The Colorado Avalanche are next up in this NHL prospect pool overview series.
Tony Ferrari examines the strengths, weaknesses, top players and depth by position in the Avalanche’s prospect pool. He also analyzes their 2024 NHL draft picks and whether they have anyone who could make the jump to the top level next season.
A player who no longer holds rookie eligibility in the NHL is considered graduated and no longer considered a prospect for the purposes of these exercises, except in very specific cases.
First Thoughts
The Colorado Avalanche are still in their competitive window. With a constant desire to remain one of the NHL’s top teams, they’ve traded picks and young players to bolster the core they developed from their last rebuild. This has resulted in a depleted prospect pool but not one completely devoid of talent.
Their top prospect is their first of two first-round picks from last year, Calum Ritchie. The Oshawa center fell in the draft partly due to a shoulder injury that hampered him all year. His return to form this season was impressive, asserting himself as one of the OHL’s best all-around players.
Ritchie will be a player to watch in training camp. He’s said before he wants to make the team next season, and his tactical approach to the game and high-end playmaking might be an excellent fit for a team that will need some offensive punch from their depth. He signed his entry-level contract as well on July 8.
Oskar Olausson has had an up-and-down development path so far, but he’s still just 21 years old. His skating has always been one of his best assets, making his shot a more dangerous weapon when he attacks downhill with speed. Although he played 24 fewer games last season due to injury, he matched his production from the year before with 20 points in 39 contests. If Olausson can get fully healthy this summer under his belt, he could be in line for a breakout season at the AHL level, which should lead to some NHL time beyond the odd one-game stint.
With a few games in each of the last two seasons, Jean-Luc Foudy may find his way into the NHL lineup more consistently this upcoming season. He could be one of the fastest players on the team if he does make the squad. Foudy is a center-driven playmaker who is always looking to put the puck into high-danger areas.
After a decent start to his NCAA career, Colby Ambrosio’s production fell at Boston College last season with eight points in 40 games. He entered the transfer portal, and he’ll play at Miami University in Ohio for his fifth college season and likely his last shot at earning an entry-level contract. He’s undersized, but his playmaking and speed made him one of Colorado’s more intriguing prospects at one point.
A few picks after the Avs took Ritchie, they selected Russian defender Mikhail Gulyayev. The uber-smooth defender is an impressive skater. He can buzz around the offensive zone, looking to find a passing lane or seam to burst through. Gulyayev can lead the rush, carrying the puck up ice and getting his team into the offensive zone. Defensively, he’s quick to close gaps and always tries to apply pressure by cutting down space. Gulyayev has a couple more seasons on his KHL deal, but allowing him to develop at his own pace will be best for him if the Avalanche want him to come in and be the dynamic two-way defender they hope he can be.
The other prospect of note on the blueline is two-time NCAA national champion Sean Behrens. Although undersized, Behrens has proven to be a steady defensive player at the college level, thanks to his impressive skating and excellent reads. Behrens has played various roles for the University of Denver and found ways to be successful in all of them. He signed his entry-level contract, and he will be playing his first pro season, likely in the AHL with the Colorado Eagles.
The Avalanche have a decent pipeline in net, led by Justus Annunen. The Finnish goaltender has earned a spot in the lineup for the upcoming season. How big of a role he has will be up to him. Trent Miner spent the last few years split between the AHL and ECHL, with solid numbers at both levels. The Avalanche drafted three goalies this year as well, which makes it one of their best position groups.
U-23 Players Likely to Be on the NHL Roster
None
2024 NHL Draft Class
Round 2, 38th overall – Ilya Nabokov, G, Magnitogorsk (KHL)
Round 3, 76th overall – William Zellers, LW, Shattuck St. Mary’s (USHS-MN)
Round 4, 121st overall – Jake Fisher, C, Fargo (USHL)
Round 5, 132nd overall – Louka Cloutier, G, Chicago (USHL)
Round 5, 137th overall – Ivan Yunin, G, Omsk Jr. (Rus.)
Round 5, 161st overall – Maxmilian Curran, C, Tri-City (WHL)
Round 6, 185th overall – Tory Pitner, RD, Youngstown (USHL)
Round 7, 215th overall – Christian Humphreys, C/W, U.S. NTDP (USHL)
Round 7, 217th overall – Nikita Prishchepov, C, Victoriaville (QMJHL)
The Avalanche made nine picks at the 2024 NHL draft, their most since 2019 when they made eight. They traded out of the first round in the first of their two moves back, which netted them a couple of extra picks in the process.
When they finally got the chance to step up and make a selection, they were the first team to take a netminder when they picked Ilya Nabokov.
Nabokov was the KHL’s rookie of the year and playoff MVP, helping Magnitigorsk to a Gagarin Cup. He was one of the older players eligible for the 2024 draft, having turned 21 by then.
Nabokov has good lower body strength, exploding laterally when needed. He seals the ice well, forcing players to beat him up top. He isn’t generally out of position and shows excellent post-integration technique. Nabokov isn’t the biggest goalie at 6-foot-1, but he moves well and broke out in a big way in the KHL.
