Colorado Eagles forward TJ Hughes continues to dazzle during the Calder Cup playoffs. The first-year pro scored a beautiful tally during Sunday’s matchup against the Coachella Valley Firebirds, giving Colorado Avalanche fans a glimpse of what’s to come.
Hughes scored a give-and-go tally, taking a feed from Gavin Brindley to put the Eagles up 4-1.
TJ Hughes is awesome, it won't be too long before he's playing for the Avalanche. It's 4-1 Eagles.pic.twitter.com/K4FGvrYrSe
— Avalanche Forever (@citchmook) May 18, 2026
The Eagles took the contest, notching a 2-1 series lead in the best-of-five Pacific Division Finals. The Eagles will have a chance to wrap up the series on Wednesday night at home.
As for Hughes, he notched two points in two regular-season games in the AHL after ending his NCAA season. In nine games this postseason, the 24-year-old has three goals and five points.
Hughes has gotten increasingly confident on the ice. In his last outing against Coachella Valley, Hughes had a playoff-high five shots on goal. Looking at the way he’s been trending, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him get on a real hot streak.
That’s what the Avalanche expected from Hughes when they signed him as a college free agent in April.
Hughes could compete for spot with Avalanche next season
Hughes could be in the mix for a roster spot next season. The Avalanche may have a couple of openings, considering that Joel Kiviranta will be a UFA this summer.
Plus, Ross Colton will be entering the final year of his current deal, with Artturi Lehkonen and Nic Roy also needing new contracts in 2027.
While it seems unlikely the Avalanche might be willing to move on from Lehkonen, Roy, and Colton could become potential trade pieces at some point next season.
As such, supposing that Kiviranta, Colton, and Roy could be moving on at some point or another, there could be more than one roster spot available for younger players like Hughes.
That possibility will depend on how well the Avalanche are playing next season. The expectation will be to run it back one more year with essentially the same lineup as this season. That could well be the case as the Avs look to win back-to-back Stanley Cups.
Regardless of the actual departures over the summer and into the season, injuries will inevitably become an issue. That’s why having players like Hughes in the pipeline could make a huge difference throughout the season.
Avalanche fans will be seeing more of Hughes, Gavin Brindley, and even Chase Bradley next season. Having such pieces in the pipeline will be crucial to ensure the NHL’s deepest team remains that way.
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