As a result, this is the deepest collection of prospects the organization has had in a long time. It’s still not one of the best pipelines in the NHL, but there are two guys who could be impact players at the top and a whole new collection of intriguing talent behind them.

Colorado general manager Chris MacFarland traded his first-round choice at The Sphere in Las Vegas, collecting more picks in the process. The Avs selected nine players at the 2024 NHL Draft, the first time they’ve added that many players in one class since 2007.

The two first-round selections from a year ago look even better now, and they lead the group. There’s significantly more goaltending depth in the system after the Avs tabbed three netminders in this class.

Here’s a look at the club’s top prospects as the 2024-25 season looms on the horizon:

1. Calum Ritchie, F

Age: 19

Acquired: First round, 2023 draft

2023-24: 28 goals, 80 points in 50 games for Oshawa (OHL)

Ritchie had a nice year leading into the draft but missed the start of last season with a shoulder injury. When he returned, Ritchie became one of the most dominant players in the league, adding eight goals and 30 points in 22 games during a deep playoff run.

He could have a chance to earn at least an early-season trial with the Avs during training camp. A guy with his size and skill level could make sense as a temporary placeholder for any of the top forwards who miss the start of the season. If not, he’ll likely tear up the OHL again this year and be a key player for Canada at the World Junior Championship.

Not to put too much pressure on one teenager, but given what the kids are up to in Dallas, the Avs could really benefit from Ritchie developing into a strong complementary player over the next few years, at a minimum.

2. Mikhail Gulyayev, D

Age: 19

Acquired: First round, 2023 draft

2023-24: Four goals, 12 points in 64 games for Omsk (KHL)

His father is an assistant coach for Omsk’s junior league team, but the younger Gulyayev is done with that league. Gulyayev had the most points in the KHL this year of any U-21 defenseman, but more importantly, he played nearly 16 minutes a game for a playoff team.

Gulyayev is small (listed at 5-foot-10). The vast majority of diminutive defensemen who make it in the NHL are excellent skaters, both in speed and agility. He can dance, and he can move. It might be a while before he arrives in Colorado, but Gulyayev could be one of the best players in the world not in the NHL by the time he’s ready to come over.

3. Ilya Nabokov, G

Age: 21

Acquired: 2024 draft, second round

2023-24: 23-13-13, .930 save percentage in 43 games for Magnitogorsk (KHL)

The Avs may be very thankful no one took a late-round flier on Nabokov in either the 2022 or 2023 NHL drafts. Lots of great NHL goalies were late-round picks. Nabokov wasn’t and then had a huge year in the KHL for the league champs.

It’s usually not ideal to be taking someone who is already 21 years old that high, but goaltender development is different. Nabokov isn’t a big goalie, but he’s not that small, either. He does probably have the most upside in a system suddenly flush with goaltending prospects.

4. Nikolai Kovalenko, F

Age: Will be 25 on Oct. 17

Acquired: 2018 draft, sixth round

2023-24: 11 goals, 35 points in 42 games for Nizhny Novgorod (KHL); one goal, three points in four games for Colorado (AHL)

Unless something goes wrong, Kovalenko should be an NHL regular this season. He didn’t get a lot of work in games after arriving from Russia, in large part because of a knee injury he sustained in the final minutes of his KHL season. Yes, he’s older, but he might also become a fun, chaotic player at the NHL level. There should be plenty of opportunity for him to claim a regular lineup spot at the start, and we’ll see if he can be more than an energy/forechecker type of guy.

5. Justus Annunen, G

Age: 24

Acquired: 2018 draft, third round

2023-24: 14-5-1, .908 save percentage in 23 games for Colorado (AHL); 8-4-1, .928 save percentage for the Avs

Annunen still only has 18 games of NHL experience on his resume. Fourteen of them came last season, and they were collectively quite good. He should have an unmarked path to being Colorado’s backup goalie this year. It will be interesting (again) to monitor Alexandar Georgiev’s workload, but if Annunen can be even close to as sturdy as he was last year with a little more playing time, it should be a solid tandem.

