Colorado Avalanche Prospects Shine in NHL Preseason

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The Colorado Avalanche have a great up-and-coming roster. But who are the young players setting the ice alight?

The Colorado Avalanche has a range of prospective future players on its books. Some of these are scattered across the globe, learning their craft before a move to the main squad. In the preseason, they have shown even more promise than usual. All of this bodes well for the long-term future of Avalanche, and below we discuss who the top picks are.

Ilya Nabokov

Nabokov has been signed on a two-year contract, seeing him through to the 2026-27 season. The 22-year-old was the top pick in the 2024 draft, making the Russian number 38 overall. He was then loaned back to the KHL.

There are already two quality goalkeepers on the team. It seems unlikely Mackenzie Blackwood is likely to go anywhere, and after that, the formidable Scott Wedgewood backs him up. However, the second choice's contract runs out at the end of the season, and age will not be on his side, suggesting that Nabokov will step up to take his place.

It is this forward thinking that saw Avalanche take a much-improved step up last season. This has placed them at odds of around +425 for the Conference and +210 for the Division. You can find the best Colorado sports betting websites reviewed by betting.us. These are based on odds and introductory bonuses, meaning you can find the best deal when wagering on hockey this season.

While Nabokov may not play a huge part in this season, he has a maturity to his positioning that far belies his years. Under a veteran like Blackwood, the goaltender could learn an awful lot. He should also benefit from the loose style of defensive play in the Russian league, and may find having a strong team around him a huge boost.

Mikhail Gulyayev

Gulyayev was drafted at the ripe old age of 18. The Russian from Omsk has gotten increasingly stronger and harder-hitting on the pucks. Standing at 5-foot-10 and weighing 172 pounds, he has both strength and agility. Increasingly, his skating has become much better, being more fluid and dexterous. Despite being a defenseman, he has a very offensively minded game that suits the Avalanche.

Currently in the Kontinental Hockey League, he was drafted 31st overall in the 2023 NHL Draft. He has represented his country at the 2020 Winter Youth Olympics and has split his time between the various Russian leagues. Yet despite coming to a development camp in Colorado, he has yet to play in the US. It is expected that he will arrive for the 2026-2027 NHL season.

When he does arrive, expectations will be high. He has been the unanimous top defenseman since he was drafted. Last season in KHL, he even managed to net seven goals. All of this signals that he is a perfect fit who has shown promise in the pre-season, but has yet to finalise a timeline for his move.

Gavin Brindley

Brindley has been very easy for Avalanche fans to dismiss. At just 5-foot-9, weighing 168 pounds, he is not an imposing figure on the rink. However, the back room staff must believe in the forward's potential, as they traded Miles Wood and Charlie Coyle to the Columbus Blue Jackets for him. Much of the hype surrounding him came from the season following his initial draft. Here, he managed to grab 53 points and 25 goals in 40 games. This resulted in a Player of the Year award and Big Ten Scoring Champion.

His first season had some definite highs and lows. A lot of the doubt has been generated due to a lack of experience, which did show. He gained 17 points in the AHL and didn’t get any NHL games. This was followed by an injury that kept him largely sidelined.

Despite this, his dogged and speedy attitude has garnered him plenty of followers. This is a playstyle that really suits the Avalanches. Internationally, he has really come alive, winning bronze with Team USA Juniors and playing a huge part in the 2024 Gold medal win. He even stepped up and joined the World Championship team for a game.

Sean Behrens

For such a young player, Behrens has already encountered more trials and tribulations than most players do in a whole career. A knee injury that could have been career-ending for an older player kept him off the ice for the entire 2024/2024 season. Selected in the 2021 NHL draft, he had been ready to play his first full pro season when the scrimmage injury took hold.

His attitude during this period was exemplary. He stuck with the team and learned from them despite having to watch from the sidelines. This has so far proven astute. In his first true NHL outing, he had three shot attempts and a plus-1 rating in the 5-1 win over Utah.

These are not the only picks. There is a whole host of excellent young players working their way through the ranks. Many are tipped, but others may simply step up when the time comes. It could be a main roster injury or simply a boost in confidence. The only thing for certain is that with these players, the future of the Avalanche is secure.

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