Avalanche Roundtable: Training camp storylines to follow

The Colorado Avalanche concluded their annual Media Day availability on Wednesday evening and there was no shortage of information.

First and foremost, the Avs released the official training camp roster.

https://twitter.com/DNVR_Avalanche/status/1704686801263399161

Along with the roster, Jared Bednar provided a lengthy list of updates regarding the health of several injured players who won’t be fully ready to start camp.

https://twitter.com/megangley/status/1704638925338484865

As expected, Pavel Francouz is not cleared to return to the ice with the group. Notable names waiting for the all-clear include Josh Manson, Cale Makar, and Andrew Cogliano. All three appear to be within close range. Manson skated with the main group and Cogliano skated with the second group in a no-contact jersey.

Armed with more information, it’s time to weigh in on our expectations for training camp.

Of the new signings, who are you looking at closely this weekend, and what are you looking for?

AJ: Jonathan Drouin. Remember when Drouin and Nathan MacKinnon were teammates annihilating the QMJHL in their draft year? Today, MacKinnon is the highest-paid player in the NHL this season and Drouin is on a one-year deal at less than a million dollars. This is Drouin’s last shot to prove he can be a legitimate top-six forward in the NHL. The mental game is such a big part of it for him that this weekend probably won’t be very informative but he’s still the guy I’m keeping the closest tabs on. I want to see him commit to the process.

Rudo: Jonathan Drouin is the most intriguing up front but I think it’s more important they are right about Ross Colton. Colton needs to be the complete package, doing a little bit of everything and doing it all well. Most importantly though, he’ll need to drive play like a mad man. The opportunity is there for Colton to press for a permanent top-six job if he can provide consistent quality offense. Time to earn it.

Meghan: I’ll be looking at Ryan Johansen closely. He missed the final leg of the season following an emergency surgery to repair his ankle after it was cut by a skate blade, so he’s a little out of practice from regular game-play. He came to Colorado early and has been on the ice for several weeks working with the guys as more of them came into town, so I don’t doubt his effort. I want to see if he can keep up with the speed at which the Avs like to play, and I’m curious to see who he’s slated alongside during line rushes. I’m looking for pace, creativity, and chemistry.

What is one storyline you’d like more of an answer to?

AJ: It’s hard not to look at the backup goaltending spot right now but I am curious about Kurtis MacDermid’s roster spot. It has been completely safe for the previous two years but with MacDermid opening up camp as a forward despite the lack of defensive depth, I’m a lot more curious if he is on the edge right now. He’s so well-liked and his work ethic is unimpeachable so I’m now keeping an eye on him.

Rudo: I’d go one step beyond Johansen filling the 2C role and ask how the entire top-nine end up organized. We’ve now seen their initial lines but my expectations of those lasting even through preseason are minimal. Can more skill from someone like a Tatar sneak him into the top-six? Who is going to find chemistry with Ryan Johansen? How flexible are they willing to be with Jonathan Drouin? The nine names are already known but how do the puzzle pieces fit together?

Meghan: After media day…there’s a few. I’m interested to see what kind of opportunity they give Justus Annunen so long as Pavel Francouz remains out of the lineup. Similar to the position Annunen was in last year due to injuries, Annunen won’t have Colorado’s very best in front of him, so it’s up to him to impress during the exhibition games if he wants to back-up Alexandar Georgiev to start the season.

Similarly, Jared Bednar said there were a couple forward spots and at least one D position up for grabs. Can Sam Malinski force Colorado to give him an NHL debut?

Who is your training camp dark horse to impress?

AJ: I’m dying to say Ben Meyers but I think Riley Tufte is going to win over some people. If you took the jerseys off, it would be easy to confuse Tufte and Val Nichushkin because they’re both so big and such great skaters. We saw the Nichushkin reclamation project go well when he was given a small role and allowed to work his way into it. It might take an injury or two to get Tufte the same kind of look, but if I squint hard enough I can see a similar story playing out.

Rudo: Is saying Tomas Tatar a cop-out? I know he’s a very well-established NHLer at this point, but after one day of camp that dude could easily have another 20 goal season in the bag. Of the main five forward signings, it’s a safe bet that one or two of them will overperform. Count me as a Tatar believer.

Meghan: Fredrik Oloffson is my mark. After a big year with Dallas/Texas, he earned his NHL debut and appeared in 28 NHL games. He covered significant ground and was the next man up after Jamie Benn was suspended in the Vegas-Dallas series. That speaks volumes of the trust Olofsson has built – at least in the eyes of Dallas. During captain’s skates this summer, Oloffson has spent a lot of time with the main Avs group even once the groups split into two, and I think that’s telling. He’s not a conventional young prospect – he’s 27-years-old with pro-experience, and I imagine he’s hungry for more.

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Eric Lacroix provided his training camp insights as well:

https://youtu.be/qtOkYUWZelk?si=NHxi8b6F_H_0zYro