6. Sean Behrens, D

Age: 21

Acquired: 2021 draft, second round

2023-24: Four goals, 31 points in 44 games for University of Denver (NCAA)

Behrens can really play defense. He did a pretty good Devon Toews impersonation at times for DU last year against some high-end NHL prospects. If he were 6-foot-1 and/or skated like Toews (or Gulyayev, for that matter), he’d be at the top of this list. He might get a chance to show more offensive tools with the Colorado Eagles this year because he won’t have Zeev Buium next to him, which would also help him be a future NHL regular.

7. Tory Pitner, D

Age: 18

Acquired: 2024 draft, sixth round

2023-24: Eight goals, 24 points in 50 games for Youngstown (USHL)

Here’s a guy who is not this high on most prospect lists. He went much later in the draft than Behrens, but he might just be a similar player for DU. Pitner is an excellent defensive player with lots of work to do to show he can help out offensively enough to play at the NHL level.

8. Oskar Olausson, F

Age: 22 on Nov. 10

Acquired: 2021 draft, first round

2023-24: 11 goals, 20 points in 39 games for Colorado (AHL); one game for the Avs

Olausson moves well and the shot looks like it came from a first-round talent when he has the time and space to lean into one. He’s still young enough for it to click, but it’s also getting late for the “he’s still young” rationale. Olausson has 23 goals in 109 career AHL games. It could be a make-or-break year for him with the organization.

9. Jean-Luc Foudy, F

Age: 22

Acquired: 2020 draft, third round

2023-24: Four goals, 14 points in 26 games for Colorado (AHL); one goal in four games for the Avs

Foudy has NHL-level skating ability. He has struggled to stay healthy during some key development years. There could be a chance for him to earn a spot with the Avs in camp, but there’s more competition for them after some offseason depth additions.

10. , F

Age: 18

Acquired: 2024 draft, third round

2023-24: 57 goals, 111 points in 54 games for Shattuck-St. Mary’s (Prep school)

Lots of future NHL players have roamed the halls at Shattuck-St. Mary’s School, but the biggest names were there when they were a bit younger. Zellers did have a dominant prep season, and he played well at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup at the beginning of the year. How he transitions to college hockey at North Dakota will be something to monitor.

11. Jake Fisher, F

Age: 19

Acquired: 2024 draft, fourth round

2023-24: 23 goals, 47 points in 51 games for Fargo (USHL)

Fisher had a nice draft season playing for the eventual USHL champions. Now he’s moving to DU to play for the defending NCAA champs. He was a re-entry in the 2024 draft, so he’s a year older than guys like Zellers, Christian Humphreys and Max Curran, but there’s also an intriguing all-around skill set here as well.

12. Christian Humphreys, F

Age: 18

Acquired: 2024 draft, seventh round

2023-24: 30 goals, 82 points in 75 games for USA Hockey (NTDP)

Humphreys is a slick offensive player. He can make some highlight-reel plays, particularly as a passer. He also definitely needs to get bigger. He didn’t look like a seventh-round pick at Avs rookie camp. Draft experts were kind of all over the place with Humphreys, and he might be a bit of a wild card.

HM: Luka Cloutier, Ivan Yunin, Max Curran

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Landeskog sunk putts to finish off the front and back nines Wednesday at Castle Pines Golf Club. Both times he pulled off a muted Woods-style fist pump to a smattering of cheers from the crowd.

“My putter was hot today,” Landeskog said. “It was about the only club that was.”

Landeskog played 18 holes at Castle Pines at the Gardner Heidrick Pro-Am in a group that also included Avalanche and Nuggets president Josh Kroenke. Maybe more importantly, he walked the 8,130-yard course that’s chock-full of hills and elevation changes in both directions.

The Avalanche captain said it was the first time he’s walked a course since a string of procedures forced him to miss the past two hockey seasons.

“I feel really good. It’s progressing,” Landeskog said. “Every day is attacking it, trying to get better and strong and following the plan that’s been put in place for me. 

