Avalanche sign Schwartz for forward depth; add Svechkov, L'Heureux

After the NHL Draft, free agency and other offseason moves, NHL.com is examining where each team stands in preparation for the 2026-27 regular season, which starts in September. Today, the Colorado Avalanche:

2025-26 season: 55-16-11, first in Central Division; lost in Western Conference Final

Key arrivals

Jaden Schwartz, F: The 34-year-old signed a three-year contract July 2 after five seasons with the Seattle Kraken. Schwartz had 26 points (11 goals, 15 assists) in 50 games last season and won the Stanley Cup with the St. Louis Blues in 2019. …  Fedor Svechkov, F: The 23-year-old was acquired in a trade with the Nashville Predators on June 24. Svechkov had an NHL career-high 13 assists and 17 points in a career-best 70 games last season. He was a first-round pick (No. 19) of the Predators in the 2021 NHL Draft and has 34 points (12 goals, 22 assists) in 122 NHL games. He signed a two-year contract with Nashville on March 23, which begins this season. … Zachary L'Heureux, F: The 23-year-old joined the Avalanche in the Svechkov trade. A first-round pick (No. 27) in the 2021 draft, L'Heureux had five points (four goals, one assist) in 25 NHL games last season and has 20 points (nine goals, 11 assists) in 87 NHL games. He had 28 points for Milwaukee of the American Hockey League in 2025-26. … Noah Juulsen, D: The 29-year-old signed a two-year contract July 1. Juulsen had 10 points (one goal, nine assists) and was plus-3 in 52 games for the Philadelphia Flyers last season, and had two assists in five Stanley Cup Playoff games.

Key departures

Valeri Nichushkin, F: Traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets on June 25 for a second-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, a third-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft and a fifth-round pick in the 2028 NHL Draft. Nichushkin had 49 points (17 goals, 32 assists) in 72 games last season and four points (two goals, two assists) in 12 playoff games. He had 15 points (nine goals, six assists) in 20 postseason games to help Colorado win the Stanley Cup in 2022. ... Jack Drury, F: Traded to the Predators with forward prospect Chase Bradley and a third-round pick in the 2029 NHL Draft for Svechkov and L'Heureux. Drury had 27 points (10 goals, 17 assists) in 82 games last season and five points (three goals, two assists) in 13 playoff games. … Ross Colton, F: Traded to the Predators on June 16 for goalie Magnus Chrona, a third-round pick in the 2026 draft and a third-round selection in the 2027 draft. Colton had 24 points (nine goals, 15 assists) in 73 regular-season games and five points (two goals, three assists) in 11 playoff games. ... Chris MacFarland, GM: Left to become president of hockey operations and general manager of the Predators on June 2 after four seasons as Avalanche GM and 11 with the organization. Colorado made the playoffs all four seasons of MacFarland's tenure as GM and won the Presidents' Trophy for having the best record in the NHL last season. He was assistant GM of the team that won the Cup in 2022.

On the cusp

Sean Behrens, D: The 23-year-old, chosen in the second round (No. 61) of the 2021 draft, had 23 points (five goals, 18 assists) in 55 games for Colorado of the AHL after a knee injury sidelined him for the entire 2024-25 season. Behrens is a two-time NCAA champion at the University of Denver (2022, 2024) and won a bronze medal with the United States at the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship. … Ilya Nabokov, G: The 23-year-old went 22-7-5 with a 2.74 goals-against average, .901 save percentage and one shutout in 38 games for Magnitogorsk in his third full season in the Kontinental Hockey League. Nabokov was a second-round pick (No. 38) in the 2024 NHL Draft, the highest the Avalanche have selected a goalie since Philippe Sauve was taken with the No. 38 pick in the 1998 NHL Draft. Nabokov signed a two-year, entry-level contract with Colorado on May 30, 2025. … Nikita Prishchepov, F: The 22-year-old had 12 points (three goals, nine assists) in 22 games with Colorado of the AHL despite being in and out of the lineup because of a lower-body injury. Prishchepov, a seventh-round pick (No. 217) in the 2024 draft, did not have a point in 10 games for the Avalanche in 2024-25. … Alex Gagne, D: The 23-year-old had 13 points (one goal, 12 assists) in 58 games with Colorado of the AHL last season, his first as a professional. Gagne signed a two-year, entry-level contract with the Avalanche on Aug. 18, 2025. He played four seasons at the University of New Hampshire and as captain during his senior season in 2024-25 had an NCAA career-high 17 points (four goals, 13 assists) in 35 games while leading Wildcats defensemen in scoring. Gagne was chosen by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the sixth round (No. 192) of the 2021 draft.

What they still need

The peace of mind that will come with a new contract for Cale Makar that will prevent one of the best defensemen in the NHL from becoming an unrestricted free agent after this season. They also could get younger, with an average age of 31.10 through Tuesday, third oldest in the NHL behind the Toronto Maple Leafs (31.21) and the Los Angeles Kings (31.18). And they might be open to goaltending options even after Scott Wedgewood and Mackenzie Blackwood shared the William M. Jennings Trophy last season for allowing the fewest goals in the regular season (203, including shootout-deciding goals). Wedgewood allowed nine goals on 73 shots (.877 save percentage) against the Vegas Golden Knights in Games 1-3 of the Western Conference Final, when the Avalanche were swept in four games. Blackwood started Game 4 and lost 2-1. He had a 2.82 GAA and .890 save percentage in four playoff games (three starts).

They said it

"We have a little bit of cap space that we're just going to try and accumulate over the course of the year, see how much money we can save for the deadline. We'll go 12 forwards, but we feel we got some really good young prospects that are ready to get some opportunities, get some games, so we wanted to give those guys every opportunity. We're very comfortable with the group we have going into the season." -- Avalanche general manager Joe Sakic

EDGE stat to watch

The Avalanche led the League in average shot speed (60.36 mph) and 20-plus mph speed bursts (2,643) last season, while ranking second in 22-plus mph bursts (175). In terms of 20-plus mph speed bursts, the Avalanche were the only team with two players in the top 10 in that category with forwards Nathan MacKinnon (455, second) and Martin Necas (348, sixth). Colorado also was a standout in perimeter shooting categories, leading the NHL in midrange shots on goal (875), midrange goals (104; tied), long-range shots on goal (684) and long-range goals (32). -- Troy Perlowitz

Fantasy spin

Colorado led the NHL in goals per game (3.63) and team save percentage (.909) last season, and its regular-season prowess makes the Avalanche well-represented near the top of the NHL.com fantasy rankings. The Avalanche are one of two teams (other: Minnesota Wild) with three players among the fantasy top 15 overall, with MacKinnon No. 2, Makar No. 8 and Necas No. 15. Each Avalanche goalie is ranked among the top 15 at the position, with Wedgewood No. 8 and Blackwood No. 11. -- Pete Jensen

Projected lineup

Artturi Lehkonen -- Nathan MacKinnon -- Martin Necas

Gabriel Landeskog -- Nazem Kadri -- Nicolas Roy

Jaden Schwartz -- Brock Nelson -- Zachary L'Heureux

Parker Kelly -- Fedor Svechkov -- Logan O'Connor

Devon Toews -- Cale Makar

Josh Manson -- Brent Burns

Brett Kulak -- Sam Malinski

Scott Wedgewood

Mackenzie Blackwood