The Colorado Avalanche are known for their depth both offensively and defensively. One of the players on the defensive end of their depth, Josh Manson, could be coveted by a team coming fresh into the league in the future.
In this article on what a 33rd team could look like, Shayna Goldman and Dom Luszczyszyn put together a 32-man expansion draft—taking one player from each team in the league. Manson was their pick for the Avalanche, and honestly, it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world.
Manson will turn 35-years-old during the 2026-27 season, which makes it clear that he is closer to the final chapter of his career than the beginning. The Avalanche have several young players that they would love to see step up at some point, especially once Manson is no longer on the team.
Avalanche have prepared for this potential roster shakeup
The development of potential replacements is key to the Avalanche’s future depth. Manson has two years left on his contract, which could mean he plays it out and then calls it quits. By then, I would hope that someone such as Mikhail Gulyayev would be close to ready for an NHL debut. I know it takes players several years to come up from college.
2024 sixth-round pick Tory Pitner is another player who could potentially see time with the Avalanche or the Colorado Eagles in the AHL soon, but that remains to be seen.
In the 2026 NHL Draft, the Avalanche selected four defensemen. In 2025, they took Francesco Dell’Elce and Linus Funck.
The most notable name on the list of possibilities is Sean Behrens. Behrens has yet to make his NHL debut as he hasn’t impressed the team enough and he also has had trouble staying healthy. As a former second-round pick, he’ll want to shift the narrative of being a potential bust. 2026-27 could be a make-it or break-it year for him, but if Manson ends up being on the way out, he could make some noise.
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