Avalanche's Prospect Pool is Dangerously Shallow

The Colorado Avalanche are great now, but their future looks far less promising.

Apr 11, 2024; Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA; Michigan Wolverines forward Gavin Brindley (4) looks on in the semifinals of the 2024 Frozen Four college ice hockey tournament against the Boston College Eagles at Xcel Energy Center. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-Imagn Images / Brace Hemmelgarn-Imagn Images

Currently, the Colorado Avalanche are one of the best teams in the Western Conference and the NHL as a whole. Behind stars such as Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar, the Avalanche won the Stanley Cup in 2022 and have been in the mix for more than half a decade now.

Being so good for so long comes with a cost however, and as usual, it's the future.

As The Athletic begins its annual series looking at every team's prospect pool, the Avalanche came in dead last, and by a decent margin too. They have some good prospects for the future, but the cupboard is pretty barren.

"Years of going all in have caught up to Colorado," The Athletic's Corey Pronman wrote. "The Avalanche have the clear 32nd-ranked system in the NHL. Gavin Brindley and Mikhail Gulyayev are quality prospects, but it’s extremely thin after them."

The Avalanche acquired Brindley, along with second- and third-round picks, from the Columbus Blue Jackets in June. Instantly, the 20-year-old forward from Estero, Fla., became Colorado's top prospect.

"Brindley was just OK as a rookie pro, but he was also a very young player at the AHL level," Pronman wrote. "He’s a highly likable player with a great track record. With excellent skating and work ethic, Brindley buzzes around the ice, playing with a ton of pace and giving his best effort. He’s able to make highly skilled plays at full speed and plays with courage, going to the net and engaging along the walls."

Gulyayev, on the other hand, was the No. 31 overall pick by the Avalanche in the 2023 NHL Draft. The Russian defenseman projects as a strong offensive defenseman, but he's probably a ways away from making his NHL debut.

Jun 28, 2023; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Colorado Avalanche draft pick Mikhail Gulyayev puts on his sweater after being selected with the thirty first pick in round one of the 2023 NHL Draft at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images / Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images

"Gulyayev was a regular defenseman for Ak Bars, although his game didn’t show a ton of progression from the prior season. He still recorded seven goals and 15 points with next to no power-play time. He’s a very good skater who can transition pucks up ice like a pro. He has excellent hands and vision, showing the ability to create chances off the rush and from the blue line.

"With his touch and shot, he can run a power play and projects to have significant offense as a pro, but his 5-foot-10 frame is a question for the NHL. He’s not highly physical, and he will need to be high-end with the puck to carve out a regular NHL role as he will likely be a below-average defender. I think he projects right on the bubble of that."

Aside from those two, though, the Avalanche only have three prospects who have "a chance to play" in the NHL - defenseman Sean Behrens, forward Max Curran and goalie Ilya Nabokov. Not a great outlook for the future to say the least.

With one Stanley Cup and the window still wide open, however, it's hard to say it's not worth it.

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