One of the Colorado Avalanche’s strengths when they won the Stanley Cup in 2022 was their depth through the middle.
Starting this season with Brock Nelson as the No. 2 center behind Nathan MacKinnon gives them their best center depth entering training camp since that championship team.
The Avalanche acquired Nelson in a trade with the New York Islanders on March 6, and then Nelson signed a three-year contract with Colorado on June 4 rather than go into free agency.
Nelson had 13 points (six goals, seven assists) in 19 regular-season games after the trade, then had four assists in seven Stanley Cup Playoff games.
After years of searching for the right fit following Nazem Kadri‘s departure after the championship season, general manager Chris MacFarland believes Nelson is the right player.
“I thought he did everything that he could and played well,” MacFarland said in July. “He’s a smart defensive centerman. He’s long. He’s lengthy. I think we’re going to use him a bit more in the special-teams role now that he’ll have a full training camp and things like that behind him.
“But Brock is a proven player at this level. He takes good care of himself, and he fit in. And I think at the end of the day, he saw that. He saw a good group and he wanted to continue to be a part of it.”
The Avalanche also will have a full season with center Jack Drury, who was acquired with forward Martin Necas in the trade that sent forward Mikko Rantanen to the Carolina Hurricanes on Jan. 24.
“I think Jack Drury is an elite fourth-line center, but he can play a bigger role for us,” MacFarland said. “He’s got under-the-radar type skill.”
Another potential option for center depth is Gavin Brindley, a 20-year-old acquired in the trade that sent forwards Charlie Coyle and Miles Wood to the Columbus Blue Jackets on June 27.
Brindley played one NHL game in 2023-24 and spent last season with Cleveland of the American Hockey League, where he had 17 points (six goals, 11 assists) in 52 games. But with forward Logan O’Connor expected to need 5-6 months to recover from hip surgery in June, Brindley will have a chance for more NHL games this season.
“He’s on that cusp,” Avalanche director of player personnel Brian Willsie said. “From personal experience, I struggled mightily my 20-year-old year in the American Hockey League, just the size and the strength of all the players you’re going against. It was a good experience for him.
“Now he’s looking to take that next step.”
In addition to center depth, Colorado also added at defenseman, signing Brent Burns to a one-year contract on July 2.