The Rookie Showcase is often an opportunity for teams to get a long look at some of their young prospects. Later today, the Avalanche will host the Utah Mammoth at South Suburban Sports Complex.
And that Utah roster is stacked.
The Avs will go up against a whopping six first-round round draft picks. Caleb Desnoyers (fourth overall, 2025), Tij Iginla (sixth overall, 2024), Cole Beaudoin (24th overall, 2024), Dmitri Simashev (sixth overall, 2023), Daniil But (12th overall, 2023), and Maveric Lamoureux (29th overall, 2022).
Colorado’s roster isn’t quite at that level. But there are a handful of names that are worth keeping an eye on. For example, Sean Behrens will participate after missing the entire 2024-25 season.
Recent free agent signings like Cooper Gay and Alex Gagne will also be there. As will 2025 draft pick Linus Funck.
As for NHL ready talent? Two forwards come to mind for Colorado’s director of player development.
“It’s exciting to have Gavin Brindley here, coming in from Columbus and Cleveland,” Brian Willsie said on Thursday. “And Nikita Prishchepov obviously has the most NHL games from that group. He had a great summer of training so we’ll look for him to springboard from this weekend into NHL camp and see what he can do next week.”
The Avs have 12 NHL veteran forwards under contract but one of them, Logan O’Connor, is not expected to be ready for opening night. Center Zakhar Bardakov (not at the rookie showcase) probably has the inside track to crack the opening night roster.
But Brindley and Prishchepov are still worthy of consideration. If the team decides to shift Parker Kelly back to center, a winger spot might be up for grabs instead.
Prishchepov was drafted in the seventh round of the 2024 draft and made a surprise appearance in the lineup last season after a strong camp.
As for Brindley, he was an early second-round draft pick by Columbus in 2023. The Avs had him on their radar when they took Calum Ritchie and Mikhail Gulyayev just a few picks before.
Brindley got into just one game with Columbus last season. And his AHL numbers didn’t shine the way they did while playing college hockey for Michigan.
But the 20-year-old is still going to be a name to watch this weekend. And if all goes well, he might make the opening night roster, even if it’s as a healthy scratch.
“This organization wants to win now,” Brindley told me. “The window isn’t huge, but I’m just going to do everything I can to be myself and help contribute if they need me to.”
