Avalanche Prospect Alex Gagne Makes Loud Statement at Rookie Faceoff
The Colorado Avalanche entered the 2026 Rookie Faceoff looking to find young players who could make an impression before training camp begins.
Alex Gagne understood the assignment.
Colorado took the ice on Saturday and also took the win with a score of 7-2 over the Anaheim Ducks. Gagne was one of the most noticeable players on the ice.
The 23-year-old defenseman completed a Gordie Howe hat trick, contributing a goal, an assist, and a fight.
For a prospect who really hadn’t made a name for himself yet, this was exactly the kind of performance he needed. The Avalanche should be paying attention now.
Gagne Made His Presence Known
For a guy who is 6-foot-5 and weighs in at 225 pounds, no one really expects him to be an offensive defenseman at the NHL level.
Gagne’s game is built around size, physicality and defense.
On Saturday, he proved he can provide a little bit of everything.
As Colorado pulled away from Anaheim, Gagne was a contributor offensively. Then when challenged, he was not afraid to get physical. That’s an important part of his game.
The Avs already have significant skill on the blue line, so the physicality is welcomed.
Cale Makar and Devon Toews aren’t going anywhere. Sam Malinski is an important piece of the roster. Veterans such as Josh Manson, Brent Burns and Brett Kulak already give Jared Bednar a lot of options.
Prospects like Gagne have to prove something to Bednar and the organization in order to have a chance at the NHL. They have to stand out and be unique.
Saturday was a good start for Gagne.
Gagne Working His Way Up
The path for Gagne to the Avalanche hasn’t necessarily been conventional.
He was selected by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the sixth round of the 2021 NHL Draft. Eventually, though, they did not sign him, and he became a free agent.
Colorado took a second look and gave him an opportunity.
Gagne signed a two-year deal in August 2025 with the Avs on an entry-level contract. He was finishing up his college career at the University of New Hampshire as the captain of their team.
He spent last season with the Colorado Eagles where he recorded one goal and 12 assists in 58 regular-season games. During the playoffs, he upped him game after recording three goals and two assistns in 17 playoff games.
No, those are not head-turning numbers. He doesn’t have to be head-turning to help the Avalanche. His defense, size, and ability to kill penalties will eventually get him a chance at NHL ice.
Avalache Need Prospects to Force the Issue
Colorado’s prospect pool has been criticized throughout the offseason, even ranked toward the very bottom of the NHL. The organization knows the cost of continuing to keep the “win-now” mentality going.
There aren’t a lot of players in the prospect pool who are knocking on the door of the NHL for Colorado. One Rookie Faceoff performance isn’t going to change that either.
What matters is that Colorado’s prospects stepped up and proved something. They beat the number-two-ranked prospect pool team. They gave people names to remember.
There were several prospects who posted their name on the board as one to watch with their performance. Gagne was one of them.
Ilya Nabokov, T.J. Hughes and several others entered the weekend with much more attention and name recognition surrounding them.
After Saturday, Gagne gave the organization another name to watch.
Laura Lambert resides in Wiggins, Colo. with her husband, Ricky and two sons, Brayden and Boedy. She attended the University of Northern Colorado while studying economics. She is an accomplished rodeo athlete and barrel horse trainer along with being a life-long sports fan. Over the years, Laura has been active in journalism in a variety of roles. While continuing to cover western sports and country music, she is currently enjoying expanding her reach into multiple sports including MLB, NHL, NCAA and WNBA. Laura covers the Miami Marlins, Houston Astros, Texas Rangers, Detroit Tigers, Colorado Rockies, Toronto Blue Jays, Colorado Avalanche and Rodeo for On SI. You can reach her at lauralambertmedia@gmail.com