theScore is previewing each team leading up to the 2016-17 season.
It'll be a change in philosophy, not on-ice personnel, as over the summer, Joe Sakic and the Colorado Avalanche management worked primarily at the margins of a roster now in the hands of head coach Jared Bednar.
Here's how the Avalanche will return under new direction this season:
| LW | C | RW |
|---|---|---|
| Blake Comeau | Matt Duchene | Jarome Iginla |
| Mikhail Grigorenko | Nathan MacKinnon | Gabriel Landeskog |
| Mikko Rantanen | Carl Soderberg | Andreas Martinsen |
| Cody McLeod | Joe Colborne | J.T. Compfer |
| Gabriel Bourque | John Mitchell | Ben Smith |
| Rocco Grimaldi | Rene Bourque |
- This puzzle is incomplete. There is so much room for experimentation in this lineup with versatile forwards, as well as a blend of young and old littered throughout.
- Joe Colborne is the only real newcomer. He's a natural center, but after earning a multi-year contract from the Avalanche after a 44-point season, it's likely he'll be deployed with some playmakers.
| LD | RD |
|---|---|
| Francois Beauchemin | Erik Johnson |
| Fedor Tyutin | Tyson Barrie |
| Chris Bigras | Eric Gelinas |
| Patrick Wiercioch | Nikita Zadorov |
| Duncan Siemens |
- Patrick Wiercioch and Nikita Zadorov are two interesting pieces, though as it stands now, outside the top six. Both are teachable high-upside defenders on modest salaries.
| G |
|---|
| Semyon Varlamov |
| Calvin Pickard |
- The Avalanche locked up their highly effective backup to a reasonable two-year extension over the summer.
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