2024 Rookie Faceoff: Players To Watch

From Friday Sept. 13 through Monday Sept. 16, the Avalanche will participate in the 2024 Rookie Showcase in El Segundo, California. This showcase displays some of the top prospects from each of the seven participating teams. The Avalanche will play in three games, facing the Anaheim Ducks on Friday at 4:30 p.m. MT, the Seattle Kraken on Saturday at 4 p.m. MT, and the San Jose Sharks on Monday at 12:30 p.m. MT.

The Avalanche's roster, which can be viewed here, consists of 16 forwards, eight defensemen, and three goalies. Here are five players to watch for throughout this weekend's action.

Calum Ritchie

The Avalanche's first pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, Ritchie had a fantastic year for the OHL's Oshawa Generals, scoring 80 points (28g/52a) in 56 regular season games in addition to 30 points (8g/22a) in 21 playoff games on a run to the OHL Championship Series. Speaking at this summer's development camp, Ritchie said that one of his goals was to earn a contract, and on July 8, he accomplished that goal, signing a three-year, entry-level contract with the Avalanche.

Sean Behrens

On the heels of winning his second National Championship during his three-year collegiate career at the University of Denver, Behrens signed with the Avalanche and played a pair of games with the Avalanche's AHL affiliate, the Colorado Eagles. Entering his first full pro season, Behrens, the team's second pick in the 2021 NHL Draft, posted 31 points (4g/27a) in 44 games last season for the Pioneers. Additionally, Behrens is one of several top prospects on the blueline participating in the rookie faceoff.

Oskar Olausson

Olausson already has 102 AHL regular-season games under his belt and is entering his fourth season with the organization. In 2023-24, Olausson scored 20 points (11g/9a) in 39 AHL games before undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery in February. This tournament will be his first game action since the surgery.

Nikita Prishchepov

After scoring 67 points (22g/45a) in 63 regular-season games and adding 11 points (3g/8a) in 14 playoff games for the QMJHL's Victoriaville Tigres in 2023-24, the Avalanche selected Prishchepov in this summer's draft. Prishchepov improved his offensive production each year in Victoriaville, going from 27 points (9g/18a) in 2021-22 to 41 points (14g/27a) in 2022-23 to the 67 points he scored last season. This tournament will be his first chance to face off against some of the NHL's top prospects.

Jason Polin

In 2023-24, Polin posted 10 points (4g/6a) and a +5 rating in 42 games with the Eagles. He also made his NHL debut on Jan. 8, 2024, playing in seven games and scoring his first goal on Jan. 16, 2024. After his first full pro season, Polin signed a one-year contract for the 2024-25 season.