“It’s not so much if anymore — it’s just going to be when. I haven’t come all this way to rush that, so trying to be patient all the way and just check all the boxes I need to.”

Still, the “when” was on a lot of minds at Castle Pines. Landeskog signed autographs and posed for selfies after nearly every hole, and several fans had questions for him about how the rehab of his right knee is going and when he might play again.

He remained committed to not offering any timelines, but did tell at least one patron in the gallery, “You’ll see me again this year. I don’t know if it will be Game 1 or 10 or 20.”

“It’s been a long road — and still is,” Landeskog said. “Still a lot to be done, but I’m excited. I feel like a hockey player again. It’s just a matter of taking all the necessary steps. I’d like to be able to play in game No. 1 and the home opener, but we will see. We’ve still got lots of time.”

The next steps are finishing up his offseason rehab plan over the next two weeks. He said there will also be some tests done to further monitor his progress and come up with a plan for training camp and beyond.

“Gabe is definitely not a guy who likes to sit around on idle hands,” Kroenke said. “I think each day that he can’t play with his teammates and be out there on the ice is a little bit of a knife in the heart. We have to make sure we are doing right by him.

“There were times over even the last six, eight, 10 months where he wanted to come back and got pretty close, but there was a setback where it just caused a delay. We almost have to keep the horse in the stable and control what he’s up to so when he does come back, he’ll be 100 percent ready.”

Near the end of last season, Landeskog was on the ice with the team almost every day. He was participating in morning skates, even if at times it was more of an assistant coach type of role.

He’s certain there’s been progress since then, but how much is still to be determined.

“I think the hardest part is not getting caught up in what the Colorado Avalanche schedule looks like,” the captain said. “As much as I’d like to pop right back in and be a part of training camp like normal and then the preseason and the regular season, I’ve got to get it right.” 

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Bednar, speaking to Tom Gulitti of NHL.com at the South Carolina Stingrays Fan Fest in North Charleston, S.C., said there is optimism that Landeskog could return during the first or second month of the season. Landeskog has missed the past two seasons for the Avs after four procedures, including cartilage replacement surgery on his right knee in May 2023.

“It’s just when he feels well enough to sort of keep ramping up and taking the next step,” Bednar said. “It’s been a long time now, so there’s no rush. It’s just all with what he’s feeling comfortable with. … Just what he’s been able to do both in the gym with his training off the ice and what he’s been able to do on the ice, we’re certainly optimistic that he’ll be able to come back.”

Landeskog tried to return near the end of the 2022-23 season but was unable to. The Avs ruled him out for the 2023-24 season before it began, which allowed the club to place him on long-term injured reserve and use the $7 million in cap savings to add roster reinforcements.

The Avs have previously said that Landeskog’s timeline for recovery from the cartilage replacement surgery was 12-16 months. He was skating on his own by the end of last season and joined the team for morning skates during the playoffs, but was never a full participant and Colorado lost in the second round to Dallas.

“He’s trying to make a return here sometime near the start of the season and if that goes well, it would be a really big boost for us,” said Bednar, who played for and coached the Stingrays in the ECHL. “So, that’s something we’re all a little anxious about, but really excited about as well.”

Bednar also said that Artturi Lehkonen, who needed shoulder surgery after last season ended, is still a “question mark” for the start of the season. That is in line with what general manager Chris MacFarland said shortly after the Avalanche lost the series against the Stars.

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The Avs have hired Andrew Wilson as assistant general manager, the club announced Friday. Wilson has worked for the NHL for 18 years. The 41-year-old has spent the past three seasons as the league’s vice president of central registry. Among his duties for the league in that position were handling trade calls, contract affairs and matters of salary cap management and collective bargaining compliance with each of the 32 teams.

Wilson joins an Avalanche front office executive group that includes president Joe Sakic, GM Chris MacFarland and assistant GM Kevin McDonald. Wilson will provide an experienced voice on salary cap and CBA matters, along with helping on contract negotiations.

