Merkulov, 25, has played in 11 NHL games, including one last season, for the Boston Bruins. The 5-foot-11, 174-pound forward had 24 goals and 61 points for the Providence Bruins in the AHL, and should be a key player for a rebuilt Colorado Eagles squad next year.

The Eagles reached the Western Conference Final of the Calder Cup Playoffs for the first time since joining the AHL in 2018, but six of the club’s top eight scorers from last season and coach Mark Letestu are no longer with the organization.

Merkulov spent one year at Ohio State before signing as an undrafted free agent with the Bruins in 2022. The Avs have also signed veteran forwards Vinnie Hinostroza and Adam Beckman and traded for former first-round pick Fabian Lysell, who along with Merkulov could help replace forwards like Alex Barre-Boulet, T.J. Tynan and Ivan Ivan as impact players for the Eagles with the potential to earn NHL callups.

Lysell, 23, played 12 NHL games two years ago for the Bruins. He’s a 5-foot-11, 186-pound wing who Boston selected 21st overall in the first round of the 2021 draft. He spent the 2025-26 season playing for the American Hockey League’s Providence Bruins and registered 42 points (17goals, 25 assists) in 57 regular-season contests. He ranked sixth in scoring on a team that won the Macgregor Kilpatrick Trophy (AHL’s best record) and also finished fifth in both goals and assists.

From Gothenburg, Sweden, Lysell turned pro ahead of the 2022-23 season and has recorded 163 career points (57 goals, 106 assists) in 219 AHL games as well as three assists in 12 Calder Cup playoff showings — all with Providence. During the 12 games he dressed for the Bruins in the 2024-25 season, he scored one goal and had two assists.

The Avalanche has been acquiring new forwards this offseason after being swept by the Vegas Golden Knights in the Western Conference Final. Before trading for Lysell on June 27, Joe Sakic sent Jack Drury, Chase Bradley, and a 2029 third-round pick to the Nashville Predators on June 24 for forwards Zachary L’Heureux and Fedor Svechkov.

Svechkov and L’Heureux, both 23, are also former first-round picks — Nos. 19 and 27 — from the 2021 draft, who mostly played in fourth-line roles for Nashville last season.

Svechkov, listed at 6 feet and 187 pounds, had four goals and 17 points in 70 games for Nashville last season. L’Heureux, listed at 5-foot-11 and 197 pounds, had four goals and an assist in 25 games.

L’Heureux has a history of playing a physical brand of hockey — and also going beyond the boundaries of legality. He’s been suspended once in two years in the NHL, twice in the AHL, and nine times during his junior career in the QMJHL, for a total of 34 games. He was once suspended for 10 games in the QMJHL for assaulting a fan with his stick. His NHL suspension came in January 2025 for slew-footing Minnesota defenseman Jared Spurgeon. L’Heureux missed some time early in this past season with injury and also played 30 games for the Milwaukee Admirals.

Both players have two years remaining on their current contracts. Svechkov’s cap hit for this coming season and next is $1.25 million. L’Heureux will cost $875,000 against the cap both years. Both players will still be restricted free agents at the end of these deals.

L’Heureux was 10th among Nashville forwards in average ice time per game (13:23) while Svechkov was 13th at 12:05. L’Heureux was a regular on the penalty kill when he was available this season, while Svechkov was not.

 — Corey Masisak contributed reporting.

High-profile trades, trade requests and multiple offer sheets have breathed fire into an offseason that also features one of the weakest free agent classes the league has seen. There was a big shakeup in Denver at the start, with Chris MacFarland off to Nashville. But Joe Sakic and the Colorado Avalanche have stayed out of the fray, mostly.

The Avs look, well, a lot like the Avs from a year ago. After the best regular-season in franchise history followed by a Western Conference flameout, the current status of the roster is going to produce a variety of opinions.

One outer-circle core player and two depth players are gone. Three likely replacements have arrived. Sakic made it pretty clear the plan is to reinforce the roster in February, not early July.

There’s still plenty of time left in this offseason for a further shakeup, but Sakic sounded content after his efficient July 1 work was complete. There is still some business to be done before training camp begins.

There are still some questions to answer this offseason. Here are the biggest ones:

1. When will Cale Makar sign his next contract?

First, old friend Bowen Byram and the Chicago Blackhawks surprised everyone, both with what the team paid to acquire the former Avs defenseman and then the contract — six years at $12.5 million per year.

Byram, for now, would be the highest-paid defenseman in NHL history when his contract begins July 1, 2027. But that distinction isn’t likely to last long. Makar and Quinn Hughes are expected to sign for more this summer.

Then, Leo Carlsson sent shockwaves around the hockey world by signing an offer sheet with the Philadelphia Flyers — five years, $18 million per year. He will be the highest-paid player during the 2026-27 season, whether he stays with the Anaheim Ducks or switches coasts.

How does either of these deals affect Makar? Probably not a lot, but both of those moves have primed everyone for the new financial reality moving forward.

Makar signed his most recent contract on July 24, 2021. That was just a few days before he would have been a restricted free agent. He can be an unrestricted free agent July 1, 2027. Sakic said there will be no such suspense this time.

