CENTENNIAL — It seems minor, but the seventh defensemen spot has been a major pain point the last three or four seasons for the Avalanche.
“It’s a luxury that we haven’t had much recently,” Jared Bednar said.
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Not since Jack Johnson left town has it felt like the Avalanche have had a seventh defensemen trusted by Bednar. Caleb Jones. John Ludvig. Nick Blankenburg. Keaton Middleton. Oliver Kylington. Ilya Solovyov. There have been a lot of guys that have come through town in recent years and not a lot of stability.
It seems like an inconsequential role. But it isn’t, especially when injuries hit in the playoffs. The duo of Blankenburg and Jack Ahcan wasn’t good enough and couldn’t be trusted in the Western Conference final against the Vegas Golden Knights, and it cost the Avalanche.
That’s why Joe Sakic and the Avalanche made it a point to fill the role of seventh defensemen in the summer this offseason. Enter: Noah Juulsen.
Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Noah Juulsen (47) in action during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Washington Capitals, Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Signed on the opening day of free agency to a two-year contract, the Avalanche were clear with the 29-year-old Juulsen on his role. At that point, they already had locked up the six defensemen they expect to dress most nights. They were looking for an experienced depth defensemen, one that was OK not playing every night.
After a chat with the head honchos Juulsen was willing to be that guy.
“When I talked to (Sakic) and (Bednar), it really was the final stone to flip to persuade me to come in,” Juulsen told The Denver Gazette.
With 209 regular-season matches under his belt, alongside seven playoff games, Juulsen has the experience the Avalanche were looking for. His style of play as a stay-at-home, physical defenseman was also enticing.
But to be a seventh defenseman, you must accept that you aren’t going to be in the lineup every night. That’s not an issue for Juulsen.
“I think just coming to work every day (with a) positive attitude, support the guys, and work hard,” Juulsen said. “When I get my opportunities to play, play the game that I play and help build success as a group.”
Colorado will be Juulsen’s fifth stop in the NHL. The British Columbia native was a first-round pick in 2015. Being a first-round pick brings pressure in itself, but being a first-round pick for the Montreal Canadiens, where all eyes are on hockey, is a different beast.
“At the time, you don’t even really think about it,” he said. “It’s kind of weird. I think the younger you are, those thoughts aren’t really in your head at the time. As you start to get a little older and start to realize the way life is a little more, you start having those thoughts a little more. … I think it obviously prepares you to be ready for whatever comes at you.”
With a family and a young daughter, a two-year contract gives Juulsen some personal stability he’s had only once in his career. It also gives the Avalanche some stability at a sneaky-important position on the roster.
“You know you’re going to need seven (defensemen) right out of the gate and we got seven NHL guys here,” Bednar said. “He’s an experienced guy, played in the NHL playoffs last year. He’s big. He’s strong. He moves the puck efficiently. He’s exactly what we’re looking for. You know you’re going to have injuries. You’re going to have guys that struggle at times, and we got seven guys here that we can use, so it’s a nice spot to be in.”
“He’s been a great signing. I liked the way he played in the game (in Winnipeg).”
Juulsen played in five playoff games for the Philadelphia Flyers last spring. The way things have gone in the postseason for the Avalanche the last few years with injuries, there’s a real chance he will get another opportunity to contribute when it matters the most again.
But this Avalanche team is different from the Flyers team that surprised everyone to make the postseason last year. Colorado is a Stanley Cup contender, and it’s noticeable the second you step in the locker room.
“It’s a high standard,” Juulsen said. “The guys come to work every day ready. They prepare really well, seriously and intense. And I think that’s great for guys that are in and out of the lineup. Always being ready and always being on your toes is great.”
Notes from practice
Cale Makar was a full participant at practice, and Bednar said he’s trending toward playing in one preseason game over the weekend.
The Avalanche split into two groups at practice, which should give everyone an idea of what the opening-night roster will look like. Group one consisted of the 21 NHL guys, including the Nashville acquisitions of Fedor Svechkov and Zachary L’Heureux, as well as Juulsen. Group two consisted of all the players expected to start in the AHL, including T.J. Hughes, Gavin Brindley and Taylor Makar.
Nazem Kadri practiced on the wing with Brock Nelson and Gabriel Landeskog, but nothing is set in stone yet. The Avalanche are testing their options, including moving Parker Kelly back to center. Svechkov will center Kelly and Logan O’Connor during Friday’s preseason game, Bednar said.
Tuesday was the first time the Avalanche have practiced special teams, so it was the first look at the power play that has been a major topic of conversation. It looks like the top unit will start the year with the five players who finished there, as Makar, Kadri, Nathan MacKinnon, Martin Necas, and Gabriel Landeskog will get that responsibility again.