The Avs also hired Nick Pryor as the club’s new amateur scouting director and Alexi Pianosi as the strength and conditioning coach last month. Both Pryor and Pianosi came from the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Colorado also added a pair of recent players in new front-office roles. Andrew Cogliano and  officially retired after the 2023-24 season ended and accepted jobs with the organization. Cogliano is now special assistant to the GM, and Francouz will be a scout for the goaltending department.

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Scoring has risen in recent years, and the league’s extraordinary players have taken advantage. It’s not at video game levels like the 1980s or early 1990s, but it’s also not trending in the wrong direction like it was a decade ago.

The best players in the world are able to dominate. Skill is paramount, though size and skill is even better. The 2023-24 season gave us a great regular season of individual performances and a fantastic Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Best-on-best international hockey is coming back. The salary cap is going up again, finally. The Arizona Coyotes no longer play in a college barn. Life is pretty good for the powers that be at the league offices right now.

That doesn’t mean the NHL is perfect. Far from it. In fact, it can be even better.

Enter … well, me. The 2024-25 campaign will be my second covering the Colorado Avalanche and 15th full season writing about the NHL in some day-to-day capacity. I’ve covered four teams as a local beat writer and spent parts of five seasons looking at the league from a national perspective.

What would I do if Commissioner Gary Bettman took a day off and let me have a go at the controls?

I’ve had the privilege of covering Alex Ovechkin, Taylor Hall and Nathan MacKinnon during MVP seasons, and arguably the two best defensemen since Nicklas Lidstrom hung up his skates: Erik Karlsson and Cale Makar. Watching world-class players conjure their magic has admittedly colored my view of how hockey can be played at its zenith, and I think more can be done to help push the game to even greater heights.

We’ve got some ideas at Avalanche Ink HQ about how to improve the NHL product. Some are minor tweaks. Others could seem like big changes. We’ll stay away from the obvious — “market star players better” — and the most thorny.

A change to icing

My biggest personal pet peeve is watching a goalie hug the post while the puck slides by inches away for an icing. It’s even called icing when the puck hits the side of the net millimeters away, but not if the goalie touches it.

Here’s a simple, obvious rule change that would improve game flow: If the puck is cleared into the goalie trapezoid, icing is waived off. Some people don’t like the trapezoid, but I do. And I want to give it further purpose while cutting out some unnecessary stoppages of play.

Add “and-ones”

OK, I lied. My actual biggest pet peeve is when a team takes a penalty and then gives up a goal five seconds later. The penalty is wiped off the board by the goal.

Not in my NHL. The punishment for taking a penalty is playing with one less player. Swapping out the goalie for a skater during a delayed penalty does not do this. There are still six players a side.

If a team scores during a delayed penalty situation, whether it takes five seconds or two minutes … the offending player is still going to the box. This should happen for NHL players doing the “and one” celebration alone.

Two-minute majors, but not all of them

Speaking of penalties, teams should get the full two minutes to score as many times as they want. This rule was only changed because one team in a six-team league was too good.

Here’s a twist though: non-contact fouls will remain a one-and-done situation. Too many men, faceoff violations and the dreaded puck-over-the-glass penalties would all remain a two-minute minor. But all of the contact-related fouls become two-minute majors.

Don’t want to have Tampa Bay or Edmonton light you up for three goals in two minutes? Take fewer penalties. That should be the long-term goal with each of the past two ideas.

Embrace the KHL’s new overtime rule

This commissioner for a day is not a fan of 3-on-3 hockey, but also realizes that horse is long out of the barn. The KHL is experimenting with a new rule this season in its junior league that forces the offensive team to keep the puck on the offensive side of the center-ice red line.

This is a fun idea, but early returns suggest the punishment — the first infraction is a center-ice faceoff, the second is a penalty — might be too stiff. Avalanche Ink HQ likes this innovation a lot — all the reloading and skating the puck backwards is not fun, and it feels like a dump-and-chase move at 3-on-3 could lead to some interesting things.