2. Will Artturi Lehkonen have a new contract by training camp?

‘The Sacrificial Lamb’ is the Avs’ other key potential unrestricted free agent in 2027. He’ll be 32 years old when the next contract starts, but Lehkonen has always been a critical cog in this Colorado machine, and even more so now with Valeri Nichushkin off to Columbus.

This could be a tricky contract for the Avs. His value often surpasses his traditional output. His availability is sometimes an issue. How much longer will he be a critical, impactful player? The Avs do not have any young players who can just step in and replace him. The sooner the better for the Avs on the contract, considering the rising cap ceiling and the cost of business is going up around the league.

3. What about Jared Bednar?

NHL coaches rarely coach on the final year of a contract. Bednar is about to start the final year of his current deal.

Will there be an extension before training camp? Sakic did not give a hard “yes” to a question about that earlier in the offseason, but both he and Kroenke Sports and Entertainment vice chairman Josh Kroenke voiced their support for Bednar shortly after the season ended.

“We’ll figure out later in the summer on all that stuff, but I don’t think he’s worried about it,” Sakic said. “He shouldn’t be worried about it. The contracts will come when they come.”

4. Will there be any more front office changes?

This offseason began with MacFarland leaving the club to become president and general manager of the Nashville Predators. Sakic now has the same role(s) with the Avs, adding GM duties.

MacFarland has traded for or signed several players from the organization, but he also poached Dawson Sprigings — one of the key members of the Avs’ analytics department. Sprigings is now an assistant to the GM in Music City.

The Avs quickly announced two analytics openings — one to replace Sprigings and one to expand Arik Parnass’ department.

Will the Avs have a new GM by the start of training camp? Will anyone in the current front office get a promotion? Will there be a new assistant GM hired to effectively replace MacFarland, or will Sakic’s inner circle remain one person smaller moving forward?

5. Who is coaching the Eagles?

Colorado’s AHL affiliate lost two members of the coaching staff after the Eagles had their most successful AHL season in franchise history. Assistant Kim Weiss, the second woman to be behind the bench of an AHL club, is now the head coach of the expansion PWHL team in Las Vegas.

Former head coach Mark Letestu is also heading to Sin City, for an assistant role with the Vegas Golden Knights. The Eagles will have their third head coach in three seasons, with Aaron Schneekloth also on an NHL bench in Seattle.

6. Who is playing for the Eagles?

It’s been a tough few days for a group that lost in Game 7 of the Western Conference Final. Alex Barre-Boulet and Tye Felhaber have signed with San Jose. Jack Ahcan and Chase Bradley went to Nashville with MacFarland. Jason Polin signed with Buffalo. Ivan Ivan was traded to Boston.

T.J. Tynan signed an AHL deal with Springfield. Valtteri Puustinen is off to Sweden. Jacob MacDonald, Ronnie Attard and Danil Gushchin are all free agents, the latter not qualified so he’s a UFA like the other two.

That’s six of the team’s top eight scorers from the regular season gone, plus a few other key veterans. As it stands right now, the Eagles look like they will be a much younger team next season. There are nine players who were aged 26 or older that saw Calder Cup Playoffs action who are no longer on the roster.

There were some reinforcements added. Forwards Vinnie Hinostroza and Adam Beckman, plus defenseman Domenick Fensore will all likely be staples for the Eagles.

One spot where the Eagles should excel is in net, with Trent Miner back and two young Russians — top prospect Ilya Nabokov and recent signing Nikita Novosyolov ready for their North American debuts. There will also be a few young forwards who do not make the Avs roster who will likely see big minutes for the Eagles.

Getting younger might mean fewer wins, but it could also mean more playing time for guys who might play for the big club at various points in the season.

7. Is this really everyone?

The Avs have 12 forwards, seven defensemen and two goalies on one-way contracts. Sakic made it clear they want to bank as much cap space as possible ahead of the trade deadline.

So … are the Avs really done? There could still be a couple of players added with the Eagles in mind.

There are also a lot of competent NHL players still unsigned. The prices on most, if not all, of them is likely dropping as the days before training camp tick away.

Colorado also has had some success by signing free agents late in the cycle. Jack Johnson and Joel Kiviranta both originally arrived on player-tryout contracts (PTOs) for training camp. The Avs didn’t sign Victor Olofsson until Aug. 20 a year ago.

If this really is everyone, and the Avs do start next season with the 12 forwards, seven defensemen and two goalies currently on one-way contracts, they would have $1,279,159 of cap space on opening night and $5,847,584 of projected space on trade deadline day, .

Goaltenders | Defensemen | Wings

There are only two NHL teams besides the Colorado Avalanche who are in the conversation for best collection of centers and those clubs have combined for five Stanley Cup Final appearances in the past four seasons.

Center talent and depth was undeniably one of the reasons Colorado stormed through the regular season as the league’s top team and breezed by Los Angeles and Minnesota in the first two rounds of the playoffs. It’s also a valid reason for Avs fans to be frustrated.

