Colorado Avalanche fans, buckle up — the future of the franchise is about to hit the ice. With just over a week to go before rookies officially report, the Avs have dropped their roster for this year’s rookie camp and showcase games, giving us the first real glimpse of the next wave of talent hoping to carve out a place in Denver.
This year’s rookie squad isn’t massive, but it’s built to compete. The lineup includes 14 forwards, eight defensemen, and three goalies — just enough bodies to roll out full lines for the showcase battles. And while numbers may be thin, the storylines are overflowing.
The biggest headline? Taylor Makar won’t be lacing up. The power forward and younger brother of superstar Cale Makar has been skating in a non-contact jersey and won’t participate on the ice. It’s a disappointment for fans eager to see the Makar name on the back of another Avalanche sweater, but the silver lining is that he’s progressing in his recovery. On the flip side, the Avs will get a long-awaited return from Sean Behrens, the promising defenseman who missed all of last season with an injury. Behrens is ready to go, and all eyes will be on him as he tries to prove he’s back at full strength.
There are some surprising inclusions — and exclusions — too. Chase Bradley and Nikita Prishchepov, who both played pro minutes last season with the Colorado Eagles, are in the mix. Prishchepov, in particular, is one to watch; the 2024 seventh-rounder has already been leaning on Gabriel Landeskog during skates, and this showcase will give him another platform to impress. Missing, however, is newly signed forward Zakhar Bardakov, whose absence is a bit of a head-scratcher for fans who were eager to see what he could bring to the table.
The action kicks off with a rookie-only practice at Family Sports Center on Thursday, September 11th, at 10:30 a.m. It’s a short tune-up before things get serious in Highlands Ranch, where the Avalanche rookies will hit the ice for a two-game rookie tournament at the South Suburban Sports Complex. The schedule is set: Colorado takes on Utah on Friday, September 12th, at 6 p.m., then clashes with Vegas on Sunday, September 14th, at 1 p.m. Fans craving an early taste of hockey season won’t want to miss these battles.
And of course, this is only the warm-up. The real showdown begins a week later when main camp opens on Thursday, September 18th, back at Family Sports Center at 9 a.m. That’s when the rookies will have to prove they belong alongside the established stars — and when the coaches will start deciding which young guns are ready to fight for NHL ice time.
For Avalanche fans, this rookie showcase isn’t just a preseason tune-up — it’s a sneak peek into the future of the franchise. Will Behrens pick up where he left off? Can Prishchepov continue to build momentum? And will Taylor Makar’s absence delay his path to the big leagues?
One thing’s for certain: the Avalanche’s pipeline is buzzing, and September is just the beginning.