Here’s the simple tweak: No penalties for a “backcourt violation,” but instead treat it like icing. The other team gets an offensive zone faceoff. Punitive, but not “well, the game is probably over now” levels.

Fix the CHL problem

Speaking of junior leagues, it’s time for the NHL to face the small elephant in the proverbial player development room. It doesn’t need to cater to the Canadian Hockey League anymore.

If the NHL drafts a player from anywhere in the world that isn’t Canada, said prospect can play in the AHL whenever he and the club wants. If the NHL drafts someone from one of Canada’s three major junior leagues (WHL, OHL, QMJHL), said player has only two options until he turns 20 — the NHL or back to juniors.

For a large chunk of NHL history, it desperately needed the CHL to develop the vast majority of its players, in a similar fashion to how the NFL needs college football. Given the rise of European players and more recently, the USHL and the number of Canadians going to college hockey programs, it’s time for the NHL to ask for some exemptions.

We’re not suggesting the NHL should ask to do away with this agreement entirely, but there needs to be a compromise. Calum Ritchie is a great example. He should not have to go back to the OHL after he tore up the league last season if he doesn’t make the Avalanche roster.

Our suggestion is every team gets one exemption per season, but it should also be merit-based so the CHL isn’t just losing 32 players every year. If a player meets certain statistical or award-based criteria, his NHL club should have the option to send him to the AHL.

A pair of jersey upgrades

1. This is stealing an idea from international football because it’s great. Every team that has won the Stanley Cup is allowed to promote it on the jersey, similar to how countries that have won the World Cup have stars above their crest. So that could mean three stars for the Avs or three small replica trophies. How would the Montreal Canadiens do this with 24 championships? We’ll hire a design team to come up with league-approved ideas.

2. The reigning Stanley Cup champions will have a patch with the Cup on it.

Add a play-in tournament

We’ve already addressed this at length. Who cares if it looks like the league is just copying the NBA? It’s a slam dunk, pun intended.

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The two-way contract is for $775,000 at the NHL level and $287,500 in the AHL, according to a league source, with the 26-year-old Phillips likely to swing between the Avs and Colorado Eagles.

The 5-foot-8, 160-pound forward spent time with the Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins last season, tallying five points (one goal and four assists) over 31 games. All five points came in his 28 games with Washington. He appeared in three games with Pittsburgh after being claimed on waivers Feb. 16. He has played in just 34 NHL games total between stints with Washington, Pittsburgh and Calgary, with his first point coming last October against the Flames.

Phillips has been a scoring terror as a two-time All-Star at the AHL level, accumulating 243 points (106 goals, 137 assists) over 274 regular-season games. He has 15 points (four goals, 11 assists) across 30 AHL playoff games.

Phillips finished last season with the Hershey Bears, Washington’s AHL affiliate, and had six points (three goals, three assists) in nine games and skated in six playoff games to help the Bears win the Calder Cup.

The Flames drafted him with the 166th overall pick in the sixth round of the 2016 NHL draft.

The Denver Post’s Corey Masisak contributed to this report.

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Kylington shoots left and is a low-risk, high-reward signing with his deal coming in at $1.05 million, a league source confirmed to The Denver Post.

The 27-year-old returned to the Calgary Flames midseason last winter following a year-and-a-half absence for personal reasons, which he attributed to mental health issues tied to his family. He recorded eight points (three goals, five assists) in 33 games and was named one of three finalists for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy for perseverance and sportsmanship.

Selected in the second round of the 2015 NHL draft by the Flames, Kylington has 55 points (17 goals, 38 assists) in 201 games in the NHL. His best season came before his extended absence in 2021-22, when he accumulated 31 points (nine goals, 22 assists) over 73 games alongside Chris Tanev in the Flames’ second pairing. A native of Stockholm, Sweden, he has three points in 12 playoff games.

Kylington is a candidate to replace Sean Walker as the team’s fifth defenseman, along with offseason additions Erik Brannstrom and Calvin de Haan and holdover Sam Malinski.

