Meet the Avalanche: player profiles for 2018-19 season

It’s opening day on Thursday, so say hello to your 2018-19 Colorado Avalanche. Some of these guys will come and go as the season moves along, but for now, here’s a snapshot look at the individuals on the roster today:

Sven Andrighetto

#	Pos	Sh	Ht	Wt	Born	Birthplace
10	RW	L	5′ 10″	188	Mar 21, 1993	Zurich, CHE

THE SKINNY: Unfortunately for No. 10, he starts the season on injured reserve, probably two to four weeks, with an injured left foot. … On a team without a lot of scoring depth, his absence hurts already. … Fast, up and down winger with some good skill. Not big, and not a great defensive player. … Scored the goal that won Game 5 against Nashville in the playoffs, the Avs’ last great moment from last spring. … One of the sharpest-dressed players on the team. He and Gabe Landeskog vie for that title probably, with Nikita Zadorov also in the conversation.

Gabriel Bourque

57

LW

L

5′ 10″

206

Sep 23, 1990

Rimouski, QC, CAN

 

THE SKINNY: Kind of a mystery man on the team. Just goes about his business quietly and professionally. … Plays a grinding, lunchpail kind of game, nothing fancy. May start the season on the third line, but probably will settle into his usual fourth-line role before long. … Has 306 games of NHL experience.

Matt Calvert

11

LW

L

5′ 11″

186

Dec 24, 1989

Brandon, MB, CAN

THE SKINNY: Newcomer from Columbus, who signed a three-year, $8.5 million free-agent contract. … Expected to play a major role on the penalty kill, the younger replacement for the departed Blake Comeau. He is a specialist at scoring short-handed goals, almost had a couple of them in the preseason. … Not big, but plays tough. Has some injury history, however. … Avs hope he can score 10-15 goals, maybe a few more.

J.T. Compher

37

LW

R

6′ 0″

193

Apr 8, 1995

Northbrook, IL, USA

THE SKINNY: Entering his second full season with Avs. Had something of an up-and-down year last year. Scored some big goals at times and always works hard. But he also endured some long offensive droughts and never seemed to find a home on any line. … Needs to work harder on staying within himself, especially defensively. The future still seems bright for the 23-year-old, but Avs are hoping and expecting for a better season from him. … Doesn’t say a whole lot to the media, but has a reputation in the locker room as a bit of a needler.

Sheldon Dries 

15

C

L

5′ 9″

185

Apr 23, 1994

Macomb Township, WI, USA

THE SKINNY: Overcoming the odds is something this kid from Wisconsin has always done, but it was still something of a major surprise that he beat out several forwards with previous NHL experience to make the Avs’ opening-night roster. He’s small, but he won coach Jared Bednar over in camp with his grit and hustle. … A four-year starter at Western Michigan, Dries spent last season with the Texas Stars of the AHL. … He went undrafted by NHL teams, but finds himself in the NHL at 24.

Tyson Jost

17

C

L

5′ 11″

191

Mar 14, 1998

St. Albert, AB, CAN

THE SKINNY: A lot of pressure and expectation on the 20-year-old. He enters the season as the second-line center, and how well he performs likely will go a long way toward whether the Avs repeat as a playoff team or not. … Came into camp with a reshaped body, slimmer but stronger, and for the most part looked good in the preseason. … Still has to work on finishing scoring chances. … Avs need the second line to come through this year, as a lot of opposing defensive schemes will be geared toward stopping the dynamic first line. Can’t expect the world yet, as he’s still only 20 and learning. But Avs probably need at least 40 points from him if they are to have realistic playoff hopes.

Vladislav Kamenev

91

C

L

6′ 2″

194

Aug 12, 1996

Orsk, RUS

THE SKINNY: Like Andrighetto, he starts the season on the injured list. So far, his brief tenure with the Avs has been one marked by poor health, and that’s about it. … Suffered a broken wrist in his first game with the Avs last season after coming over from Nashville in the Matt Duchene trade. …. Had an up-and-down preseason before getting hurt. Jared Bednar criticized his footspeed at one point, but he seemed to play better after that. … But now he’s hurt again.

Alexander Kerfoot

13

C

L

5′ 10″

175

Aug 11, 1994

Vancouver, BC, CAN

THE SKINNY: Probably the team’s most pleasant surprise from last season, he enters his sophomore year coming off a tremendous preseason. He’s locked in right now as the second-line left wing, next to Tyson Jost. … He bulked up about eight pounds over the summer and seems better able to play a more physical game. … The kid from Harvard scored 19 goals as a rookie, and showed tremendous playmaking ability. If all goes right, he’s got 50-60 point potential. … His father, Gregory, owns the Vancouver Whitecaps of MLS.

