp-roster-revealed

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

Colorado Avalanche Top 25 Under 25: #2 Mikhail Gulyayev

The Top 25 Under 25 is a collaboration by Mile High Hockey staff members. Six writers have ranked players under the age of 25 in the Colorado Avalanche organization as of September 1, 2025. Now, we’ll count down each of the 25 players ranked (plus one Honorable Mention).

Name: Mikhail Gulyayev

Age: 20

Position: Defenseman (L)

Height: 5’ 11”

Weight: 183 lbs

Likely 2025-26 Team: Avangard Omsk

2024 Rank: #2

Final Rank: #2

High Rank: #2 (Jackie, Jess, Ezra, & Ryan)

Low Rank: #3 (Adrian & Brennan)

2024-25 Statistics:

• Avangard Omsk (67 GP, 7 G, 8 A)
  • Playoffs (13 GP, 1 G, 2 A)
• Omskie Yastreby (0 GP, 0 G, 0 A)
  • Playoffs (4 GP, 0 G, 3 A)

Mikhail Gulyayev has been the unanimous top defenseman prospect for the Colorado Avalanche since he was drafted at 31st overall back in 2023, and for good reason. Gulyayev is very much an offensive-minded defenseman, similar to a lot of the guys in Colorado’s defensive core. Knowing that he’s an extremely skilled skater on top of that, it’s not hard to see why Colorado’s front office likes him a lot, and why the Avalanche fan base also thinks very highly of him. It is also why the 20-year-old has held steady on our ranking at the second position.

While it’s very premature to call Gulyayev a “mini Makar”, that’s probably the best and simplest way to describe his play style. As previously mentioned, Gulyayev is very much an offensive-minded defenseman who loves to use his speed to attack off the rush and through the neutral zone, similarly to Makar. He’s also got a pretty wicked shot for a defenseman as evidenced by his seven goals last season in the KHL, which is also Makar-esque.

There’s plenty of reason to be excited about Gulyayev and what he could turn into for the Avalanche later down the line. He is getting closer to coming over to North America and joining the Avs’ pipeline, but the exact timeline is still unknown. The defenseman has the skill that he has shown at this point is incredibly promising but how eager the Avalanche are to put him in the lineup remains to be seen. Gulyayev looks to be a perfect fit for the Colorado Avalanche, and hopefully, he can continue to grow as a player over the next few years and earn an NHL spot later down the road.

2025 Top 25 Under 25​

#25 Louka Cloutier

#24 Ivan Yunin

#23 Nikita Ishimnikov

#22 Chris Romaine

#21 Nolan Roed

#20 Linus Funck

#19 Max Curran

#18 Jake Fisher

#17 Saige Weinstein

#16 Francesco Dell’Elce

#15 Cooper Gay

#14 Christian Humphreys

#13 Tory Pitner

#12 Taylor Makar

#11 Zakhar Bardakov

#10 Chase Bradley

#9 Matt Stienburg

#8 Danil Gushchin

#7 Nikita Prishchepov

#6 Trent Miner

#5 Sean Behrens

#4 Gavin Brindley

#3 Ivan Ivan

Source: https://www.milehighhockey.com/2025...-avalanche-top-25-under-25-2-mikhail-gulyayev

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

Jack Drury Primed for Career-Best Campaign

Jack Drury has been a man possessed this offseason.

And he has every reason to be. The 25-year-old Drury enters the final year of a contract that pays him $1.725 million. With a pay raise as a Restricted Free Agent looming at season’s end, every shift, every touch of the puck becomes an audition for greater compensation. Based on his performance during Tuesday morning’s optional skate at Family Sports Center, Drury left little doubt about his value. On the ice, he demonstrated the skill, poise, and competitiveness that suggest he is more than ready to play a pivotal role for the Avalanche this upcoming season.

Drury Was On Fire

From the moment he stepped onto the ice, Drury played with the force and inevitability of a locomotive. Newly-acquired forward Victor Olofsson wasted little time making an impression of his own, threading a perfectly timed pass that Drury converted with a blistering one-timer, the puck snapping into the back of the net with authority.

If that opening strike set the tone, his next opportunity cemented it. This time it was Nikita Prishchepov—who logged 10 games with the Avalanche last season—providing the setup from behind the net. Drury read the play seamlessly, drifting into the right slot and releasing another decisive shot, and it was a scintillating one indeed.

And he wasn’t just scoring goals, either. Drury was penetrating the defensive zone setting up beautiful passes for his teammates, including Prishchepov, and while this particular play didn’t result in a goal, it exhibited Drury’s offensive creativity and puck control.

Drury would strike again in a masterful sequence, snapping a shot from the left circle into the net and punctuating the moment with an exuberant, “Woooo!”

Naturally, there will be those who dismiss Drury’s effort in this skate. It’s just practice, they’ll say, reducing the significance of the moment to something fleeting, inconsequential. And yes, on paper, it is just practice. No score will be recorded, no standings altered. Yet for Drury, it carries weight.

The value lies not in the official tally but in the lived experience. For a young athlete, practice is less rehearsal than crucible. Consider a boxing prospect, deep in training camp, sparring a former world champion. The bout doesn’t appear on their professional records, but the lessons absorbed in those moments prove transformative. The same principle applies here: the hidden work, the repetitions, the private battles against higher competition—these are the quiet accelerants of development.

It is in practices, in offseason labor, in the sweat that never meets the spotlight, where much of an athlete’s true growth occurs. These are the chapters of the story the public rarely sees, but without them, the triumphs on the biggest stages would never be possible.

Jack Drury one-times a shot from Victor Olofsson and it’s a goal. @MileHighHockey #goavsgo pic.twitter.com/zNV7EOfgjn

— Ryan O'Hara (@OHaraSports) September 2, 2025

Drury Wants to Honor His Family’s Legacy

Equally important is understanding who Jack Drury is and the legacy that precedes him. His father, Ted Drury, enjoyed eight seasons in the NHL, while his uncle, Chris Drury, not only captured a Stanley Cup with the Avalanche but now serves as the general manager of the New York Rangers. Jack has chosen to wear the same number—#18—that his uncle donned during Colorado’s 2001–02 season, signaling both homage and ambition.

