Avalanche Depth Chart: Olofsson Fills Role, but Is He Enough?

The Avalanche have had a busier than usual August, filling in pieces around the edges before the start of training camp.

Earlier in the month, they signed Joel Kiviranta to a one-year, $1.25 million. He was a solid piece last season, and even if his goal totals drop, I see no issue with him filling in a depth role. He might even be the 13th forward after the trade deadline.

Then there was Alex Gagne, the 23-year-old free agent defenseman, who just completed a four-year college career. And lastly, the addition of Olofsson gave them 12 NHL regular veteran forwards.

But is it enough? How many of the potential third-line forwards will still play that role when the playoffs begin? How many will still even be part of the team? There’s no question the team has taken a step back since losing to Dallas in Game 7, but that often happens to teams who go all-in at the trade deadline and load up with rentals.

The question isn’t whether the opening night lineup is better or worse than last year’s Game 7 roster. Rather, it’s more important to compare the post-trade deadline roster in 2026 to the one from a season ago.

Here’s how things currently stand with the Avs following the addition of Olofsson.

Centers

1. Nathan MacKinnon
2. Brock Nelson
3. Jack Drury
4. Zakhar Bardakov

Extras: Ivan Ivan, T.J. Tynan, & Jason Polin

I put together a depth chart after the Kiviranta signing, and the center core is unchanged.

Read More: Avalanche Depth Chart: Lineup Coming Together but Still an Unfinished Product

Jack Drury is still slotted in as the 3C, and I’m starting to feel more and more like that’s going to be the plan for opening night. Zakhar Bardakov is going to get a look at camp to grab a hold of that 4C spot. If he doesn’t take it, then the Avs should be able to find a replacement pretty quickly. Whether it’s an unsigned free agent, a PTO, or a trade.

The funny thing about this team is, we’ve even seen that the front office can be aggressive as early as September. For example, last year they signed Erik Brannstrom early in July to fill in a depth blueline role, only to trade him after a handful of looks in preseason. He didn’t even make it to opening night.

So keep that in mind when thinking about the Avs’ center group. Unless Drury takes a gigantic step this year and develops into a permanent 3C, I can’t see this team entering the postseason without someone else in that role. And even if Drury stays there, the 4C spot is by no means solidified, at least not yet.

Wingers

1. Martin Necas
2. Artturi Lehkonen
3. Valeri Nichushkin
4. Gabe Landeskog
5. Ross Colton
6. Victor Olofsson
7. Logan O’Connor (injured)
8. Joel Kiviranta
9. Parker Kelly

Extras: Nikita Prischepov, Gavin Brindley, Matthew Stienburg, Danil Gushchin, Tye Felhaber, Taylor Makar, Chase Bradley, Cooper Gay, & Alex Barre-Boulet 

Like I said, the Avs have 12 NHL regular veteran forwards. Their three best centermen, and all nine of the wingers listed here. Logan O’Connor is starting the season on injury reserve, but we don’t know how long he’ll be out. What do they do when he returns? Perhaps Jared Bednar can shift Ross Colton back to center between Olofsson and Kiviranta, for example.

Or maybe Parker Kelly shifts to 4C behind Drury, and Colton, Olofsson, Kiviranta, and O’Connor fill in on the wing.

When I look at this list, I see five names that I can confidently say will be here past the trade deadline. Martin Necas tops the list, but his contract situation means I can’t, in full confidence, say he’ll be here all year. Not until the two sides come to terms on an extension. And Colton, Olofsson, and Kiviranta can all be traded for different reasons.

Basically, there’s a lot that could change. And some of that change will include a chance for guys like that Danil Gushchin and Gavin Brindley to get a look.

Right Defense

1. Cale Makar
2. Brent Burns
3. Josh Manson
4. Sam Malinski

Extra: Ronald Attard

When I last put together a depth chart, I had Josh Manson ahead of Brent Burns. I swapped them this time around because I’m starting to think Burns and Samuel Girard should be a pairing. Manson and Girard have been coach Jared Bednar’s go-to second pairing for years, until they brought in Ryan Lindgren.

Burns reminds me of Erik Johnson in terms of his size, reach, and defending. And Girard always played his best hockey with EJ, at least in my opinion.

That leaves Malinski with Manson, which could be an intriguing pair, or could go terribly wrong. If Malinski shifts to the left and plays well with Manson, I could still see him in and out of the lineup to give Keaton Middleton a look as well. Especially if Middleton continues to be a late-bloomer like, for example, Nate Guenin was in 2014.

Left Defense

1. Devon Toews
2. Samuel Girard
3. Keaton Middleton

Extras: Sean Behrens, Alex Gagne, & Jack Ahcan

Devon Toews will play with Makar, and Girard is the second-best lefty. That’s about all we know right now. Like I noted above, unless a trade happens, I feel like the Avs are going to start with four righties, and Middleton as the extra.

But I also really do wonder about Gagne. I don’t know much about him, but his size is something the team needs and his defending at the collegiate level was quite impressive. In 2023-24, Malinski was given a pretty solid look on the main roster and a chance to get a real taste of NHL action in his first pro season.

Can Gagne do enough to get that same type of consideration?

Goaltending

1. Mackenzie Blackwood
2. Scott Wedgewood

Extras: Trent Miner & Ilya Nabokov (loaned to the KHL)

It’s nice to know that this part of the depth chart is unchanged and there isn’t much to say that wasn’t said in my last Depth Chart story.