Florida has two championships and a third Cup Final appearance with Aleksander Barkov, Sam Bennett and Anton Lundell. Edmonton has two trips to the Cup Final with Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins.

But the Avs stalled out in the Western Conference Final this past season with Nathan MacKinnon, Brock Nelson, Nazem Kadri and Jack Drury at center, not to mention Nicolas Roy and others capable of moving to the middle when needed.

Those guys are obviously a big reason why the “Cup or bust” expectations will remain next season.

“The core guys are still here, so we’re going to shoot and try and win another Cup next year, and make it two,” Avalanche president and general manager Joe Sakic said. “But I will tell you, it’s a tough league. We’re not the only team that is trying to win the Stanley Cup. I mean, it’s a deep league. There’s a lot of great teams, and there’s only one team at the end of every year that’s happy.

“With our group, their goal is to try and win another Stanley Cup, and that’s what they’re going to shoot for, and that’s what we’re going to try and hopefully do.”

What just happened

MacKinnon led the NHL in goals for the first time and finished third in the Hart Trophy voting. His 127 points are third-most in franchise history, and he now owns the two best seasons since the club moved to Denver. When MacKinnon was injured blocking a shot with the Avs up 3-2 in Game 3 of the conference final, the season effectively ended in that moment.

Nelson had a great regular season — netting 33 goals, scoring 65 points, and finishing third in the Selke Trophy voting. When he and Valeri Nichushkin were paired together, it was the best 1-2 punch in the NHL at controlling possession and one of the league’s top penalty-killing duos as well. Nelson struggled throughout the postseason, most frustratingly when he failed to convert several great chances against Vegas.

Kadri arrived at the deadline to much fanfare. His production improved with Colorado despite moving down the lineup. He helped the power play surge in March and look competent in the first two rounds. He also sustained a broken finger in April, which kind of got lost among all the other injuries Colorado players were dealing with during the Vegas series.

Drury was OK as the club’s No. 3 center, but was excellent when moved back to his No. 4 role. He’s one of the very best 4Cs in the league and a strong penalty killer.

Roy arrived one day before Kadri, and spent most of his time on the wing. He was strong in a supporting role during the playoffs. Both Parker Kelly and Ross Colton spent some time at center, but coach Jared Bednar liked both more on the wing. Rookie Zakhar Bardakov also spent some of his limited ice time at center and looked like a player who might fit better in the long term as a wing.

“When I look at their team, I guess I lean towards not making a whole bunch of changes,” ESPN analyst Ray Ferraro told The Denver Post. “But I would wonder if there’s a way they can spruce up the middle of the ice with a little more speed? So maybe Kadri needs to go to the wing, and if you do that, can you find a centerman that can play there?

What¶¶Òõap next

The Avs’ center depth and talent looked formidable before the stunning results against Vegas.

Will Nelson bounce back after a tough postseason? He was a consistent playoff performer with the Islanders.

Kadri is a slightly different case because of his history in Denver, but Nelson was much better in his first full season after the trade. Could Kadri, given the unsettling aspects of a trade and the finger injury, find a bump in play next year?

To further Ferraro’s point, Kadri turns 36 years old on Oct. 6. Nelson turns 35 nine days later. MacKinnon will be 31 in September, though he obviously remains one of the fastest, most dynamic players in the sport. Roy turns 30 in February.

It is an interesting idea, trying to find a younger center with more pace to join the group. Kadri had mixed results on the wing when he spent some time there for the Avs.

Drury is a restricted free agent and is one of the keys to this offseason. With Colton off to Nashville, the Avs have nearly $7 million in cap space. They also need to sign at least two NHL defensemen.

While Colorado views Drury as a No. 4 center and would certainly like to keep him, there is probably a team or six out there that would like to have Drury as an option for its No. 3C role. If the two sides can’t find the middle ground on a contract, the Avs could hold their ground and see what an unpleasant arbitration process yields.

That would likely lead to a one- or two-year contract and more than likely a new team in the near future. If Drury won the arbitration case, that could cause salary-cap-related problems for the club. Or the Avs could explore a trade for Drury’s rights before it ever got to that.

If everyone is here on opening night, the Avs still have a very strong 1-4 up the middle with Roy and Kelly as solid options in reserve. High-profile college free agent addition TJ Hughes can also play center. He’s been an offense-first player, but his college coach believes he can help an NHL team in the near future in any role.

Future depth chart

*Unrestricted free agent in 2027; + Restricted free agent on July 1; # RFA in 2027

There was also a stretch early is his career where he provided plenty of offense along with all those penalty minutes — three times he had 15-plus goals and 45-plus points as a defenseman with Chicago and Edmonton.

This is his first season as an assistant coach for San Diego in the AHL. The Gulls play the Colorado Eagles in Loveland on Friday night, so he had the chance to catch his son’s NHL game Thursday night.

He ended up watching his son accomplish something that he never did at this level. Josh Manson had two goals, four points and an early fight in the Colorado Avalanche’s 8-2 win against the Ottawa Senators at Ball Arena.

