Avalanche season preview: Georgiev key in bid to repeat as Cup champions

The 2022-23 NHL season starts Oct. 7. With training camps opening soon, NHL.com is taking a look at the three keys, the inside scoop on roster questions, and the projected lineup for each of the 32 teams. Today, the Colorado Avalanche.

Coach: Jared Bednar (seventh season)
Last season: 56-19-7, first place in Central Division; won Stanley Cup

3 KEYS

1. Georgiev as the new No. 1
The Avalanche won the Stanley Cup last season with Darcy Kuemper as their No. 1 goalie and will try to repeat as champions with Alexandar Georgiev in that role. They acquired Georgiev in a trade with the New York Rangers on July 7 because they were not willing to give Kuemper the five-year, $26.25 million contract he received from the Washington Capitals on July 13. It's a gamble because Georgiev has never been a No. 1 goalie in the NHL; he was the backup in New York first to Henrik Lundqvist and then behind Igor Shesterkin. Still, Georgiev excelled with a heavier workload when Lundqvist and Shesterkin had to miss time with injuries. He is 58-48-11 with a 2.94 goals-against average, .908 save percentage and eight shutouts in 129 NHL games and will be pushed by Pavel Francouz, Kuemper's backup last season, but Colorado acquired Georgiev to be its new No. 1.
2. Replacing Kadri
Nazem Kadri had 87 points (28 goals, 59 assists) in 71 games as Colorado's No. 2 center last season, but he left to sign a seven-year, $49 million contract with the Calgary Flames, leaving the biggest hole in the lineup that has to be filled. The Avalanche did not replace Kadri with another high-scoring No. 2 center to play behind Nathan MacKinnon, who is the No. 1. They'll likely try to fill the hole with one of J.T. Compher, Alex Newhook,
Ben Meyers
and
Evan Rodrigues
, who signed a one-year contract on Monday. But a wildcard is Mikko Rantanen, who might be the best option to give the Avalanche a second high-scoring center. He got some experience filling that role in the Stanley Cup Playoffs last season.
3. View from the top
The Avalanche got over the hump last season after losing in the second round of the playoffs three straight seasons. But returning as Stanley Cup champions also means becoming the hunted, and how they handle the pressure that comes with success will be telling. Colorado won the Cup on June 26; the offseason was short and filled with celebrations across the globe. It's over now, and the Avalanche need to get back to business and get off to a strong start in their quest to repeat.

ROSTER RUNDOWN

Making the cut
Meyers, a rookie center, will get a chance to fill one of the lineup spots opened by the departures of forwards Andre Burakovsky (Seattle Kraken), Nico Sturm (San Jose Sharks) and Kadri in free agency. The 23-year-old signed a two-year contract on April 13 after finishing his junior season at the University of Minnesota; he had one goal in five games but was ineligible for the playoffs. The Avalanche also signed Lukas Sedlak to a one-year contract on June 13 and the forward will get a chance to be a regular in the lineup. The 29-year-old, who spent the past three seasons playing in Russia's Kontinental Hockey League, last played in North America for the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2018-19 and has 27 points (15 goals, 12 assists) in 162 NHL games.
Martin Kaut
is another player to watch in training camp; the 22-year-old forward was the No. 16 pick in the 2018 NHL Draft but has been limited to 20 NHL games, including six with no points last season.
Most intriguing addition
Georgiev has long wanted to be a No. 1 goalie but couldn't move up the depth chart in New York because of the emergency of Shesterkin, who won the Vezina Trophy last season. The 26-year-old will get his shot in Colorado. The Avalanche are not a team that requires elite goaltending to win because of their ability to score and defend, but Kuemper was one of the top goalies in the NHL last season with 37 wins, a 2.54 GAA, .921 save percentage and five shutouts. Colorado needs Georgiev to approach those numbers.
Biggest potential surprise
It's possible coach Jared Bednar will look at the center depth chart behind MacKinnon and decide Rantanen is the best player for the job. Rantanen has been a right wing his entire career and set NHL bests with 36 goals and 92 points last season. He takes face-offs and can drive a line. The Avalanche could put Rantanen at center and Compher at right wing and have each take face-offs on his strong side (left for Rantanen, right for Compher). It's an intriguing option that could give Colorado two high-scoring centers, as they had last season with MacKinnon (88 points; 32 goals, 56 assists) and Kadri.
Ready to break through
The argument can be made defenseman Bowen Byram broke through in the playoffs last season, when he played in all 20 games, had nine assists, a plus-15 rating and averaged 19:22 of ice time. But the 21-year-old has not had an impactful regular season since being selected with the No. 4 pick in the 2019 NHL Draft. He was limited to 30 games last season because of concussion symptoms after playing 19 as a rookie in 2020-21. Byram has an opportunity to crack Colorado's top-four on defense and if healthy he could play more than 20 minutes a game and contribute 40-50 points. He had 17 points (five goals, 12 assists) in his 30 games last season.
Fantasy sleeper
Newhook, C/LW (undrafted on average in fantasy) --He could be elevated in the Avalanche lineup and potentially play on the second line with valuable wings Valeri Nichushkin and Artturi Lehkonen following Kadri's departure to the Flames and should be considered a fantasy breakout candidate after having 33 points and a plus-11 in 71 games last season in mostly a bottom-six role. -- Pete Jensen

PROJECTED LINEUP

Gabriel Landeskog -- Nathan MacKinnon -- Valeri Nichushkin
Artturi Lehkonen -- J.T. Compher -- Mikko Rantanen
Alex Newhook -- Ben Meyers -- Logan O'Connor
Andrew Cogliano -- Darren Helm -- Evan Rodrigues
Devon Toews -- Cale Makar
Bowen Byram -- Josh Manson
Samuel Girard -- Erik Johnson
Alexandar Georgiev
Pavel Francouz