Competition for Avalanche defensemen begins in earnest

Just like that, in the blink of an eye, Colorado Avalanche training camp has come to a close. New systems and schemes have been introduced, conditioning testing is done, the first amateur cuts have been made, and now the real battle for NHL jobs begins. In the next eleven days, over six preseason contests, jobs will be won and lost as the Avalanche begin rebuilding a defensive unit that has plagued the team for the better part of a decade.

After coming to terms with defenseman Nikita Zadorov over the weekend, the Colorado Avalanche enter their preseason with 15 defensemen remaining on the roster. On the low end of the totem pole, defenders Josh Anderson, Sergei Boikov, Mason Geertsen, Jesse Graham, and 2017 2nd round pick Conor Timmins are not expected to compete for a spot on the NHL roster. That’s not to say that players in that group haven’t impressed as both Timmins and Geertsen have shown flashes of excellence during the first week of the Avalanche season, but neither is ready for primetime NHL action.

On the other end of the spectrum, only Erik Johnson, Tyson Barrie, and the big Russian Zadorov appear locked-in to the Avalanche’s top two defensive pairings. Mark Barberio also played a top role after the team claimed him from the Montreal Canadiens on waivers late last season, but the fleet-footed puck mover returned to the ice just this morning. With so little NHL experience on the Avs’ blueline, Barberio’s roster spot is in no immediate danger, but in this “what have you done for me lately” league, his time away opened the door of opportunity for the hounds nipping at his heels.

That places the spotlight on five Avalanche defensemen competing for three spots in the NHL lineup and one spot in the press-box. The aforementioned Barberio finds himself pitted against KHL newcomer Andrei Mironov, as well as familiar prospects Duncan Siemens, Anton Lindholm, and Chris Bigras. If that isn’t enough, the Avs’ young defensive core is also battling some external forces. Of course, if Joe Sakic does move Matt Duchene in the near future, it’s safe to expect a defenseman as part of the trade return. However, if these young Avs’ defensemen fail to impress across the board, they could quickly find themselves on the outside looking in.

Sakic was clear during the summer the Avalanche would use their position at the top of the waiver wire to add talent to the team this fall, and as we approach the beginning of the NHL season, multiple teams are still facing difficult waiver situations as they make their final cuts. In Las Vegas, the Golden Knights still have eleven defensemen on their NHL roster, ten of whom must pass through waivers to go to the AHL. After their weekend trade for Jason Demers, the Arizona Coyotes are facing difficult cuts on a crowded blue line, and they, like others all around the NHL, will soon be forced to send potentially useful NHL players through the waiver process. Should the Avs’ youngsters fail to impress Sakic and Co. in the coming weeks, they’ll find themselves buried under the options of castoffs from other NHL teams.

Spotlight on Colorado defenders

#54 – Anton Lindholm (Left Shot)
5’11” 191 lbs
2016-2017: NHL – 12 GP 0 G 0 PTS

A fifth round pick from 2014, Anton Lindholm’s development has been a pleasant surprise in the Avalanche system. Lindholm moved steadily up the San Antonio lineup last year in his first North American season, before finishing the season with a 12 game stint in Colorado. Lindholm was held pointless in his NHL debut but impressed with steady defensive play and respectable underlying numbers on a team that was badly bleeding shots. Through the end of camp Lindholm is playing with confidence and has emerged as the front-runner for a roster spot. Lindholm was held out of the Burgundy and White game with the other NHL regulars.

#15 – Duncan Siemens (Left Shot)
6’3” 210 lbs
2016-2017: AHL – 73 GP 2 G 7 PTS

Duncan Siemens hasn’t panned out the way the Avalanche hoped when they used the 11th overall selection in 2011 to snag the big bruising defenseman. In a series of “last chances,” it appears that this year, Siemens really has found the end of the line. His waiver eligibility is up, he’s on a cheap one-year contract, and a glut of young defensive prospects are catching up to him in the Avalanche system, so if Siemens hopes to spend real time in the NHL it’s now or never. The fifth-year pro looks more polished than ever before.

#3 – Chris Bigras (Left Shot)
6’1” 190 lbs
2016-2017: AHL – 45 GP 5 G 19 PTS

After playing 31 NHL games in 2016, Chris Bigras looked poised to carve out a permanent position in the NHL last year. Instead, Bigras was plagued by injuries and uneven play in 2017 and spent the season stuck in limbo. Skating is still his most exceptional quality, but Bigras made significant gains in the strength and conditioning department this summer and appears bigger, stronger, and meaner on the ice. At his best, Bigras is maybe the best, most impactful defenseman in this group, but he’s also the least polished, and getting Bigras at his best means living with him at his worst. So far this year Bigras’ has shown plenty of the highs, but some of the lows as well.

#94 – Andrei Mironov (Left Shot)
6’3” 194 lbs
2016-2017: KHL – 18 GP 1 G 4 PTS

The newest member of the Avalanche defensive unit, Andrei Mironov left the KHL and crossed the Atlantic Ocean for a shot at an NHL job. It’s likely, given that the Avalanche had to lure the former KHL All-Star to North America, that Mironov will be given an inside track at an NHL job to start the season. After all, he didn’t come all this way to play in San Antonio. Mironov is a hard hitter and plays strong defensive hockey, but it’s tough to say how far his puck skills will take him in the NHL, or if he’ll find himself in over his head.

#44 – Mark Barberio (Left Shot)
6’1” 207 lbs
2016-2017: NHL – 34 GP 2 G 9 PTS

Mark Barberio put together a strong start to his Avalanche career, scoring nine points in 34 games with Colorado and earning a spot on the top pairing after Nikita Zadorov’s season-ending broken ankle. Barberio has spent his career bouncing between the NHL and AHL for Tampa Bay and Montreal and has lots left to prove if he wants to hold down a more permanent NHL spot in Colorado. Barberio missed training camp with an undisclosed lower-body injury, but skated hard on Saturday and returned Monday morning.

Darkhorses: Nicolas Meloche, David Warsofsky, Jared Cowen.