After reaching the pinnacle of professional hockey in 2022 when the Colorado Avalanche raised the Stanley Cup above their heads, they have not been the same team that achieved one of the greatest accomplishments in professional sports.
After a disappointing second-round elimination in the Stanley Cup Playoff’s last season, the Avs are looking to their young talent to push them through the upcoming season.
As the Avalanche look to the upcoming season, they will once again be without their captain Gabriel Landeskog, though he aspires to return later in the season.
Despite the knowledge of their captain’s continued absence, the Avs are headed into the season with high hopes for a return to the playoffs for the eighth straight season and ultimately reach the Stanley Cup Final.
Beginning another season without your captain is a tough pill to swallow, however Avalanche fans should not worry too much.
Superstar forward and reigning Hart Trophy winner, Nathan MacKinnon remains an important piece of the Avalanche’s identity, last season scoring 51 goals and 140 points. Forward Casey Mittelstadt should become a bright light in the Avalanche offense, adding point production in the wake of Landeskog’s absence, something that was hinted at in his short time with the team last season, where he, most notably, had nine points in 11 playoff games, after getting traded from the Buffalo Sabres.
In addition to MacKinnon and Mittelstadt, the Avs will also have their star defenseman and four time Norris Trophy finalist, Cale Makar, along with forward Mikko Rantanen.
Makar, who was second in points amongst all NHL defensemen, only to Quinn Hughes of the Vancouver Canucks, had 90 points and an NHL leading, for defenseman, 21 goals last season. Rantanen, had a career high 62 assists and was one point shy of tying his career point high from the year before. Together those four players should maintain a strong core for the Avalanche in the wake of the absences of other top players.
Other notable players that will help lead to success for the Avalanche include forward Jonathan Drouin who had 56 points in 79 games last year and Ross Colton who had 40 points in 80 games.
On the defensive side, goalie, Alexander Georgiev can be another bright light on the ice. While he did not have his best season last year, his skill and dominance have been showcased in the past and if Georgiev can get back to that level, he will provide important support to the defensive side of the puck.
In addition to the absence of Landeskog, the Avalanche will also be missing Valeri Nichushkin, Artturi Lehkonen and potentially Logan O’Connor.
Nichushkin is currently suspended after he was admitted to the NHL’s Player Assistance Program and is out until at least November.
The other two players are recovering from injury with Lehkonen recovering from shoulder surgery over the offseason and DU alum, O’Connor rehabbing from hip surgery late last season. The status and availability of Lehkonen is still unsure but it does not seem likely that he will be available at the beginning of the season. O’Connor has a slightly better status as he is believed to be available for preseason in some capacity and hopes to be available at the beginning of the season.
With the possibility of being without these three players in addition to Landeskog, the odds of success may appear bleak for Avs fans. However, with veteran talent unavailable, the opportunity for young players to make a name for themselves is as present as ever.
With rookie camp starting earlier this week, Avs fans will start to hear more about some of the young talent that could be gracing both their screens and the ice of Ball Arena in the coming months.
One of the most exciting players is rookie Calum Ritchie, a young center from Brampton, Canada, who was drafted 27th overall in 2023 from the Oshawa Generals who just signed his entry level contract and could be just the young star power the Avs need.
Ritchie is expected to make an immediate impact on the team as one of the most talked about rookies in the Avalanche organization, but as rookie camp continues, new stars will shine.
A name many DU fans should recognize, Sean Behrens, is making a name for himself at rookie camp, headlining the young group of defensemen working towards a spot on the roster this year.
Another bright light for Avs fans is behind the bench. Jared Bednar is going into his ninth season as the head coach and is part of the reason that they have become one of the top teams in the league.
The Colorado Avalanche will also be led by their two longtime assistant coaches Ray Bennett and Nolan Pratt. With the maintained leadership behind the bench, the Avs are in good hands, despite fears that key absences could be damaging.
Looking ahead to the start of the season, the Avalanche take the ice for the first time on Sept. 23, when they take on the Dallas Stars, the team that knocked them out of the playoffs last year. They will also get their first glimpse of the NHL’s newest hockey team, Utah Hockey Club, during the preseason on Sept. 29 and Oct. 5.
They open the regular season in Vegas against the Golden Knights on Oct. 9 before hosting their home opener against the Columbus Blue Jackets on October 12.
While the fans may be disappointed by the notable absences to start their season, they still hold a strong core of players and have lots of opportunities for young skaters to make an impact that could lead them back to the playoffs. Depending on the eventual availability of Nichushkin, Landeskog, O’Connor and Lehkonen, a strong playoff run just might be in the cards for the Colorado Avalanche this season.