Gabe Landeskog

92

LW

L

6′ 1″

215

Nov 23, 1992

Stockholm, SWE

THE SKINNY: The captain enters his eighth NHL season, yet he’s still just 25. … He had probably his best all-around season as a pro last year, capped off by a brilliant individual effort in the regular-season, playoff-clinching finale against St. Louis. … While he can score (25 goals, 62 points last year), he’s probably the Avs’ most dogged backchecker among forwards. … More comfortable in his role as captain now than when it was first thrust on him, “Landy” always exudes a confident, cool exterior.

Nathan MacKinnon

29

C

R

6′ 0″

205

Sep 1, 1995

Halifax, NS, CAN

THE SKINNY: The runner-up to Taylor Hall in the Hart Trophy balloting last year, MacKinnon enters his sixth NHL season, yet he only turned 23 last month. … He scored 37 goals and 97 points in 74 games. … The most explosive skater on the team, if MacKinnon gets one step on you, he’s gone. … Has emerged as a locker-room leader, especially since the trade of Matt Duchene. … Moody after losses, reporters know to usually steer clear of him. … Next-door neighbor in his hometown of Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia, is his good friend, Sidney Crosby. … Loves to play golf in his downtime.

Matt Nieto

83

LW

L

5′ 11″

190

Nov 5, 1992

Long Beach, CA, USA

THE SKINNY: Scored a career-high 15 goals last season, and received a new two-year contract as a reward. … Like some other undersized Avs players, he put on some real muscle in the off-season and changed his diet to eliminate red meat. He looked faster than previously, not that he was ever slow. … A good forechecker, he occasionally takes some bad penalties, which can hurt because he’s also a top penalty killer. He makes a lot of little, but important plays, such as sealing the wall with his body on attempted opposition clearouts. … One of few NHL players in league history from Mexican heritage.

Mikko Rantanen

96

RW

L

6′ 4″

215

Oct 29, 1996

Nousiainen, FIN

THE SKINNY: Already an NHL star, and he’s still only 21. … Coming off a huge, 84-point season, the right wing next to MacKinnon and Landeskog. … Tremendous shooting ability, and a tricky passer, especially from the half-wall on the power play. … Just has soft, skillful hands. Not the fastest guy on the ice, but for a big man he moves pretty well. … Defensive play can be a bit suspect at times. Needs to work a bit harder on the backcheck. Despite the 84 points, he was only dead even in plus-minus. … Very approachable guy who just likes to win and have fun.

Carl Soderberg

34

C

L

6′ 3″

210

Oct 12, 1985

Malmö, SWE

THE SKINNY: The team’s oldest player, but take it easy on the Grandpa jokes. He’ll still turn only 33 on Oct. 12. … After a disastrous 2016-17, the big Swedish center rebounded with a solid season, scoring 16 goals and 37 points. … A top penalty-killer among the forwards, Soderberg can play a tough, physical game in his own end. … Tough around the opposing net, but plays a gentlemanly game. He’s not a fighter or scrapper, in other words. … Quiet and shy off the ice, but seems more comfortable with the Avs in all aspects than when he first got here.

Colin Wilson

22

C

L

6′ 1″

221

Oct 20, 1989

Greenwich, CT, USA

THE SKINNY: Coming off an injury-plagued, non-productive first season with the Avs, he enters this year with a second chance, as a second-line right wing. … He looked pretty good in the preseason, but has only 24 goals in his last 190 regular-season games, since scoring 20 with Nashville in 2014-15. … Entering the last year of a four-year contract that carries a cap hit of $3.9 million.

Mark Barberio

44

L

6′ 1″

200

Mar 23, 1990

Montreal, QC, CAN

THE SKINNY: Since coming over from Montreal, he has acquitted himself well enough to have earned a new two-year contract over the summer. … Mostly a gritty, stay-at-home type of defender, but possesses a hard slap shot and will jump into the play on occasion. … Occasionally has trouble making the first pass out of the zone and takes a bad penalty now and then. … Works extremely hard and is tough on himself. Holds himself accountable, in other words.

Tyson Barrie

4

R

5′ 10″

190

Jul 26, 1991

Victoria, BC, CAN

THE SKINNY: Entering his eighth NHL season, all with the Avs. … One the NHL’s best offensive defensemen, he’s coming off a career-high 57-point season. … His defensive play? No, he’ll probably never win a Norris Trophy. There are times he turns the puck over too much, sometimes at his own blue line, leading to odd-man rushes against. … He’s improved his power-play quarterbacking the last couple years, being more aggressive with his shot. … His name has cropped up in trade rumors over the years, and might again this year, but he doesn’t let it bother him. … Well-liked and respected in the dressing room.

