They might not be the only young players that could fight their way onto the roster. Forward Fabian Lysell, 23, was acquired in a trade with the Boston Bruins on June 27. The first-round pick (No. 21) in the 2021 NHL Draft will get a long look during training camp after spending most of the past four seasons with Providence of the AHL; he had 42 points (17 goals, 25 assists) in 57 AHL games last season.
Forwards Gavin Brindley (21), Matthew DiMarsico (22) and Nikita Prishchepov (22), defensemen Sean Behrens (23) and Alex Gagne (23), and goalie Ilya Nabokov (23) all could have chances at playing time.
"We feel we've got some really good young guys, prospects that are ready to get some opportunities and get some games, so we want to give those guys every opportunity," Sakic said.
The Avalanche also traded forward Valeri Nichushkin to the Columbus Blue Jackets for a second-round pick in the 2026 draft, a third-round pick in the 2027 draft and a fifth-round pick in the 2028 NHL Draft. The move also subtracted the final four seasons of Nichushkin's eight-year contract.
The savings from trading Nichushkin, Colton and Drury allowed the Avalanche to keep their defense intact by signing Brett Kulak to a five-year contract and Brent Burns to a one-year deal on June 26.
They also signed forward Jaden Schwartz to a three-year contract July 1. The 34-year-old had 26 points (11 goals, 15 assists) in 50 games with the Seattle Kraken last season and is a six-time 20-goal scorer and a Stanley Cup champion (St. Louis Blues, 2019).
"We thought Jaden Schwartz would be a great fit offensively, a top-nine role, kind of go anywhere in the lineup, gives us depth," Sakic said. "Brings that championship pedigree, great guy, kind of fits our identity and the way we like to play. Competitor, great in the dressing room, works extremely hard off the ice."
There still is some work for the Avalanche to do, including new contracts for defenseman Cale Makar and coach Jared Bednar, each of whom is unsigned beyond this season.
But as far as further significant changes, Sakic feels the roster the Avalanche have now, one that includes full seasons with trade deadline acquisitions Nazem Kadri and Nicolas Roy, a defense that helped allow an NHL-low 197 goals last season, room for an influx of youth and a bit of salary cap space, is good enough to get them where they want to be.
"We could panic and try and blow everything up and start all over," Sakic said. "But this team, what they've done over the course of the year, was pretty remarkable. I want to give them an opportunity to try and do it again. The last two trade deadlines were meant for not just that year, it was to try and compete for a few years with this group and try and bring home the Stanley Cup. That's the goal."
