The Colorado Avalanche are only into training camp, but the way they split up their first groups says plenty about how the organization wants to handle its next wave of players.
The big takeaway is simple: the Avalanche are mixing younger talent with established veterans, and that matters. Players in camp get a chance to learn around names like Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar, and that kind of daily exposure can do more for a prospect than almost anything else.
It does not stop there, either. Young players are also sharing the ice and the room with veterans such as Nazem Kadri, Brock Nelson, Devon Toews, and Brent Burns.
For prospects, that is a rare education. Watching how those players prepare, how they read the game, and how they carry themselves gives the younger group a model to follow.
That setup is especially important for a team like Colorado, which does not have a pipeline full of first-round picks waiting to break through. The Avalanche have to make the most of the talent they already have in the system, and that means helping players develop into more than just decent prospects.
TJ Hughes is a good example of that idea. A player like Hughes can gain plenty by being around MacKinnon and Nelson, not because a veteran can somehow turn him into a different player, but because those habits and instincts can help shape him into a top-six NHL center.
The bigger point is that development does not end with scouting. Finding talent matters, but once that talent is in the organization, the next job is to nurture it. Training camp is part of that process.
That same formula is something rebuilding teams often lean on as well. The Chicago Blackhawks did it with Nick Foligno, bringing him in and naming him captain to help Connor Bedard grow into the team’s leader.
Colorado is not rebuilding, but the idea is similar. The Avalanche want younger players who can eventually step into larger roles and keep the machine moving.
That becomes even more important when you look at the roster ahead. Nelson will be a UFA in his age-36 season.
Kadri is 35 this season and could slide down the lineup sooner rather than later. Brent Burns may only be around for this season.
Josh Manson will also be a UFA at age 36 next season.
Those are real openings waiting to happen, and the Avalanche will need the right players ready to fill them when they do.
In Other News...
Avalanche May Have A Real Connor Hellebuyck Opening Now
Connor Hellebuycks situation in Winnipeg has suddenly become one of the most interesting storylines around the league for a Colorado Avalanche team that is always looking for goaltending answers. The Jets announced the goaltender has been suspended after failing to report to training camp, and general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff is expected to explain more when he speaks to the media.
For the Avalanche, the relevance is obvious. A suspension gives Winnipeg the ability to withhold payment because of the contract breach, and it has already sparked talk about where this could go next, from a possible contract dispute to trade chatter. Colorado does not have to do anything today, but with a name like Hellebuyck suddenly in a messy situation, this is the kind of opening that can change quickly. [Read more 🡒]
Avalanche Face A Roster Squeeze They May Not Escape Cleanly
The Avalanche are staring at an early roster dilemma that could shape how they move through the opening stretch of the season. Six players will need to clear waivers for the first time, which means Colorado has to balance keeping enough depth in the organization with the risk of losing someone for nothing if another team decides to take a chance. It is the kind of problem good teams run into, but it is not a simple one, especially when contract status, previous experience and organizational depth all factor into the decision-making.
Some of the names in that group look more like AHL candidates than NHL locks, while others sit in a trickier gray area where the safest move on paper may still carry real downside. Colorado will have to sort through who can be exposed and who cannot, and the answers are not always obvious when a roster is this tight. The next few moves could tell just as much about the Avalanches depth chart as they do about the players themselves. [Read more 🡒]
Avalanche Fans Did A Double Take When Brent Burns Arrived At Camp
Brent Burns showed up at the Avalanches first media availability of training camp looking like the kind of player who can still surprise even after 22 seasons in the NHL. The veteran defenseman arrived with a noticeably cleaned-up face, a fresh trim to his signature facial hair and a smile that looked a little different, thanks to new front teeth replacing the gap-toothed grin fans have associated with him for years.
For Colorado, the visual change was the immediate conversation starter, but Burns remains very much part of the hockey story. He is entering his 23rd NHL season and is closing in on the all-time consecutive games played record while still contributing on the ice, giving the Avalanche a rare mix of durability and familiarity. The team will open its 2026-27 season on Sept. 30 against the Los Angeles Kings, and Burns will be one of the more closely watched figures when the season gets underway. [Read more 🡒]