“It was fun,” the younger Manson said. “I don’t think he’s ever seen that before. He’s seen me fight. He’s maybe seen me score, but I don’t think he’s ever seen … well, actually, nobody’s ever seen that before out of me in the NHL, so it was the first for everybody, including myself.”

Josh Manson’s monster night included career highs in goals (2) and points (4). His father scored two goals in a game six times, and he had a one-goal, four-point, one-fight night in his career. But never two goals, four points and a tilt.

The younger Manson had a fight, a goal and an assist, or a Gordie Howe hat trick, before the game was 23 minutes old. He was on the ice for five Avalanche goals and neither of the Senators’ tallies. He was also the co-leader in shots on goals (5) and hits (3).

“Well, that was something,” Avs coach Jared Bednar said. “I mean, he had a Gordie Howe hat trick early in the second period, and then he just kept coming. He was involved in everything tonight — the physicality of the game, what we just normally evaluate him on the defending and all that was good, and then on the offensive side of it. He just had a fantastic night.”

The fight happened barely more than two minutes after the opening puck drop. Ottawa defenseman Tyler Kleven lined up Ivan Ivan for a big hit near the center red line as the Avs callup was sending the puck into the Senators zone.

Kleven is a big hitter, and that was a perfectly clean one. For a team that played last night, it was a tone-setting adrenaline boost that his teammates surely appreciated.

Manson had other ideas.

“It was kind of just one of those things,” he said. “The hit was … I thought the hit was actually OK. And I’ve kind of complained in the past where if it’s a clean hit, you shouldn’t really have to fight. So I just kind of presented myself there if he wanted. I felt like it was a good time for our team. Hopefully, spark us here on home ice on this home stand, coming off two losses. And so he obliged.”

It proved to be a pretty physical evening at Ball Arena. Kleven’s hit and the fight with Manson got it started, and then the lopsided nature of the score helped fan the flames.

Samuel Girard, with and none since 2019, dropped the gloves with Senators star Tim Stützle early in the third period. He nearly got into another later in the period. Avs goaltender Scott Wedgewood even got involved in a post-whistle dust-up.

“They’ve got some guys that are going to forecheck hard and finish plays, especially in a frustrating game like that,” Wedgeood said. “You try and let Sammy and Manson know who’s coming. They’re gonna get their licks in, and then I got a jab there. I just wanted to see if he wanted to come on my podcast, or whatever the conversation was.

“But it was also our guy was going to get two on one’d, so just kind of grabbed on to make sure he wasn’t getting mauled before we can get reinforcements. And I’m not going to do anything, but it was fun for a second.”

The Avs didn’t get to 32-4-7 and a double-digit lead over the rest of the NHL following the same blueprint for success every night. They’ve proven they win just about every type of game. Low-scoring, physical, wide-open, chaotic — the Avs have been comfortable in all types of contests.

“I think we’re going to be tested, right?” Manson said. “You lose (Devon Toews). You lose Gabe (Landeskog) and we lose two games there. So I think this was kind of the first step in building that mental fortitude that we can rely on depth, and we can go out and play against good teams. I mean, that’s, that’s a good team across the way … so that was a big win.”

They were well down the organizational depth chart for the Colorado Avalanche one year ago. And now, here they are, primed to be critical players for the Colorado Eagles this season, but also potentially key depth players for the parent club as well.

“I think I spend more time with Jack than I do my wife,” joked Aamodt, who rooms with Ahcan on the road. “I think my wife knows that, too. We spent quite a bit of time together. We’ve had a couple great years together with the Eagles and really enjoy our friendship.”

Colorado went on a depth defenseman shopping spree during the 2024 offseason. The Avs added Calvin de Haan, Oliver Kylington, Jacob MacDonald, Calle Rosen and Erik Brannstrom in July and August. They claimed John Ludvig on waivers in early October.

All of those guys were ahead of Ahcan and Aamodt on the depth chart. Fast forward to this season, and none of them are. MacDonald had a historic season in the AHL last year with 31 goals, but he’s out for months after hip surgery.

The rest are no longer with the organization. Brent Burns is here to replace Ryan Lindgren, who arrived at the trade deadline after no one from that collection of bargain options could lock down a regular spot. But the only other defenseman with NHL experience added was Ronnie Attard, who has been put on waivers and sent to Eagles camp.

Keaton Middleton is the Avs’ clear No. 7 defenseman, and as of now, the next guys up are Ahcan and Aamodt.

“It’s pretty cool,” Ahcan said of seeing the duo slowly climb up the depth chart. “You’re trying not to think about it too much. Just play your own game. Playing with the Eagles the last two years, it¶¶Òõap been awesome. I love it up there. And it’s really just kind of going to work, and whatever happens, happens. Try to have a good camp every year and make it a hard decision for them to make.”

They are different types of players. Ahcan is diminutive, listed at 5-foot-8 and 180 pounds, but he’s quick and an offensive driver for the Eagles. Aamodt, at 6-foot and 201 pounds, plays a more physical, defensive style.

They are both from Minnesota. They haven’t played together a lot as a pairing with the Eagles, but that could change with MacDonald’s injury.