For a player with such lineage, stepping onto the ice in an Avalanche uniform carries stakes far beyond personal statistics or contractual ambitions. This is a young athlete asserting his own identity while honoring a family legacy, motivated not merely by professional advancement but by a desire to sustain and elevate his family’s honor within the sport of hockey. Jack Drury is, in every sense, a fighter: measured, disciplined, and resolutely determined to leave his own mark on hockey’s storied narrative.

Last season, Drury tallied 18 points—eight goals and 10 assists—across 72 games split between two teams, including the Hurricanes, who traded him to Colorado as part of the Mikko Rantanen deal. His most productive NHL campaign came in 2023–24 with Carolina, when he posted 27 points, comprised of eight goals and 19 assists, over 74 games. In 31 career playoff appearances, Drury has added 10 points, including two goals and eight assists.

Upon his arrival in Colorado, Drury initially assumed the role of third-line center, albeit briefly, before the Avalanche acquired Brock Nelson and moved Casey Mittelstadt to the Bruins in exchange for Charlie Coyle. Despite this shift, Drury distinguished himself as a fourth-line center, demonstrating skill and adaptability for the position. With Coyle now a member of the Columbus Blue Jackets, Drury has been afforded the most significant opportunity of his professional career: the potential to anchor Colorado’s third line permanently—contingent, of course, upon his continued presence with the team.

The trade involving Rantanen ignited a spectrum of reactions among both the roster and the fanbase. Any animosity that may or may not have been directed at Drury in the aftermath has, presumably, been tempered by the offseason’s passage. Should he approach the forthcoming season with the same vigor and enthusiasm displayed in recent skates, there is every reason to anticipate that this campaign could be his best yet.

Source: https://www.milehighhockey.com/colo...30/jack-drury-primed-for-career-best-campaign

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

Colorado Avalanche Top 25 Under 25: #1 Ilya Nabokov

The Top 25 Under 25 is a collaboration by Mile High Hockey staff members. Six writers have ranked players under the age of 25 in the Colorado Avalanche organization as of September 1, 2025. Now, we’ll count down each of the 25 players ranked (plus one Honorable Mention).

Name: Ilya Nabokov

Age: 22

Position: Goaltender

Height: 6’1”

Weight: 179 lbs

Likely 2025-26 Team: Metallurg Magnitogorsk (LOAN)

2024 Rank: #6th

Final Rank: #1

High Rank: #1 (ALL)

Low Rank: #1

2024-25 Statistics:

• Metallurg Magnitogorsk (49GP, 23-17-6, 2.22 GAA, .923 SV%, 3 SO)

We have come to the end of our T25U25 adventure, and the finale highlights the 22-year-old Russian net-minder Ilya Nabokov. Being a netminder and the unanimous top U25 player is quite an honour around here, and I think we’ve nailed it. Nabokov has shown plenty of ability and skill in the KHL, and the Colorado Avalanche responded by committing to the smaller but very athletic tender via a 2-year $1.95M entry-level contract back in May. Let’s talk about how he earned that commitment and what could be on the horizon for Ilya.

We have signed goaltender Ilya Nabokov to a two-year, entry-level contract through the 2026-27 season. pic.twitter.com/R6k18OpZQr

— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) May 30, 2025

It’s no secret that the Colorado Avalanche also invested in ‘their guy’ in MacKenzie Blackwood, who was traded to the Avalanche on December 9, 2024, and subsequently extended with a 5-year $26.25M contract. That said, Nabokov’s immediate future likely isn’t as a starter, and the backup role might be wide open by this time next season, as current G2 Scott Wedgewood’s contract is in its last season. That feels like the smart move for the Avalanche, who’d be smart to save their pennies ahead of extending the likes of Cale Makar and Martin Necas. It would also be smart to get Nabokov rolling under a veteran like Blackwood, who could help usher in Nabokov’s days as an NHL starter. I would not be at all surprised if Nabokov is, in fact, the Starting goalie for the Colorado Avalanche one day.

If indeed the backup role is up for grabs this time next year, we should get our first honest look at Ilya Nabokov in North America and in burgundy and blue. That’s exciting, just like watching Ilya Nabokov. KHL hockey is typically much looser defensively than NHL hockey, and thus, Kovalenko has been presented plenty of opportunities in terms of essential and flashy saves. He can get from side to side very effectively and has extremely impressive hand-eye coordination. Most importantly, he has already won some massive games in the professional ranks, albeit in the KHL.

Ilya Nabokov. Great save prospect @Avalanche pic.twitter.com/0XLo57tFD1

— Shumi Babaev Agency (@BabayevShumi) February 1, 2025

I think it’s often understated how seriously the KHL is taken in Russia, and to lead your team to the Gagarin Cup as a netminder is nothing to scoff at. Add to that rookie of the year and playoff MVP, and you begin to understand why fans are anxious to see what the kid can do. He has accomplished most of what he can in the KHL, and so I do not doubt that he wants to play NHL hockey after this last run in Russia with Metallurg Magnitogorsk.

2025 Top 25 Under 25​

#25 Louka Cloutier

#24 Ivan Yunin

#23 Nikita Ishimnikov

#22 Chris Romaine

#21 Nolan Roed

#20 Linus Funck

#19 Max Curran

#18 Jake Fisher

#17 Saige Weinstein

#16 Francesco Dell’Elce

#15 Cooper Gay

#14 Christian Humphreys

#13 Tory Pitner

#12 Taylor Makar

#11 Zakhar Bardakov

#10 Chase Bradley

#9 Matt Stienburg

#8 Danil Gushchin

#7 Nikita Prishchepov

#6 Trent Miner

#5 Sean Behrens

#4 Gavin Brindley

#3 Ivan Ivan

#2 Mikhail Gulyayev

Source: https://www.milehighhockey.com/2025...rado-avalanche-top-25-under-25-1-ilya-nabokov

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

Colorado Avalanche Top 25 Under 25: Recapping the 2025 list

Who will impact the Avalanche? | John Babiak

The Top 25 Under 25 is a collaboration by Mile High Hockey staff members. Six writers have ranked players under the age of 25 in the Colorado Avalanche organization as of September 1, 2025. Now, we’ll count down each of the 25 players ranked (plus one Honorable Mention).

