The Colorado Avalanche have the 2024-25 season in their distant memory. With the 2025-26 season about two weeks away, the Avalanche are fully geared up to make a run at the franchise’s fourth Stanley Cup championship.
We have already previewed the defensemen and goaltenders, so now it is time to take a look at the forward group. This is as solid a group as there is, though many around the league are curious to see how the team handles the contract situation with winger Martin Necas. Until that is dealt with, the Avalanche still have an impressive array of forwards, so let’s get into it.
First Line
The top six has a little flexibility to it, depending on how the Avalanche want to roll. Right now, Valeri Nichushkin looks to slot in on the top line next to Nathan MacKinnon and Necas. Artturi Lehkonen has been in that spot before, so it wouldn’t be a shock to see him there again.
Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado Avalanche (Jess Starr/The Hockey Writers)
Nichushkin brings the potential for elite scoring to the table. He is big, fast, and physical in a way that Lehkonen can’t match. MacKinnon is a given, a 100-point producer with virtually any combination. Nichushkin has been close to the 30-goal mark before, and this will be his best chance to make the leap into a point-per-game producer. The key is staying healthy.
Necas is intriguing in a lot of ways. He’s just 26 years old and had by far the best season of his career in 2024-25. A full season next to MacKinnon will no doubt unlock his potential and could see him stick with the league’s scoring leaders. Whether that means a contract extension or not is another question entirely.
Second Line
The Avalanche may have (on paper) one of the best second lines in the business. It starts with the captain, Gabriel Landeskog. The 32-year-old is back after dealing with a knee injury for the better part of three years, making his long-awaited return during the 2025 Playoffs.
We probably aren’t getting prime Landeskog, a guy capable of scoring 30 goals and hanging around a point per game. That said, he didn’t look too rusty in the playoff series against the Dallas Stars. If he can be a 25-goal, 55-point guy again, it is a major win for the second line, and that isn’t even taking into account his intangible leadership abilities.
Lehkonen appears to be a fantastic fit on this line because he is one of the most responsible two-way forwards in the league. He hit a career-high in goals with 27 last season, but it’s more realistic to expect 20 goals. His two-way game is a major plus and gives the line a 200-foot presence.
Speaking of 200-foot presence, Brock Nelson came over in what was arguably the biggest trade at the deadline last season. He’s more than capable of scoring 30 goals and 70 points while providing the kind of responsible two-way presence that the second line center position has been sorely missing. Combined, this is a line that can eat responsible minutes without a massive drop-off in offensive production.
Third Line
The third line is a bit similar to the team’s third defensive pairing: in flux due to injury. Logan O’Connor had hip surgery in June with a recovery timeline of 5-6 months. As one of the most underrated two-way players in the league, this is a major loss for the Avalanche until at least the turn of the calendar.
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The Avalanche will instead turn to Jack Drury to hold down that spot. He’s a somewhat dependable player but a definite drop-off from O’Connor. He would ideally slot in on the fourth line, but will have to hold down the spot until O’Connor returns.
Filling out the unit is the combination of Ross Colton and Victor Oloffson. The latter is a bit one-dimensional but has a tremendous shot and can add some offensive pop to the third line. Colton got off to a hot start last season but has a concerning injury history. In a perfect world, with O’Connor back, this is a solid defensive unit that has a bit more pop than your average third line.
Fourth Line
The fourth line is mostly set in stone, though Drury will slide back down into the center slot when O’Connor returns. On the left side is Parker Kelly, who can and will play a role on the penalty kill. He’s reliable and brings good energy to the fourth line.
Joel Kiviranta, Colorado Avalanche (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)
On the other side is one of the most intriguing names on the roster: Joel Kiviranta. He broke out last season, scoring 16 goals and registering 23 points in a bottom-six role. His offensive ability in limited action gives the Avalanche the kind of offensive depth that teams salivate over.
When Drury can slide back down, the bottom six will be among the best in the league. Expecting that kind of production out of Kiviranta is probably a bit much, but 10 goals as a fourth-liner would be fantastic.
An Elite Group
Combined with an upper-echelon defense core, though there are some questions thanks to the injury to Sam Girard, the Avalanche have the pieces to make another championship run. Playing in one of the toughest divisions in the league, they can’t afford to get off to a slow start as they did a season ago.
MacKinnon should once again be an MVP candidate, and having Landeskog back for a full season will add to the group. If the team decides to move on from Necas, this group could take a hit depending on what comes back. In any case, they have more than what it takes to capture another Stanley Cup.