“It¶¶Òõap tough seeing J-Mac go down, but it¶¶Òõap nice to be one of those (key) guys,” Ahcan said. “If we are down there, it¶¶Òõap nice to be a leader and take pride in that and kind of lead the charge with an older group and a new coaching staff coming in, too.”

Both were undrafted. Ahcan, 28, spent three years with the Bruins and got nine NHL games with Boston before signing with Colorado. Aamodt, 27, signed with the Avs after four years at Minnesota State and is trying to be the next Colorado player to go from undrafted free agent to NHL regular.

Aamodt made his NHL debut at the end of last season, getting to play in the final two games of the regular season and collecting his first career goal in the finale at Anaheim.

“It was super cool,” Aamodt said. “Over the summer, you get asked (about the NHL) quite a bit. It¶¶Òõap a good thing. It¶¶Òõap all these people who helped you get there along the way, like people at the hometown rink, on the golf course, family and friends. No one gets there alone. It was really cool to share that experience with them.”

Ahcan played in those two games as well. Now, the pair is looking for more.

If the Avs aren’t active on the waiver wire before the regular season begins, they should be next in line when the defense corps needs help.

“It’s not just about the couple (NHL) games,” Avs coach Jared Bednar said. “That’s a good indicator that it wasn’t too much for them. They weren’t overwhelmed. They kept playing the game that we’ve seen them play with the Eagles.”

Footnotes: Bednar said Samuel Girard (lower body) could join the full-team practice Monday for the first time during camp. Girard is still trying to be ready by opening night.

The Avs have cut 13 players from NHL camp over the past two days, including Ivan Ivan, who was in the mix for the No. 4 center role, and former University of Denver defenseman Sean Behrens.

The month began with a career-affirming contract and ended with his wedding. For the Kellys, their time in Colorado is just getting started.

“It was a fun summer,” Kelly said. “We had lots of other weddings to go to (as well). We’re kind of getting into that age where everyone is getting married, so we were pretty busy.”

Kelly signed a two-year contract on July 1, 2024 with the Avalanche. At the time, he was a relatively unknown 25-year-old forward who had just set career bests in goals, points and games played with the Ottawa Senators.

Fast forward 365 days, and the Avs had several players entering the final year of their contracts who were eligible for extensions. Kelly was the first to sign, inking a four-year pact worth $1.7 million per year — more than double what he made his first season with the club.

He’s now under contract for five more seasons in Colorado, and is one of six players on the roster signed through at least 2030.

“Easy,” Avs coach Jared Bednar said when asked what made Kelly a player the organization wanted to commit four more years to. “Just watching him operate every day. He’s a committed guy. Love his skating. We have the flexibility with him to be able to play middle or the wing.

“Just a highly competitive guy that wants to win, and his details are really good. Kind of fits the mold of what we’ve had in our successful third and fourth lines in the past. So he’s easily identifiable as a guy that we can move forward with.”

Kelly finished his first season in Denver with eight goals and 19 points over 80 games, almost identical numbers from the previous year in Ottawa. He became a trusted glue guy for the Avs, starting the year at center for the first time in his professional career and then settling in as the wing on Bednar’s new “identity line” next to Jack Drury and Logan O’Connor.

For all of the star power this franchise possesses, it’s not a coincidence that O’Connor and Kelly are two of those six Avs with contracts that reach the next decade.

“I was on the (golf) course with my dad,” Kelly said. “We were just like, ‘What? This is crazy.’ But now there’s expectations with this contract, too. I’m ready to take that stride and live up to those expectations. There’s also responsibility, too. They put their trust in me, and now I’ve got to return the favor. I’ve got to show that on the ice and off the ice.”

Playing center was new for Kelly last year, just like it was for Ross Colton the season before. The Avs needed both to make the move out of necessity.

This season, Bednar would like to keep both players on the wing. Drury was the club’s No. 4 center after arriving in January, and the Avs would like him to prove he can center the third line. They also have three young players — Zakhar Bardakov, Ivan Ivan and Nikita Prishchepov — who could emerge as the 4C.

“Look at (Kelly’s) analytics, look at his game in Ottawa — one of his major strengths is how effective he is on the forecheck,” Bednar said. “He played center for us for half the season, then we got Drury. We moved him to the wing, and immediately, you saw the impact he could make on the forecheck and just how good that line was. So I don’t want to take away that strength to put him in the middle.”

For Kelly, the burden of playing in a contract year, the wondering and worrying about the future, has been lifted. After three years of trying to force his way into the NHL and two in Ottawa trying to carve out a role, he’s found a home.

“It was a lot of fun to go through that process,” Kelly said. “Happy to stay here and get some insurance. It was a great day and we celebrated with lots of friends and family. It was awesome.

“It¶¶Òõap a great city to live in. My wife and I love it here. It¶¶Òõap a direct flight from Edmonton. There’s no layover in Toronto, which is nice. It¶¶Òõap an easy flight for family to come down and see us.”

What are the expectations for Zakhar Bardakov this season? Will he see any NHL time, or is he strictly playing for the Eagles?