One of the biggest wild cards of the draft, Will Zellers, had a ton of hype coming into the year. He had a solid Hlinka Gretzky Cup for the Americans and went on to pot over two points per game for Shattuck St. Mary’s on the high school circuit. Zellers is quick on his feet and has some nasty dangles, but there is plenty to work on in his game. He doesn’t battle through traffic the way you’d like to see, but that hasn’t hampered his offensive skill. He’s heading to the University of North Dakota, which will be a great place for him to develop.
The Avalanche targeted overage center Jake Fisher in the fourth round. He is a hard-working forechecker who looked to bang and crash below the goal line. He has a good shot, but his offensive game isn’t fully fleshed out just yet. He will have plenty of time at the University of Denver to round things out, though.
Colorado targeted a couple of goalies in the fifth round. They first chose Louka Cloutier, who started most games for the Chicago Steel. Even though it was a tough year for Chicago, Cloutier found ways to keep them competitive when they shouldn’t have been. A few picks later, the Avs nabbed Ivan Yunin out of Russia. The young netminder played most of the season at the U-18 level but saw a handful of games at the MHL level. Neither goalie was among the top names in the class, but both have shown flashes of promise in their young careers.
Maxmilian Curran is a slick passer who can whip the puck around the offensive zone. His 200-foot game is a big reason why he was drafted. The Czech forward was injured in January and missed the remainder of the WHL season, but he did join Czechia at the Under-18 World Championship. Curran isn’t going to be a highlight machine, but he may find a role in the bottom six at the next level.
Colorado added another University of Denver commit, Tory Pitner. He is a smart, two-way blueliner who isn’t going to wow anybody, but he finds a way to be effective in all three zones. Pitner is also a strong defender who reads the play well and doesn’t find himself out of position too often. He isn’t the quickest or most skilled with the puck, but he understands how to play with his tools.
The Avalanche took a couple of nice swings in the seventh round. Christian Humphreys is an excellent passer, and he always seems to be in the right position, but he isn’t the quickest player, and he can get knocked off the puck pretty easily. He will need to build up strength, and going to college will help with that. Nikita Prishchepov is a 20-year-old who has shown growth over each of the last couple of seasons. He brings an interesting combination of size and skill, a worthy swing at the tail end of the seventh round.
Strengths
The Avalanche have a pretty depleted pipeline, but the one area they seem to have filled out, especially after the 2024 NHL draft, is goaltending.
Annunen very well could be this team’s starter by Christmas. If he plays like last year, he should be the go-to guy in the playoffs.
They invested their top pick this year in Nabokov, an overage goalie who was incredible in the KHL this season. He is already 21, so his runway may be shorter, with just one year left on his KHL contract.
Miner has been a serviceable AHL goalie with solid numbers. Maybe he gets NHL games in a pinch this year. Adding Cloutier and Yunin at the draft helps as well.
Weaknesses
Finding a weakness is pretty easy. There are holes all over the prospect pool.
The biggest hole might be on the blueline as, outside of Gulyayev and Behrens, the Avalanche have very little in the way of real impact prospects.
Pitner was a nice addition at the draft this year, but he likely tops out as a bottom-pair defender. Aside from a few players, such as Nikita Ishimnikov and Saige Weinstein, both of which are long shots, the Avs really don’t have anyone in the pipeline on the blueline.
Next Man Up: Justus Annunen, G
Simply put, Justus Annunen was Colorado’s best goalie last season, and it wasn’t close.
He started the year in the AHL and played at a high level with the Eagles. When he finally was called up in February, Annunen asserted himself, and the Avalanche couldn’t send him down because of his play.
Between an illness that kept Annunen out of the lineup and his inexperience, Alexandar Georgiev was the starting netminder at playoff time. Next year when the post-season rolls around, it might ultimately be Annunen in the crease for the Avs.
Prospect Depth Chart Notables
LW: William Zellers, Maros Jedlicka
C: Calum Ritchie, Colby Ambrosio, Jake Fisher, Ivan Ivan, Maxmilian Curran, Nikita Prishchepov
RW: Oskar Olausson, Jean-Luc Foudy, Christian Humphreys
LD: Mikhail Gulyayev, Sean Behrens, Saige Weinstein
RD: Nikita Ishimnikov, Tory Pitner
G: Justus Annunen, Ilya Nabokov, Trent Miner, Louka Cloutier, Ivan Yunin
For a deeper dive into the prospect pool with player rankings, check out the Future Watch and upcoming Yearbook print editions in The Hockey News. And what stands out to you the most about Colorado’s prospect pool? Let us know at our forum.
Related: NHL Prospect Pool Overview 2024-25: Chicago Blackhawks’ Pipeline Bursts with Talent
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Related: NHL Prospect Pool Overview 2024-25: Buffalo Sabres’ Pipeline Stays Strong Despite Trading Savoie
News Summary:
- NHL Prospect Pool Overview 2024-25: Colorado Avalanche Load Up Between the Pipes
- Check all news and articles from the latest NHL updates.