Colorado Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar has a good team in front of him, but it appears that the depth of the team could be a little concerning for him for the 2024-25 NHL season. On Wednesday, Bednar spoke about the forward group, and his answer is not something that you would want to hear if you are an Avalanche fan.
Asked Bednar if he feels like they had enough forwards step up with the roster spots available.
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“I wish there was more.”
Noted guys like Stienburg made strides, and they only need 3.
“I wish some guys would have stepped up and elevated their game more, and they just didn’t.”
Let’s break it down a little bit. The forwards that are making this team no matter what are Nathan MacKinnon, Jonathan Drouin, Mikko Rantanen, Miles Wood, Casey Mittelstadt, Ross Colton, Arturri Lehkonen, and Logan O’Connor.
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That’s 10 roster spots right there. Assuming that they keep seven defensemen and two goalies, that leaves four spots open.
To have four available spots on an NHL team and to not be very impressed with them is a bit concerning. However, despite going through several preseason games already, there’s not a lot to panic about. They’ve got core guys to build around. The players who are fighting to make this team are guys who are not going to play a boatload of minutes every night.
That being said, it would be a great sign if they were able to make Bednar’s job easier in determining who will make the roster.
You’re looking at guys such as Ivan Ivan, perhaps Matthew Phillips, Calum Ritchie (who will get a nine-game tryout this season before the team has to make a decision), and Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, who is on a professional tryout with the team.
When Gabriel Landeskog and Valeri Nichushkin return to the team remains to be seen, although the expectation is that Nichushkin will return sometime in November, when his suspension gets lifted. Even still, it’s possible that the Avalanche hold him out longer to get him into hockey shape. The same goes for Landeskog, who intends to play this season after missing all of the last two years because of his knee injury.
The Colorado Avalanche have just two more preseason games remaining. A handful of players need to step up and show the team that they belong and can make a significant impact for the team in 2024-25.