The Colorado Avalanche were once the juggernaut of the NHL this season, cruising at a pace that had fans dreaming of record-breaking glory. But as the calendar flipped to 2026, the injury bug bit hard, altering their trajectory.
Gabriel Landeskog's unfortunate collision with the net in early January was just the beginning. Since then, the Avalanche have been plagued by a series of setbacks.
Right now, they find themselves without three key forwards. Landeskog is sidelined again, this time due to an unfortunate incident involving a teammate.
Artturi Lehkonen's shoulder injury in early March has left his return uncertain, and Ross Colton is dealing with an upper-body issue.
This string of injuries has forced Colorado to adjust, rolling with 11 forwards and seven defensemen. This unconventional setup has certainly shaken things up. Instead of anchoring the center, newcomers Nazem Kadri and Nic Roy have been shifted to the wings by coach Jared Bednar.
The Avalanche have stacked their top line with Nathan MacKinnon, Martin Necas, and Kadri, while Roy joins Brock Nelson and Valeri Nichushkin on the second line. It’s a powerful top six, no doubt, but it effectively reduces them to three functional lines.
Zakhar Bardakov and Gavin Brindley have found themselves on the periphery. Brindley has logged less than 10 minutes in four of his last five outings, and in Saturday's game against Winnipeg, he was on the ice for just 5:26. Bardakov's situation is even more stark; he played a mere 3:48 on Saturday, a significant drop from his 8:04 against the Seattle Kraken on March 12.
This lineup shuffle is likely a temporary fix. The Avalanche have the cap space and depth to call up reinforcements and restore balance. Players like Valtteri Puustinen, Danil Gushchin, or Jason Polin could be the fresh legs needed to round out a fourth line, easing the load on the top nine.
The Avalanche's depth in the AHL could be the key to giving their stars some much-needed breathing room. It’s a move they’ll need to consider, as the current configuration isn’t quite cutting it.