Welcome back.

It’s time for Daily Faceoff’s third annual NHL Prospect Pool Breakdown, looking at the best all 32 teams have to offer. We’re highlighting the top 10 prospects for every franchise, their biggest strengths and weaknesses and so much more.

The criteria for being labeled a “prospect” are simple: players generally have to have played in 50 or fewer NHL games or spent more time outside of the NHL than in it last year (Ivan Ivan, for example, spent more time in the NHL than AHL last year, making him ineligilble for this list). Players over 23 years old are not included, with goaltenders needing to be 25 or under.

Today, we’re breaking down the Colorado Avalanche.

Oh boy. This one’s ugly. The worst one we’ve profiled so far this year.

The Avalanche already had one of the worst pipelines in hockey. But trading Calum Ritchie – the only player on last year’s list with a clear pathway to the NHL – to bring in Brock Nelson at the NHL Trade Deadline didn’t help. One of the players they received in the deal, William Dufour, wasn’t brought back and he bolted for Europe. Sean Behrens then missed the entire season with an injury, Justus Annunen was shipped off to Nashville and Jean-Luc Foudy wasn’t re-signed.

That’s a lot of turnover, and a lot of disappointment.

That’s what years of trying to remain competitive will get you. Although, unfortunately for the Avalanche, the post-2022 Stanley Cup squad has had issues remaining relevant in the championship race. Hopefully trading Ritchie to land Nelson pays off, among other moves.

I think there’s a realistc chance that the top three prospects on this list become NHLers. I’m a big Gavin Brindley fan, and I imagine Adam Fantilli was disappointed to see him leave Columbus. But now, the Avs can (hopefully) fall in love with him.

Biggest Strength

Let’s be real here – there isn’t any. But it is interesting that the Avalanche has seemingly found some value out of late-round picks. Nikita Prishchepov played 10 NHL games just a few months after becoming one of the last players taken in 2024. I like Max Curran and Christian Humphreys, too. If even one of the three become a consistent NHLer, that’ll be huge.

Biggest Weakness

Everything, essentially. But the Avalanche have so little center depth in the pipeline, which isn’t a great look. Max Curran is the only one that appears in the top 10, with the only one with even a chance of sniffing the NHL – Jake Fisher – being far from NHL-caliber at this point. This has to be the weakest center depth of any team in the NHL.

Fast Facts:
NHL GM: Chris MacFarland
Dir. Scouting Operations: Scott Harris
Dir. of Player Development: Brian Willsie
AHL Affiliate: Colorado Eagles
ECHL Affiliate: Utah Grizzlies

TOP 10 PROSPECTS

*Gavin Brindley (Steven Ellis/Daily Faceoff)*

1. Gavin Brindley, RW, 20 (Colorado Eagles, AHL)

Acquired: Drafted 34th overall, second round in 2023

It was a disappointing season for Brindley in Cleveland, where he finished 12th in team scoring with 17 points in 52 games. He missed some time due to injury, sure, but it was far from the production many expected from the 5-foot-9 forward. Still, he played around 17-18 minutes a night as a 20-year-old, which is nothing to sneeze at. Even if he wasn’t producing, he showed how good of a skater he is and how quick his hands are when he needs to make moves. Even as a smaller forward, he has found ways to produce at every level, and I still have plenty of faith of him on the pro side. Brindley will have a chance to play a big role for the Eagles and hopefully earn an NHL call-up sooner rather than later.

2. Mikhail Gulyayev, LHD, 20 (Avangard Omsk, KHL)

Acquired: Drafted 31st overall, first round in 2023

I’ve always liked the way Gulyayev skates, using his speed and general mobility to get creative on the attack. He hasn’t produced much in the KHL, but he has some decent puck skills and can kill plays with ease. I’d like to see Gulyayev become a bit stronger because there’s real top-four potential, and I expect him to take big steps forward offensively because he’s got excellent instincts. Gulyayev’s KHL deal ends next spring, and I have to imagine the Avalanche will bring him over to the AHL for 2025-26. I’m not sure he’s more than a third-pairing guy, but he’s still Colorado’s best defensive prospect and someone I feel confident will become an NHLer regardless.

3. Ilya Nabokov, G, 22 (Metallurg Magnitogorsk, KHL)

Acquired: Drafted 38th overall, second round in 2024

After an outstanding draft season with Magnitogorsk, he backed it up with another high-end campaign as one of the youngest starting goalies in the league. Throughout his KHL tenure, Nabokov has showed unbelievable athleticism and post-to-post movement. Scouts love his ability to move fluently in the crease, and his raw talent is going to excite quite a bit of people. He’s easily the top goaltender in Colorado’s system, and it’s only a matter of time until he makes his way over to the AHL after signing his NHL entry-level contract back in May.