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Several teams in the West have improved this offseason, particularly among the ones that did not make the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs. But as we reach the dead period of the NHL offseason, the Oilers look like the class of the conference after a breakthrough season and a couple of shrewd signings.

How did all 16 teams in the West fare this offseason? Let’s take a look.

Good team, got better

Edmonton Oilers

2023-24: 49-27-6, 104 points

In: F Viktor Arvidsson, F Jeff Skinner, D Josh Brown

Out: F Ryan McLeod, F Warren Foegele, D Vincent Desharnais, G Jack Campbell

Prospects: F Matthew Savoie, F Raphael Lavoie

The Oilers continue to find ways to create negative feelings off the ice but are also likely the team to beat in 2024-25 after adding two more strong forwards. Edmonton’s defense corps and goaltending still have some questions, but no other contender had a better July 1.

Nashville Predators

2023-24: 47-30-5, 99 points

In: F Steven Stamkos, F Jonathan Marchessault, D Brady Skjei, G Scott Wedgewood

Out: D Ryan McDonagh, F Jason Zucker, F Anthony Beauvillier, F Keifer Sherwood, G Kevin Lankinen

Prospects: D Spencer Stastney, G Yaroslav Askarov

They might not be way better, but the Predators were certainly one of the big offseason winners. Strong up front, but that defense corps will have skeptics. Still having Juuse Saros at the top of his game will offer some cover.

The Avs

Colorado Avalanche

2023-24: 50–25-7, 107 points

In: D Calvin de Haan, D Erik Brannstrom, D Jacob MacDonald, D Calle Rosen, F Parker Kelly, F Jere Innala

Out: D Sean Walker, F Yakov Trenin, F Zach Parise, F Andrew Cogliano, F Brandon Duhaime, D Jack Johnson, D Caleb Jones, G Ivan Prosvetov

Prospects: F Nikolai Kovalenko, D Sam Malinski, F Calum Ritchie

The West’s biggest wild card. Colorado’s first-choice six won’t be as good on defense, but there’s more depth now. Keeping Jonathan Drouin was the most important move. The ceiling, which might be Edmonton’s top challenger and might be one round and done, is still tied to Valeri Nichushkin and Gabe Landeskog.

Good team, not better

Dallas Stars

2023-24: 52-21-9, 113 points

In: D Matt Dumba, D Ilya Lyubushkin, D Brendan Smith, G Casey DeSmith, F Colin Blackwell

Out: F Joe Pavelski, D Chris Tanev, D Ryan Suter, F Radek Faksa, G Scott Wedgewood, F Ty Dellandrea

Prospects: F Mavrik Bourque, D Lian Bichsel

Dallas is still a top contender, but the Stars missed a chance to really separate from the rest of the division with better moves around the edges. They didn’t add Tanev until near the deadline last year and might need a similar move again.

Vancouver Canucks

2023-24: 50-23-9, 109 points

In: F Jake DeBrusk, F Danton Heinen, F Daniel Sprong, F Kiefer Sherwood, D Vincent Desharnais, D Derek Forbort

Out: C Elias Lindholm, D Nikita Zadorov, F Ilya Mikheyev, D Ian Cole, G Casey DeSmith

Prospects: F Aatu Raty, F Jonathan Lekkerimaki

If we had a “good team, about the same” category, it would include the Canucks. The forward upgrades might be enough to cover the defense corps looking worse. Great high-end talent, but Edmonton is still in the way.

Los Angeles Kings

2023-24: 44-27-11, 99 points

In: G Darcy Kuemper, D Joel Edmundson, F Warren Foegele, F Tanner Jeannot, D Kyle Burroughs, D Caleb Jones

Out: F Pierre-Luc Dubois, F Viktor Arvidsson, D Matt Roy, G Cam Talbot

Prospects: D Brandt Clarke, F Akil Thomas, F Alex Turcotte

Clearly wanted to add more grit/toughness/etc. Clearly going to need young players like Quinton Byfield, Jordan Spence and the trio listed above to take big steps forward or the Kings could be in danger of … just being the same. Again.

