The reality is that the expectations for the Colorado Avalanche heading into this season are very high. Greatness is expected inside the locker room, within the organization, and from the fanbase. Given the caliber of players on the team, that’s fair. Finding things to look forward to wasn’t hard. Here are three reasons to be excited about this season. We’ll save the concerns (and there are concerns) for another day.
Casey Mittelstadt Is a True 2C
For two seasons, the Avalanche had been looking for the right player to fill the second-line center spot, and they found Casey Mittelstadt at the 2023 NHL Trade Deadline. He has been one of the most productive players in the NHL at 5-on-5 in the last two seasons, and we can expect that to continue in 2024-25.
Mittelstadt is unlikely to get power play time on the first unit unless there’s an injury, but that’s okay. His ability to drive play and create offense at even strength will be invaluable. While he needed some adjustment towards the end of the regular season last year, he performed well in his first taste of the NHL playoffs.
In 18 games with the Avs, Mittelstadt scored four goals and six assists, averaging just over 15 minutes of ice time, and he saw several different lineup combinations, including playing with Jonathan Drouin, Mikko Rantanen, Artturi Lehkonen, and Valeri Nichushkin. He wasn’t able to secure a spot on the second line as the season went on, but this season, we could see a much more comfortable and knowledgeable player due to his offseason work.
Not since Nazem Kadri in the 2021-22 season have the Avalanche had a “true” second-line center to help lead the offense. An entire season with Mittelstadt behind Nathan MacKinnon should be fun to watch and give head coach Jared Bednar options for putting together his lineup.
Potential Youth Movement On The Rise
Calum Ritchie will likely start the season with the Avalanche. Whether he will finish the season with the team remains to be seen, but his performance in development camp, the time he spent in the summer training in Denver, and a good training camp should give him a shot.
Nikolai Kovalenko should also have a role on the roster, although where he lands will be determined by how much he has improved over the offseason. Justus Annunen is set to be Alexandar Georgiev’s backup, and if he struggles, he might have an opportunity to become the starting goalie. Players like Jean-Luc Foudy and Sam Malinski are also trying to establish themselves as full-time NHLers. Moreover, Erik Brannstrom is now the youngest defenseman on the team at just 25 and is looking to bounce back and be a significant part of the defense this season and going forward.
Related: Avalanche Prospect Ritchie Needs Strong Rookie Faceoff Showing
The team needs an influx of youth. Successful teams try to add ambitious young players to their roster, especially in the salary cap era. The most effective way to remain competitive with some of the highest-paid players in the league is to develop young talent. The real question is whether or not they will earn Bednar’s trust.
With question marks surrounding Gabriel Landeskog’s return and Nichushkin’s status in the Player Assistance Program, the Avalanche will have over $13 million against the cap and no player on opening day. This is an issue they have struggled with in the past, and it impacted their roster construction. Hopefully, that will change this season.
Avalanche Stars Will Shine Bright
While prospects might need some time to get used to the NHL, and Mittelstadt might not be the biggest name, the Avalanche’s stars will always put on a show. The team easily has three of the top 15 players in the NHL, with Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar, and Mikko Rantanen ready to perform at the highest level in every game; most NHL teams would kill to have just one of them on their roster.
It will be disappointing if the core and the talent around them don’t win at least one more Stanley Cup. But watching elite players perform at their best every night, should never be taken for granted. NHL teams only get so many game-breaking players, and the Avs have three. Colorado is in good shape to remain competitive for at least a few more years.
From the talent on the roster to the up-and-coming promising prospects who might finally get a chance to play in the NHL, there is a lot to be excited about for this season. As long as the core players of MacKinnon, Makar, Rantanen – and, hopefully, now Landeskog – remain healthy, the team will be a Stanley Cup contender every season.
