The truth is that the expectations for the Colorado Avalanche heading into this season are very excessive. Greatness is predicted contained in the locker room, inside the group, and from the fanbase. Given the caliber of gamers on the group, that’s truthful. Discovering issues to sit up for wasn’t arduous. Listed below are three causes to be enthusiastic about this season. We’ll save the considerations (and there are considerations) for one more day.
Casey Mittelstadt Is a True 2C
For 2 seasons, the Avalanche had been on the lookout for the suitable participant to fill the second-line middle spot, they usually discovered Casey Mittelstadt on the 2023 NHL Commerce Deadline. He has been one of the crucial productive gamers within the NHL at 5-on-5 within the final two seasons, and we will count on that to proceed in 2024-25.
Mittelstadt is unlikely to get energy play time on the primary unit until there’s an damage, however that’s okay. His skill to drive play and create offense at even power can be invaluable. Whereas he wanted some adjustment in the direction of the tip of the common season final 12 months, he carried out properly in his first style of the NHL playoffs.
In 18 video games with the Avs, Mittelstadt scored 4 objectives and 6 assists, averaging simply over quarter-hour of ice time, and he noticed a number of completely different lineup mixtures, together with taking part in with Jonathan Drouin, Mikko Rantanen, Artturi Lehkonen, and Valeri Nichushkin. He wasn’t in a position to safe a spot on the second line because the season went on, however this season, we might see a way more snug and educated participant resulting from his offseason work.
Not since Nazem Kadri within the 2021-22 season have the Avalanche had a “true” second-line middle to assist lead the offense. An whole season with Mittelstadt behind Nathan MacKinnon ought to be enjoyable to observe and provides head coach Jared Bednar choices for placing collectively his lineup.
Potential Youth Motion On The Rise
Calum Ritchie will doubtless begin the season with the Avalanche. Whether or not he’ll end the season with the group stays to be seen, however his efficiency in growth camp, the time he spent in the summertime coaching in Denver, and coaching camp ought to give him a shot.
Nikolai Kovalenko must also have a job on the roster, though the place he lands can be decided by how a lot he has improved over the offseason. Justus Annunen is about to be Alexandar Georgiev’s backup, and if he struggles, he might need a possibility to change into the beginning goalie. Gamers like Jean-Luc Foudy and Sam Malinski are additionally attempting to ascertain themselves as full-time NHLers. Furthermore, Erik Brannstrom is now the youngest defenseman on the group at simply 25 and is trying to bounce again and be a major a part of the protection this season and going ahead.
Associated: Avalanche Prospect Ritchie Wants Sturdy Rookie Faceoff Exhibiting
The group wants an inflow of youth. Profitable groups attempt to add bold younger gamers to their roster, particularly within the wage cap period. The simplest approach to stay aggressive with a number of the highest-paid gamers within the league is to develop younger expertise. The actual query is whether or not or not they’ll earn Bednar’s belief.
With query marks surrounding Gabriel Landeskog’s return and Nichushkin’s standing within the Participant Help Program, the Avalanche can have over $13 million in opposition to the cap and no participant on opening day. This is a matter they’ve struggled with prior to now, and it impacted their roster building. Hopefully, that can change this season.
Avalanche Stars Will Shine Brilliant
Whereas prospects would possibly want a while to get used to the NHL, and Mittelstadt won’t be the largest identify, the Avalanche’s stars will all the time placed on a present. The group simply has three of the highest 15 gamers within the NHL, with Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar, and Mikko Rantanen able to carry out on the highest degree in each sport; most NHL groups would kill to have simply one in all them on their roster.
It is going to be disappointing if the core and the expertise round them don’t win at the least yet another Stanley Cup. However watching elite gamers carry out at their greatest each night time, ought to by no means be taken as a right. NHL groups solely get so many game-breaking gamers, and the Avs have three. Colorado is in fine condition to stay aggressive for at the least a couple of extra years.
From the expertise on the roster to the up-and-coming promising prospects who would possibly lastly get an opportunity to play within the NHL, there’s a lot to be enthusiastic about for this season. So long as the core gamers of MacKinnon, Makar, Rantanen – and, hopefully, now Landeskog – stay wholesome, the group can be a Stanley Cup contender each season.
