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Colorado Avalanche: Top 9 Questions the Team Must Answer this Year

By Nadia Archuleta

DENVER, CO - APRIL 07: Patrik Nemeth #12, Mikko Rantanen #96, Tyson Jost #17 and J.T. Compher #37 of the Colorado Avalanche wave to the crowd after a win against the St. Louis Blues at the Pepsi Center on April, 7, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. The Avalanche defeated the Blues 5-2. (Photo by Michael Martin/NHLI via Getty Images)
DENVER, CO - APRIL 07: Patrik Nemeth #12, Mikko Rantanen #96, Tyson Jost #17 and J.T. Compher #37 of the Colorado Avalanche wave to the crowd after a win against the St. Louis Blues at the Pepsi Center on April, 7, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. The Avalanche defeated the Blues 5-2. (Photo by Michael Martin/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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DENVER, CO – MARCH 22: Vladislav Kamenev #91 of the Colorado Avalanche skates against the Los Angeles Kings at the Pepsi Center on March 22, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. The Kings defeated the Avalanche 7-1. (Photo by Michael Martin/NHLI via Getty Images) /

9. Which Prospects will Make the Team?

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The Colorado Avalanche was one of the top-three youngest team in the NHL last season — it all depended on who was injured and had a prospect taking on his role. But it’s safe to say the youth movement was in full effect.

Well, GM Joe Sakic vowed to get even younger this summer. The Avs let 32-year-old Blake Comeau walk in free agency and essentially replaced him with 28-year-old Matt Calvert. The old man of the team is now 32-year-old Carl Soderberg — Erik Johnson and Semyon Varlamov are the only other 30-year-olds on the roster.

The Avs will be looking to fill their roster with some of their prospects. The regular rookies from last season — Tyson Jost, J.T. Compher, Samuel Girard and Alexander Kerfoot — are almost assured roster spots this season. But who might be this year’s rookies?

I think the best bet is Conor Timmins, whom the Avs selected 32nd-overall in 2017, which was a steal. He had a minor setback with his major juniors Greyhounds, getting injured in Game 5. However, he’s already skating with some of the other prospects and a few pros here in Colorado.

Vladislav Kamenev is a player Colorado acquired in the Matt Duchene trade. He played three shifts with the Avs before a Brooks Orpik hit broke his arm and sidelined him for most of the season. I’d see the Avs giving him another try.

Three other centers — Josh Dickinson, Sheldon Dries and Logan O’Connor — were late signings by Colorado. If they have a good showing at training camp and the preseason, they might earn a spot on the bottom line.

If Semyon Varlamov can’t stay healthy, I could see Pavel Francouz getting tapped at least for backup duties.

I think it’s possible Martin Kaut will make the team next year, just not right away. He was Colorado’s 2018 first-rounder. He’s never played in North America, though, so he’s almost sure to start with the Colorado Eagles. If he’s doing well there, though, I could see him being a call-up for the Avs.

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