Vegas Golden Knights

2023-24: 45-29-8, 98 points

In: G Ilya Samsonov, F Victor Olofsson, F Alexander Holtz, D Robert Hagg, G Akira Schmid

Out: F Jonathan Marchessault, F Chandler Stephenson, G Logan Thompson, F Anthony Mantha, D Alec Martinez, F Paul Cotter, F William Carrier, F Michael Amadio

Prospects: F Brendan Brisson, D Lukas Cormier

Vegas buys at the deadline and resets in July. This is what the Golden Knights do. The defense corps still looks great, but the forward group … looks more vulnerable than it has in a while.

Winnipeg Jets

2023-24: 52-24-6, 108 points

In: G Eric Comrie, G Kaapo Kahkonen, D Dylan Coghlan, F Jared Anderson-Dolan

Out: F Sean Monahan, F Tyler Toffoli, D Brendan Dillon, G Laurent Brossoit

Prospects: F Brad Lambert, F Chaz Lucius, F Nikita Chibrikov

The Jets had a similar offseason to Vegas, though Winnipeg has some younger players who are ready for bigger roles and a different coach who might give them more time to fill them.

“Stuck in the middle with you”

Minnesota Wild

2023-24: 39-34-9, 87 points

In: F Yakov Trenin, F Jakub Lauko

Out: D Alex Goligoski, D Dakota Mermis, F Vinni Lettieri

Prospects: F Marat Khusnutdinov, G Jesper Wallstedt, F Liam Ohgren

One more year of being hamstrung by the huge Zach Parise and Ryan Suter buyouts. The Wild have a superstar (Kirill Kaprizov) and some fun young players to build around. Minnesota could be a contender-in-waiting … if it can stop using up future cap space by overpaying middle-of-the-lineup guys.

Seattle Kraken

2023-24: 34-35-13, 81 points

In: D Brandon Montour, F Chandler Stephenson, D Josh Mahura

Out: D Justin Schultz, D Brian Dumoulin, F Kailer Yamamoto, F Pierre-Edouard Bellemare

Prospects: F Shane Wright

Montour alone makes the Kraken better, but there’s a long way to go to catch the top eight. Stephenson was one of the worst contracts of the offseason. Still some “what’s the direction here?” vibes.

St. Louis Blues

2023-24: 43-33-6, 92 points

In: D Ryan Suter, D Pierre-Olivier Joseph, F Mathieu Joseph, F Radek Faksa, F Alexandre Texier, F Kasperi Kapanen

Out: F Kevin Hayes, F Jakub Vrana, D Marco Scandella, F Sammy Blais

Prospects: F Zach Dean, F Dalibor Dvorsky

Seattle, but with a more expensive defense corps? It doesn’t help that Torey Krug might miss the season. Low ceiling, but probably not a low floor, either.

Bad team, got better

Chicago Blackhawks

2023-24: 23-53-6, 52 points

In: F Teuvo Teravainen, F Tyler Bertuzzi, D Alec Martinez, D TJ Brodie, G Laurent Brossoit, F Ilya Mikheyev, F Craig Smith, F Pat Maroon

Out: F Tyler Johnson, F Taylor Raddysh, D Jarred Tinordi

Prospects: F Frank Nazar, F Landon Slaggert, D Artyom Levshunov

That’s a lot of dudes. Connor Bedard will have more help up front. Brossoit is going to miss his old teammates. Most of these guys won’t be here when the Hawks are really ready to win again.

San Jose Sharks

2023-24: 19-54-9, 47 points

In: F Macklin Celebrini, F Will Smith, F Tyler Toffoli, F Alex Wennberg, D Jake Walman, F Barclay Goodrow, F Ty Dellandrea, F Carl Grundstrom

Out: F Kevin Labanc, D Kyle Burroughs

Prospects: D Shakir Mukhamadullin, F Filip Bystedt

The Sharks have their centerpiece now and continue to build an army of young players to support him. Like Chicago, San Jose added a few quality NHL players. The gap to the middle should shrink, but the big jump is probably still in the future.