Well, that’s a wrap on the 2025 version of our countdown. We were able to profile all 26 players in the Avalanche organization and hopefully there will be more additions to next year’s list.

Kudos to our biggest mover Nikita Prishchepov who went from an unranked tie at 29th all the way to 7th in 2025. Apologies to the newly signed prospect defenseman Alex Gagne who would have been eligible for the list but he signed after we entered the top 15. We’ll get one more year of eligibility from him and rank Gagne next year.

2025 Top 25 Under 25​

#25 Louka Cloutier

#24 Ivan Yunin

#23 Nikita Ishimnikov

#22 Chris Romaine

#21 Nolan Roed

#20 Linus Funck

#19 Max Curran

#18 Jake Fisher

#17 Saige Weinstein

#16 Francesco Dell’Elce

#15 Cooper Gay

#14 Christian Humphreys

#13 Tory Pitner

#12 Taylor Makar

#11 Zakhar Bardakov

#10 Chase Bradley

#9 Matt Stienburg

#8 Danil Gushchin

#7 Nikita Prishchepov

#6 Trent Miner

#5 Sean Behrens

#4 Gavin Brindley

#3 Ivan Ivan

#2 Mikhail Gulyayev

#1 Ilya Nabokov

Did the countdown turn out how you expected. Please let us know in the comments any surprise or predictions on next year’s biggest mover. Please share your own list if you have one!

Source: https://www.milehighhockey.com/2025...anche-top-25-under-25-recapping-the-2025-list

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

New addresses for old friends

Unrestricted free agency often means saying goodbye to friends and teammates, this year being no exception. It didn’t take long for a couple key pieces to the 2024-25 Colorado Avalanche to find new homes once the market opened on the first of July and several others found new opportunities as the summer dragged along. With training camps set to open next week, let’s look at how the dust has settled.

His agent Alan Walsh tweeted he’d hit the open market and the New York Islanders were interested, bringing in left wing Jonathan Drouin for two years at $4M per year. It’s a good deal for Drouin who had a bounce back in Colorado but it is a little surprising he’d sign for such short term on the open market.

As per @TSNBobMcKenzie, Jonathan Drouin signs two-year deal with Islanders, $4M AAV per season

— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) July 1, 2025

On a slightly bigger deal, defenseman Ryan Lindgren also found a new home. It was reported he just didn’t like the fit in Colorado, instead the blueliner opting for a four-year deal with the Seattle Kraken at $4.5M per year.

Ryan Lindgren 4 x $4.5M

Seattle

— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) July 1, 2025

Though he didn’t see any postseason action, Jimmy Vesey was once a trade deadline addition for Colorado as part of the aforementioned Lindgren deal with the New York Rangers. Now, the forward takes his talents overseas, signing in the Swiss League.

Jimmy Vesey has signed with Geneve-Servette of the Swiss League pic.twitter.com/SVWnt657lX

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) August 4, 2025

On a smaller note, organizational depth forward Chris Wagner won’t be returning, opting for a two-year AHL contract with Springfield. The Eagles also lost the services of leading scorer Matthew Phillips to AHL San Diego and defenseman Calle Rosen signed a two-way contract with the Washington Capitals.

Chris Wagner signs two-year deal with Springfield

— Mark Divver (@MarkDivver) July 1, 2025

Other depth players have found new homes in Europe such as defenseman John Ludvig joining a powerhouse team Pardubice in Czechia.

John Ludvig Signs In Czechiahttps://t.co/wVIRUNZRD7

— Pro Hockey Rumors (@prohockeyrumors) July 23, 2025

Then there’s the Carolina Hurricanes making a splash during PTO season to being in not one but two former Avalanche players from last season in Givani Smith and Oliver Kylington. Neither finished the season in Colorado but might find a home in Raleigh.

* puts vacation on pause to tell you that *

The #Canes have signed defenseman Oliver Kylington and forward Givani Smith to professional tryouts (PTOs).https://t.co/LNgaUddwsR

— Walt Ruff (@WaltRuff) August 27, 2025

And finally, though it’s not quite official, former Avalanche defenseman Calvin De Haan is rumored to sign with Brynas in Sweden.

A veteran defender appears to be heading overseas:https://t.co/GDMI8XBCJO

— Pro Hockey Rumors (@prohockeyrumors) August 31, 2025

Source: https://www.milehighhockey.com/nhl-...or-old-friends-colorado-avalanche-free-agency

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

Cale Makar Leads Avalanche Through Spirited Skate

CENTENNIAL — No need to panic, Avalanche fans—Cale Makar is right where he belongs.

One of the offseason’s most frivolous questions was finally put to rest Tuesday morning, when the Avalanche’s fan favorite and two-time Norris Trophy winner glided onto the ice alongside Brent Burns and Marty Necas.

Makar wasted no time, opening the session with a focused puck-and-stickhandling drill before the team divided into two groups, with forwards and defensemen skating to opposite ends of the ice.

Both sides started with 2-on-1 drills. In Makar’s showcase, he took on Burns and Devon Toews, who also joined the skate at roughly the same time. Makar pressured Burns into making a pass before forcing Toews to shoot earlier than expected, causing the puck to go wide of the net.

During his next opportunity, Makar remained in the same position as he squared off against Burns and Keaton Middleton, who has been working extremely hard this offseason, which has been well documented by Mile High Hockey throughout the last several weeks. Middleton, though, managed to get a good shot off that rang off the post.

