The Colorado Avalanche did not bring Fabian Lysell in this summer expecting a finished product. They knew the upside was there. What they’re trying to find out now is how much of that upside can actually show up in the NHL.
Lysell offered a reminder of why he’s still worth watching Monday night, picking up an assist on Colorado’s lone goal in a 3-1 preseason loss to the Winnipeg Jets. Late in the third period, he helped set up Georgii Merkulov, giving Jared Bednar another look at the kind of offensive skill that made Lysell a first-round pick in the first place.
That has never really been the issue. The real question is whether that talent can be shaped into something that plays at NHL speed, night after night.
The Avalanche got a pretty clear answer on the business side of the move, too. If Lysell becomes a steady contributor, Colorado may have landed a cheap offensive piece. If not, the team hasn’t tied itself down to anything long term.
Lysell was drafted No. 21 overall by the Boston Bruins in the 2021 NHL Draft. Even now, five years later, he has appeared in just 12 NHL games.
But his AHL production has kept the conversation going. Last season with Providence, he scored 17 goals and totaled 42 points in 57 games before Colorado acquired him from Boston in a trade for Ivan Ivan.
The Avalanche followed that trade by signing Lysell to a one-year deal worth $850,000.
Monday’s goal sequence was a good snapshot of what he can bring when the offense clicks. Lysell helped create the play, Brett Kulak got the shot through, and Merkulov finished off the rebound. It was one point in one preseason game, but it was also the kind of moment Colorado wanted to see.
Still, making this roster is about more than flashes. Bednar and the Avalanche need to know Lysell can be trusted at the NHL level with real consistency.
That won’t be simple, either. Colorado has plenty of forward competition in camp. Gavin Brindley is coming off a strong preseason opener with a goal and an assist, while Fedor Svechkov and Zachary L’Heureux are also trying to carve out roles after being traded from Nashville.
So this is not a make-or-break situation for the Avalanche. Lysell doesn’t have to crack the Opening Night roster for the trade to matter, and the team isn’t cornered into anything here. He’s 23, he still has time, and if needed, he can keep developing with the Colorado Eagles.
For now, the preseason is about taking a close look at where he is. The tools are obvious.
The opportunity is there. What comes next is the part that matters most: proving those tools can translate to NHL production.
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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 🡒]