Colorado Avalanche News

Yaroslav Askarov missed the entirety of training camp so he will begin the season with the San Jose Baracuda (AHL), leaving Blackwood and Vitek Vanecek to duel it out for the Sharks crease. Blackwood was serviceable last season, especially considering the Sharks ranked 31st offensively with 181 goals, posting a 3.45 GAA and .899 SV% in 44 games (10-25-4). After finishing dead last in the NHL last season, the Sharks should improve this season but still enter their opening night matchup as +140 home underdogs against the St. Louis Blues.

Lehkonen has a check-in at the end of the month on the same shoulder he had surgery on in May and is not expected to return to the Avalanche until after the check-up is complete. The 29-year-old should find himself back in his top-six role when able to return and will hope to produce as efficiently as he did in 2023-24, with 16 goals and 34 points in 45 injury-plagued games played.

Ludvig was placed on waivers by Pittsburgh on Friday and has been claimed by the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday. The 24-year-old defenseman spent his entire rookie season in 2023-24 with Pittsburgh and had three goals, five points and 47 PIMs in 33 games played.

Lehkonen is expected to miss the start of the regular season due to offseason shoulder surgery. According to head coach Jared Bednar, they are trying to give him as long as they can without contact, but once he's cleared it won't be long before he returns to the lineup. With Lehkonen and Valeri Nichushkin both expected to miss the start of the season, newcomers Calum Ritchie and Nikolai Kovalenko could get a look in the Avalanche top-6 early on.

Lehkonen underwent shoulder surgery in the offseason and will not be a full participant in Avalanche training camp. At this point, there's no firm timeline for his return to the Avalanche lineup. Lehkonen should be a back of your roster IR stash in Fantasy Drafts this fall.

Phillips spent 2023-24 with two separate organizations (PIT, WASH) but has found himself a home for the 2024-25 season after signing a one-year, two-way contract with Colorado on Friday. The 26-year-old has torn up the American Hockey League for seasons but has still struggled to find a home in the NHL and only produced a goal and five points in 31 games played in 2023-24.

Kylington will leave the Calgary Flames after five successful seasons after the defensemen signed a one-year, $1.05 million contract with Colorado on Monday. The 27-year-old made headlines in 2023-24 after he successfully returned to the NHL after a nearly two-year mental health hiatus. In 33 games played in his return, he had three goals, eight points, and 12 PIMs in 33 games with the Flames.

Necas was an RFA whose name was at the top of the trade rumours all offseason, but he signs a two-year deal to stay in Carolina through the 2026 season. The 25-year-old winger saw his production take a step back last season, as he went from 71 points (28G / 43A) in 2023 to 53 points (24G / 29A) in 2024. With Jake Guentzel and Teuvo Teravainen not returning to Carolina this summer, it opens up plenty of ice-time and opportunity for Necas to take advantage of in 2025.

Drury decided to go to arbitration with Carolina and led to him signing a two-year, $3.45 million contract extension. ($1,725,000 AAV) to remain with the Hurricanes. The 24-year-old centre appeared in 74 games for Carolina in his third NHL season, and had career highs with eight goals, 27 points, 33 PIM and 106 SOG.

Mandolese was acquired just a day before alongside a 2025 7th round pick from Ottawa for a 2025 6th round pick and has now signed a one-year, two-way contract to stay in Colorado. The 23-year-old goaltender appeared in 23 games for Belleville (AHL) in 2023-24 and had a 3.53 GAA to go alongside his .918 SV%.

Colorado added to its already deep goaltending depth by adding Kevin Mandolese and a 2026 7th round pick from Ottawa for a 2026 6th round pick. The 23-year-old appeared in three NHL games with Ottawa in 2022-23 but spent the majority of the 2023-24 season with Belleville (AHL) picking up a 3.07 GAA and .901 SV%.

Ritchie was the No.27 overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft. The 19-year-old forward had 80 points (28G / 52A) in 50 games with the Oshawa Generals (OHL) last season and added another 30 points (8G / 22A) in 21 playoff games.

Aarnodt will return to Colorado for a third season after he signed a one-year, two-way contract extension on Tuesday. The 26-year-old undrafted defenseman joined Colorado from Minnesota State University (Mankato) in 2021-22 and had six goals and 14 points in 60 games played in 2023-24 with the Eagles (AHL).

Bradley was Colorado's 2020 7th-round pick (203rd overall) and signed a two-year, entry-level contract on Tuesday. The 22-year-old just completed his third season at the University of Connecticut (NCAA) and had 11 goals and 22 points in 31 games.

Colorado added to its depth on Monday by signing Parker Kelly to two-year deal worth $1.65 million ($825K AAV). The 25-year-old had a career year in 2023-24, with eight goals, 10 assists, 30 PIMs and 86 SOG in 80 games played.

Joel Kiviranta will return to the Avalanche after a successful first season with Colorado after signing a one-year contract extension on Monday. The 28-year-old left-winger appeared in 56 games with Colorado in 2023-24, scoring three goals, nine points, 12 PIMs and 48 SOG.

MacDonald will return to Colorado where he spent three seasons between 2020 and 2023 after signing a two-year, two-way contract on Monday with the Avalanche. The 31-year-old hybrid defenseman broke his career high in goals (7) in 2023-24, and finished with nine points and 23 PIMs in 34 games played.