Avalanche Journal: 10 biggest questions as training camp beckons

Forgive some Colorado Avalanche fans if they’re confused by the lack of noise as training camp beckons.

It’s been a while since the Avs have had a relatively quiet, “normal” offseason.

There’s no Valeri Nichushkin-related drama to dwell on. There aren’t any non-updates about Gabe Landeskog’s knee to parse. There is one important contract situation to resolve, but it’s not quite the same as Landeskog’s 11th-hour deal in 2021 or Mikko Rantanen’s impasse a year ago.

There also might be some consternation that Colorado didn’t do more in light of how last season ended, but team president Joe Sakic said a few days after the Dallas debacle that he’d run that team back again if the Avs could. Some players will be missed, but this Avalanche team will start the season with fewer big questions than recent years and with one of the most talented rosters in the NHL.

Here are the biggest questions, with the start of training camp less than two weeks away:

1. How will Martin Necas’ contract situation play out?

Necas is an excellent hockey player who is going to thrive and produce offense in Colorado. It’s a tricky negotiation for both sides, for multiple reasons.

The financial landscape of the NHL is changing, but no one really has a handle on where it’s going. Rantanen and Mitch Marner likely took less than an open market would have provided, but other superstars with potential market-resetting deals are still unsigned.

For the Avs, the pressure is two-fold. Colorado needs to get Necas signed to a contract that works for them now and after Cale Makar’s mega-deal is in place. If not, a potential trade would be a huge pivot point after sending Rantanen away. The return would need to be significant.

It could easily be the defining story of the Avalanche season, depending on how it plays out.

2. How will Gabe Landeskog’s knee respond to “normal” offseason, training camp?

The captain’s comeback was sensational, but now the real grind begins. The word has been it’s full systems go for Landeskog, but there could certainly still be instances when he needs a day off. Will the Avs make those days off when the club practices? The second half of back-to-backs? A little of both?

Colorado needs Landeskog to be an impact player, but it still feels crazy to set the expectations too high. He’s still doing something no one has ever done before in the sport. Having him healthy and ready for a potentially long playoff run has to be the focus, however that looks.

3. How will Jared Bednar juggle four right-handed defensemen?

Four of the top six defensemen on this team are right-handed shots. One of them has to play on his off side for all six of them to be in the lineup together.

It’s not a big deal when a team has four-plus lefties, but it can be tricky at times with the starboard siders. Will the addition of Brent Burns mean …

• Sam Malinski gets a veteran mentor — either Burns or Josh Manson — and one of them shifts over?
• Cale Makar spends some time on the left side, presumably with Malinski or Burns?

If it works, the Avs could have one of the best defense corps in the NHL. If it doesn’t, a left-handed defenseman could be priority No. 1 by the trade deadline.

4. Is Jack Drury ready to be full-time No. 3 center?

The Avs have a couple of other guys who have spent time as the third-line center — Ross Colton and Parker Kelly — but the most ideal solution to Charlie Coyle’s departure is Drury. He, like Necas, is also a pending free agent, so this could be a very big first four months of the season for him.

Succeed as the 3C, and he could end up with a pretty lucrative long-term contract by March. If not, No. 3 center could be a priority by the deadline.

5. What is power play going to look like?

Will swapping out Ray Bennett for Dave Hakstol lead to changes, either tactically or philosophically, on the power play? Maybe.

The more fascinating thing is who gets to play where. A healthy Landeskog, retaining Brock Nelson, and adding Victor Olofsson means the Avs are suddenly flush with options. They have the depth to roll out two dangerous units … but that doesn’t mean Makar and Nathan MacKinnon are suddenly going to get half the PP time, either.

6. Where does Victor Olofsson fit?

Olofsson is an intriguing late-summer addition. He has better underlying numbers than his coaches have seemed to give him credit for, recently. He could also be the perfect fit in Rantanen’s old spot on the power play. Will Bednar trust him to play a meaningful role at even strength? And will the Avs play him over more established stars on PP1?

7. Is Zakhar Bardakov ready for NHL?

Taking what has been said since the end of last season on its face, it feels like the Avs sure think so. General manager Chris MacFarland dropped Bardakov’s name twice — both times unprompted — when talking about the 2025-26 edition of his team.

His style of play in Russia suggests he could be a nice fit on the fourth line. Less skill but more jam than Nikolai Kovalenko, maybe?

Bardakov is definitely the wild card of camp. It might look like he’s got a spot locked down a few days in, or “Does he need time in Loveland?” could become a storyline.