Alarming new report sends shockwaves through Avalanche organization
Photo credit: Christopher Hanewinckel / USA TODAY Sports
A concerning new report has sent shockwaves through the Colorado Avalanche organization, raising serious questions about the depth and future of their prospect pool and prompting fans and management alike to reevaluate the team's long-term development strategy.
In retrospect, the Avalanche remain one of the few teams in the NHL with a legitimate chance of contending for, and potentially winning, the Stanley Cup.
Avalanche's prospect pool ranked among the worst in the NHL.
Aarif Deen from Colorado Hockey Now writes that it's the mid-tier prospects, many of them overage, competing for a chance to earn the coach's confidence as depth forwards.
Player like Zakhar Bardakov, now 24, an overage seventh-round pick by the New Jersey Devils four years ago, fit this category.
It includes smaller forwards such as Gavin Brindley and Danil Gushchin, both of whom were acquired from other teams during the offseason. Others in this group are Ivan Ivana, Nikita Prishchepov, and possibly even Taylor Makar.
"None of those names are likely to blow the doors off. They're not highly touted prospects around the league with overhyped potential to be top point producers. But, aside from Mikhail Gulyayev and Ilya Nabokov (both playing in the KHL), they're the best the Avs have." -Deen
Daily Faceoff's Steven Ellis recently published his prospects rankings, placing the Avalanche 29th out of 32 NHL teams. Similarly, The Athletic's Corey Pronman ranks them in nearly the same position.
This is typical for teams at the peak of their Stanley Cup window. For nearly a decade, Colorado boasted of the league's best prospect pools, producing talents like Mikko Rantanen, Cale Makar, Alex Newhook, Bowen Byram, and Tyson Jost.
"The Avalanche's pipeline could be an issue in a few years, or even as early as 2027. But right now, it makes sense for them to be ranked where they are, given their window to win. Top prospects like Calum Ritchie became trade bait, and first-round picks are being sent out the door regularly." -Deen
At some point, Colorado needs players to progress through their system, ideally a third, fourth, or fifth-round pick to become NHL regulars and help extend their Cup window with the current core.
They need their top draft selections to succeed, whether late first-round picks like Gulyayev or early second- and third-rounders like Nabokov and Francesco Dell'Elce.
| POLL | ||
AOUT 31 | 34 ANSWERS Alarming new report sends shockwaves through Avalanche organization Would you agree that the Avalanche have the worst prospect pool in the NHL? | ||
| yes | 22 | 64.7 % |
| no | 12 | 35.3 % |
| List of polls | ||
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