The Colorado Avalanche are set to open training camp in about a month. Unless the Avs have one late-summer blockbuster in the works, the roster looks pretty much set for camp.
However, questions linger regarding the Avalanche’s bottom-six forward group. Mainly, the question marks reside on the wings.
But before getting into that, let’s talk about the situation down the middle. Jack Drury is slated to be the third-line center by Daily Faceoff. Similarly, Parker Kelly is penciled in as the center on the checking line.
So far, so good. Drury will have a chance to prove he belongs in a middle-six role, while Kelly will get every opportunity to prove he belongs in the NHL. That’s a fine place to start and shouldn’t be a cause for concern.
Things get a bit dicey when looking at the wings. Daily Faceoff projects Daniil Gushchin on the left side with Ross Colton on the right wing of the third line. Colton is a solid choice, but Gushchin will have to prove he belongs in that slot.
Assuming Drury and Colton work out just fine, the left-wing position could prove worrisome. If Gushchin can’t fill in adequately, there’s no telling who could take over.
That brings us to the fourth line. Ivan Ivan and Joel Kiviranta will man the wings with Kelly. Ivan looked good last season and should get a shot. But Kiviranta seems out of place on the fourth line. He’s proven he’s too good to be a fourth-line grinder playing under 10 minutes a night.
If anything, Kiviranta should get a shot on the third line. Perhaps placing him on the left side with Drury and Colton could work out. Gushchin seems more adept on the fourth line.
But then again, what if Ivan doesn’t really catch on? What if Gushchin was just wishful thinking when the Avalanche acquired him? That situation could force the Avalanche to bring someone up from the Eagles, while also opening an opportunity for someone else to earn an NHL job.
Colorado Avalanche must foster competition in bottom six
There’s no question that healthy competition will be key to the Colorado Avalanche’s success in the bottom six.
Aside from Drury, Kelly, and Colton, as many as three spots could be open in the bottom six. Assuming that Kiviranta locks down one of those three spots, the Avalanche would have competition for two slots and the 13th forward position.
Nikita Prishchepov, Tye Falhaber, and Matthew Stienburg should all get long looks in camp. Also, Jason Polin could be in the mix, though he’s pretty much a long shot.
So, that’s six potential forwards competing for two-and-a-half lineup spots. That’s not bad competition to have. Although, I would like to see Prishchepov get an extended look to see what he could do. The small sample size from Prishchepov last season was truly encouraging.
It’s also worth pointing out that the Avalanche have a little over $2 million in cap space. So, we shouldn’t rule out a PTO or last-minute depth addition. There are some interesting names out there that could join the club on a league-minimum deal.
That’s why Avalanche fans need to stay tuned because the club could have one more deal in the works before the summer winds down.