Gavin Brindley made a strong early case for himself, and the Colorado Avalanche got what they needed from their goaltenders in a 4-1 preseason opening win over the Utah Mammoth on Sunday.
With head coach Jared Bednar signaling Saturday that the lineup would lean veteran, the Avalanche rolled out a group that included a full second and third line in their current form, plus both top-line wingers. Beckett Hamilton centered the first line, while Nathan MacKinnon stayed out, and the fourth line was filled with players trying to push their way onto the roster or into the first wave of call-ups if injuries hit.
Hamilton did his part by landing on the scoresheet. He was in the right spot after Martin Necas picked off a pass near the net and turned it into a chance.
Brindley, though, was the standout. Skating alongside Gabe Landeskog and Nazem Kadri, he looked lively from the jump and helped set up the give-and-go with Kadri that made it 2-1. He finished with a goal, an assist and two shots in 15:43, and he also assisted on Taylor Makar’s late third-period goal.
What stood out most was the way Brindley played. He chased pucks, moved well and showed the same edge he flashed early last season.
That’s the version of him that can stick. The challenge now is doing it long enough to become a regular NHL option for this team.
Bednar also gave Brindley some penalty-kill time, which could be another path to more usage. Brindley logged just 2:54 on the PK last season across 56 games.
Makar drew praise from Bednar as well, with his goal coming off pure persistence.
“I noticed Brinds right away. The competitiveness, the speed of the game, his skating, he’s quick all over the ice,” Bednar said.
“He was relentless on pucks. I put Taylor Makar in that same category.”
T.J. Hughes had a quieter night.
Nothing much popped either way, which isn’t unusual for a preseason opener, but the shorter schedule could make it harder for the staff to get a full read on everyone. Hughes did have his best stretches on the power play from the left circle, where he showed flashes of the smart offensive game that worked so well at Michigan.
He finished with an assist in 18:22 of ice time, including 4:49 on the power play.
In goal, Mackenzie Blackwood was sharp in limited work. He faced seven shots over about 29 minutes and stopped all of them, including a standout save on Lawson Crouse during Utah’s first power play.
Ilya Nabokov took over with 10:30 left in the second period and allowed one goal on 17 shots the rest of the way. He also made a handful of strong post-to-post saves and earned praise from Bednar afterward.
Nabokov, from what he’s shown so far, brings some of the same qualities as Scott Wedgewood and Blackwood. He’s loose, personable and doesn’t seem bothered by the moment. On the ice, he battles for loose pucks with the kind of energy that makes him hard to ignore.
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Avalanche Fans Are About To See Ball Arena Change In A Big Way
Ball Arena is headed for a significant makeover, with Kroenke Sports & Entertainment unveiling a $135 million renovation plan for the downtown Denver building that houses the Nuggets, Avalanche and Mammoth. The project is designed to modernize the fan experience with an expanded East Atrium, wider concourses, new premium club spaces and technology upgrades, all part of a broader effort to reshape the surrounding property.
For Avalanche fans, the changes should gradually show up over the next few seasons rather than in one jarring overhaul, since the work is expected to be phased to limit disruption. Completion is targeted for the 2028-2029 seasons, setting up a future version of Ball Arena that looks and feels different from the one Avs fans have known, even if the details will arrive piece by piece. [Read more 🡒]