Avs set to begin season under cloud of uncertainty with Nichushkin suspension and Landeskog's injury
The Colorado Avalanche are dealing with plenty of uncertainty on the eve of their season openerOCTOBER 9 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
COLORADO AVALANCHE 13-10-0 · 4TH IN WEST, CENTRAL
13-10-0 · 4TH IN WEST, CENTRAL
Next Game at Stars · Sat 2:00AM
COL +112 TOTAL 6.5
Avalanche GM Chris MacFarland: "I don't want us to wait for the cavalry" Chris MacFarland acknowledged the uncertainty surrounding his team, but made it clear expectations for the Colorado Avalanche have not chang...
OCTOBER 9 • DENVERPOST.COM
Chris Wagner - Drops to AHL Wagner was reassigned to AHL Colorado on Tuesday.
Impact Wagner cleared waivers Sunday and remained on the roster an extra day. He'll now head to the minors, but the veteran forward could be back with the NHL club if Ivan Ivan struggles to adjust in a fourth-line role.
OCTOBER 8 • ROTOWIRE
Avalanche have 'no concern' about Rantanen contract, GM says | NHL.com Forward can become unrestricted free agent after this season, had 104 points in 2023-24
OCTOBER 8 • NHL.COM
Valeri Nichushkin - Not in Denver yet Nichushkin (suspension) is expected to arrive in Denver in late October, according to Aarif Deen of Colorado Hockey Now on Tuesday.
Impact Nichushkin should be back on the ice with his teammates at some point in November. He was placed in Stage 3 of the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program in May for violating the treatment plan and suspended for at least six months. Nichushkin is eligible to apply for reinstatement in November. He produced 28 goals and 53 points in 54 regular-season contests with the Avalanche in 2023-24.
OCTOBER 8 • ROTOWIRE
Sean Behrens - Season officially over Behrens will miss the entirety of the 2024-25 campaign with a knee injury, the Avs announced Tuesday.
Impact Behrens was unlikely to play in the NHL this year considering it would have been his first season in the professional ranks. Selected by Colorado in the second round of the 2021 NHL Draft, the blueliner spent three seasons with the University of Denver where he racked up 10 goals and 71 assists in 112 collegiate contests. Given the long-term recovery, Behrens will likely start next season in the minors as well.
OCTOBER 8 • ROTOWIRE
Ivan Ivan - Recalled from minors Ivan was summoned from AHL Colorado on Tuesday.
Impact Ivan could make his NHL debut Wednesday on Opening Night against Vegas. He notched 12 goals and 31 points in 67 games with AHL Colorado during the 2023-24 regular season. The 22-year-old forward will play in the bottom six of the Avalanche.
OCTOBER 8 • ROTOWIRE
Nikolai Kovalenko - Called up Tuesday Kovalenko was recalled from AHL Colorado on Tuesday.
Impact Kovalenko was assigned to AHL Colorado on Monday, but he's back with the big club ahead of Wednesday's season opener against the Golden Knights. The 24-year-old will likely begin the season as the Avalanche's 13th forward. Kovalenko picked up three points in four games with AHL Colorado in 2023-24.
OCTOBER 8 • ROTOWIRE
Golden Knights host the Avalanche in season opener
The Vegas Golden Knights host the Colorado Avalanche in the season openerOCTOBER 8 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Chris Wagner - Remains on NHL roster Wagner is part of Colorado's Opening Night roster that the team released Monday.
Impact Wagner was placed on waivers Saturday, but he'll remain on Colorado's roster ahead of the regular season. The 33-year-old appeared in 13 NHL games for the Avalanche last year, and it's possible he heads to the minors at some point.
OCTOBER 7 • ROTOWIRE
Artturi Lehkonen - Moves to non-roster list Lehkonen (shoulder) was put on the injured non-roster list Monday.
Impact Lehkonen has been ruled out for the first month of the 2024-25 campaign. He produced 16 goals and 34 points in 45 contests during the 2023-24 regular season.
OCTOBER 7 • ROTOWIRE
Ivan Ivan - Reassigned to AHL Ivan was reassigned to AHL Colorado on Monday.
Impact Ivan competed for a role on the Avalanche's fourth line during training camp. While he'll be sent to the minors Monday, the move appears to be procedural, and the 22-year-old is a strong candidate to rejoin the team ahead of Opening Night. Ivan hasn't yet made his NHL debut but could see a role while Artturi Lehkonen (shoulder) and Gabriel Landeskog (knee) are sidelined.
OCTOBER 7 • ROTOWIRE
Ondrej Pavel - Heads to minors Pavel (undisclosed) was assigned to AHL Colorado on Monday.
Impact Pavel had been dealing with an injury during training camp, but his demotion suggests he should be available to play soon. The 24-year-old forward earned six goals and 10 points in 61 games with AHL Colorado during the 2023-24 regular season.
