On this portion of the Avalanche Mailbag, I answer questions about the top six and how they’ll be deployed. Also, Zakhar Bardakov’s play as the fourth-line center, and Gavin Brindley doing his part to earn an opening night roster spot.
Question from Andy
Question from Joe Cerwinske
Obviously, it was preseason, but does the strong showing of the Lehkonen – Nelson – Necas line against Utah indicate to you that Bednar may stick with that? I’ve been banging that drum to split up MacKinnon and Necas for quite some time.
Aarif’s Response
It’s been Bednar’s philosophy since the 2019-20 season that his top four wingers should be interchangeable. On any given night, on this team or any other contending team, Martin Necas, Gabe Landeskog, Valeri Nichushkin, and Artturi Lehkonen could all be top-line wingers.
But having the ability to move them around and create any combination of them with either Nathan MacKinnon or Brock Nelson is crucial for the team’s success.
So to answer your question, seeing that line thrive gives Bednar an option he can use and be comfortable with. But I also think Necas and MacKinnon will start together.
I guarantee that at some point during the regular season, we’ll see pretty much every possible combination of two wingers with each center.
Question from Joe Cerwinske
Give us your gut feeling: does Gavin Brindley make the NHL roster out of camp, likely as the fourth line wing over Joel Kiviranta?
Aarif’s Response
I do think Brindley makes the roster, and I could see him getting at least the first game ahead of Kiviranta. He’s looked promising since camp began and I like that the team seemingly has a young offensively gifted prospect that could get a look in the top six if or when injuries arise.
The name of the game is options, and Bednar finally has plenty of them. For example, if someone in the top six goes down, even if for a game, you have Victor Olofsson and Colton as capable fill ins. And knowing Bednar, he’ll be excited to give Brindley a try to see if he sinks or swims. That Landeskog and Brindley chemistry at Magness Arena was pretty solid.
As for the opening night roster, Kiviranta is the type of veteran that has shown in the past that being a healthy scratch doesn’t affect him. If Brindley does enough to be one of the 23 roster players on opening night, it wouldn’t make sense to have him sit in the press box. Let him get some games under his belt, and let him make it difficult for Bednar to pull him from the lineup.
But if he struggles, he can get top-line minutes in the AHL and Kiviranta could step right back into the lineup and fit like a glove.
