The Colorado Avalanche will be without winger Artturi Lehkonen to start the season, Avs sources confirm. Daily Faceoff originally penciled Lehkonen in as the second-line left winger but does not display a timeline for his return to the ice.
So, the ambiguity surrounding Lehkonen’s injury leaves a huge question mark in the Avs’ top six. Now, Daily Faceoff updated its roster projections including Miles Wood as the second-line left winger.
Is Miles Wood the best option for the Colorado Avalanche to fill Lehkonen’s spot in the lineup?
Wood could be a suitable stopgap solution. If anything, he could greatly benefit from an opportunity to play in the top six alongside Casey Mittelstadt and Nikolai Kovalenko.
However, could Wood take over the spot and run with it? If that’s the case, the Avs could fill out any other bottom-six roles easily and cheaply.
Nevertheless, the biggest concern has to be a prolonged absence by Lekhonen. If that’s the case, and Wood can’t step up, do the Avs need to find another winger to cover for Lehkonen?
That’s a tricky subject. Trading for a legitimate top-six winger won’t be easy or cheap. Perhaps the best the Avs could hope for at this point is that a solid middle-six player hit the waiver wire. Unfortunately, that’s wishful thinking.
It seems that the best choice for the Colorado Avalanche at this point is to fill the open spot from within. Doing so motivates current roster players to work hard in camp, knowing that there could be a top-six spot up for grabs.
Gabriel Landeskog could be the answer to the open left-wing spot
Thus far, we’ve pointed out Miles Wood as a potential option to take over on the second line. But what about other in-house options?
Actually, the answer is quite evident: Gabriel Landeskog.
Landeskog has confirmed he plans to get back on the ice this season. Jared Bednar has also hinted that Landeskog could be back sooner rather than later.
So, why not fill that open second-line spot with Landeskog?
Landeskog would be the best in-house option for that role. Naturally, that is assuming that his surgically repaired knee allows him to play at his usual level.
If that’s the case, the Avs could get the best possible option to fill that open roster spot. As such, someone like Miles Wood filling in temporarily could take the pressure off finding a suitable top-six left winger.
Now, I know that counting on Landeskog is a bit of a long shot at this point. There’s no firm timetable for his return. Also, there is no indication that Landeskog would even be an effective player if he does hit the ice.
But barring a major trade, what other choices do the Avalanche have? For instance, Joel Kiviranta and Parker Kelly are listed on the club’s depth chart. Could they get a look, too? Possibly. But like Wood, they would only be short-term fixes.
If Landeskog cannot come back this year, and if Lehkonen figures to miss significant time, one of the first major moves the Avs could make this season would be to shop for a top-six left winger. Such a deal could come around Christmas when we get a clear picture of who’s in the playoff conversation and who might be looking to sell.