— John B., Houston 

Avalanche general manager Chris MacFarland met with the media three times in short order — after the Charlie Coyle/Miles Wood trade, after the NHL draft ended and after the club signed Brent Burns. He mentioned Zakhar Bardakov as a player the Avs are excited to see in training camp twice.

It was certainly notable. When the GM goes out of his way to mention a player twice, he moves up the list of intriguing players at camp in a hurry. I was covering the Devils when they drafted Bardakov to very little or no fanfare in the seventh round in 2021.

He was similar to Nikita Prishchepov, a Russian overage prospect very late in the draft. The difference was Prishchepov played in the QMHJL, while Bardakov had just finished his first full season of KHL action.

Bardakov didn’t look like a future NHL player after the Devils drafted him. What’s changed? Well, he moved to a better KHL team — SKA Saint Petersburg — and 2024-25 was a breakout season for him. Bardakov nearly doubled his career high in points (35) and nearly matched his total from the previous four years combined in goals (18).

Is he actually going to win a spot on the Avs roster? We’ll see. I think a decent comp for him might be a not-as-fast Miles Wood. Similar in size and a desire to create chaos on the ice. Whether or not that will translate for Bardakov on the smaller ice and in a much faster paced game is to be determined.

Has there been conversation on how/if they will address scoring depth?

— M_Stefski, via Reddit

Who are some guys that could fill the bottom-six forward spots?

— CurrentAmbassador435, via Reddit

If everyone is healthy, the Avs have four obvious guys for the bottom six — Ross Colton, Jack Drury, Logan O’Connor and Parker Kelly. O’Connor is expected to miss the start of the season after hip surgery, but eventually he’ll slot in.

That leaves three spots in the opening-night lineup, and probably a fourth as the extra, up for grabs. The Avs will almost certainly add at least one more forward, if not multiple guys, before camp starts — even if it’s someone on a tryout deal.

It could be a wide-ranging, wide-open competition in training camp. I think Ivan Ivan should be the favorite to lock down one of the jobs, but he’s got to play more like he did at the beginning of the year than he did towards the end after his demotion.

Prishchepov was a nice story last year, but he’s got to prove the handful of solid NHL games he played were not a small-sample burst. Bardakov is clearly going to have a chance to skip the line on some Eagles guys if he looks the part.

Matthew Stienburg might not be a bad bet. Avs coach Jared Bednar took a bit of a liking to him last year before the suspension. He and Bardakov are probably the guys who play the most like typical fourth-line forwards.

If Bednar decides he’s just taking the guys who can help him win right now, Alex Barre-Boulet and Jason Polin could win spots as well. Gavin Brindley has the most upside of the bunch. If things ever click for Oskar Olausson — and this year might be his last chance to make that happen — he could move to the front of this group, but it might take a few strong preseason games before the Avs believe in the improvement.

Any update on Joel Kiviranta? He helps our bottom 6 be strong and would hate to lose him.

— PigletAmazing1422, via Reddit

Of all the guys still on the open market, Kiviranta makes the most sense for the Avs. They know him. Bednar trusts him. So why is he still out on the market?

Kiviranta scored a career-high 16 goals this year. He’s spent the past two years on league-minimum deals, so this was likely his best chance to cash in and get a nice contract. If another team had signed him to a three-year deal worth $1.5-1.75 million per on July 1, the reaction would have been, “Good for Kiviranta, that’s solid for him and his new team.”

So what gives? Teams don’t expect him to score 16 times again, which is fine. Even as a 10-goal guy, he’s worth more than the league minimum.

I think he’s also getting squeezed in the Summer of Smashmouth Hockey. Kiviranta is a good NHL player, a solid fit for anyone’s fourth line and even third on some clubs. But he’s not big and he’s not mean. And everyone in the NHL is trying to get bigger and meaner because the Panthers keeping winning.

He could still end up back with the Avs. Here’s one theory why he and his agent might be willing to wait — the Dallas Stars are probably still going to find a team to take Matt Dumba’s $3.75 million off their books, which will get them under the cap ceiling and leave about $2 million in space to play with.

The Stars are the other team that knows Kiviranta well. He might still be able to get a little more money — from the Avs, Stars or someone else — if he waits out the Dumba situation.

Are there any indications that the Avs might get another outdoor game appearance soon? Utah owner Ryan Smith indicated that Mammoth may be involved in an outdoor game, and the Avalanche would seem to be a logical, easily-marketable opponent.

— Keith L., Seattle

It certainly makes sense for Utah to host an outdoor game soon, just as Seattle did in 2024. And the Avalanche is the most logical opponent, to help the league try and build up something of a regional rivalry.

The TL;DR version: Yes, the Avs should play the Mammoth in an outdoor game in Utah and, yes, it could be awesome.

The two big questions would be where and when. The two candidates for where are Utah’s Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City or BYU’s LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo. They are two of the prettiest settings in college football. If you’re not a CFB fan, do a google image search. If the weather cooperates, either would be a titanic home for the NHL from a game presentation standpoint.

