The Colorado Avalanche have had a difficult start to the season. It didn't get much better when Miles Wood and Jonathan Drouin went down with injuries, and even a career start from stud defenseman Cale Makar didn't keep them from a 9-9 record. However, with several players getting healthy, including the return of suspended forward Valeri Nichushkin, the Avalanche have a great opportunity to turn their start around.
Nichushkin is a very skulled player, and there is no doubt that he will find time in Colorado's top six. However, he is just coming off a long suspension that started in last years playoffs. Nichushkin hasn't put it together off the ice. He spent six months in the NHL's Player Assistance program, and played his first game since in the Avalanche's 5-2 loss to Washington on Friday. If he can play at the level everyone knows he's capable of, Colorado just got a very good player back in their hands that will lift the rest of the roster. Nichushkin played in 54 games last season, tallying 53 points, including 28 goals. Scoring nearly 30 goals in less than 60 games is no joke, but Nichushkin just needs to find a way to stay healthy.
Adding back Drouin is also a massive boon to the Av's top six, as he's been a very underrated player throughout his career. Drouin is a solid two-way forward, able to defend and score points. Last season, Drouin played in 79 games, scoring 56 points. Colorado has had some issues with goaltending, and it won't get much better with starter Alexander Georgiev being day-to-day with an upper-body injury. Having forwards that can play solid defense will be important throughout the season.
What to do with Mittelstadt?
I think Colorado will go on a big run now that their injured reserve is clearing up, but it will be interesting to see how it plays out with Casey Mittelstadt. Mittelstadt has had a great start to the season, scoring 16 points in 18 games. He was a trade deadline acquisition from the Buffalo Sabers last season, and scored 10 points in 18 games before having a decent impact in the playoffs. Mittelstadt continued to find success in the first few games with everyone else out, but now that some players are returning, he could find a reduced role. That could also mean that Mittelstadt may not be on the first power play line, reducing his ice time.
Will Colorado improve?
In most cases, taking a productive player like Mittelstadt out of the first line power play wouldn't be a good idea, but the Av's just might do it. Players such as Atturi Lehkonen, Nichushkin and Drouin are great players too, and taking them out of those spots could hold the team back. It will be interesting to see how Colorado approaches the lineup, but I for one, am excited to see where this team is headed.
The Avalanche have been viewed as one of the top teams in the Western Conference for years now. Now that all of their talent is getting healthy again, the rest of the league should be on notice. But even with all of the talent returning, there is still the case of Gabriel Landeskog, Colorado's captain. Landeskog hasn't played since injuring his knee in 2022. If he could come back this season, along with everyone else getting healthy, the Avalanche will retake their place atop the Western Conference.