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