The Colorado Avalanche entered the season with an elevated sense of urgency to win one other Stanley Cup. They began sturdy with a 4-1 win on the Los Angeles Kings of their opener on Tuesday evening and can start their dwelling marketing campaign Thursday evening.
Colorado hosts Utah within the Mammoth’s first sport of the season in Denver. Utah is starting its second season in its new dwelling after the franchise moved from Arizona. The Mammoth identify was added after the workforce performed because the Utah Hockey Membership within the 2024-25 season.
Utah completed seven factors out of the ultimate wild card spot final spring and the membership is making an attempt to return to the playoffs for the primary time for the reason that pandemic-shortened 2019-20 season, after they have been nonetheless the Coyotes. It has a core of gamers that may shut that hole in Clayton Keller, Dylan Guenther and Logan Cooley, who reportedly turned down an eight-year, $77 million contract extension earlier than the beginning of the season.
The 21-year-old Cooley can develop into a restricted free agent subsequent summer season.
The Mammoth produce other younger expertise, particularly defenseman Dmitry Simashev, the No. 6 total decide within the 2023 draft. Simashev made the roster out of coaching camp and can possible be within the lineup on Thursday evening.
“He is doing a extremely good job by way of his focus, skating and his one-on-one battles,” head coach Andre Tourigny mentioned. “He confirmed he had professional hockey inside him up to now, so it helped rather a lot.”
Utah will not have ahead Alex Kerfoot, who begins the yr on injured reserve with a lower-body harm.
The Avalanche are additionally coping with accidents, most importantly to high goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood, who has a lower-body harm and did not make the journey to Los Angeles. Colorado opted to hold three goaltenders as a substitute of placing Blackwood on IR, so he ought to return quickly.
Probably the most celebrated return is captain Gabriel Landeskog, who has not performed a regular-season dwelling sport since March 5, 2022, due to a major knee harm. He returned for the Avalanche’s Stanley Cup run two months later, however he did not play once more till Sport 3 of the primary spherical of the playoffs this April.
He logged 11:12 of ice time Tuesday evening whereas taking part in on the second line.
Landeskog is likely one of the many alternative faces from final yr’s opener. Colorado considerably overhauled its roster since then and returned lots of the midseason acquisitions, together with Brock Nelson, Martin Necas, Blackwood and his backup, Scott Wedgewood, whereas including veteran defenseman Brent Burns this summer season.
The Avalanche have depth all through the lineup and two of the highest 5 gamers within the league in middle Nathan MacKinnon and defenseman Cale Makar. The energy of the roster is a major purpose the Avalanche really feel one other title is practical.
“Simply no query marks for the time being,” Makar mentioned. “I feel coming into the yr like that, the place all people can form of be collectively and you already know what you are getting proper off the bat, that is thrilling. And I feel it exhibits.”
–Area Degree Media
