Age might be just a number, but that number is suddenly high for the Colorado Avalanche.

Going off all the rosters listed on the NHL media site in July, the Avalanche were the second-oldest team in the league with an average age of 29.88. Since then, their only real move has been bringing back 29-year-old Joel Kiviranta, a signing that won’t do much to lower that number.

These numbers will change a bit when younger forwards like Zakhar Bardakov and Ivan Ivan make a run at the roster in September, but there’s no doubt the core of Colorado’s roster is starting to age.

Thirty in the NHL today isn’t what it was 20 years ago. Players these days take significantly better care of their bodies, which, in theory, should lead to longer primes. The Avalanche also aren’t the only Stanley Cup contender made up of mostly veterans. However, the easiest way to extend your championship window is to draft and develop well.

That’s not an area in which the Avalanche have excelled over the last decade or so.

By the time training camp starts next month, five of Colorado’s top six forwards will be 30 or older, with Martin Necas being the young buck at 26. In an ideal world, the Avalanche would have a younger forward ready to break through to bridge the gap a little bit, but former first-round picks like Martin Kaut and the recently traded Oskar Olausson flamed out.

Even Alex Newhook, once viewed as the potential second-line center replacement after Nazem Kadri left in free agency, stagnated in his development and was eventually dealt to Montreal. The organization tried to use Bowen Byram, their top young trade chip, to add a younger top-six solution up front, but Casey Mittelstadt turned into Charlie Coyle who has since turned into a draft pick and prospect Gavin Brindley. Not exactly the prettiest trade tree in the world.

The organization has some prospects up front, but whether it’s Bardakov, Ivan, Brindley, or someone else, they’re all generally considered to be future depth forwards at best. Calum Ritchie, considered by some experts to be one of the better prospects in the league, was dealt at the trade deadline for Brock Nelson, a move that further emphasized (particularly with the re-signing of Nelson) Colorado’s window to win is right now.

And right now might mean the next two seasons. When you have Cale Makar and Nathan MacKinnon, you should always be competitive, but as the core around those stars begins to age, it’s fair to question how long this window will remain open with a weak prospect pool and limited trade assets.

In two years, Makar will be due a hefty pay raise that will have a significant impact on their cap situation; a 32-year-old Artturi Lehkonen’s contract will expire; Sam Girard will need a new deal; and Nelson will be 35. Things could look awfully different after the summer of 2027.

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If the Avalanche win another championship in the next year or two, no one will care when the eventual drop-off happens. Two Stanley Cups in a short window can only be considered a massive success. But if they can’t get the job done again in the near future, extending that window will take some real creativity and a bit of luck.

What I’m hearing

—Mikhail Gulyayev, 20, is the Avalanche’s closest example of a blue-chip prospect. His arrival would add some much-needed youthful energy to the blue line. His game is tailor-made for Colorado’s system, although it’s fair to wonder how the 5-foot-11 defenseman will handle the size of NHL forwards. From what I’m hearing, the Avalanche expect him to make the jump to North America after this season. They’ll probably need him with Sam Malinski and Brent Burns both set to become unrestricted free agents next summer.

—Casey Mittelstadt might be on the move again, as rumors state the Bruins are shopping him. It’s hard to grasp exactly happened with him. He was great for the Avalanche after they acquired him and had a fantastic start to last season, then the wheels fell off and he hasn’t been able to recover. 

What I’m seeing

—I have no real issue with NHL 26’s cover star being Matthew Tkachuk, especially in an Olympic year when he’s likely to be one of the more popular Americans. But it did feel like a missed opportunity to honor Johnny Gaudreau on the cover.

—Remember Ryan Johansen? After the Avalanche dealt him to Philadelphia, he never played another game, citing a hip injury. The Flyers terminated his contract that summer, stating there was “material breach” as grounds for termination. Johansen and the NHLPA fought it but an arbitrator has ruled in favor of the Flyers, according to TSN’s Darren Dreger. Johansen’s last NHL game likely came in an Avalanche uniform.

What I’m thinking

—I’m expecting training camp for the Avalanche to be very focused this year. With the Oympics compacting the schedule quite a bit, they probably won’t practice a whole lot this season. That means camp will be a bit more important for everyone to get on the same page and for youngsters to show they can grasp the system.

—Speaking of training camps, the NHL’s is too long and it sounds like the new CBA will shorten them. But after spending a few days at Broncos training camp, I’ve had it good. Talk about a long camp. Can’t believe we’re still four weeks away from that team playing a real game.