The Colorado Avalanche still have a couple big question marks surrounding their line combinations, but one of their prospects might have an inside track to get some good minutes to prove himself. No, this isn’t about Calum Ritchie – who the team also has high hopes for.
Instead, former sixth-round pick Nikolai Kovalenko could be in line to get a good audition in the early stages of the season. With Gabriel Landeskog due to miss the early part of the season rehabbing from knee surgery, and Valeri Nichushkin still suspended through the league’s player assistance program, that leaves a Kovalenko-sized hole in the top six. He should get every chance to prove he belongs there.
Kovalenko’s Steady Improvement
Kovalenko is a 24-year-old Russian forward, but was actually born in the United States. His birthplace is Raleigh, N.C., as Kovalenko’s father, Andrei Kovalenko, was playing for the Carolina Hurricanes at the time. The winger was taken by the Avalanche in the sixth round of the 2018 Draft, and has seen his game improve to the point where he made his NHL debut in last season’s playoffs for the team. He hasn’t played a regular season game, but that should change quickly once the puck drops on the 2024-25 campaign.
He played much of his minor league hockey with Lokomotiv Yaroslavl in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL), but his breakthrough came over the last two seasons when playing with Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod. He played 98 games over those two seasons, totaling 32 goals and 57 assists for 89 points. That led the Avs to bring him to their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Colorado Eagles, at the end of the season. He played a total of six games in the regular season and playoffs for the Eagles, scoring two goals and four points.
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While his numbers with Torpedo were pretty good, the biggest thing Kovalenko showed was his versatility. He played every forward position while there, and was able to show that he plays with purpose no matter where he is on the ice. Along with the versatility, Kovalenko also proved that the other players must be aware of him when he’s on the ice. Calling him a very physical player is something of an understatement. He finishes his checks and that physical intensity rarely takes a shift off. That evolution into a well-rounded player is what got Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar’s attention to give him a shot in last year’s postseason.
Where Kovalenko Fits With the Avalanche
Along with Landeskog’s and Nichushkin’s nagging woes, the status of Logan O’Connor is somewhat in question. Last season ended abruptly for O’Connor after hip surgery in March. He should be ready to go for opening night, and it’s still very early to prognosticate Colorado’s lines, but O’Connor will likely be back on the third line with the effective combo of Miles Wood and Ross Colton. With Jonathan Drouin back on the top line with powerhouses Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen, it leaves a spot on the second line that could be Kovalenko’s for the taking.
The other skaters on the second line are likely to be Casey Mittelstadt at center and Arturri Lehkonen on the left side. Experimenting with Kovalenko on the right side could give a great glimpse at the winger. Lehkonen and Mittelstadt are both no-nonsense players with a nose for finding open space and scoring some greasy goals. Adding in Kovalenko’s physicality and impact would be a great fit on this line. He has a nose for getting into the dirty areas and making things happen, and those two linemates are perfect finishers for that type of playstyle.
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Kovalenko also does the bulk of his damage (at least in the KHL) when his team is at even strength, as roughly 70 percent of his goals were scored 5-on-5. However, he has proven to be a solid contributor on the special teams, as well. The Avalanche power play features some stars in MacKinnon, Rantanen, and Makar – but Mittelstadt and Lehkonen also get substantial time on the man advantage. His time with Torpedo showed that he can be a great distributor on the power play, and he could work his way into some minutes on the man advantage if he shows quick chemistry with Mittelstadt and Lehkonen. Kovalenko’s motor also makes him a natural fit on the penalty kill, making him an even more versatile option if his game quickly gets up to the NHL’s speed.
Why the Avalanche Need Kovalenko
In case you haven’t noticed, the Avalanche are in the midst of juggling a lot of important salaries – and those contracts are getting perilously close to the top of the salary cap. As a sixth-round pick that is sitting on an entry-level contract, Kovalenko could provide some breathing room as the team tries to compensate all of its superstars. Colorado is deep at forward, and that depth is imperative for any team that has its sights set on making deep runs into the playoffs.
If Kovalenko can deliver early and give the Avalanche a solid second-line winger, general manager Chris MacFarland could probably exhale a little bit on the financial front. They like what they’ve seen from Kovalenko during his play in the KHL – and the 21-goal, 54-point campaign in 2022-23 perked everybody’s ears up. He was able to translate that play into a solid debut with the Eagles, and now Colorado is hoping he handles the learning curve as quickly now that he’s taking the next step to the NHL.
Even if Kovalenko doesn’t stay on the second line, or has to spend another spell in the AHL, the Avalanche would be well served to give him ample opportunity to prove himself at the start of the season. If the worst thing that happens is Landeskog and Nichushkin come back, that’s pretty good for Colorado. However, both of those players have proven unreliable since the team won the Stanley Cup in 2022. Having some inexpensive depth in Kovalenko is already a luxury. If he can get those early minutes – and prove himself as a viable NHL player – it would be a huge relief for Colorado and maybe bolster their depth enough to get them back in championship form.