Once both groups had finished their drills, the ice was cleared for a full scrimmage. In white jerseys, a blend of Avalanche regulars—among them Valeri Nichushkin and Artturi Lehkonen—skated alongside a contingent of AHL players, squaring off against fellow starters clad in blue practice sweaters.

Makar Is Back

Though still easing back into rhythm, Makar found himself at the center of nearly every sequence—including a tense moment at center ice when he collided with Jack Ahcan while battling for a loose puck. The impact jarred his stick free, but Makar’s instincts took over; he surged ahead, kicking the puck down the ice to captain Gabe Landeskog. As Landeskog scanned the neutral zone for an outlet, Makar calmly retrieved his stick and rejoined the play without missing a beat.

That, my friends, is the portrait of a player ready to return—not someone hiding in the shadows, as certain corners of social media would have you believe. Rumors, after all, gain traction when repeated often enough, sparking unnecessary tension. The same whispers recently surrounded Necas, despite the fact that he was busy running his annual hockey camp in Czechia. In the end, the skeptics were, quite literally, ‘Czeched.’

Anyway, back to the combined scrimmage.

Makar demonstrated a team-first approach throughout the scrimmage, prioritizing opportunities for his teammates over solo drives to the net. Several of his passes to Landeskog failed to produce goals, yet the creativity and on-ice chemistry were unmistakable. He eventually broke through toward the end of the session, finishing a beautifully orchestrated play that began with Brock Nelson feeding Landeskog through the neutral zone. Landeskog cut across the ice, pivoted, and found Makar streaking down the right wing. Makar received the pass and, against a tenacious Trent Miner—who had been a brick wall all scrimmage—slotted the puck five-hole to open the scoring.

MAKAR AND HE SCORESSSSS#avs #goavsgo @MileHighHockey pic.twitter.com/u5WKX2k5y6

— Ryan O'Hara (@OHaraSports) September 9, 2025

Meanwhile, Nelson continues to integrate seamlessly with his new teammates as he prepares for his first full-time season with Colorado following his midseason acquisition last year. He was among the first on the ice for the optional skate, alongside Burns and Samuel Girard, who has been absent for several weeks. But we’ll leave it at that—no need to give Avalanche fans another heart attack.

In other notables, Zakhar Bardakov and Ross Colton also found the net during the scrimmage.

A perennial critique of the Avalanche in recent seasons has been their reliance on short-term rentals and mercenaries rather than cultivating the depth and camaraderie that underpinned the 2022 Stanley Cup triumph. Yet with largely the same core roster returning, complemented by a few new faces, the outlook entering the 2025–26 season is decidedly promising.

Source: https://www.milehighhockey.com/general/57734/cale-makar-leads-avalanche-through-spirited-skate

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

All Heart, All Hustle: Prishchepov Fighting For His Spot

If there’s one thing that defines Nikita Prishchepov, it’s his unwavering willingness to do whatever it takes to make his NHL dream a reality. For the Colorado Avalanche, that determination might just be enough to earn the 21-year-old a coveted roster spot for the 2025–26 season.

A familiar presence at the Avalanche practice facility in recent weeks, Prishchepov has continued to impress with notable strides in both skating efficiency and on-ice poise. His shot, too, has not gone unnoticed. During an optional skate last Wednesday, he hammered a one-timer with such velocity that it drew audible reactions — not just from teammates, including captain Gabriel Landeskog, but from the small group of fans in attendance.

And a gorgeous goal from Prishchepov. #goavsgo @MileHighHockey #hockey pic.twitter.com/zMZZ4MZI7y

— Ryan O'Hara (@OHaraSports) September 2, 2025

Drafted 217th overall in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft — the final pick by Colorado — Prishchepov has never viewed his late-round selection as a slight. Instead, he saw it as both a validation and a challenge: proof of his potential and a call to elevate his game. In his first professional season, he split time between the NHL and AHL, appearing in 10 games for the Avalanche and spending most of the year with their AHL affiliate, the Colorado Eagles. There, he recorded 23 points (9 goals, 14 assists) in 51 games and notched his first professional hat trick — a sign that his offensive upside is still unfolding.

But stats only tell part of the story.

What has truly distinguished Prishchepov is his relentless work ethic. Over the past few weeks, he’s been one of the first on the ice for every optional skate — sessions that included veterans like newly-acquired defenseman Brent Burns. His consistency, drive, and eagerness to embrace every opportunity haven’t gone unnoticed. Coaches and scouts alike have praised his motor and maturity, citing his growth and improvement over the past season as a key reason he remains in the conversation for a NHL roster spot.

While we’re on the topic of improvement, where Prishchepov needs to improve is his consistency and pace of play. Sometimes he lets off the throttle when he needs to dig deep. With main camp just a week away, surely if there’s any sign of that, the Avalanche coaching staff, including Jared Bednar and new assistant Dave Hakstol, will address it with him directly.

While his NHL debut came under less-than-ideal circumstances — a wave of injuries forced Colorado’s hand — Prishchepov made the most of it. Though his minutes were limited, his energy and decision-making stood out. In a league that values depth, versatility, and reliability, his ability to contribute without needing top-line deployment is exactly what teams seek from players in the bottom six.

His junior résumé offers further evidence of his potential. In the QMJHL, he produced at a point-per-game pace — 67 points (22 goals, 45 assists) in 63 games — numbers that many prospects fail to reach at any level. That offensive spark, combined with his commitment to two-way play, makes him an intriguing depth piece as the Avalanche gear up for the season.

With the opening of rookie camp and a week until training camp, Prishchepov will be one of the players fighting hardest for a roster spot. And based on everything he’s shown so far — his work ethic, production, and presence — he’s proving that being a seventh-round pick doesn’t define your ceiling. It just defines how high you’re willing to climb.

