The Colorado Avalanche are heading into next season with a bottom six that looks a lot more interesting than the usual afterthought.
That’s not always the part of the roster that gets fans buzzing, but this group has a different feel. The Avs have reshaped their depth forwards, and the result could give Jared Bednar more options, more toughness and more scoring than he had a year ago.
The biggest change starts down the middle. Last season, Jack Drury and Parker Kelly handled much of the center work in the lower half of the lineup, though that setup shifted as the year went on. The arrivals of Nazem Kadri and Nic Roy changed the picture completely and overhauled the team’s depth at center.
That made Drury expendable, especially after his contract extension. Kelly, meanwhile, is now in position to slide to the wing, where his forechecking ability can be put to better use.
That shift matters because the Avalanche’s bottom six now looks built around better forecheckers and a lot more physical edge.
Roy appears lined up for the third-line center job, and that role fits him well. His faceoff ability and defensive game make him a natural fit there, assuming Nazem Kadri moves to the wing in the top six.
That alignment would also open the door for Fedor Svehckov to center the fourth line. He looks like a solid replacement for Drury, who eventually ended up on the fourth line after Roy and Kadri arrived.
The wings could be where this group really changes shape. UFA signing Jaden Schwartz should bring more offense to the third line.
He’s a scorer, and he should get chances against weaker matchups. With opposing teams focused on shutting down the top six, Schwartz and even Logan O’Connor could find room to work against less talented competition.
The fourth line also has a chance to bring more bite. Kelly and newcomer Zachary L’Heureux should add punch and some scoring touch there.
Kelly is coming off a 20-goal season, and if he starts fast, there could be a temptation to move him up the lineup. That might push O’Connor down, but it also gives Bednar something he didn’t have much of last season: flexibility.
That may be the most important part of all.
The Avalanche didn’t have much room to maneuver a season ago, and it showed in the playoffs. If Bednar wanted to change things based on the moment, he didn’t have many different combinations to turn to.
This year, he should. If the group stays mostly healthy, he won’t need to lean so heavily on the top six. He can spread the minutes around and use the bottom six more often, which could matter a lot as the season drags on.
Last season made one thing clear: the Avalanche can run out of gas. Fatigue and injuries eventually caught up with them in the playoffs. That’s why Joe Sakic went after depth this offseason, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if he looks for more help around the NHL trade deadline.
For now, the real test comes at training camp. Unless a unique opportunity comes along, the Avalanche probably won’t be adding anyone else before then.
In Other News...
Avalanche Cannot Afford To Let Cale Makar's Extension Drag Out
The Avalanche have a major contract decision looming with Cale Makar, and the timing may matter as much as the money. Colorado is weighing whether to get an extension done before Sept. 16, when the NHLs new collective bargaining agreement takes effect and changes the rules for re-signing your own players. Under the new system, the maximum term drops from eight years to seven, which could reshape both the structure and overall value of a deal for one of the leagues premier defensemen.
Makars camp also has reason to think short term could be appealing, since a shorter bridge would leave open the chance to cash in again as the salary cap rises in future years. From the Avalanches side, there is a strong argument for getting ahead of that and locking in a longer commitment now, especially with projections showing the club could have plenty of room later if it needs to pay a premium. The longer this drags out, the more Colorado risks finding itself negotiating under a less favorable set of rules. [Read more 🡒]