T.J. Hughes and Ilya Nabokov are among the most prominent names on the Colorado Avalanche’s rookie camp roster that was released on Friday afternoon.
Hughes, 24, was a Hobey Baker Award finalist in 2026 before the Avalanche signed him as an undrafted free agent out of Michigan. The native of Hamilton, Ontario, inked a one-year deal for the 2026-27 season and is one of several key young forwards the Avs are hoping could make an impact on their roster when the regular season begins later this month.
It all starts next Friday, Sept. 11, when the rookie roster listed below practices at Family Sports Center before taking off to San Jose for two weekend games in a rookie showcase tournament.
In goal, Ilya Nabokov is expected to lead the way. The Avalanche’s top pick (second round, 38th overall) in the 2024 NHL Draft is entering his first full season in North America after a successful career in the KHL. At 23 years old, Nabokov is likely going to start the year by battling for starts with AHL goalie Trent Miner and potentially even fellow rookie camp counterpart Nikita Novosyolov.
Other notable members of the roster include 2025 fourth-round pick Linus Funck, 2021 second-round pick Sean Behrens, undrafted free agent Matt DiMarsico, and this year’s 74th overall pick Beckett Hamilton.
The only players on the roster with previous NHL experience are Nikita Prischepov, who dressed in 10 games for the Avs in 2024-25 immediately after being selected in the seventh round in June 2024. And, of course, Taylor Makar, whom the Avs also selected in the seventh round in 2021. Makar played 12 games in 2025-26.
Avalanche’s rookie camp roster below.
They practice next Friday at Family Sports before playing games on Saturday and Sunday afternoon in San Jose pic.twitter.com/5urfx5onoU
— Aarif Deen (@runwriteAarif) September 4, 2026