Source: https://www.milehighhockey.com/colo...-all-hustle-prishchepov-fighting-for-his-spot

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

Colorado Prospects Shine Ahead of Rookie Tournament

CENTENNIAL — We are moments away from the start of the new season.

Rookie camp officially opened on Thursday, marking the first true showcase for the Colorado Avalanche’s next generation. While many of the organization’s established players have been skating together for several weeks, Friday will see the spotlight shift squarely onto the prospects. The rookies will open their slate at 6 p.m. against the Utah Mammoth (formerly Utah Hockey Club) at South Suburban Sports Complex (Rink 2), followed by a second matchup on Sunday against the Vegas Golden Knights at the same venue but at 1 p.m.

Stars Set the Tone

Earlier in the morning, the Avalanche’s core veterans took the ice for a demanding session characterized by high-tempo drills and capped with an extended scrimmage. The intensity was unmistakable, but so too were a handful of absences. Among them was Samuel Girard, who has been present at the practice facility yet has not participated in on-ice activities for nearly a month.

The contrast is striking when one considers the nearly full-roster participation of recent practices. Girard’s earlier skates, by comparison, had been limited to sparse groupings with Brent Burns, the occasional appearance from Brock Nelson, and goaltender Kaeden Edstrom of the College of St. Scholastica.

Goaltending rotations also bore watching. Starter Mackenzie Blackwood has taken part in drills, but the lion’s share of reps have gone to backup Scott Wedgewood. Newly acquired forward Victor Olofsson, meanwhile, has been something of an enigma—visible in a few sessions but absent of late.

One of the brighter developments was the chemistry between Martin Nečas and Artturi Lehkonen. During the scrimmage, Lehkonen created a second-chance goal after feeding Nečas in the slot and then cleaning up the rebound. Nečas, meanwhile, impressed with his vision and distribution, regularly finding teammates with creative no-look passes. Entering the final year of his contract, he appears poised to be a central piece of the Avalanche’s offensive engine this season.

Defensively, Colorado looked formidable. Cale Makar and Devon Toews disrupted plays with their usual efficiency, to the point where even captain Gabriel Landeskog found himself stymied by Toews—a testament to just how dialed-in the group already appears.

Makar does an excellent job of tying up Parker Kelly in this sequence.@MileHighHockey #goavsgo #avs pic.twitter.com/9oZvFDwQiE

— Ryan O'Hara (@OHaraSports) September 11, 2025

Rookies Step Into the Spotlight

For the rookies, the showcase was less about polish and more about proving a point: that they belong. Energy was not in short supply, but certain performances separated themselves. As expected, Gavin Brindley, Nikita Prishchepov, and Chase Bradley impressed, yet several under-the-radar names made equally strong cases.

Christian Humphreys, a player often viewed skeptically in scouting circles, delivered one of his sharper showings to date. His skating looked fluid, his decision-making sharp, and his interplay with linemates promising. A invite, Lucas Romeo, at 6-foot-3 and 214 pounds, leveraged his size to dominate physically, particularly along the boards, where he imposed his will with noticeable authority. Linus Funck, meanwhile, showcased his defensive commitment, sacrificing his body on multiple occasions to break up scoring chances.

Loved the move here from Humphreys.#goavsgo #avs @MileHighHockey pic.twitter.com/agX7LYPCo1

— Ryan O'Hara (@OHaraSports) September 11, 2025

On the blue line, Hank Kempf—acquired in the Ryan Lindgren trade—emerged as a quiet revelation. The Cornell product skated with poise, his edgework crisp and his transitions seamless, underlining a mature defensive game that projects well at the pro level.

Still, perhaps the defining moment belonged to Brindley, who fearlessly engaged in a board battle with 6-foot-5 Alex Gagne. Though Gagne ultimately came away with the puck, Brindley’s willingness to take on an opponent eight inches taller than him underscored his character and competitive drive. That blend of courage, urgency, and skill speaks volumes about his long-term upside.

In truth, none of the rookies left much to criticize. Each poured himself into the session, but those who stood out most did so not merely through effort but by translating that effort into impact—a promising sign for the Avalanche pipeline. The next step begins tonight when all their preparations turn to game action.

Source: https://www.milehighhockey.com/colo...do-prospects-shine-ahead-of-rookie-tournament

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

Avalanche Enter Preseason Battling Injuries Already?

CENTENNIAL — Colorado, we have a problem.

The 2025-26 season has yet to begin, and it already appears injuries are becoming a factor. Nothing is confirmed until absences are noted on the first day of official on-ice training camp on September 18th but with less than a week until that checkpoint, there are some potentially impactful observations to make.

Mackenzie Blackwood

The starting goaltender has been a visible presence, though largely in a limited capacity. Scott Wedgewood has absorbed the bulk of the workload, while Blackwood has appeared curiously disengaged—at least to the untrained eye.

Brennan Vogt, of Hockey Mountain High and Mile High Hockey, confirmed what had been suspected: Blackwood was indeed participating in drills during the injured players’ skate with goaltending coach Jussi Parrkila, without seeing any shots, but any serious movement revealed a painful truth. Pushing off his right leg was a struggle, suggesting a lower-body injury.

What had initially looked like a lack of effort and an absence entirely of about a week was, in reality, the portrait of a goaltender battling through an injury.

Wedgewood was superb in net last season for Colorado, which eases immediate concerns. The more pressing question is depth, and there Trent Miner enters the conversation. A regular presence at recent optional skates, he now stands as the likely candidate to assume the backup role should Blackwood’s recovery extend into the season.

The larger issue at hand is on the blue line.

There is a lot of red on the ice this morning. Samuel Girard is skating on his own under the watchful eye of a trainer. On the other end, we have Logan O'Connor, Taylor Makar, and Jake Wise. #Avs #GoAvsGo #EaglesCountry @HockeyMtnHighCO pic.twitter.com/0q43MtkkAk

— Brennan Vogt (@brennan_vogt) September 12, 2025

Samuel Girard

Vogt also uncovered the reason behind Samuel Girard’s extended absence from optional skates.

