For the majority of the 16 forwards, 11 defensemen and two goaltenders that remain with the Avs, the focus is now on creating a rhythm with teammates and focusing on the season opener against the Minnesota Wild at Pepsi Center on Oct. 4.
"It's good to be down to a smaller group now," said forward Matt Calvert. "You get a feel for where you fit in and your new linemates.
"You start to see lines form, you get PK partners, you get better practices. Guys get through training camp, but I know everybody is ready to get to the regular season. We have two more exhibitions, hopefully we get a feel for each other and get ready for the real thing."
The Avalanche wraps up its preseason with a home contest on Friday versus the Wild before traveling to play the Dallas Stars on Sunday. Colorado will ice a veteran lineup in both outings in the club's final tune-ups for the season. Goaltender Philipp Grubauer will start against Minnesota while Semyon Varlamov will play at Dallas.
"They're excited to play tomorrow. I think a lot of them that I talked to last night at the game wished they were even playing last night," head coach Jared Bednar said of the club's vets. "I think we're going to get a good energetic group here, and guys kind of focusing in on the home opener and doing whatever it takes for us to get to where we need to be that day."
The Avs don't have many spots available on their 23-man active roster for the start of the season, but there are still a handful of players that will be battling for the few positions that are open in the last two exhibition contests.
"I think those guys are left because they're still in the mix," Bednar said of the remaining group. "If we get a chance the next couple games to reevaluate those guys, we will."
Among those players is forward Sheldon Dries, who is in his first year with the organization after signing as a free agent on July 1. Weeks before inking his deal with Colorado, Dries helped the AHL Texas Stars win the Western Conference and reach the Calder Cup Final, and he is now fighting for an NHL roster spot.
After surviving the most recent round of cuts, Dries' mindset entering the last two outings is to just keep doing what he's been doing.
"There is obviously a ton of talent here," Dries said to ColoradoAvalanche.com. "If you play your game and show the coaching staff what you got, you'll give yourself the best chance to succeed."
The Avs will need to decide the fate of six more players before the league's roster mandate begins next week. There is a little wiggle room for each club to carry more players depending on active injuries, and the Avs presently have a few.