Avalanche season preview: MacKinnon could be rejoined by Landeskog

The 2024-25 NHL season starts Oct. 4. With training camps underway, 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 (ninth season)

Last season: 50-25-7; third place in Central Division, lost in Western Conference Second Round to Dallas Stars

3 KEYS

1. MacKinnon's encore

Nathan MacKinnon isn't sure how he can top what he did last season on an individual level. He finished second in the League with 140 points (51 goals, 89 assists), a career high that was 29 more than he had the previous season. He won the Hart Trophy as the NHL's most valuable player to his team and the Ted Lindsay Award, which goes to the most outstanding player in the League as voted on by members of the NHL Players' Association. But to MacKinnon, the season was not a success after the Avalanche lost in the Western Conference Second Round. That said, MacKinnon's production is so important to the Avalanche's chances of getting back into the Stanley Cup Playoffs and making another run at the Stanley Cup, which they won two years ago. The expectation is that he will produce at a similar level as last season. Can he do it? That's the challenge.

2. Landeskog's eventual return

Gabriel Landeskog is working toward a return to the lineup and that alone is huge news for the Avalanche. The Colorado captain hasn't played in a game since June 26, 2022, the night the Avalanche won the Stanley Cup. Multiple knee surgeries have kept Landeskog off the ice the past two seasons, but he's been rehabbing and the expectation is that he will be in the lineup not long after the start of the season. The Avalanche will have to tame expectations for Landeskog when he returns, but his presence will be a big boost, made bigger once his production catches up.

3. Cut down the goals against

The Avalanche can score with the best of them. They led the NHL by averaging 3.68 goals per game last season. But among the eight Western Conference teams that made the playoffs, they were last in goals against per game, giving up 3.07. Alexandar Georgiev's .897 save percentage was tied for 28th among the 34 goalies to appear in at least 40 games last season. Twenty-seven of Colorado’s games last season were decided by one goal; it won 14. If the Avalanche can cut down the goals against and get it under 3.00 per game, they likely will score enough to contend for first place in the division, which in theory should give them just a wee bit of an easier path to the Stanley Cup Final.

ROSTER RUNDOWN

Making the cut

Calum Ritchie is a 19-year-old top prospect for the Avalanche coming off a big season in the Ontario Hockey League. The forward, who was the No. 27 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, had 80 points (28 goals, 52 assists) in 50 games with Oshawa. He had another 30 points (eight goals, 22 assists) in 21 OHL playoff games. Ritchie has to impress in training camp and prove he is ready for the NHL level, but he has a chance to make the final roster largely because there is uncertainty about Landeskog and Artturi Lehkonen being ready to start the season. Lehkonen had offseason shoulder surgery and is questionable to be available when the season starts. Ritchie could get essentially a nine-game tryout to bide time for Lehkonen and/or Landeskog before the Avalanche have to decide if returning to junior hockey is best for his development or if he's capable of being a full-time NHL player. He is not eligible to play in the American Hockey League because he is a Canadian junior hockey player under the age of 20.

Most intriguing addition

Erik Brannstrom is still young enough (25) to think his best years might be in front of him. The defenseman signed a one-year contract with the Avalanche on July 2. He's expected to be part of the third pair, but he can skate and be productive if surrounded by some elite players. The Avalanche have those. Brannstrom had 20 points (three goals, 17 assists) in 76 games with the Ottawa Senators last season.

Biggest potential surprise

The expectation is Landeskog will return soon after the start of the season, but there's no certainty about what he will be able to deliver after missing the past two seasons because of a knee injury and multiple surgeries. Landeskog has to work his way back into playing a regular shift in the NHL and that's no small or easy task. It's obviously way different from rehabbing, which he has been doing for months. But if his track record is an indication, Landeskog could be a major contributor on the ice as well as in the dressing room by the second half of the season. The Avalanche might be expecting that to happen now, but how much he does produce could be a surprise to some around the League considering how much time he missed.

Ready to contribute

Nikolai Kovalenko is a player to watch in training camp. The 24-year-old came to Colorado from the Kontinental Hockey League late last season. He had three points (one goal, two assists) in four games with Colorado of the American Hockey League and made his NHL debut in Game 4 of the Western Conference First Round against the Winnipeg Jets. He averaged 6:48 of ice time in two games and did not score. The Avalanche have an opening with Valeri Nichushkin suspended until at least November and the possibility that Lehkonen won't be ready in time because of offseason shoulder surgery. Kovalenko's time could be now.

Fantasy sleeper

Casey Mittelstadt, F (undrafted on average in fantasy) -- The Avalanche's No. 2 center had 19 points (seven goals, 12 assists) in 29 combined regular-season and Stanley Cup Playoff games after being acquired in a trade with the Buffalo Sabres on March 6. Even without Nichushkin, Mittelstadt will bring exposure to either Lehkonen or Jonathan Drouin at even strength and could see occasional power-play time on the first unit for an offense that features elite skaters MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen and Cale Makar. -- Pete Jensen

PROJECTED LINEUP

Jonathan Drouin -- Nathan MacKinnon -- Logan O'Connor

Miles Wood -- Casey Mittelstadt -- Mikko Rantanen

Joel Kiviranta -- Ross Colton -- Calum Ritchie

Parker Kelly -- Pierre-Edouard Bellemare -- Nikolai Kovalenko

Devon Toews -- Cale Makar

Samuel Girard -- Josh Manson

Calvin de Haan -- Erik Brannstrom

Alexandar Georgiev

Justus Annunen

Injured: Gabriel Landeskog (knee), Artturi Lehkonen (shoulder)