Colorado Avalanche Will Rely On Prospects To Take Big Steps In Development

The Colorado Avalanche are going to be relying on an unproven roster next season, and the ride could get bumpy.

As of right now, the Colorado Avalanche will be sporting a roster next season with an average age of 25 years old. The hype around all the young players is real, that’s for sure. However, that’s the problem — it’s hype because they haven’t proven anything yet.

Tyson Jost, J.T. Compher, A.J. Greer, Chris Bigras and Duncan Siemens all figure to be mainstays or at least fight for a roster spot next season. They have combined for a total of 67 games played in the NHL.

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Players like Anton Lindholm and Andrei Mironov may also battle for roster spots. Mironov has yet to play a game in the NHL, and Lindholm got his first taste of NHL action last season to the tune of 12 games.

Carl Soderberg, Erik Johnson and Blake Comeau will be considered the veterans on this team. Johnson will hit 30 near the end of the season, and both Comeau and Soda enter the season at the age of 31, but turn 32 during the season. All three will be the elder statesmen on the team, with every other player under 30, and a good chunk being under the age of 25.

I’m not saying that is a bad thing because it’s obvious the rebuild has begun in Colorado. This is the same rebuild that has been avoided for years, so it’s a welcome sight. However, that does not change the fact that the Avalanche are going to be putting a lot of pressure on some shoulders that aren’t used to that pressure at the NHL level.

Can the Prospects Carry the Load?

This is why you draft well, as the Avalanche have in recent years. You draft for the moment when your franchise turns dramatically to the young players and asks them to carry the weight.

That is what is taking place this coming season, and the young kids will have to show up, or it’s another high draft pick. To be honest, it’s probably another high draft pick regardless because there’s just no way the Avalanche are competing for a playoff spot.

The real question is whether or not the young kids can handle this type of quick development. They will be put in difficult situations, and there has to be some part of you that says maybe this isn’t the best thing for their development.

Players like Tyson Jost and Andrei Mironov could benefit from a year in the AHL, and in A.J. Greer’s case, another year in the AHL. However, they are likely to be playing in the NHL next season. You just only hope no damage is done to their developmental process. They are the next wave of players in Colorado.

Time will tell obviously, but the ride could get bumpy for the Avalanche this season.

Conclusion

It’s the right decision, but it is a risky one regardless. At this point, the Avalanche really have nothing left to lose. So, why not? Hopefully the young kids are up to the task.

It will be fun to watch Tyson Jost this season, and keep a strong eye on his progress. Mikko Rantanen went through the same thing last season, and he had some growing pains. However, as the season progressed he became one of the best players on the Avalanche.

We can probably expect pretty similar things from Tyson Jost.

Next: Avs Get Depth and Experience with Colin Wilson

Anyway, the youth movement has begun in Colorado. The turnover hasn’t been as much as people anticipated (Matt Duchene), but the roster has definitely gotten a lot younger.

Now, it’s time to see if these young players can shoulder the weight.

Lines and Pairings coming with future posts in the near.