Following the completion of their four-game preseason slate, the Colorado Avalanche made a series of transactions as they begin final preparations for the opening of the 2026-27 season against the LA Kings on Wednesday, September 30th.
None of the moves are any kind of surprise as a large group of Colorado Eagles regulars were withheld to get through the road preseason game in Utah. Those needing waivers and will be sent to Loveland should they clear include Vinnie Hinostroza, Fabian Lysell, Tristen Nielsen, Adam Beckman, Wyatt Aamodt and Keaton Middleton. Those who do not require waivers and were sent down include Gavin Brindley, Matthew DiMarsico, Sean Behrens, Alex Gagne, Gustav Stjernberg and Ilya Nabokov.
There are several injury notes to mention to understand the full picture of these moves. Goaltender Trent Miner has been held out of all training camp and will surely begin on Season Opening Injured Reserve. All four forwards in Taylor Makar, Georgii Merkulov, Zach L’Heureux and Logan O’Connor have picked up seemingly minor injuries for now.
Considering the Avalanche have to submit a salary cap compliant rooster to the league at 3 p.m. tomorrow, there will be some other moves forthcoming. They only have cap space to carry 22 players, meaning one extra forward can stay on the roster for now and it seems the Avalanche have chosen TJ Hughes as the rookie to keep for his NHL debut on Wednesday night. if both L’Heureux and O’Connor can’t play by then it sets up an interesting dilemma because there would only be 11 forwards available for Colorado but Noah Juulsen could dress as a seventh defenseman