Rice-Eccles is in the same city as the Mammoth, but don’t rule out Provo. Edwards Stadium is bigger, and most importantly … Smith is a BYU guy. He’s the BYU guy right now, helping transform the Cougars into a potential recruiting powerhouse in both football and basketball.

When is probably less tricky. The days of the NHL hosting a Winter Classic in a major college stadium are likely over, thanks to the expanded college football playoff. As of right now, only the first round is on campus (Dec. 19-20 this coming season), but that could very well be expanded as the playoff itself grows in 2027 and beyond.

So, that means a Stadium Series game, likely in February or very early March. One question that needs to be answered — is either stadium winterized? That was the hold up for Ohio Stadium, but the expanded playoff and the ability to host games was the nudge Ohio State (and Penn State, which will also likely host an outdoor game) needed to get that done.

One final wrinkle — Rice-Eccles is going to host the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2034 Winter Olympics, and a big expansion/renovation is planned. When that starts could affect the NHL’s plans if it doesn’t grant the Mammoth a game in the next couple of seasons.

Well, the past couple of days removed a lot of the seasoning.

Fifteen players have signed contracts worth $5 million per season or more in the past week, while veteran players Jamie Benn, Patrick Kane, John Tavares and Jonathan Toews have all agreed to deals below that threshold as well. Several of the big deals went to pending restricted free agents, but the top of the UFA class disappeared when Mitch Marner, Sam Bennett, Aaron Ekblad, Brad Marchand and others took their names off the market.

The names might not be as big on Tuesday, but there are still plenty of teams with a lot of salary cap space as free agency opens in the NHL, so expect to see some not-elite players sign larger-than-expected contracts.

The Colorado Avalanche has a little bit of cap flexibility, but also several depth spots on the roster to fill. Don’t expect the Avs to get into a bidding war for any of the top names still available, but they could also make another trade to free up more cap space, fill one or more of those holes or both.

Colorado does have several players hitting the free agent market Tuesday, including forwards Jonathan Drouin, Joel Kiviranta and Jimmy Vesey, plus defensemen Ryan Lindgren and Erik Johnson.

NHL free agency updates

Day 1: July 1

1:05 p.m.: The Avs bolstered the blue line for the Eagles by signing Ronnie Attard to a one-year, two-way contract. Attard, 26, was a third-round pick in the 2019 NHL draft. The 6-foot-3, 208-pound defenseman split last season between the Philadelphia Flyers’ and Edmonton Oilers’ AHL affiliates. He has 29 games of NHL experience with the Flyers, spread across the previous three seasons.

12:55 p.m.: Jonathan Drouin is moving on.

Drouin signed a two-year, $8 million contract with the New York Islanders, becoming the second UFA to leave the Avs on the first day of free agency. Drouin had 30 goals and 93 points in 122 games across two seasons with the Avs.

He signed two one-year contracts with Colorado, and was one of the best bargains in the NHL both years. Drouin came to Denver to reunite with his friend Nathan MacKinnon and help rebuild his value. In doing so, the Avs got a productive forward on a cheap contract who also evolved in a much better two-way player during his tenure.

Drouin goes to the Islanders to play for Avs legend Patrick Roy. He’s also there in part because the Isles had some extra cap space they wouldn’t have if Brock Nelson had signed before the trade deadline last season and not ended up in Denver.

11:30 a.m.: The first of Colorado’s free agents has found a new home.

Ryan Lindgren has agreed to a four-year, $18 million contract with the Seattle Kraken, according to multiple reports. Lindgren just concluded a one-year deal at the same $4.5 million AAV. The Avs acquired Lindgren, along with Jimmy Vesey, from the New York Rangers before the trade deadline for Calvin de Haan, Juuso Parssinen plus second- and fourth-round picks.

Lindgren had two goals and an assist in 18 games for the Avs. He had played mostly on New York’s top pairing with Adam Fox, but settled into a No. 4/5 role with Colorado.

10:45 a.m.: Colorado retained two key players for the Eagles on one-year contracts.

T.J. Tynan, 33, and Jack Ahcan both signed one-year deals to remain with the organization. Tynan had eight goals and 49 points in 52 games for the Eagles last season. He also had one point in nine games for the Avalanche.

Ahcan, 28, had five goals and 41 points in 69 games for the Eagles. He also played in the Avs’ final two games of the regular season.

10:20 a.m.: The Avalanche signed one of its forwards with one year remaining on his current contract, but it wasn’t the one people might have been expecting.

Parker Kelly signed a four-year, $6.8 million extension Tuesday, a league source confirmed to The Denver Post. The deal will carry a $1.7 million cap hit. It doesn’t start until 2026-27 and runs through 2030.

Kelly, 26, joined the Avs a year ago on a two-year, $1.65 million deal. He had eight goals and 19 points in 80 games for the Avalanche, spending a large chunk of the season as the No. 3 center before settling in on the wing of the fourth line after the club revamped its roster.

This was the first day Kelly was eligible to sign a new contract. Martin Necas, Jack Drury, Josh Manson, Scott Wedgewood and Sam Malinski are all eligible for new deals that begin in 2026.

