We’re still nearly two months away from preseason action, and right around six weeks from the start of training camp. But the Avalanche’s newest forward addition, Jaden Schwartz, has arrived in Denver and has begun skating at the team’s practice arena south of Denver.
Schwartz, 34, was spotted on the ice at Family Sports Center on Friday, getting his reps in while donning his new Avalanche colors. The 15-year veteran was wearing No. 9 on his helmet — the first glimpse at his new jersey number with the Colorado Avalanche.
Schwartz began his NHL career in 2012 wearing No. 9 with the St. Louis Blues. He wore it for three seasons before switching to 17 to honor his older sister, Mandi Schwartz, who wore No. 17 playing ice hockey for Yale University before passing away from acute myeloid leukemia in 2011.
Vladimir Sobotka wore No. 17 when Schwartz first arrived before departing for the KHL after the 2013-14 season. Parker Kelly wears it now for the Avalanche.
Schwartz also wore No. 17 in his most recent stop with the Seattle Kraken.
The last notable player to wear No. 9 for Colorado was Zach Parise in 2025.
Credit to the Hockey Mountain High Twitter/X page for sharing the video below.
Jaden Schwartz has arrived in town for the Avs already! He is wearing the number 9 on his helmet right now (17 being taken by Parker Kelly). TJ Tynan and Zach Parise were the last players to wear the number 9 for the Avs #Avs #GoAvsGo
🎥 @ItsSteveSalazar pic.twitter.com/ImShj5WxM4
— Hockey Mountain High (@HockeyMtnHighCO) July 24, 2026