One of the expectations for the Colorado Avalanche this season was to see Nic Roy down the middle on the third line.
Another expectation was to see newcomer Fedor Svechkov lead the fourth line, unless someone else could come in and wrestle that role away.
Well, now we’re seeing some interesting changes. And those changes could lead to an unexpected roster battle.
In particular, that roster battle sees Svechkov leading the third line with Roy on the wing, while Parker Kelly, the first-time 20-goal scorer from last season, leads the fourth line.
While the moves aren’t exactly mind-shocking, they are a bit surprising nonetheless.
Jared Bednar has stated that Svechkov needs a little more runway to develop down the middle. That’s fine, especially since the Avalanche aren’t really dependent on Svechkov working out. In other words, if he struggles, Bednar can just turn to Roy and potentially move Svechkov to the wing, thereby taking off some pressure that way.
But if Svechkov thrives in the role, the Avalanche would suddenly have a ridiculous wealth of depth down the middle. In addition to Roy, Nazem Kadri has taken up a wing spot on the second line. While the 36-year-old could easily be the second-line center, rolling with two legit centers on the wings gives the Avalanche tremendous depth, especially when factoring in injuries and potential in-game shifts.
Parker Kelly looking to deliver what he does best for Avalanche
As for Kelly, his breakthrough season last year was the kind that made for a great story. Kelly seemingly emerged out of nowhere to score 20 goals, making the year’s best feel-good story.
The issue is that performance has now raised the bar for him. And so, the organization is rewarding his hard work by giving him more responsibility. That’s why placing him as the fourth-line center, as apparently insignificant as it might seem, actually carries a tremendous amount of weight for the 27-year-old.
As Kelly told the media and was quoted by Colorado Hockey Now, playing down the middle is part of an adjustment process.
“Center is just different. You got to get used to it again. I mean,” Kelly said. “Being back at center, you want to be good on draws, you want to help the D. You’re coming into the play a little bit later instead of being F1, F2 on the forecheck. As a wing, you’re normally slashing off the breakout, and you’re hunting the puck right away. Whereas as a centerman, you’re kind of working goal line to goal line.”
Like Svechkov, the plan is for Kelly to thrive at that position. If he does, the punchy fourth line with Logan O’Connor and Zachary L’Heureux could be the kind that would make opposing coaches dread facing the Avalanche.
But let’s be real for a minute. Bednar isn’t necessarily thinking about the next 84 games. He’s thinking about Game 85, when the puck drops in the first round of the 2027 Stanley Cup playoffs.
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