It’s here, the new hockey sesson has arrived!
But first, before the games are played, every contracted player in the organization must gather for three days of training camp and for four preseason games before the 2026-27 season drops the puck on September 30th. Here is the expected roster comprised of 56 players hoping to make the Colorado Avalanche roster.
How real is the youth movement?
The biggest storyline on the new season concerns all the young forwards who could make the opening night roster. But before we get to that point,
I’m keeping an eye on their usage at camp and in preseason. Of course the period before the games count is time for experimentation and no line or role is set in stone. Still, there are a lot of hints offered on how the organization views a player by how they are utilized in training camp. We’ll find out their place on day one of on-ice activity.
What are the roles for the veterans?
On the opposite side of the spectrum, it will be fascinating to see the early thoughts on how to utilize the incoming veterans, Jaden Schwartz and the first full season of the second Nazem Kadri era, in particular. The assumption is Schwartz was brought in to help anchor Brock Nelson’s line, which would likely lend Kadri to center the third line. If those assumptions are incorrect then we’ll see what Jared Bednar has in mind for his line construction.
Is everyone actually healthy?
Attendance has been strong at captain’s skates but there’s always a few curiosities leading to health questions. Cale Makar had been easing in and skating on his own away from the group for the most part. Jared Bednar remarked in his opening press conference that Makar is dealing with a new lower-body injury and might not participate right away in camp. Nathan MacKinnon was missing for all pre-camp gatherings but did skate with his teammates once two days before the start of training camp. Bednar said there was a handful of lingering issues from the offseason so attendance at camp might be an interesting topic to follow.
How will the shortened camp make an impact?
This is the first fall under the NHL’s new Collective Bargaining Agreement, which has increased the regular season slate by two games to 84. In exchange, preseason was shortened by a week and reduced to a maximum of four exhibition games. Will we see an Avalanche squad full of older veterans rejuvenated due to this extra rest or will they stumble out of the gate with a lack of cohesive preparation? Gauging energy and cohesion will be an early temperature check.
How are the goaltenders shaking out?
This one isn’t just for the Colorado Avalanche with the Lumberyard duo of Mackenzie Blackwood and Scott Wedgewood as the Colorado Eagles have their very own interesting tandem set for this season with the entrenched Trent Miner and top prospect Ilya Nabokov now in the fold. I’m watching to see how their playing time is split especially with the lessened opportunity to get in just the four exhibition games. Four solid goalies in an organization is a good problem to have but the aim is probably to have a starter for each team identified by puck drop on the regular season.
What do you want to hear about from training camp? Let us know in the comments!
