When we posted the depth chart for the Colorado Avalanche a month ago, we made sure to make note that it was subject to change. We weren’t wrong. The Avalanche didn’t make a ton of changes, but they did make changes that will impact both the NHL and AHL rosters.
And I imagine that the depth chart we see right now isn’t going to look all that different when training camp rolls around in September.
So where exactly are the Avalanche at right now? Let’s dig into the depth chart and how Colorado looks as we enter the dead zone that is August.
Forwards
| LEFT WING | CENTER | RIGHT WING |
|---|---|---|
| Jonathan Drouin | Nathan MacKinnon | Mikko Rantanen |
| Artturi Lehkonen* | Casey Mittelstadt | Valeri Nichushkin* |
| Gabriel Landeskog* | Ross Colton | Logan O’Connor* |
| Miles Wood | Chris Wagner | Nikolai Kovalenko |
| Parker Kelly | Calum Ritchie | Joel Kiviranta |
| Jere Innala | T.J. Tynan | Jean-Luc Foudy |
| Oskar Olausson | Ondrej Pavel | Jason Polin |
| Chase Bradley | Ivan Ivan | Matthew Steinburg |
Valeri Nichushkin won’t be there when camp opens and might never return to the team, but he’s still under contract, so we have to include him. Gabriel Landeskog may or may not be ready when camp starts. No one really knows what’s going on there. We’ll know more about Artturi Lehkonen’s status around Labor Day, but even if he’s good to go when camp starts, it wouldn’t surprise me if the Avalanche ease him in. They tend to do that with guys who have surgery over the summer. Logan O’Connor is expected to be 100% when camp starts.
The big difference between this group now and the one from June? That 1LW. Colorado got Jonathan Drouin under contract for another year at an extremely reasonable rate, and that changes a fair bit. Casey Mittelstadt also was locked up, but that was to be expected.
The “new” addition up front is Parker Kelly, but he’s more in the mold of a guy like Brandon Duhaime. He’s here to provide physicality and kill penalties, but he’s not going to move the needle a ton. What could change the look of this group is some of the young players. Can Jean-Luc Foudy take the next step? Does Calum Ritchie earn a tryout? Where does Nikolai Kovalenko fit in? They should all get good looks during camp to show what they’re capable of.
Beyond the question marks at wing, that 4C spot still sticks out like a sore thumb. The free agent market has dried up, but it wouldn’t surprise me if the Avalanche take a look at what’s on the waiver wire before the season starts.
Defense
| LEFT D | RIGHT D |
|---|---|
| Devon Toews | Cale Makar |
| Samuel Girard | Josh Manson |
| Calvin de Haan | Erik Brannstrom |
| Calle Rosen | Sam Malinski |
| Jacob MacDonald | Jack Ahcan |
| Keaton Middleton | Sean Behrens |
| Wyatt Aamodt |
The top four is what it is. There’s no real changes there. Colorado’s top pair took a step back defensively last year, and they’ll need them to bounce back in 2024/25.
The entire bottom of the defense has been changed up. Sam Malinski, from what I understand (RIP CapFriendly), would have to pass through waivers to play in the AHL. Calvin de Haan should be a staple on the third pair…when he’s healthy. Erik Brannstrom is someone I really like who has made a lot of strides defensively the last two seasons, but he is still prone to the big mistake and is undersized. Calle Rosen and Jacob MacDonald also came back as depth options.
There is one “wildcard” on the defense, and that’s Sean Behrens. If he can adjust to pro hockey quickly, he could earn a call-up at some point during the season.
Goaltending
| GOALTENDERS |
|---|
| Alexandar Georgiev |
| Justus Annunen |
| Kevin Mandolese |
| Trent Miner |
The duo at the NHL level is set, and we’ll dig into them soon because pundits around the league don’t think very highly of them.
While the Avalanche did bring in Kevin Mandolese, he’s not your typical 3G. I still expect Colorado to look for someone who they’d feel a little bit more comfortable throwing into NHL action if it was needed.
