The Colorado Avalanche roster is stacked with talent. We know this truth to be self-evident in the club's league-leading record (33-4-8). The burgundy and blue are in the midst of a generational regular season.
I've mentioned before how finding new and novel ways to write about excellence can be its own kind of challenge. Yes, you can talk for days on end about cartoonish stats. I've highlighted the unbelievable goal differential before. In case you're wondering, that number now sits at a +82! Another statistical tidbit from that tracking shows that Colorado still hasn't given up their 100th goal of 2025-26. Through 45 games, the Avalanche have allowed 99 goals. That's 16 fewer than the next-closest competitor.
In one of my more creative and inspired moments, I decided to re-imagine the Colorado Avalanche players as Christmas presents. I had a blast coming up with that list for a multitude of reasons. A lot of that was about holiday spirit, which isn't something I can exactly carry over into January.
But a new year does mean a fresh start. One element of the Christmas list article that I enjoyed most was getting to turn the spotlight on individual players in a way that felt interesting. Then, the other day, I came across a news bit I had missed. Namely, that former Avalanche blue-liner Jack Johnson has officially retired from playing, and will immediately transition into a scout for the Vancouver Canucks.
This makes a lot of sense, and even Johnson's move to Vancouver has Colorado connections. That's because the Canucks’ current bench boss is former Avalanche great Adam Foote. Foote, of course, wasn't just a two-time Stanley Cup winner in Colorado, but a former defensive assistant from 2011-17.
The path from player to coach is well-trod. It's hardly a surprise when a professional athlete in any sport seeks to stay involved in the game they love. But who among the current roster might be best-suited to make the jump? I decided to make a short list that not only feels viable but might also allow me to talk a bit about the varied qualities that translate from on-ice to off.
Gabriel Landeskog
The obvious answer? Probably. A correct answer? Also, yes.
Not a lot needs to be said about why Gabriel Landeskog was the closest thing this list had to a shoe-in. He is the consummate leader. The youngest captain in Colorado Avalanche history, who was at the time of his ascension to the honor, the youngest captain in NHL history.
Having that responsibly thrust upon you at 19 has to be a lot of pressure. But Landeskog never flinched. He led his club through a full rebuild, and weathered the roughest season in franchise history in 2016-17. When a less committed teammate might have fled for easier ice, Landeskog stayed. He led the Avalanche back to hockey's mountaintop in 2022.
Then came the nearly three-year setback. Multiple surgeries and a comeback that almost wasn't. Forgive me, because I know you've heard this before. But the decision by this organization to never even temporarily hand-off the captaincy says everything you need to know about Landeskog as a locker room leader, and as a man.
Heck, last season, we had Erik Johnson, when he was still an active roster player for the Flyers, coming in to Colorado just to skate with his former, future, and forever captain. It's easy to see that to know Gabe is to love Gabe.
Landeskog's return this season has once again proven how effective he can be. Particularly as a net-front presence. So it was all the more gut-wrenching to see him literally crash into the net recently and go down with injury. Thankfully, it is believed Landeskog avoided a worst case scenario, and will be back sooner rather than later this season.
As an Avalanche diehard, I will always be shaken when I see Landeskog hurt. But there is comfort in knowing almost with a certainty, that whenever #92 does hang up his skates, he will be encouraged to stick with the only pro hockey team he has ever known.
Where Landeskog would fit as a coach might be a question. Although this exercise isn't so much about what they would do if these players transitioned jobs today. Colorado's powerplay issues are well-documented this season. MHS' Conor Lively has made special teams talk his beat - and his latest on the topic is clear. This powerplay is a problem.
Landeskog has taken it upon himself to run extra drills attempting a fix. More is clearly needed to figure out Colorado's biggest flaw. Even so, I think Landeskog might already be a more effective voice than offseason hire Dave Hakstol.
Perhaps the greatest intangible in coaching is about having a room's respect. Nobody exemplifies that more than Landeskog.
Scott Wedgewood
The second guy I thought of for this article was Scott Wedgewood. Like Gabriel Landeskog, Wedgewood seems universally loved in Colorado's locker room. Wedgewood came to the Avalanche last season amid some of the messiest turmoil one could imagine.
'Wedgie' immediately held up his end of the bargain when arriving to a new team. Goaltending often seems to be the loneliest job in all of professional sports. Even more so when you are a supposed number two option.
You would never get that impression from Wedgewood. Not only has he taken on the bulk of starts for Colorado this season, as starter Mackenzie Blackwood has dealt with significant injury, he has excelled. Wedgewood is playing the best hockey of his life, just when his club needs it.
So far, Wedgewood is 19-3-4 with two shutouts. His save percentage is .917, a career-best mark if you take out the miniscule sample size of his rookie year. Some might point out being a top-tier goalie doesn't mean he'd be a great coach.
Avalanche fans obviously remember the highs and lows of Patrick Roy behind the bench. It was a turbulent time to be sure. Roy has since returned to the NHL and is navigating things for the New York Islanders. I think it's fair to say Roy is doing well, and that team is a surprise in the Metropolitan Division.