Ian Cole

28

L

6′ 1″

219

Feb 21, 1989

Ann Arbor, MI, USA

THE SKINNY: Signed a three-year free-agent contract with the Avs in the summer. … He brings 405 NHL regular-season games of experience with him, along with two Stanley Cups, both with Pittsburgh. … He plays a “heavy” defensive game and should really help shore up a problem area of the last few years – snarl and sandpaper around the Avs’ net. … A cerebral personality who likes to have the occasional conversation about things other than hockey.

Sam Girard

49

L

5′ 10″

162

May 12, 1998

Roberval, QC, CAN

THE SKINNY: Entering his first full season with the Avs, he’s still only 20 but already a very valuable member of the team. … He is excellent with the puck in his own end, either with the first pass or skating it out, often after making opposing forecheckers look silly trying to hit him. … He put on 16 pounds of muscle in the off-season, mostly in the upper body and it seemed to give him more confidence playing along the boards in what was an excellent preseason. … If the Avs had only just gotten him in the Matt Duchene trade, it probably would still be in favor of the Avs. Defensemen with his kind of poise and skill, at any age much less his, are hard to find. … Rumored to have a professional-caliber opera voice.

Erik Johnson

6

R

6′ 4″

225

Mar 21, 1988

Bloomington, MN, USA

THE SKINNY: He played a huge part in getting the Avalanche back to the playoffs last year. Unfortunately, he couldn’t participate because of a fractured kneecap. … He’s healed up again and ready to go, although he didn’t play a ton in the preseason. … He was seventh in the league in ice time last year, but expect his minutes to drop slightly because of better overall depth. At least, that’s the plan for now. … He’s sacrificed some of his offensive game in recent years to be better in his own end, to good effect. … He can still wheel and deal offensively when he wants to, though. … A locker-room leader, he never makes excuses and doesn’t tolerate any from teammates.

Anton Lindholm

54

L

5′ 11″

191

Nov 29, 1994

Skellefteå, SWE

THE SKINNY: Starts the season as kind of a forgotten man, on the injured list and an eighth defenseman. … Played 48 games last season, but injuries limited him there too, and was a healthy scratch at other times. … He’s a smart guy who seems to know the game, but has had stumbles with his decision-making in his own end. Maybe he’ll get another chance, but others probably will have to get hurt or play poorly first.

Patrik Nemeth

12

L

6′ 3″

219

Feb 8, 1992

Stockholm, SWE

THE SKINNY: After leading the team in plus-minus (27), Nemeth was rewarded with a one-year, $2.5 million contract. … He was also the second-leading NHL shot blocker last year. … The big Swede plays a physical, sweaty brand of hockey that Jared Bednar likes. … He doesn’t always make the right decision with the puck, but he worked harder at overcoming that in the off-season, along with his skating. … A fitness nut, Nemeth doesn’t eat a lot of meats or fats.

Nikita Zadorov

16

L

6′ 5″

230

Apr 16, 1995

Moscow, RUS

THE SKINNY: Could be a pivotal year in the career of the big Russian D-man. … Entering a contract year, he could enter Very Big Bucks territory with a solid season. … After a slow start to last season, he really came on starting around December and by the end of the playoffs he was a leader on and off the ice. … Coming off off-season shoulder surgery, Big Z didn’t play a ton in the preseason. … He’s picked on at times by referees and needs to work on his foot work still in his own end, but he’s come a long way since being acquired from Buffalo.

Philipp Grubauer

31

6′ 1″

191

Nov 25, 1991

Rosenheim, DEU

THE SKINNY: The newcomer from the Washington Capitals, he signed a three-year contract immediately upon his acquisition. … He enters the season as the backup to Semyon Varlamov, but figures to play quite a bit regardless. … He looked good in his final preseason game at home against Minnesota. … He’ll turn 27 in November. … He entered the playoffs as Washington’s starter, but was yanked after two games in favor of Braden Holtby. … Probably the heir apparent to Varlamov, but still has to prove himself fully.

Semyon Varlamov

1

6′ 2″

205

Apr 27, 1988

Samara, RUS

THE SKINNY: Hard to believe, but he’s entering his eighth full season with the Avs. He turned 30 in April. … He was in the midst of a strong season before he was hurt in a game against Chicago and missed the playoffs. It was a shame, because he won some huge games down the stretch to help get them that far. … His talent is unquestioned, but can he stay healthy? That’s the worry. … Sometimes seems to lose focus in games where the Avs get down a couple goals, or if he lets in a softy or two. When he gets hot, though, he gets hot.