Preseason Preview: The Colorado Avalanche faceoff against the Dallas Stars on Monday night

The Colorado Avalanche hit the ice for the first time this preseason, taking on the Dallas Stars at Ball Arena.

The Stars are coming off a 2-1 over the St. Louis Blues in their preseason opener. Meanwhile, the Avs will be looking to open the preseason with a win over their fierce division rivals. The game marks the first time these two clubs meet since the Stars knocked out the Avalanche in last season’s playoffs.

With that in mind, here’s a look at three points to consider for tonight’s Avs preseason opener.

Three points to consider for the Colorado Avalanche’s preseason opener

Expect to see plenty of regulars in the lineup for the Colorado Avalanche

Fans should expect to see plenty of regulars in the lineup such as Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar. Given the game will open the official preseason schedule at Ball Arena, a packed house warrants seeing the Avs’ major stars on the ice.

It remains to be seen which non-roster players suit up to round out the lineup. Coach Jared Bednar should insert players vying for a roster spot such as PTO signee Pierre-Edouard Bellemare.

The starting goaltender is a question mark

The safest bet will be to see Justus Annunen see some action in goal tonight. It seems doubtful that Alexandar Georgiev may get the start. Perhaps one of Kevin Mandolese or Trent Miner could see some action as well.

While the goaltending tandem seems set with Annunen and Georgiev this season, Mandolese or Miner could push Annunen for the backup job. Of course, Annunen seems the likeliest candidate to start the season in Colorado. But then again, there’s no telling what a strong camp could do for the other two goalies in the mix.

Fans could get a look at Cal Ritchie

Cal Ritchie, the Avs’ first-round pick in 2023, could draw into the lineup. Ritchie has been the subject of speculation regarding his role with the Avs. While it’s highly likely the 19-year-old heads back to the OHL for his final season, the Avs will surely want to see him in NHL action.

Getting Ritchie into a couple of preseason games would make sense at this point. In fact, Ritchie could even earn a nine-game audition before heading back to Junior.

However, there’s always the possibility Ritchie could stand out in the preseason, earning himself a spot out of camp. In the meantime, the Avalanche will want to see what Ritchie can do in real-game situations before making a final call.