The Colorado Avalanche are already three preseason games into their four-game slate, and the roster battle is starting to take shape fast. One of the biggest bright spots so far has been T.J. Hughes, who put together a massive night against the Jets in the team’s second and final home preseason game.
Hughes scored a hat trick and finished with four points, the kind of performance that turns heads in a hurry. He’ll get another chance to make his case today against the Utam Mammoth as he keeps pushing for a spot on opening night.
The timing matters, too. With opening night now only four days away, every shift carries a little more weight.
Off the ice, Dylan Larkin is back in the conversation after the latest report from Elliotte Friedman. Larkin has spent the summer waiting for a move out of Detroit, and earlier reports suggested his full no-move clause made it tough for the Red Wings to line up a trade partner. In the end, the disgruntled forward gets to choose where he goes next.
Friedman’s latest update says Larkin has widened the list of teams he’d be willing to join, and the Colorado Avalanche are among them.
Elsewhere around the league, the San Jose Sharks have named their new captain, and it’s exactly who many expected. Captain Celebrini is the choice, and deservedly so.
In Philadelphia, the Flyers are leaning on Joseph Woll for now with Dan Vladar injured, and Woll backed that up in his latest preseason start.
In Other News...
T.J. Hughes Just Made Colorados Final Roster Call Much Harder
T.J. Hughes gave the Avalanche one more thing to think about in their preseason win over the Winnipeg Jets, piling up a hat trick and an assist in a performance that was hard to ignore. Jared Bednar even spent part of the game testing Hughes at center before moving him back to the wing, a small lineup wrinkle that said plenty about how Colorado is still sorting out the edges of its roster ahead of opening night.
For a team trying to settle on the right mix, Hughes night only made the competition tighter. Hes in the group battling for a spot, and a showing like this does not make the decision any easier for the coaching staff as the Avalanche weigh who fits best when the games start to count. [Read more 🡒]
Avalanche Are Betting On Zachary L'Heureux's Edge For The Playoffs
The Avalanche did not bring in Zachary L'Heureux for subtlety. They saw a forward who can hit, hunt pucks and make life miserable on the forecheck, the kind of edge that can matter when the games tighten up in the playoffs and the stars need a little more room to work.
The bet, of course, is that his aggression can be harnessed rather than repeated history getting in the way. Colorado is looking for him to grow into a steady NHL role, one that brings reliable effort at both ends and gives the lineup some useful muscle, but the challenge is turning that physical style into an asset the Avalanche can count on when the pressure rises. [Read more 🡒]
Former Avalanche Forward Is Suddenly Fighting For His NHL Future
Anton Blidhs NHL path has gotten a lot bumpier since his time with the Avalanche ended in a March 2023 trade to New York. The former Colorado forward has spent most of his time with the Rangers AHL affiliate in Hartford, and now he is back in a familiar roster squeeze after being placed on waivers.
If Blidh clears, the expectation is that he will report to the Hartford Wolf Pack again, a reminder of how thin the margin can be for players trying to stay on the NHL side of the line. For Colorado fans, it is another look at a player who once fit into the Avalanche organization and is now fighting to keep his career moving in the right direction. [Read more 🡒]