LOVELAND — Gavin Brindley has had something to prove his entire life.
He arrived at Colorado Avalanche training camp a year ago fresh off a tough first AHL season, and promptly went out and won a spot on the opening-night roster. After spending two-thirds of the season with the Avs, he was sent back to the AHL with the Colorado Eagles.
He’s going to have to prove himself again next year at Avs training camp. It’s just what he does.
“If I’m being honest, I think this is his training camp,” Eagles coach Mark Lestestu said. “With the Avs being out, the full staff is here watching games, watching him play against his peers at the most important time of the year. I think what they do at this time, him in particular, says a lot about who he is.
“I think he’s passed (the test), like his playoff numbers and how he’s playing and taking on a new position. He’s done some things that I think have probably opened up eyes and given himself a leg up on maybe others at training camp.”
Brindley played for Letestu last season, when both were in the Columbus Blue Jackets organization with the Cleveland Lake Monsters. The former was coming off a decorated sophomore season at Michigan, where he was the Big Ten player of the year.
He was injured at the start of the year, and the transition wasn’t easy. Brindley finished with six goals and 17 points in 52 AHL games. He was the No. 34 pick in his draft class, but after one year of pro hockey, the club that drafted him was willing to part ways.
That looked like a mistake when he became one of the early-season surprises for the Avalanche. On an older team, Brindley injected youth, speed and versatility, moving up the lineup when injuries struck. His production slowed as the year went on, and this return to the AHL has allowed him to play more and in more offensive situations.
“Couple big acquisitions at the deadline, and I know the spot that I’m in,” Brindley said. “It is what it is. Itap a good opportunity for me to come here and help the team win, and get a little more offensive, just get more minutes and develop my game, round it out, and just try to be the best pro that I could be. So it’s been great so far, and hopefully keep this thing going.”
Brindley had six goals and 13 points in 56 games with the Avs. He’s got five goals and 12 points in 21 contests for the Eagles, including three goals and six points in the 2026 Calder Cup Playoffs.
The Eagles won Game 2 at home on Saturday night against the Chicago Wolves and are now tied 1-1 in the best-of-seven Western Conference Final. Game 3 is Tuesday night in Rosemont, Ill.
Brindley, at 21, is the youngest player to play for the Eagles in the AHL playoffs.
“It’s kind of been that way my whole life, just playing against older players, bigger players, stronger players,” Brindley said. “Just trying to find the ins and outs in the game that try to help me and learn from mistakes. Itap been good so far. It’s kind of crazy how it all works, being the youngest kind of everywhere you go, but wouldn’t trade it for the world.”
He might be the youngest, but Brindley has played a big part in helping his old Michigan teammate, T.J. Hughes, get settled with the Eagles. He’s also moved to center, in part because captain Jayson Megna was injured earlier in the playoffs after taking a puck to the face.
Brindley and Hughes could be part of a group of young players jostling for a spot on the Avs roster next season. Colorado has 11 forwards under contract plus Jack Drury as a restricted free agent, but one or more of those 11 forwards could be on the move this offseason to free up some salary cap flexibility and also help reshape the back half of the defense corps.
If there’s a competition to take part in, Brindley will be ready.
“He has a tremendous amount of belief in himself, and I think when you’re 5-8, you have to get to this point,” Letestu said. “What I see now is a more confident player with the puck. He has a better understanding of what pro hockey and success in pro hockey is, and playing on the inside, and how hard he checks and competes.
“It’s good to see him take those steps. I’m sure there are a few more that he’d like to take along the way.”
FOOTNOTE: The Avs signed goaltender Nikita Novosyolov to a two-year, entry-level contract Monday. Novosyolov, 21 is an undrafted goaltender in the Avtomobilist system. He appeared in three games for Avtomobilist in the KHL this season, but mostly played for Gornyak-UGMK in the VHL, Russia’s AHL equivalent.
