The Colorado Avalanche’s newest under-25 addition comes with a lot more uncertainty than most prospects on this list, and that’s exactly why Zach L’Heureux landed at No. 11 in the Top 25 Under 25.
At 23, the left winger arrives with a profile that could go in two very different directions. He might spend most of 2026-27 grinding away in the AHL the way he did last season, or he could carve out a real role in Colorado and fill a middle-six scoring spot.
That split in opinion showed up clearly in the voting, with L’Heureux drawing a high ranking of No. 7 and a low of No. 33.
The appeal is obvious. Colorado doesn’t exactly have a surplus of edge, and L’Heureux brings plenty of it.
But that edge has also followed him everywhere. He has been suspended at every level he’s played, including nine times in the QMJHL, three times in the AHL, and once in the NHL for a three-game ban after slew-footing Minnesota’s Jared Spurgeon.
That history makes him one of the most complicated players in the organization, especially now that Val Nichushkin is gone. The Avalanche may want more bite, but the question is whether Jared Bednar will trust a player still trying to prove himself in the league.
L’Heureux does arrive with real pedigree. Nashville took him 27th overall in the 2021 draft, and he’s shown enough production to keep the door open.
In his first pro season in 2023-24, he stayed in the AHL with Milwaukee and posted 48 points, including 19 goals, in 66 games. The next season brought a bigger NHL look: just four AHL games, 62 games with the Predators, and 15 points.
He also led all NHL rookies with 198 hits that year, which fits the tone of his game.
Last season, Nashville sent him back to Milwaukee for most of the year, and he responded with 28 points in 30 games. Still, the organization used him in 25 NHL games late in the season, and the results were modest: four goals, one assist, and five points.
That’s the crux of the Avalanche gamble. L’Heureux has the skill, the physical presence, and a track record that suggests there’s something here.
He also has a past that makes every decision around him more complicated. Waivers are no longer on his side, which helped push the change of scenery, and he’s signed for two more years at a one-way $875K cap hit per season.
Colorado has every reason to see if the fit works.
2026 Top 25 Under 25
#25 Nikita Novosyolov
#24 Axel Eloffson
#23 Teddy Lechner
#22 Ivan Yunin
#21 Luka Cloutier
#20 Matthew DiMarsico
#19 Shawn Carrier
#18 Domenick Fensore
#17 Tory Pitner
#16 Jake Fisher
#15 Beckett Hamilton
#14 Linus Funck
#13 Alex Gagne
In Other News...
Avalanche May Need Two Forward Answers Before Makars Next Deal
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Lehkonen brings a track record Colorado values, though his injury history complicates the conversation, while Roys market value could push his next deal into territory that matters for the Avalanches spending flexibility. Before the organization commits fully to Makars next contract, it may need a clearer sense of how much it will take to keep both forwards in the fold, and that makes the summer planning a little trickier than it first appears. [Read more 🡒]
Avalanche Get Another Tough Reminder About Their Prospect Pipeline
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There is still plenty of league-wide business to sort out before training camps open, with several notable restricted free agents unsigned and the usual late-summer maneuvering beginning to take shape. The same survey also touched on the Maple Leafs roster and possible ways to unite brothers in the organization, but for Colorado the bigger takeaway is simpler: the next wave of help still looks like a project, not a certainty. [Read more 🡒]
Jaden Schwartz Could Be Colorado's Smartest Move Or Riskiest Bet
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But this is also the kind of signing that invites a closer look because of the risk attached. Schwartz has missed 294 games over 14 seasons, and while his ability to adapt to different roles could make him valuable in Colorado, his availability has long been part of the conversation. The Avalanche are betting that his experience, his connection to assistant coach Dave Hakstol and his ability to slide into different spots outweigh the uncertainty that comes with adding a veteran whose track record includes so much time on the shelf. [Read more 🡒]