The Colorado Avalanche are bringing Gavin Brindley back up from the AHL, recalling the forward from the Colorado Eagles just over a week after sending him down on October 22.
The timing points to some uncertainty around Logan O’Connor’s status for Saturday’s game against the Calgary Flames. O’Connor was not at Friday morning’s practice before the funeral for his father, Myles, later that evening, according to Corey Masisak of The Denver Post.
O’Connor had been closing in on his season debut after dealing with a lower-body injury. Colorado activated him off long-term injured reserve ahead of its October 23 game against the Tampa Bay Lightning, and he has played in each of the team’s last three games. In that stretch, he has averaged 13:24 of ice time and has not recorded a point.
Brindley, though, has done enough to earn another shot. Since his latest assignment to the Eagles, he has put up four points - one goal and three assists - in four games.
He also finished October as Colorado’s top scorer in the AHL, earning second star of the month honors with nine points, including two goals and seven assists, in eight games. That total came despite the fact that he missed two games while with the Avalanche.
His first NHL recall of the season ran from October 14 through his reassignment, and in that span he had one assist in four games while averaging 8:08 of ice time. He did not see any special-teams work during that call-up.
The 22-year-old Brindley came to Colorado in June 2025 in a deal with the Columbus Blue Jackets that also sent a 2025 third-round pick and a conditional 2027 second-round pick to the Avalanche in exchange for Charlie Coyle and Miles Wood. Columbus had selected Brindley 34th overall in 2023.
He spent most of last season with Colorado, finishing with six goals and 13 points before being sent down in late March. In his NHL career, Brindley has 14 points in 61 games.
In Other News...
Avalanche Are Suddenly In The Mix For A Massive Lineup Upgrade
A seismic name has entered the conversation around Colorados forward group, and it is the kind of possibility that can instantly reshape a contenders outlook. Nikita Kucherov reportedly told the Tampa Bay Lightning he will not re-sign there and has asked for a trade, which has naturally set off speculation about where one of the leagues premier offensive players could land. For the Avalanche, the fit is obvious enough to at least make people pause, especially with a roster that is built to win now and still has room for another high-end piece.
Of course, the path from rumor to reality would not be simple. Any move for Kucherov would come with major trade cost and the added challenge of sorting out a new contract, two hurdles that can quickly turn a dream upgrade into a complicated negotiation. Still, for a team already operating in Stanley Cup mode, even being mentioned in this kind of sweepstakes says plenty about where Colorado stands and how aggressively it may be willing to chase another difference-maker. [Read more 🡒]
Avalanche Prospects Are Forcing A Tough Decision In Denver
The Colorado Eagles have opened the 2026-27 AHL season in a way that has plenty of people in Denver paying attention. At 6-3-1 through 10 games, they sit atop the Pacific Division, and a big reason is the kind of production the Avalanche like to see from their prospects. Goaltender Ilya Nabokov has given the Eagles steady play in net, while right winger Gavin Brindley has emerged as the teams points leader even with some time spent with the Avalanche.
Adam Beckman has added another layer to the conversation by pacing the Eagles in goals, giving Colorado a trio of young players making a strong case for bigger opportunities. For an Avalanche organization that has leaned on internal development before, this is the kind of early-season momentum that can create real pressure on roster decisions later on. The challenge now is not just watching these prospects perform in the AHL, but figuring out how soon their play forces the issue in Denver. [Read more 🡒]
Former Avalanche Pick May Finally Be Becoming What Colorado Expected
Alex Newhook is starting to look more like the player the Avalanche had in mind when they made him a first-round pick, even if that progress is now happening in Montreal. He scored twice in the Canadiens 5-2 win over the Stars, his ninth multi-goal game in the NHL, and that kind of finish is the latest sign that his offensive game is settling in after a start to the season that has been steady rather than flashy.
For Colorado, Newhooks development always carried a little extra intrigue because the talent was obvious, but injuries and inconsistency slowed the climb. Now he has six points in 13 games and is building on the momentum he showed in last seasons playoffs, giving Montreal a winger who looks increasingly capable of producing on a regular basis. The question is no longer whether the skill is there, but how far his game can keep trending in this direction. [Read more 🡒]