The defenseman had been active in early August, skating alongside Brent Burns, Brock Nelson, Middleton, and Kaeden Edstrom of the College of St. Scholastica, showing no visible issues at the time but had been absent for around a month since those early skates. Yet on Friday morning, he reappeared in a red non-contact sweater with other injured players such as Taylor Makar and Logan O’Connor. Vogt noted that Girard moved with unusual caution, a detail that points toward a likely lower-body injury and adds another layer of concern to Colorado’s already fragile preseason outlook.

Blackwood and Girard are among Avalanche injured skate#Avs #GoAvsGo
By @brennan_vogthttps://t.co/eqGFgRRjsI

— Hockey Mountain High (@HockeyMtnHighCO) September 12, 2025

What’s Next?

First, the good news is both Girard and Blackwood were on the ice so if they are dealing with injuries there shouldn’t be a significant timetable to return. But the red flag of caution should be more on the state of Colorado’s depth and the ability to absorb any type of absence that lingers into or pops up before the regular season.

For some Avalanche fans, the instinct might be to wonder whether Erik Johnson could return. The sentiment is understandable, but the roster reality says otherwise. Colorado already has a surplus of right-handed defensemen, while Girard, notably, is a left shot.

The more plausible scenario is Middleton stepping into the third pair alongside Burns, while Sam Malinski would temporarily take over Girard’s spot on the second line with Josh Manson. Burns and Middleton have been virtually inseparable throughout the offseason, logging consistent reps together since the August skates, and their chemistry is evident. An EJ reunion would be nostalgic, even poetic, but Johnson is expected to draw PTO interest elsewhere, not in Denver.

Middleton, meanwhile, is not without skeptics. He is not an elite blueliner, but he is a tireless worker, and those who have observed him closely know as much. He routinely lingers on the ice long after sessions conclude, grinding for hours. If he accepts his role and plays within it, there is no reason to expect failure. In fact, Middleton may very well play his way into the conversation for a more permanent spot, even if the odds remain long.

Source: https://www.milehighhockey.com/colo...che-enter-preseason-battling-injuries-already

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

Have we seen the last of Jean-Luc Foudy?

Many NHL teams have started their rookie camps, signalling the official start to hockey season. Most veterans have their professional tryout agreements in hand and are just waiting for training camp to fight for a spot. Jean-Luc Foudy’s name has not been present on PTO lists.

Congratulations to Jean-Luc Foudy for the first career goal and touchdown! #GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/gDcDr6Mytp

— Mile High Hockey (@MileHighHockey) March 7, 2024

The Avalanche drafted Foudy 75th overall in the 2020 NHL Draft, and he quickly became a highly touted prospect. The high-bar was extremely difficult for Foudy to clear. Because of the COVID pandemic, the Canadian missed two years of junior development.

Because of the pandemic and the OHL canceling its season, an exception allowed Foudy to play in the AHL. It seemed the forward would achieve success in Colorado. In his first partial season with the Eagles (34 games), Foudy tallied three goals and 11 assists, which earned him an Entry Level Contract. The next season was the big test. Seeing if he could handle a full season in the AHL at 19-years-old. In 65 games, Foudy continued impressing and contributed 28 points.

Jean-Luc Foudy starts us off!#EaglesCountry #TimeToFly25 pic.twitter.com/tE5U0JgksK

— Colorado Eagles (@ColoradoEagles) May 24, 2025

Then, in the 2022–23 season, things started heading south. Despite making his NHL debut with the Avalanche and playing nine games, Foudy suffered his first injury in three seasons. The then 21-year-old played 46 games for the Eagles, bringing his season total to 55 games. In the 2023–24 season, Foudy fared little worse, with four Avalanche games and 26 Eagles games. The last season he appeared poised to differ. He started the year out hot and then spent time on the injured list, yet he still got in 48 AHL contests but none in the NHL.

As per tradition #Avs #GoAvsGo       @MileHighHockey pic.twitter.com/rskQrgVhoA

— Brennan Vogt (@brennan_vogt) January 15, 2025

Injuries and lack of opportunity may have cost Foudy his career. He was a restricted free agent this past July, and the Avalanche chose not to give him a qualifying offer. As of this writing, no team has offered Foudy a PTO for training camp. Have we seen the end of Jean-Luc Foudy? Did not the Avalanche give him enough of a chance when he was healthy? Whether he gains a PTO still remains uncertain.

Source: https://www.milehighhockey.com/ahl-...57770/have-we-seen-the-last-of-jean-luc-foudy

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

Avalanche Youngsters Rally Late to Top Utah 5-3 in Rookie Showcase

The Colorado Avalanche rookies skated to a 5–3 win over the Utah Mammoth prospects Friday night at the South Suburban Sports Complex in Highlands Ranch.

The first period unfolded at a brisk pace, before the tempo eased in the second. The final frame, however, reignited with a surge of offense as Utah took an 3-2 lead but the Avalanche prospects rallied late with goals from Christian Humphreys and Sean Behrens to grab a 4-3 lead and eventually Colorado sealed the 5–3 victory. Here’s a closer look at the standouts from the showcase opener:

Asan Sarkenov stole the spotlight with a pair of goals for Colorado. The 19-year-old Kazakh forward, who tallied 27 points in 52 games with the Spokane Chiefs last season, entered the Rookie Showcase on an invitation rather than a contract. On Friday, he made a compelling case to change that. Sarkenov struck twice in the opening frame, first by slicing through the Mammoth defense to bury the opener, then by wiring a shot from the high slot to double the lead. While his game remains a work in progress, this performance was an impressive step forward and a potential springboard toward earning a deal.

