3 questions facing Colorado Avalanche

NHL.com is providing in-depth roster, prospect and fantasy analysis for each of its 32 teams from Aug. 1-Sept. 1. Today, three important questions facing the Colorado Avalanche.

1. Will Gabriel Landeskog return to the lineup?

The Avalanche captain has missed the past two seasons with a knee injury and had cartilage transplant surgery May 10, 2023. He’s been rehabbing since then, and the hope is he could be ready to return this season.

The heart and soul of the Avalanche, Landeskog was still leaned on to provide leadership, experience, levity, and a calming presence during the second half of last season and the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The forward's absence continues to leave a large hole.

“His rehab is continuing,” Colorado general manager Chris MacFarland said July 1. “We're getting consistent updates. He feels good, and the road continues, but knock [on] wood, there haven't been any speed bumps. We'll certainly, as the summer moves along, hopefully be able to glean more and more info, with specificity or potential specificity, on how he's doing. But I'm happy to say that he's doing good. He's in good spirits and he continues to grind.”

2. Is Casey Mittelstadt the answer at second-line center?

The Avalanche have had a need for a dependable second-line center since the free-agency departure of Nazem Kadri (Calgary Flames) following their Stanley Cup championship in 2022. Multiple players have had a chance to fill the void, but it appears Mittelstadt may finally be the guy.

Acquired March 6, two days before the NHL Trade Deadline, in a 1-for-1 swap with the Buffalo Sabres for defenseman Bowen Byram, Mittelstadt finished the regular season with 10 points (four goals, six assists) in 18 games with Colorado. He also had nine points (three goals, six assists) in 11 playoff games, his first taste of the NHL postseason.

Mittelstadt earned a three-year contract for his efforts and will have the opportunity to thrive on the second line in his first full season with the Avalanche.

3. Will Artturi Lehkonen be healthy by opening night?

There are a lot of questions when it comes to what Colorado’s lineup will look like for the season opener Oct. 9 at the Vegas Golden Knights, but perhaps one of the biggest is whether Lehkonen will be available. A staple of the top-six forward group, Lehkonen had a shoulder procedure after last season and his status, at least for training camp, is unknown.

“I think Artturi's situation will be close, but we certainly won't know more until probably Labor Day (Sept. 2),” MacFarland said.

The team will already be without Valeri Nichushkin, who is suspended, and could again be without Landeskog. Lehkonen had 34 points (16 goals, 18 assists) in 45 games last season and has 94 points (43 goals, 51 assists) in 125 games with the Avalanche. His tenacity and knack for scoring big goals in big moments aren’t easy to replace.

There will be roster spots up for grabs at training camp, and Colorado is hoping that a short-term replacement for Lehkonen won’t be one of them.