4. Sean Behrens, LHD, 22 (Colorado Eagles, AHL)

Acquired: Drafted 61st overall, second round in 2021

After a promising final year of college, that saw him register a career-best 31 points before adding an assist in his AHL deal, Behrens missed all of 2024-25 due to a knee injury. He’s back skating now, which is a huge bonus for a youngster many expected would be one of the small defenders who actually had an NHL impact. Standing at 5-foot-10, Behrens is a lot more aggressive than you’d expect. He uses his footwork to help him generate offense, but his own-zone play is what’ll make him the most valuable in the NHL. Behrens consistently found a way to make himself relevant on the scoresheet last year while still playing the solid defensive and physical style that made him an exciting draft prospect. Hopefully, we see some big things from Behrens this year.

5. Francesco Dell’elce, LHD, 20 (UMass, NCAA)

Acquired: Drafted 77th overall, third round in 2025

I was surprised Dell’Elce wasn’t drafted initially in 2023, but the Avs decided to take a chance on him this year. The mid-sized defender moves well, has an excellent shot and is able to pinch in and help offensively. Scouts didn’t love his decision-making in the past but it feels like he was able to slow things down at the college level and think plays through more thoroughly. Funny enough, he always seemed better under pressure than when he was all alone. His transition game is solid, and I could see him becoming a third-pairing defenseman one day. I loved his freshman season at UMass, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him turn pro next spring.

6. Oskar Olausson, LW, 22 (Colorado Eagles, AHL)

Acquired: Drafted 28th overall, first round in 2021

Olausson saw NHL action for the third straight year but is still seeking his first point. A first-round pick in 2021, Olausson hasn’t been able to elevate his game offensively yet, with his best output being the 11 goals and 26 points he put up this year in the AHL. At this time, I’m not sure any serious improvement is coming, and I’m not sure he’ll ever fit in Colorado’s system. I like that he’s a decent playmaker, but he doesn’t do enough away from the puck – or with the puck, honestly – to make it feel like he has a legit shot of becoming a full-timer.

7. Max Curran, C, 18 (Edmonton Oil Kings, WHL)

Acquired: Drafted 161st overall, fifth round in 2024

At 6-foot-3, Curran has the size you hope for from a potential bottom-six player. He put up a quiet 32 points in his draft year, but he elevated his game with 74 points in 65 games in Tri-City. Now off to play for Edmonton, Curran will need to find another level in his game if he’s going to prove himself. His skating is still a work in progress, especially if he’s going to transition into more of an energy guy in the NHL. On the surface, he brings a lot to his two-way game that you want to see, but there’s still a long runway to become an NHLer.

8. Linus Funck, RHD, 18 (Lulea, Sweden U-20)

Acquired: Drafted 118 overall, fourth round in 2025

I liked watching Funck the more I saw him as the year wore on. The 6-foot-3 defender started to get better at using his frame in the second half of the year, and his skating seemed to improve a bit. He still lacks high-end pace, but he can makes moves at a quicker speed than once believed. It feels like Funck is still raw, but he has a lot of talent with the puck and gets the puck where it needs to be often. He’s definitely a long-term project, but I liked the value at No. 118.

9. Nikita Prishchepov, LW, 21 (Colorado Eagles, AHL)

Acquired: Drafted 217th overall, seventh round in 2024

*Nikita Prishchepov (Steve Roberts-Imagn Images)*

A total of seven players from the 2024 NHL Draft played at least one NHL game this season. Six of them were first-rounders. The seventh? It was Prishchepov, the 217th player taken. That’s absolutely wild, especially given he was passed over twice before. But the heavy, 6-foot-1 winger impressed enough with the Eagles that he earned a 10-game run with the big club. It was primarily in a depth role, but he has worked hard enough and played well enough to be a legit long-term option in the bottom-six. Whatever happens, the fact he made the NHL just a few months after becoming one of the last players selected in 2024 is a great story on its own.

10. Christian Humphreys, RW, 19 (Kitchener Rangers, OHL)

Acquired: Drafted 215th overall, seventh round in 2024

It’s been a whirlwind few years for Humphreys. Before even setting foot with the USA Hockey National Team Development Program (where he was very productive), he made the big decision to commit to Michigan State. A year later, he committed to the University of Michigan and was projected to play a big role. But after registering just one assist in 10 games, and averaging below 10 minutes a night, he moved north of the border to join the Rangers. It was a good move, with Humphreys registering a solid 33 points in 28 games to pick up where he left off with the USNTDP. There isn’t anything special about Humphreys’ game away from the puck, and his defensive game leaves so much to be desired. But if he can add some pace to his game, I think he’s got the offensive skill and hockey sense to be a sneaky good pickup by the Avalanche.

The rest: Chase Bradley, LW (23), Cooper Gay, RW (23), Nolan Roed, C (19), Jake Fisher, C (20), Tory Pitner, RHD (19), Nikita Ishimnikov, RHD (20), Chris Romaine, RHD (21), Hank Kempf, LHD (23), Saige Weinstein, LHD (20), Isak Posch, G (23), Trent Miner, G (24), Louka Cloutier, G (18), Ivan Yunin, G (19)

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