The Colorado Avalanche are coming off a disappointing season that saw them battle through numerous injuries before getting bounced in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs by the upstart Seattle Kraken. The good news is that the Avs lifted the Cup the season before in 2022. Colorado would like to get closer to
Avalanche Prospects
This season’s first-round exit from the playoffs was a bit of a downer for the Colorado Avalanche after hoisting the Stanley Cup in 2021-22. They have been one of the NHL’s top teams over the past few years, but maintaining that position isn’t going to get any easier. The salary cap crunch is starting to
The Colorado Avalanche were one of six teams participating in the fifth annual “Rookie Faceoff,” with this year’s event hosted in both Glendale and Scottsdale, Arizona. The event featured rookies signed to contracts with the NHL club, players signed to minor league affiliate clubs, and amateur tryout invitees. The other teams participating in the event
The Colorado Avalanche offseason is, for the most part, complete after the signing of defenseman Ryan Murray to a one-year, $2 million deal. General manager (GM) Joe Sakic was correct when he stated last season that the Avalanche will have as deep of a team as they were going to have in a run for
The Big 10 wrapped up their 2020-21 season with a fantastic game between Minnesota and Wisconsin on Tuesday night. The conference also announced their postseason award winners, which included some top NHL prospects. In the American Hockey League (AHL), a Colorado Avalanche first-round pick scored in overtime. Finally, the Chicago Blackhawks officially signed a prospect
Anaheim Ducks’ prospect Trevor Zegras impressed in his AHL debut with the San Diego Gulls, recording one goal and two assists in their 4-1 victory. Colorado Avalanche prospect Drew Helleson scored a highlight-reel goal to win the game in overtime for Boston College. Montreal Canadiens’ top prospect Cole Caufield continues to score in the NCAA
A week ago, I wrote a piece highlighting Colorado Avalanche prospects who are currently playing (and thriving) in the NCAA. As everybody already knows, with the CHL yet to get underway (apart from a failed attempt to start the QMJHL season), doing prospect updates is a little bit more of a challenge. But with the
While Logan O’Connor might be well overshadowed by the top lines of the Colorado Avalanche, what he brings could be a vital part of the team’s rich offensive depth. Suffice to say, O’Connor making a name for himself even this season does not sound far-fetched, especially given the possibilities of injuries to their stars. Logan
Drafting and developing prospects is one of the most effective ways to improve a franchise. The Colorado Avalanche have been able to find a good balance between drafting and developing, and acquiring players via trades to make their team better. With the constant movement of players increasing with each passing season, the significance of keeping
The Colorado Avalanche are one of the most exciting NHL teams to watch right now, and fans will get a look at some of their future talent before the 2020-21 NHL season gets underway. The holiday season is upon us, which means that, more importantly, the 2021 World Juniors are right around the corner. This
The 2020 NHL Draft was one for the ages, and that’s putting it lightly. The Colorado Avalanche walked out of the draft with a rather light crop of new prospects, but that just makes the day all the more special for the players they picked. Prospects are typically used to making a weekend out of
The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) is having major problems as the region is having an uptick in COVID-19 cases. Also, one of the league’s top teams will have their captain on the ice for the first time this season. Finally, a Detroit Red Wings’ prospect returns home from Europe after another injury. Voltigeurs
The 2020 NHL Entry Draft saw 216 young men selected to possibly play in the NHL some time down the road. Some we may see as early as this coming season; some may never hit the ice in an NHL jersey. Shortly after the draft, I had the opportunity to speak by telephone with the
The 2020 NHL season has been one to remember (or forget) for obvious reasons. Every season has its storylines that make them unique from the others. But it’s hard to compete with a season that was postponed mid-March, and didn’t resume until August with a brand new playoff format that included an extra round. Top
Nothing about 2020 has been normal and the NHL Draft was no exception. After a three-month delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic, two members of the Windsor Spitfires are finally ready to begin the next step in their hockey careers after hearing their names called at the 2020 NHL Draft. At the start of 2019-20,
After an earlier than anticipated exit from the 2020 postseason, the Avalanche switched their focus to the 2020 NHL Entry Draft and who to select with their 25th overall selection. Related: 2020 NHL Draft Guide – Updated General Manager Joe Sakic and his staff have done a great job as of late finding and drafting
A key tenet of Colorado Avalanche general manager Joe Sakic’s roster development strategy is to build through the draft. This keeps costs low by providing the club with cost-controlled assets for several years and it gives leverage to the front office during contract negotiations with veterans on expiring contracts. Specifically, there’s an expectation for the