The Colorado Avalanche’s 2026 Rookie Camp roster has a couple of names that stand out for reasons beyond draft pedigree or raw skill. Maxim Barbashev and Grant Ahcan both arrived with familiar surnames, and both are the kind of invites that make you wonder whether a family hockey tree can branch out one more time.
Barbashev is the younger brother of Vegas Golden Knights forward Ivan Barbashev, while Ahcan is the younger brother of former Avalanche defenseman Jack Ahcan. That alone makes them worth a closer look, especially for a fan base that has seen sibling connections pop up before. The Avalanche have already had Taylor Makar in the mix, and two years ago Marek Hejduk got ice at development camp, a reminder of just how deep the family ties can run in hockey.
Taylor Makar is back on the roster again, though he’s a different case. He already logged a dozen games for Colorado last season when injuries hit the Avalanche forward group, so this piece is really about the two newcomers who bring the most obvious bloodline buzz.
The idea of “little brother energy” is part joke, part real hockey truth. Around the league, the sport keeps producing family acts: the Tkachuks, the Hughes brothers, the Ruck twins, and in Colorado’s own orbit, the Makars.
Historical examples go even deeper, from the Espositos to the Sedins. For Avalanche fans, the Stasny brothers remain one of the franchise’s most relevant family connections, with Peter, Anton, and Marian Stasny all defecting from the former Czechoslovakia to join the Quebec Nordiques in the early 80’s.
None of that guarantees anything for Barbashev or Ahcan. Hockey has plenty more stories where the dream never quite turns into an NHL job. But if you’re looking for clues about what the younger brothers might bring, the older siblings offer a decent starting point.
Ivan Barbashev has built his reputation the hard way. He’s the kind of forward opponents notice immediately, and not for soft reasons.
He has eclipsed 50 points three times in his career and lifted the Stanley Cup twice. Maxim, who has not yet been seen in Avalanche colors, obviously doesn’t have to match that exact profile to matter, but any toughness that carries over would be a useful trait.
Ivan is eight years older than Maxim, and he had an older brother of his own in Sergei, who played a long pro career in Russia. That kind of layered hockey background is exactly what makes these family names stick.
Ahcan’s path comes with its own angle. Jack Ahcan spent 2023 with the Colorado Eagles and became a steady part of the blue line, adding points in the AHL and hanging around the NHL call-up conversation.
Last season’s injuries finally pushed him into emergency duty, and he ended up with a career-high 11 NHL games in 2025-26, plus a few playoff appearances. That run was enough to catch the attention of new Predators General Manager Chris MacFarland, who brought him in as part of Nashville’s rebuild.
Grant Ahcan is five years younger than Jack, and the brothers’ different positions may have helped both of them see the game from a wider angle. Grant was also the first-ever signing for Colorado’s new ECHL affiliate, the New Mexico Goatheads, and Barbashev joined that inaugural roster a month later. The Goatheads will replace the Utah Grizzlies in Colorado’s organizational structure, with the Grizzlies moving to Trenton, New Jersey, and becoming the Ironhawks as an Islanders affiliate.
For now, Barbashev is listed as a left wing and Ahcan as a right wing. That makes them teammates in New Mexico soon enough, and maybe, with enough time and a little luck, the Avalanche will have another sibling storyline worth watching unfold.
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Ilya Nabokov Could Force A Fast Avalanche Goalie Shakeup
Ilya Nabokov has become a name to watch in Colorados goaltending picture, and not just because of his long-term upside. The 23-year-old prospect is now in the conversation as a player who could put real pressure on the Avalanches current setup, with Scott Wedgewood and MacKenzie Blackwood already part of a situation that is tied closely to performance, roster planning and cap management.
For a team trying to keep its books and its crease in order, Nabokovs progress matters on multiple fronts. If he pushes hard enough for an NHL job, the Avalanche may have to make some quick decisions about how they want their goaltending depth arranged, and whether the current mix can survive a strong enough showing from a young prospect who is starting to look like more than just a future option. [Read more 🡒]