Utah Hockey Club

2023-24: 36-41-5, 77 points

In: D Mikhail Sergachev, D John Marino, D Ian Cole, F Egor Sokolov

Out: D JJ Moser, D Josh Brown, F Travis Boyd, D Travis Dermott, F Conor Geekie

Prospects: F Josh Doan, D Victor Soderstrom

Not listed above: The biggest upgrade might be the fresh start. OK, the new guys on defense are kind of a big deal too. More ground to cover than St. Louis and Minnesota, but all three could challenge for a playoff spot.

Bad team, not much better

Anaheim Ducks

2023-24: 27-50-5, 59 points

In: F Robby Fabbri, D Brian Dumoulin, F Jansen Harkins

Out: F Jakob Silfverberg, F Max Jones

Prospects: F Cutter Gauthier, D Olen Zellweger, D Tristan Luneau

Two of the three terrible teams made significant additions. The Ducks opted for marginal ones, but Anaheim also has more of its excellent young core ready for NHL action. This group is going to really pop at some point, but this feels like another wait-and-see summer.

Calgary Flames

2023-24: 38-39-5, 81 points

In: F Anthony Mantha, F Ryan Lomberg, D Jake Bean

Out: G Jacob Markstrom, F Andrew Mangiapane, F A.J. Greer

Prospects: F Matthew Coronato, G Dustin Wolf

San Jose wouldn’t say it was rebuilding until the standings said it for the Sharks. The Flames appear to be following the same path. Maybe Wolf finally gets a real shot now, but these moves look like another move further away from the 2021-22 club that had 111 points.

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Dan Hinote, a forward who played six seasons with the Avalanche and hoisted the Stanley Cup in 2001, was named associate head coach of the Colorado Eagles on Wednesday. He will serve under Aaron Schneekloth, who ascended to head coach last offseason after Greg Cronin was hired by the Anaheim Ducks.

The 47-year-old Hinote joins the Avs’ AHL affiliate following four seasons as an assistant coach with the Nashville Predators, who reached the playoffs in three of those four years. Hinote coached with the Columbus Blue Jackets for four seasons starting in 2010 before moving into a scouting role with the organization. After that, he was behind the bench with the United States National Team Development program from 2018 to ’20.

“Dan has a diverse background in professional hockey, including a decade as a player in the NHL and nearly a decade as a coach in the NHL,” Avalanche assistant general manager Kevin McDonald said in a release announcing the hire. “He is a strong teacher of the game and relates well to younger players with his experience playing in college hockey, at the major junior level as well as his time as a coach with Team USA’s Under 17 and 18 teams.”

As a player, Hinote was a depth forward and trusted penalty killer who accumulated 65 points (27 goals, 38 assists) in 353 regular-season games with Colorado. The Avs reached the postseason in each of his six seasons, advancing to the conference finals three times and winning the Cup once. He dressed in all 23 games during that Cup run.

Hinote ended his NHL career with 90 points (38 goals, 52 assists) in 503 regular season games between the Avalanche and St. Louis Blues (three seasons). He had 15 points (6 goals, 9 assists) in 72 playoff games.

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Mandolese signed a two-way contract worth $775,000, a league source told The Denver Post, with the Canadian netminder likely to compete with Trent Miner for playing time with the Colorado Eagles in the AHL.

The Avs acquired Mandolese’s rights in a trade with the Ottawa Senators, with the two teams also swapping draft picks in the deal. The Avs sent a 2026 sixth-round pick to Ottawa in exchange for a seventh-round selection in the same draft.

The 23-year-old has minimal NHL experience (1-2-0, .916 save percentage, 3.29 goals-against average) that all came during the 2022-23 season. The majority of the 2018 sixth-round pick’s pro career has been spent in the AHL with the Belleville Senators.

He appeared in 23 games this past season with Belleville, posting a 10-9-2 record with a .901 save percentage and 3.07 goals-against average. Over four years with the club, he was 28-28-5 with a .896 save percentage and 3.30 goals-against average over 66 appearances.

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