The Colorado Avalanche's biggest concern this season will be their lack of salary cap space. The Avalanche are $5.6 million over the cap with plenty of questions on their roster.
Will Gabriel Landeskog finally return from his career-threatening knee injury? Is Valeri Nichushkin going to regain the organization's trust and ever wear an Avalanche jersey? The Avalanche must figure out those questions before targeting some breakout candidates in 2024-25.
The Avalanche have been trying to reach the top of the mountain again after their Stanley Cup win in 2022. They took a big step back in 2022-23 when the Seattle Kraken upset them in the first round of the playoffs. The loss of Landeskog hasn't helped them, but Alexandar Georgiev as their starting goaltender may be the biggest downgrade.
The Avalanche acquired Georgiev for a cheaper cap hit after the cup win, allowing Darcy Kuemper to go to the Washington Capitals in free agency. It looked like Georgiev would cost them another playoff series in 2024 when he had to battle Connor Hellebuyck in the first round against the Winnipeg Jets. However, he outdueled the 2024 Vezina Trophy winner to advance.
It was the end of the road for the Avalanche, but a promising step for Georgiev. The Avalanche fell to the Dallas Stars in the second round, but feel they'll be a better team in 2024-25. It may not be that simple, as they'll need players like Nikolai Kovalenko and Erik Brannstrom to emerge as value additions.
Nikolai Kovalenko's journey to North America
The Avalanche drafted Kovalenko with the 171st pick in the 2018 NHL Draft. He stayed in the Kontinental Hockey League since the draft, and it began to feel like he'd never venture to North America. However, the Avalanche made a surprising move and signed him before the 2023-24 season ended.
Kovalenko played in four games in the American Hockey League, tallying a goal and two assists. The Avalanche recalled him for the playoff run, but he wasn't ready to play full-time minutes. He dressed for two games after Nichushkin left the team, but didn't register any points.
The Avalanche don't believe he will continue struggling at the NHL level. They think a summer of training in North America after getting his feet wet will lead him to a successful 2024-25 season. The Avalanche needs Kovalenko to find a prominent spot on the roster, as his $800,000 salary cap hit helps a team searching for value.
So, what can Avalanche fans expect from the 24-year-old Russian? His value as an offensive player emerged after joining Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod in the KHL. The 2022-23 season was a career-high for the winger, recording 54 points in 56 games. Kovalenko's numbers regressed to 35 points last season, but it makes sense now that we know he was contemplating a move to North America.
A Russian player's move to North America isn't always the smoothest transition, so Avalanche fans must exercise patience. However, if Kovalenko figures out the North American game like he did the KHL, he will be a valuable player for the Avalanche's forward group.
Erik Brannstrom, a perfect fit for Avalanche
It was hard to believe that the Ottawa Senators allowed Brannstrom to enter free agency. They didn't extend a qualifying offer to Brannstrom, which allowed him to choose where to sign his next contract. The Swedish-born defenseman picked the Avalanche, where he joins a stellar cast of puck-moving, fleet-footed defensemen.
Brannstrom has been improving every season with the Senators, including a career-high 20 points in 76 games last year. He may not have developed as quickly as the Senators hoped, but the situation in Ottawa isn't ideal for any player. The Senators haven't been good and don't create the greatest environment to succeed. It seems that Brannstrom could be walking into a situation where he explodes this season.
The most prominent question for Brannstrom is where he will fit in the lineup. The Avalanche usually dress some bigger-bodied, physical defensemen to pair with puck movers like Cale Makar, Devon Toews, and Samuel Girard. They also have Sean Behrens knocking on the door in the American Hockey League to become a full-time member of the defense core.
So, is Colorado planning on embracing their identity on the blueline and dressing six average-sized, above-average skating defensemen? It's unlikely considering we just watched the Florida Panthers bully their way to a Stanley Cup championship. A better possibility is part of their plan to minimize the salary cap is to trade Samuel Girard. Brannstrom is two years younger, has a similar style, and is $4.1 million cheaper on the salary cap.
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