Sarkenov with another from the top of the faceoff circle and the Avs are up 2-0! #Avs #GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/0b7a3Y91ce

— Hockey Mountain High (@HockeyMtnHighCO) September 13, 2025

Gavin Brindley delivered the kind of performance that has come to define his game. He consistently used his speed to push play through the neutral zone, battled relentlessly for pucks against opponents twice his size, and showed creativity in generating offense—whether by setting up teammates or finding ways to manufacture his own scoring chances. Colorado acquired him in the offseason from the Columbus Blue Jackets in the trade for Charlie Coyle and Miles Wood. And it appears so far, at least from a long-term prognosis, that Colorado serves to win the trade.

Nikita Prishchepov capped the night with an empty-netter to secure the win. While he didn’t flash the same constant spark as Brindley, he was nevertheless an important presence. The two worked well in tandem, and one sequence in particular highlighted Prishchepov’s team-first instincts: rather than taking a clear scoring chance himself, he fed Brindley for a one-timer. The attempt went awry, but the creativity and vision were undeniable. Once dubbed Colorado’s version of “Mr. Irrelevant” as the 217th and nearly final pick of the 2024 NHL Draft, Prishchepov is quickly proving he may be anything but irrelevant as his development continues.

Nikita Prishchepov puts the nail in the coffin with 10.2 seconds left in the game and the Avs win 5-3 in Game One of the Rookie Showcase. #Avs #GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/mxHXpTZlDW

— Hockey Mountain High (@HockeyMtnHighCO) September 13, 2025

Chase Bradley made a strong case for himself as well. Though he didn’t find the scoresheet, his impact was felt in the effort he brought every shift. Whether a chance fizzled on a broken play or was denied by the goaltender, Bradley never hesitated to re-engage. Like Brindley, he showed no fear in challenging bigger, stronger opponents, and his persistence provided a glimpse of a solid foundation to build on.

The Avalanche rookies returned to the ice for practice Saturday morning at the South Suburban Sports Complex before facing the Vegas Golden Knights on Sunday at 1 p.m.

Source: https://www.milehighhockey.com/colo...rally-late-to-top-utah-5-3-in-rookie-showcase

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

Avalanche rookies halted by Vegas 3-2 in showcase finale

Following the Colorado Avalanche’s 5-3 win over the Utah Mammoth on Friday night they were in a position to take the crown for this three-game Rookie Showcase tournament. Vegas, who had beat Utah 8-1 the day before, was also looking to take the title and go home undefeated with a win in this contest. Ultimately, the Avalanche rookie prospects came out on the losing end of a 3-2 game against the Vegas Golden Knights Sunday afternoon at South Suburban Sports Complex.

From the outset, Colorado’s greatest adversary was not its opponent, but its own lack of discipline. The opening frame was dominated by time spent in the penalty box, forcing the Avalanche to lean heavily on their penalty kill. To their credit, the unit held firm, but the momentum lost to repeated infractions proved costly. Early momentum went to Vegas as they had puck possession nearly the entire first period. They were able to get on the board first and held that lead until the end of the period. A sign of life was shown by Colorado when Max Curran picked a fight with a much larger player and escaped without having much by the way of punches thrown by either party.

Max Curran and Bronson Ride drop the gloves!! #GoAvsGo | #VegasBorn pic.twitter.com/CzSaGMpoIb

— Guerilla Sports (@guerillasports_) September 14, 2025

The Avalanche rookies showed a bit more life in the second period but also saw the penalty box as well as Vegas built on their lead. Christian Humphreys cut the score to 2-1 Vegas with a great individual effort on a steal and breakaway with a nice finish. That was his second goal on the weekend and hopefully the organization took notice. Unfortunately Vegas got the score back and ended the period up 3-1.

After a miffed pass, Christian Humphreys nails the shot on the breakaway to put the Avs down by one! #Avs #GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/DdNEUcGQ4w

— Hockey Mountain High (@HockeyMtnHighCO) September 14, 2025

For the final frame game play was a bit more even as the Avalanche were looking for two goals to stage another comeback. They received one from Hank Kempf on a shot through traffic but it wasn’t enough to send the game into overtime as Vegas took the 3-2 victory.

Hank Kempf with a slapper to bring to the Avs within one! Now down 3-2 in the 3rd. #Avs #GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/NMXhRZ79KI

— Hockey Mountain High (@HockeyMtnHighCO) September 14, 2025

Takeaways

The penalty kill, despite being overworked, performed admirably. Goaltender Isak Posch, who had surrendered a single goal in the first game before giving way to Mathis Langevin, shouldered a greater load in this outing. Though Vegas built a 2–0 lead in the second period, Colorado responded. Still, systemic issues persisted. Turnovers repeatedly undercut Colorado’s rhythm, whether in their own zone or at critical junctures in the offensive end. Compounding the problem was a consistent inability to win key faceoffs in Vegas territory. In the end, opportunities to seize control were there, but too often they slipped away—or were handed over—before Colorado could capitalize.

For a team short on high-end talent, the Avalanche rookies did well to score enough to stay in both games and ultimately win one. The level of polish they lacked, however, was more evident in the second contest against Vegas, who also didn’t have any big name prospects in the lineup. Gavin Brindley was held out in the second game, presumably due to his strong showing on Friday night, also didn’t help Colorado put their best foot forward in this one. Defenseman Linus Funck also was out of the game but more due to the upper body injury he suffered on Friday.

Standouts

Christian Humphreys to this point has not ranked prominently on Colorado’s prospect radar. Perhaps the scrutiny reached him, or perhaps the timing was simply right, but his response has been emphatic. In both practice and game action, Humphreys has elevated his play, showcasing not only consistency but also an ability to deliver in defining moments. Against Vegas, he capitalized on a miscue—a failed pass that turned into a breakaway—and with his speed and composure, he converted with authority to open Colorado’s scoring. It was a sequence emblematic of his recent surge: reading the goaltender, exploiting the opportunity, and finishing decisively. This performance follows closely on the heels of his game-winning tally against Utah in Friday’s opener, further cementing his early narrative as one of the showcase’s most impactful players. If he keeps it up, this could be a career-changing moment for him.