OCTOBER 7 • ROTOWIRE
Nikolai Kovalenko - Sent to AHL Kovalenko was reassigned to AHL Colorado on Monday.
Impact Kovalenko will head to the minors ahead of Wednesday's regular-season opener against the Golden Knights, but the move appears to be procedural, so he'll likely rejoin the Avalanche ahead of Opening Night. The 24-year-old logged 11 goals and 35 points over 42 appearances in the KHL last year.
OCTOBER 7 • ROTOWIRE
Artturi Lehkonen - Out through October Lehkonen (shoulder) will be re-evaluated at the end of October, Corey Masisak of The Denver Post reports Monday.
Impact The news officially rules Lehkonen out for at least the first 11 games of the 2024-25 campaign. Given his recovery timeline, the 29-year-old winger is a strong candidate for long-term injured reserve, though he hasn't officially been designated yet. In the meantime, Calum Ritchie appears to have secured himself a spot in the top six playing alongside Casey Mittelstadt.
OCTOBER 7 • ROTOWIRE
Sports betting: Oilers start NHL season with the best odds to win the Stanley Cup
The NHL season will get underway fully on Tuesday nightOCTOBER 7 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Top 50 Right Now: Cale Makar | NHL.com Cale Makar is ranked as the 4th-best player in the league
OCTOBER 7 • NHL.COM
Top 50 Right Now: Nathan MacKinnon | NHL.com Nathan MacKinnon is ranked as the 2nd-best player in the league
OCTOBER 7 • NHL.COM
Brannstrom traded to Canucks by Avalanche for Poolman, 4th-round pick in 2025 Draft | NHL.com 25-year-old defenseman placed on waivers for purpose of assignment to AHL, signed 1-year contract with Colorado on July 2
OCTOBER 6 • NHL.COM
Tucker Poolman - Obtained in deal Colorado received Poolman (head) and a 2025 fourth-round draft pick from Vancouver on Sunday in exchange for Erik Brannstrom.
Impact Poolman didn't play in 2023-24 due to migraines and won't be available for the 2024-25 campaign either. As part of the trade, the Canucks will retain 20 percent of the final season of his four-year, $10 million contract.
OCTOBER 6 • ROTOWIRE
Ivan Ivan - Competing for fourth-line role Ivan scored a goal on three shots and added two PIM in Saturday's 2-1 preseason loss to Utah.
Impact Ivan made a good final audition for a fourth-line gig, scoring the Avalanche's lone goal in the loss. The 22-year-old forward put up 31 points in 67 contests with AHL Colorado last year. Opening rosters are due Monday, and it's possible Ivan will be on the Avalanche's to begin the campaign while Artturi Lehkonen (shoulder) and Gabriel Landeskog (knee) continue to work their way back to full health.
OCTOBER 6 • ROTOWIRE
Alexandar Georgiev - Loses to Utah Georgiev surrendered two goals on 20 shots in Saturday's 2-1 preseason loss to Utah.
Impact It was a low-scoring contest featuring NHL-level rosters for the most part on both sides. Georgiev allowed goals to Dylan Guenther and Nick Schmaltz in the contest and gave up 10 goals on 73 shots over three preseason contests, though six came in a loss to Vegas on Tuesday. The 28-year-old netminder should be between the pipes for Opening Night on Wednesday in Vegas, but Georgiev will need to play well to fend off Justus Annunen's push for a larger role.
OCTOBER 6 • ROTOWIRE
Ondrej Pavel - Not playing Saturday Pavel (undisclosed) won't play in Saturday's preseason finale against Utah, according to Belle Fraser of The Salt Lake Tribune.
Impact Pavel didn't see any exhibition action after getting injured in the 2024 Rookie Faceoff. He could begin the 2024-25 campaign on season-opening injured reserve before heading to AHL Colorado once he's healthy.
OCTOBER 5 • ROTOWIRE
Alexandar Georgiev - Set to start Saturday Georgiev is expected to start on the road against Utah in Saturday's preseason game, according to Belle Fraser of The Salt Lake Tribune.
Impact Georgiev will look for a better result after stopping 31 of 37 shots in a 6-1 exhibition loss to Vegas on Tuesday. The 28-year-old had a 38-18-5 record with a 3.02 GAA and an .897 save percentage in 63 regular-season outings with the Avalanche in 2023-24. He's set to open the campaign as Colorado's No. 1 goaltender with Justus Annunen slated to serve as his understudy.
OCTOBER 5 • ROTOWIRE
Chris Wagner - Hits waiver wire Saturday Wagner was placed on waivers Saturday, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports.
Impact The 33-year-old played 13 regular-season games with the Avalanche in 2023-24, scoring once and adding an assist. Wagner also saw action in 21 AHL games, finding the back of the net eight times, while adding six assists.
OCTOBER 5 • ROTOWIRE
