Gavin Brindley enters 2026-27 with a real chance to define where he fits in the Colorado Avalanche picture.
Colorado’s top-six looks locked in, but the rest of the forward group still has openings, and that’s where the conversation gets interesting. Brindley isn’t the loudest name in the mix, yet he made his presence felt last season by getting into 56 games and putting up six goals and seven assists.
At 5’8” and 173 pounds, he’s not built like the kind of player who overpowers anyone. His value came from effort, pace and doing the little things the Avalanche asked of him in a limited role.
Nobody is expecting him to be a 30-goal scorer. The job is simpler than that: play hard, stay responsible and avoid the kind of mistakes that swing games the wrong way.
There’s also a fit question here. Brindley could make the roster out of training camp, but he may be better suited on the wing.
His speed could help him create pressure along the boards, win pucks, and move them to Colorado’s bigger forwards. With some of the offseason changes the Avalanche have already made, that kind of role could make even more sense.
The faceoff numbers don’t help his case if the team wants to use him in the middle. Brindley went 13 for 34 last season, which comes out to 38.2 percent. It’s a small sample, but it does reinforce the idea that he may be more effective on the outside.
He also finished with just 15 blocked shots, another area where more production would help his standing. If he can push those numbers up in 2026-27, he gives himself a much better shot at sticking.
If not, a return to the Eagles is still on the table, though his NHL usage compared to his AHL time last season makes that feel less likely. Still, with a new season ahead and more competition in the bottom-six, Brindley is one of the names worth watching closely.
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Cale Makars next contract has become the biggest summer item hanging over the Avalanche, even if the finish line already feels close. A trade is not the real storyline here, and both sides seem intent on getting an extension done without turning it into a public saga. The situation has the look of a top player and a contender simply working through the normal mechanics of a major deal, with Colorado hoping to lock in one of the NHLs defining defensemen for the long haul.
The delay may have more to do with timing than tension, with Makar still working back from offseason shoulder surgery. Theres also a sense that the important part may already be settled, leaving only the formal signing to come once everything is ready. It has a bit of the same feel as Connor McDavids recent contract talks, where the noise never quite matched the level of concern, and for the Avalanche that is probably the best sign of all. [Read more 🡒]
Avalanche Prospect Depth Is Real But The NHL Path Isn't Clear
The Avalanches prospect picture is deeper than it often gets credit for, and a fresh look at the organizations under-25 talent pool reinforces that there is real inventory in the system. Mile High Hockeys staff ranked the top 25 players under 25 in the organization as of Sept. 1, 2026, while also working from an extended list of 35, and the exercise turned up a few near misses who show just how crowded the path can be for young players trying to break through.
Among the players just outside the top 25 were forward Nolan Roed, goaltender Tobias Tvrznik and defenseman Saige Weinstien, each of whom drew enough notice to earn honorable mention status after recent performances that kept them in the conversation. The broader takeaway is familiar for a team trying to balance contention with development: the Avalanche may have more young talent on hand than outsiders realize, but sorting out which prospects can realistically translate that promise into NHL roles is still the hard part. [Read more 🡒]