Defenseman Hank Kempf cut the deficit to 3–2 late in the third period, though the effort ultimately fell short of forcing overtime. Yet the goal felt inevitable; throughout the contest, he had been knocking on the door, generating chances that hinted at a breakthrough. When it finally came, it was less a surprise than a validation of his persistence. Kempf stands out for his speed, skill, and leadership. His performance on this night was no exception. There’s a reason why he was wearing the captain’s “C” for the showcase.

Upcoming

The Colorado Avalanche will open training camp at the Family Sports Center on Thursday, September 18, with the first skate scheduled for 9 a.m. sharp. The session is free and open to the public, offering fans a chance to see the team hit the ice ahead of the new season. It’s a family-friendly environment—ideal for kids, friends, or anyone eager to dust off their Avalanche gear and embrace the return of hockey. A pair of preseason games will follow three days later on Sunday, September 20th.

Source: https://www.milehighhockey.com/colo...e/57836/avalanche-rookies-halted-by-vegas-3-2

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

Training Camp Roster Released

As we inch closer to the start of the 2025-26 Colorado Avalanche season, preparations are underway for training camp to kick off on Thursday at Family Sports Center. The organization was generous enough to reveal their camp roster a couple days beforehand so we can look forward to the group hitting the ice.

It is a tidy group of 54 players comprised of 31 forwards, 17 defensemen and six goaltenders. What isn’t indicated, however, are the players who are not going to participate in on-ice camp due to injury. We know for sure that Logan O’Connor, Jacob MacDonald and Taylor Makar are still recovering from surgery. Linus Funck was injured during the rookie showcase and is unlikely to be available, too. We have seen some indications that Samuel Girard and Mackenzie Blackwood might be limited but to what extent is unknown. Are there any other injury surprises yet to be revealed which might cut down the group even further?

Another observation from this list is that there are no Professional Tryout additions, which is a bit of a surprise with the number of absences indicated above and the lack of NHL quality depth should the need arise. As always there’s the idea that perhaps internal options might finally become the answer this season, or is it that Chris MacFarland is more primed for the waiver wire and trade avenue when cuts are looming? Time will tell. But for now these 54 players are what the Avalanche have to work with.

Source: https://www.milehighhockey.com/colorado-avalanche-game-coverage/57883/training-camp-roster-released

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

Ice Issues Highlight Need for New Avalanche Practice Facility

CENTENNIAL — We need to have a talk.

Let’s not dance around it: the ice at Family Sports Center is bad. Full stop.

This isn’t a shot at the people who work there — the staff is first-rate, tireless, and always hustling to make the best of what they’ve got. But no matter how hard they work, the reality is unavoidable: the facility itself simply isn’t fit for NHL standards.

And that matters. We’re talking about one of the league’s top-performing franchises over the past half decade. Players at this level deserve a surface that reflects their caliber, not one that hinders it.

Family Sports has served its purpose. But if the goal is to sustain elite hockey in this market, the ice — and the infrastructure that supports it — needs a serious upgrade.

Trips and Wipeouts

Over the past week, the ice has been the source of numerous falls—not just among casual skaters, but at the highest level of play. And while I’ve taken my share of spills, this isn’t about me; it’s about the pros.

Players affected in recent sessions include Ross Colton, Jack Drury, Sam Malinski, and Gavin Brindley. On Monday, T.J. Tynan and Zakhar Bardakov nearly wiped out in the same exact spot during drills. The divot was so pronounced that the drill had to be altered on the fly, visible from the stands as a glaring hazard.

The problem resurfaced Tuesday when Drury fell after hitting a rather large divot near the net. Incidents like these are becoming increasingly common every session. With a team that was plagued as much as the Avalanche were last year with injuries, this is a situation that the team would surely love to avoid.

Family Sports Ice claims another victim: Sam Malinski.#avs #goavsgo @MileHighHockey pic.twitter.com/OKPfM2NdwI

— Ryan O'Hara (@OHaraSports) September 9, 2025

Money Could Be the Problem

Brittle ice is a sneaky problem because most people assume that hard ice is automatically good. The reality is quite the opposite: when the ice is too hard, it chips, cracks, and forms ruts that deepen into grooves capable of catching skates. That’s precisely what has been happening at this well-used arena.

Fixing the issue, of course, comes with a cost. On one hand, if the owners had the funds to upgrade the rink, one might assume they would have acted already. On the other hand, there’s always the incentive to let the revenue continue rolling in unchecked — why spend money if you don’t have to? That perspective, too, holds water. What’s needed is an incentive, a little nudge to get them to invest in improvements. Yet, it appears that step has already been taken.

Roughly 30% of the South Suburban Park and Recreation District’s capital improvement projects are funded through such grants. Just last year, over $30 million was allocated to capital improvements. While specific allocations for the Family Sports Center aren’t publicly detailed, it is reasonable to conclude that the facility has benefited from these funds.

I don’t know anything about their refrigeration units, but if they’re old and if the HVAC equipment needs a serious upgrade, it could cost at least $1 million if not more.

Stop Being Cheap

Family Sports Center arguably bears more criticism than it deserves, given that the facility was never designed to accommodate the demands of a full-time NHL team. At its core, the issue is far less about the arena itself and far more about a franchise unwilling to invest adequately in the resources its players require.

The Avalanche are valued at $1.7 billion as of December 2024, representing a 48% increase from the previous year. The team’s owner, Stan Kroenke, controls six different sports franchises and possesses a net worth estimated at up to $21 billion. He is among the wealthiest sports team owners in the world, not just the United States.

With that level of resources, a world-class team can absolutely be provided the practice facility and amenities it merits. And if Kroenke is unwilling to invest, public funding should be considered — as is often the case with billionaire-owned ventures.

If Family Sports Center cannot deliver, it is time to take proactive steps to ensure the players receive the support and infrastructure they more than deserve before someone gets hurt for no reason. We can do better than this.

Source: https://www.milehighhockey.com/gene...ight-need-for-new-avalanche-practice-facility