2023-24 NHL prospect pool breakdown: Colorado Avalanche

Grade: D+

1. Calum Ritchie, C, 18 (Oshawa, OHL)

Drafted: No. 27, first round in 2023

The Avalanche got a nice snag in the first round in June, taking Ritchie with their first pick. Ritchie didn’t blow the doors off in 2022-23, but there was only so much he could do with a low-scoring Generals squad. He did become a more dominant two-way threat, though. He decimated the Hlinka Gretzky with Canada before the season started before finishing off with a good U-18 World Championship despite dealing with a shoulder injury. He’s going to be a dependable two-way center in the NHL, and perhaps a long-term replacement for Alex Newhook.

2. Mikhail Gulyayev, D, 18 (Omsk, KHL)

Drafted: No. 31, first round in 2023

Gulyayev had confidence to burn in the MHL last year, looking like a man among kids. He had mixed results playing against men, but we typically don’t see young defenders getting much ice time. Still, there’s enough about Gulyayev’s game that makes him look like a future top-four defenseman – mainly, how he uses the open space to his advantage and is fairly quick in bursts. He’ll bring value as a puck-moving transitional defender and be a nice complement to their already steady defensive core.

3. Nikolai Kovalenko, RW, 23 (Novgorod, KHL)

Drafted: No. 171, sixth round in 2018

Fresh off signing his first NHL contract, it won’t be long until Kovalenko will be challenging for a roster spot. He had an outstanding season with Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod, recording 21 goals and 54 points in 56 games. Considering his best before that was 22 points, that’s quite a glow-up. He’ll spend another year in the KHL before a hopeful move to Colorado for 2024-25. If he can build upon last year’s success, he might be able to squeeze into a middle-six scoring role immediately.

4. Sean Behrens, D, 20 (University of Denver, NCAA)

Drafted: No. 61, second round in 2021

Behrens can be quite lethal with the puck, burning you with his slick passing and puck handling traits. He’s not a big defenseman at 5-foot-10, but he plays heavy minutes with Denver and his agility never seems to waver. Behrens is consistent, with his effort level being strong almost every single night. He doesn’t pinch in too much, and can be a bit passive, but he still has the makings of a solid, pass-first, top-four defenseman that could perhaps make the jump after another year in college.

5. Oskar Olausson, LW/C, 20 (Colorado, AHL)

Drafted: No. 28, first round in 2021

Olausson made his NHL debut with the Avalanche this year, playing 7:02 against Vancouver back in November. It was a difficult first year of pro action in North America with just 11 goals and 20 points in 63 AHL games, including just three points in the final 20 games. It’s common for growing pains after jumping to the AHL, but he did play against men in the SHL, so it wasn’t crazy to think he’d perform better. The raw talent is there, and he’s an excellent shooter, so there’s still a lot to like. And, of course, he’s just 20. Patience.

6. Jean-Luc Foudy, C, 21 (Colorado, AHL)

Drafted: No. 75, third round in 2020

Foudy got into his first NHL action last season but failed to record a point in nine games. Foudy is one of the best skaters in the AHL, and he used it to his advantage by snagging a solid 36 points in 46 games. Due to the pandemic, Foudy went straight to pro hockey with the Eagles in 2020-21 and never looked back at junior, but a proper final year in the OHL would have been beneficial. Regardless, we’ve seen solid progress in his game and he’s trending upward.

7. Justus Annunen, G, 23 (Colorado, AHL)

Drafted: No. 64, third round in 2018

At 6-foot-4, there’s a lot to like about Annunen’s frame. He also has a couple of NHL games under his belt, with a 2-1-1 record overall over the past two years. His regular season numbers were the best of his career, and GM Chris McFarland suggested that Annunen could make the jump to the NHL sooner rather than later. We’ll see if he can knock out Pavel Francouz, but another year with the Eagles wouldn’t hurt.

8. Colby Ambrosio, C, 20 (Boston College, NCAA)

Drafted: No. 118, fourth round in 2020

Ambrosio has been a consistent scorer in recent years, registering 58 points in 98 games over three years with Boston College. The 20-year-old tracks pucks well, can play aggressively and his skating – in terms of speed an on the transition – is solid. Ambrosio is only 5-foot-9, but he could still carve a role as an energy forward if the Avs can find space for him a couple years from now.

9. Sam Malinski, D, 24 (Colorado, AHL)

Undrafted, free agent signing in 2023

A prominent college UDFA signing, Malinski turned pro to close the season and thrived immediately. He had three goals and five points in seven games and another five assists in seven postseason contests with the Eagles. An offensive defender, it’ll be interesting to see if Malinski can fight his way into the lineup this year.

10. Ivan Zhigalov, G, 20 (Yunost Minsk, Belarus)

Drafted: No. 225, seventh round in 2022

Taken with the very last pick in 2022, Zhigalov has had an interesting career so far. He was passed over in 2021, but was selected after a solid year with the QMJHL’s Sherbrooke Phoenix in 2021-22. Zhigalov was selected in the CHL Import Draft a second time, landing in Kingston last year, where he started the bulk of the games. He could only do so much for a team with so much turnover, but he had multiple flashes where he stole the spotlight. The 6-foot-3 goaltender turned heads at Colorado’s development camp, and now he’s set to become Yunost Minsk’s starter over in Belarus next year.

Other notables: Jason Polin, RW (24), Trent Miner, G (22), Sampo Ranta, LW, (23), Alex Beaucage, RW, 22 (Colorado, AHL), Ondrej Pavel, C (22), Taylor Makar, LW (22), Matt Stienberg, C (22), Chris Romaine, D (19), Andrei Buyalsky, C (22)