The Colorado Avalanche may be getting some depth back sooner rather than later.
According to Jesse Montano of Guerilla Sports, Zachary L’Heureux and Logan O’Connor both skated with the team this morning, though neither will be in the lineup tonight. The expectation is that both forwards should be back very soon.
L’Heureux, 23, arrived in Colorado in late June through a trade with the Nashville Predators. His first season with the Avalanche was interrupted by injuries, and he ended up with four goals and five points in 25 regular-season games. The former first-round pick in the 2021 NHL Draft is working his way back from a lower-body injury he suffered in preseason.
O’Connor is also dealing with a lower-body injury, one he picked up in Colorado’s final preseason game ahead of the 2026-27 season. He, too, has been limited by health issues recently, appearing in just 13 games last season. When he’s been available, though, O’Connor has been a valuable penalty killer and has shown he can reach double-digit goals.
Elsewhere in the Central Division, Bowen Byram will not get his return to Buffalo tonight. Rachel Lenzi of The Buffalo News reported that Byram is sitting out against the Sabres because of a family matter. The former fourth-overall pick has played two games with the Blackhawks so far and has not recorded a point, while averaging 24:59 of ice time per game.
The Winnipeg Jets were also missing Gabriel Vilardi at practice this morning. Ken Wiebe of the Winnipeg Free Press reported that Vilardi was given a maintenance day. It stands out a bit this early in the season, especially after Vilardi posted one assist and a minus-2 rating in Winnipeg’s opening-night loss to the Boston Bruins last night.
In Other News...
Avalanche Are About To Learn What T.J. Hughes Really Is
T.J. Hughes got his first taste of the NHL with the Avalanche against the Los Angeles Kings, and it was the kind of debut that told Colorado a little about where he is right now and not nearly enough about where he might go. He spent most of the night on the third line and came away without a point, which is hardly unusual for a player trying to find his footing in his first game at the top level.
Even so, the Avalanche are giving Hughes a real look, including time on the top power-play unit, as injuries have left the roster thin and the coaching staff keeps searching for useful answers. That makes the next few games important for Hughes, who will need time to settle in and show how he fits before Colorados lineup starts to stabilize again. [Read more 🡒]
Avalanche Return To Familiar Tension As Captain Nears A Major Moment
After opening the season with an 8-4 win over the Los Angeles Kings, the Avalanche turn quickly to a familiar Central Division test with the St. Louis Blues in Game 2. Colorado is expected to go back to Mackenzie Blackwood in goal, and the lineup remains without Logan OConnor and Zachary LHeureux as the team tries to keep its early momentum intact while managing the usual early-season turnover.
The bigger focal point is Gabriel Landeskog, who is set to reach his 800th NHL game in this matchup. For the Avalanche, it is another reminder of how much their identity still runs through their captain, even as the season is barely underway and the details around each night continue to matter. [Read more 🡒]
Avalanche Goalie Plan May Be Taking Shape Fast
The Avalanches goaltending picture is already starting to settle into a familiar-looking pattern, with Mackenzie Blackwood getting the nod in the first two games of the season and Scott Wedgewood right behind him as a proven option. Colorado came into the year with two netminders who are both capable of starting, which gives the team real flexibility, but it also means the early rotation is worth watching closely as the coaching staff sorts out how best to divide the workload.
Blackwood has the longer-term edge because of his contract, while Wedgewood is on the shorter deal and could end up carrying a lighter share after starting last season. For a team trying to balance present competitiveness with roster planning, the arrangement suggests Colorado is not just picking a starter, it is managing two viable options with different timelines in mind. [Read more 🡒]