The team’s significant departures include the most prominent names brought in at the trade deadline: Brandon Duhaime and Yakov Trenin. Trenin signed a substantial contract with the Minnesota Wild that was too pricey for the Avalanche to match. Duhaime signed with the Washington Capitals for more than he made with the Avalanche and Wild.

Otherwise, the forward group remains mostly the same, with some adjustments throughout the bottom six. The most significant question mark is Nikolai Kovalenko, who is in the top six. While I can see him starting the season in the top six, his ability to remain there for the entire season is a question mark based on his play and the situations of other players. Kovalenko is a skilled player who has logged significant ice time in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) and plays a fearless physical game despite his smaller stature. He could switch places with O’Connor, but I preferred to keep the third line together because O’Connor made that line so effective last season.

Gabriel Landeskog and Valeri Nichushkin will have a big impact on the forward group. If Landeskog is healthy enough to start the season, he will be in a top-six position, but he hasn’t played an NHL game for almost two years, and there’s no confirmed date for his return. Nichushkin is in the NHL/NHLPA layer Assistance Program, so he will return at some point. The soonest he could come back after being reinstated by the NHL is Nov. 13, but he needs to be reinstated first.

One player I wanted to include in the lineup was Calum Ritchie, who signed his entry-level contract (ELC) and looked excellent in the development camp. The problem is that he plays center, and the team’s top two lines are set. However, I can see him filling the third line and moving Ross Colton down. He dominated the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) and is ready to make the jump, but he is not old enough to get some reps in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Colorado Eagles. Expect training camp to be a crucial time to assess how he fits in with the team, including different situations and lineups.

Avalanche’s Defense

Sean Walker left to join the Carolina Hurricanes on a lengthy five-year contract with a solid cap hit of $3.6 million. It was one of the longest contracts handed out this summer, but it was still too expensive for the Avalanche to match.

Calvin de Haan is the only new player we can expect to see in the lineup on opening night, assuming he’s healthy, which has been a concern throughout his career. He’s a reliable defenseman who will likely play on the bottom pairing and see significant time on the penalty kill.

Erik Brannstrom, whom the Avalanche acquired after the Ottawa Senators did not extend him a qualifying offer in June, might also be in the opening-night lineup. At 24 years old, the 2017 first-round pick could see a boost in his offensive production and has shown growth in his defensive game these past two years, all with a low cap hit.

Sam Malinski could see some playing time this season with de Haan. He showed what he could do last season, playing in 26 games and recording 10 points. He will turn 26 this season and will no longer be waiver-eligible. Expect him and Brannstrom to battle for that final position on the starting lineup if either one doesn’t produce offensively or becomes a significant liability on defense.

Avalanche Goalies

After Alexandar Georgiev’s performance in the playoffs, which swept his regular season under the rug, it’s his net, and rightfully so. This is also a contract year, so he has much to prove in both the regular season and playoffs. If Justus Annunen can perform as he did last season, he will gain more confidence and help Georgiev’s workload get under 60 games, which was second-most in the NHL in 2023-24.

What Else Do the Avs Need?

The bottom six could use a bit more help, but again, that falls back to the Landeskog and Nichushkin situations and can be fixed when they eventually return to the lineup. Right now, adding a fourth-line center is the best option to get more production from that line. Chris Wagner is a solid option, but a two-way forward could help, especially if they can fit better between Kiviranta and Kelly.

This lineup represents a step back, at least on paper, from what we saw at the end of the season. However, the Avalanche must have a reliable second-line center for an entire season. Casey Mittelstadt has been highly productive at 5-on-5 for the past two seasons, and I expect that to continue. His presence should allow head coach Jared Bednar to reduce MacKinnon’s minutes. This will be something to keep an eye on this upcoming season.