Avalanche prospects took the ice for practice on Friday before traveling to San Jose to participate in the Rookie Faceoff. Colorado will play a pair of games, facing the Anaheim Ducks on Saturday at 2 p.m. MT and the Vegas Golden Knights on Sunday at 2 p.m. MT.
Avalanche Director of Player Development Brian Willsie said it’s key to have the young players and draft picks in the organization play in this weekend’s games.
One of those young players is goaltender Ilya Nabokov, whom the Avalanche selected with the 38th overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft. Nabokov, who joined the American Hockey League’s Colorado Eagles at the end of the 2025-26 campaign, will be playing his first full pro season in North America in 2026-27 after four seasons with Magnitogorsk Metallurg of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) in Russia. In the 2025-26 regular season, Nabokov posted a 22-7-5 record along with a .901 save percentage and a 2.74 goals-against average.
“We’re definitely excited having him come in and he’ll get some time [in] main camp,” Willsie said about Nabokov. “He’s excited. Just getting that experience with the Eagles at the end of the year, that helps so much."
Speaking through translator Yuri Kulikov, Nabokov said he has a great impression of Colorado.
“I love the city,” Nabokov said. “I love the weather. Everything is great. Great people. People are very kind and positive. Everyone has been very nice to me, so it’s been a pleasure being here.”
Joining Nabokov in net this weekend is fellow Russian Nikita Novosyolov, who spent most of the 2025-26 season with the VHL's Gornyak-UGMK. In 40 regular-season contests in 2025-26, Novosyolov posted a 22-10-8 record along with a .932 save percentage and a 2.10 goals-against average. Like Nabokov, Novosyolov has a prior relationship with Fedor Svechkov and Nikita Prishchepov, two members of the Avalanche organization.
“I'm very grateful that they’re always close by,” Novosyolov said through Kulikov’s translation. “[They’re] helping with everything, helping to translate and just helping with life in general.”
One of the skaters representing the Avs this weekend is T.J. Hughes, who signed with the Eagles after being named the Big Ten Conference’s Player of the Year for the University of Michigan Wolverines. Hughes posted 57 points (22g/35a) in 40 games at Michigan in 2025-26, leading the Wolverines to a Frozen Four appearance. With the Eagles, he registered two points (1g/1a) in a pair of regular-season contests before posting 14 points (4g/10a) in 17 games in his first professional playoff action.
After Friday’s practice, Hughes said it was great to get reps in with his teammates who he’ll be playing alongside in the Rookie Faceoff.
“We’re all ready to go,” Hughes said. “And it’s going to be a fun weekend.”
Hughes added that he's excited to play five-on-five hockey in meaningful games and use that as a building block entering training camp, which begins on the ice on September 17th.
"We have a good team," Hughes said. "And I'm looking to win two games. And just continue to build off my summer, go in to training camp with confidence and just continue to play my game and play how I know how to play."