Still, as far as demeanor goes, you could scarcely get more different vibes from Roy to Wedgewood. Roy is all about competitive fire that comes from a Stanley Cup champion knowing he was great. The temper that flared up is what saw him traded to Colorado back in his playing days.
Scott Wedgewood, on the other hand, has constantly been told to wait his turn. The fuel that burns in his heart is one that feeds on other people's doubt. Backup goalies understand the practice of patience and dedication to hard work like no one else.
The Avalanche already have a long history of bringing back former goaltenders into the organization's fold. They have employed Craig Billington and Peter Budaj in the past. 2022 champion Pavel Francouz was brought in prior to last season, after injury cut his playing career short.
Wedgewood seems like the perfect candidate to someday assist in goalie development. His fun-loving attitude and quiet confidence make him a reporter's favorite interview. But it could also just as easily translate to being the right guy to deliver tough but necessary advice for a young netminder.
Artturi Lehkonen
Artturi Lehkonen could teach a masters seminar in hockey fundamentals. The guy is the definition of an unsung hero as well. Similar to my argument about Wedgewood, the case for Lehkonen is also about an uncommon drive to succeed.
I don't think it's unfair to say that Lehkonen isn't as skilled as the rest of his cohorts in Colorado's top six. But he is a major cog in why the Avalanche offense is feared by everyone. Lehkonen leverages positioning and timing as well as anyone you'll ever watch.
'The Good Stick' isn't in the right place by accident. It's why every single team would cherish a Lehkonen in their lineup. It's why hockey dads everywhere tell their boys and girls to keep an eye on #62. He not only finds a way to make the right play, he so seldom makes the wrong one.
Maybe this comes from understanding that if you are on the ice with a Nathan MacKinnon, you need to maximize opportunity. This might sound counter-intuitive to my point about his skills not being as sharp as some of the all-world talents he so often assists, but as a skills coach, Lehkonen could do wonders for developing players,
So often you'll hear the adage that the best players don't make for the best coaches. I think this is true to an extent; because their innate ability is not transferrable through instruction. Whereas if you take a guy who trained his brain for optimal efficiency, you could have a perfect teacher.
Josh Manson
Josh Manson might not be everyone's first thought for this type of list. Hockey fans who don't know Manson beyond his size and his tendency to throw a monster hit, or punch you in the head, if he has to, might mistakenly label him a goon.
Manson is Colorado's designated enforcer in the event that someone insists on dropping the gloves. But he's also the first guy on this list with NHL coaching pedigree in his blood. Josh's dad Dave Manson spent 16 years in the NHL before a long stint coaching. Dave Manson retired from the league and started coaching in the WHL immediately.
Dave Manson's NHL coaching experience is limited. He was a defensive assistant for the Oilers in 2022-23, and is now the head coach for the San Diego Gulls, Anaheim's AHL affiliate.
This means that Josh Manson hasn't just lived his whole life around hockey, he's lived it absorbing hockey talk and coaching even when he maybe didn't want to. If the desire exists within Josh Manson, he'll almost certainly be offered a job someday.
This shouldn't be viewed as simple nepotism either. I promise, if you listen to Manson give an interview postgame, or even mid-game, you'll see it. Maybe even especially obvious are those intermission moments.
When guys are out of breath and tossed a soft question, it's easy to parrot a simple mantra. Lines about basic puck management or controlling the neutral zone are a favorite. But pay attention next time you see Manson give an answer. He's frequently the most detail oriented and often follows up with multiple points of emphasis. A coach's kid through and through.
Sam Malinski
For the final entry in the list, I'm throwing a bit of a curve, or winging a knuckle-puck to keep it cleaner. Some of the credit for this pitch comes from Conor, who suggested it - and our editor Graham, who said lists of five are more appealing to the algorithm Gods. Honestly, I jumped at the idea because I love an underdog and I like being able to include someone who isn't a grizzled veteran type.
The argument for Sam Malinski rests in his ability to pick up Colorado's complex defensive systems fast and show such a noticeable improvement. That much is exciting if you are an Avalanche fan currently who saw flashes of the prospect some were calling a mini-Makar a few years back when Malinski was only getting spot duty in the lineup.
Now as an everyday regular, Malinski has matured into a reliable guy, even on his non-dominant side. Being good a X's and O's is just part of Malinski's story. As an undrafted signing and self-identified late-bloomer, Malinski has clearly defied the odds. Still, don't forget he's a Cornell grad. This is a smart player who knows the value of study.
Even the most gifted athletes should hope to have some chip on their shoulder. The same can be said of coaches deeper in an organization. Just as I said that elite skill is not transferrable earlier, it's true that a diamond in the rough type won't be guaranteed to find more for you in the future. But knowing what it takes to grow and come out of obscurity to play in the NHL should matter to all those prospects with an impossible dream.