Colorado Avalanche 2025-26 Player Grades: Zakhar Bardakov

Some players have a clear path to the NHL, and their future is almost pre-determined. For others, it requires a more unique path, one that takes a few more twists and turns, and requires a lot more work.

When he was acquired for Kurtis MacDermid, Zakhar Bardakov seemed destined to get a real chance at a bottom-six forward role with the Colorado Avalanche. He got that chance in 2025-26, and we’ll take a look at his performance in our player grades series.

Production

It is very hard to really understand how limited Bardakov was during this season. Yes, he played in 60 games, but he largely averaged a bit more than six minutes per game before a boost in usage dragged him above the seven-minute-per-game mark.

Given those facts, it is somewhat impressive that he had nine assists and 10 points. Barely being on the ice means barely having an opportunity to make a difference. Bardakov was effective to some degree while on the ice, but couldn’t really crack the lineup in a meaningful way. His size and skill got him an opportunity that many other prospects would not have otherwise received, but it never felt like the Avalanche had a meaningful enough role for him planned coming into the season.

Intangibles

Bardakov struggled initially in North America, though he did earn praise from captain Gabriel Landeskog. His skating and ability to adapt on the fly helped him, and he did just fine in a very limited role with the Avalanche, though he couldn’t seem to crack the low ceiling. Once the Avalanche began bringing in reinforcements, Bardakov felt like something of a redundancy.

He has the kind of tools – skating, shot, good forechecking – to be effective in the NHL, but he’s a very meat-and-potatoes kind of forward. On a team like Colorado, there is just no room for him to really find a groove and that showed during the 2025-26 season. That – and no doubt possessing an affinity to play back home in Russia – led to his decision to play in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) for the 2026-27 season.

Overall Grade: C+

On the whole, Bardakov didn’t really get much of a chance to showcase himself. Getting 10 points in 60 games while playing barely more than seven minutes per night shows that there is maybe a little more to his game than meets the eye. In the end, Bardakov may have been a victim of circumstance more than anything else.

His skating and his ability to play with two-way responsibility is something that should serve him well as a veteran in the NHL. If he can have a breakout, there’s a chance that Colorado could want him back in a real role, but that will take time. In reality, the book is likely closed on his North American career.

Back to Russia

Things just didn’t work out for all parties involved. Now, Bardakov is headed back to the KHL, and it feels more than likely that his North American career is over. Things just never evolved to a point where he could be reliable, especially with his not being willing to have a prolonged stay in the American Hockey League (AHL).

The door isn’t necessarily closed on him coming back, especially since the Avalanche still control his North American rights. Perhaps a shift of focus and a bit of time to hone his game at home is what Bardakov needs, especially if he does have his sights set on returning to the NHL at some point in the future.