The 2024-25 NHL season is approaching, slowly but surely, and teams are getting ready for the early stages of activities. Dates for training camp are yet to be announced, but we know the dates and opponents on the team’s preseason schedule.

One thing that has to be figured out is depth charts. Every team in all of sports go through players every single year whether they leave in free agency or get shipped off in a trade. Several Avalanche players left through free agency this offseason and two of their main players won’t be on the roster, at least to start the season.

Drouin – MacKinnon – Rantanen
Lehkonen – Mittelstadt – (Trade acquisition/free agent addition)
Wood – Colton – O’Connor
Kiviranta – Kelly – Kovalenko

Toews – Makar
Girard – Manson
de Haan – Malinski

Georgiev
Annunen

Not a lot of change on the Colorado Avalanche roster, but enough change to possibly make a difference.

With the type of situation that the Colorado Avalanche are in, they’re going to have to get a bit creative. The top line is set on both offense and defense. Kt’s hard to knock Drouin down to the second line again after his improvements last season. Lehkonen has played on the top line with MacKinnon, and so has Rantanen, but Rantanen definitely gets the edge there.

The second line right wing spot is up in the air right now.

The third line remains intact from last season before O’Connor was lost for the season. The “Roaring 20’s” line was superb for the Colorado Avalanche during the 2023-24 season and I see no reason to break that chemistry up even despite the circumstances the team faces.

The fourth line is where things get extra weird. I’m sure you can plug different guys on that line that I didn’t include and surely the team will do that Throughout the season. I just think that the team signed Parker Kelly for a reason—to fill out the bottom of the depth chart.

The fourth line will be tricky for the Colorado Avalanche to fill out but that’s a lot better than there being major question marks higher up. I have faith in General Manager Chris MacFarland and Head Coach Jared Bednar that they will figure out the best players to put out onto the ice.

As for the defense, not much change besides the addition of de Haan and the increased role for Sam Malinski, who I’ve really liked. The Avalanche had to shake a little bit up with the departure of Sean Walker.

As for the goaltending situation, there’s no question right now that Alexandar Georgiev is their guy. Annunen could end up passing him on the depth chart at some point, but the goalie who led the NHL in wins last year is going to remain their starter unless he starts to really regress. Hopefully that does not happen anytime soon, but if it does, I honestly really like Annunen in net and would welcome the change if that’s the direction the team goes later down the road.