10:00 a.m.: Monday was the deadline to extend a qualifying offer to restricted free agents. The Avs did not qualify forwards Jean Luc-Foudy, William Dufour, defenseman John Ludvig and goaltender Kevin Mandolese, so they are all officially unrestricted free agents.

Avalanche depth chart

Here’s where the Avalanche depth chart stands the morning of July 1, before the free agent frenzy gets started:

Artturi Lehkonen – Nathan MacKinnon – Martin Necas
Gabe Landeskog – Brock Nelson – Valeri Nichushkin
Ross Colton – Jack Drury – Parker Kelly
??? – ??? – ???

Internal options: Ivan Ivan, Nikita Prischepov, Zakhar Bardakov, Matthew Stienburg, Jason Polin

Devon Toews – Cale Makar
Samuel Girard – Josh Manson
??? – Sam Malinski

Internal options: Keaton Middleton, Wyatt Aamodt, Jacob MacDonald

Mackenzie Blackwood
Scott Wedgewood
Trent Miner

Injured: Logan O’Connor (hip)

And here’s some reading material to get updated on the Avs’ offseason to date:

Avs sign RFA Sam Malinski

Avs have clarity, cap flexibility … and could be patient

Avs trade Charlie Coyle, Miles Wood to Columbus

Avs 2025 NHL draft tracker

Renck: Avs re-signing Brock Nelson puts Chris MacFarland, Jared Bednar on notice

Avs sign Brock Nelson, answer biggest offseason question

The Avs made their second big move of the offseason Friday, trading Charlie Coyle and Miles Wood to the Columbus Blue Jackets. It’s a move that weakens the team’s present depth at forward, but also allows the club more flexibility to fill out the edges of the roster.

Colorado received the No. 77 pick in the 2025 NHL draft, a second-round selection in 2027 and prospect Gavin Brindley in the trade, which also clears $7.75 million in salary cap for this coming season.

“We believed in (the 2024-25) group tremendously, and it still stings,” Avs general manager Chris MacFarland said. “Our cap was tight, right? It’s still tight for this year, and this was an opportunity to loosen it up a little bit. We’re really excited about that aspect of it, and obviously it comes at the expense of losing good hockey players and good people.”

By removing Coyle and Wood from the cap ledger, the Avalanche now has $9.725 million in space with 10 forwards, four defensemen and two goaltenders signed to one-way contracts. One of those forwards, Logan O’Connor, is expected to miss the start of the season after hip surgery, so Colorado could have an extra $2.5 million in space available until he’s ready to return.

A fifth defenseman, Sam Malinski, will still be under team control if he doesn’t have a new contract by July 1 and becomes a restricted free agent. MacFarland said the club will qualify Malinski in the coming days and hopes to get a deal done with him soon.

Brindley was the No. 34 selection in the 2023 NHL draft and instantly becomes one of the Avs’ top prospects, albeit in a thin system. He had six goals and 17 points in 52 games in the AHL last season, but the 20-year-old wing was one of the youngest players in the league.

He had 25 goals and 53 points in 40 games as a sophomore at Michigan the previous year.

“Going back to his draft year, he’s a high-motor, tenacious player that plays with really good pace,” MacFarland said. “That book has traveled and just followed him to pro hockey.”

The 2025 third-round pick gives the Avs three selections in this week’s draft, along with fourth- and seventh-round picks. Both of the draft picks in this deal could become valuable trade chips, whether Colorado makes those selections or deals them ahead of time.

Colorado traded for Coyle just before the trade deadline last season in a deal that sent Casey Mittelstadt, prospect William Zellers and a 2025 second-round pick to the Boston Bruins. Coyle slotted in as the club’s No. 3 center for the stretch run and opening-round playoff series loss to the Dallas Stars.

When the Avs signed Nelson to a three-year, $22.5 million contract earlier this month, it left the team with little cap space and several depth spots on the roster still to fill. Coyle will cost $5.25 million against the cap in 2025-26, the final year of his current contract.

Coyle was an instant fit with the Avs. He had 13 points in 19 regular-season games, and coach Jared Bednar raved about his all-around game and versatility. But Coyle was also one of several key forwards who did not produce offensively against the Stars. He had one goal and no assists in the series.

The Avs signed Wood to a six-year contract with an average annual value of $2.5 million ahead of the 2023-24 season. Wood had four goals and eight points in 37 regular-season games this past season, missing a huge chunk of it with a lingering back injury. He appeared in only one playoff game after Colorado bolstered the forward group at the deadline.

Colorado still has Jack Drury, Parker Kelly, Ross Colton and Ivan Ivan as potential options to fill out the center depth chart behind Nathan MacKinnon and Nelson. Drury was the No. 4 center after Nelson and Coyle arrived at the deadline.

MacFarland also mentioned Zakhar Bardakov, a 24-year-old prospect the Avs acquired in March 2024 from the New Jersey Devils, as a player who could earn a job during training camp.

“We know what we’ve got in terms of cap space and roster holes. You do the math and try to figure it out,” MacFarland said. “We’ll look at anything we can to improve, including the back end. I think the only area that we’re probably set as we sit here tonight is in net.”