Colorado Avalanche Top 25 Under 25: 2024 Honorable Mentions

A trio of prospects who just missed the cut.

The Top 25 Under 25 is a collaboration by members of the Mile High Hockey staff. Six writers have ranked players under the age of 25 as of August 1, 2024, in the Colorado Avalanche organization. Now, we’ll count down each of the 25 players ranked.

Now that the Colorado Avalanche system has 32 players eligible for this exercise there is a real list of honorable mentions who received at least one top-25 vote from our staff. Those three, which comprise one forward, defenseman, and goaltender, will be discussed in detail.

The other four players of varying backgrounds, ages, and draft positions who did not receive a single vote are forwards Sampo Ranta (who finished 13th in the fan vote, however), Andrei Buyalsky, and Nikita Prishchepov as well as defenseman Nikita Ishimnikov. With those remaining three names not in the top 25 in the fan vote either. All their cases can be boiled down to a long shot of getting a contract with the Avalanche (again).

Center – Colby Ambrosio – Boston College (NCAA)

Our first honorable mention is likely in the same boat as unlikely to receive a contract offer as the four who didn’t receive a vote but there’s clearly still a little hope for Colby Ambrosio among the staff. The speedy energetic forward is staying in the NCAA for a fifth season but changing schools from Boston College to Miami University of Ohio. Therefore, the Avalanche still holds his rights while he’s still in school despite being a 2020 fourth-round draft selection.

When the organization declined to sign Ambrosio following a 21-point junior season it wasn’t a great sign and neither was following it up with an eight-point senior campaign. Still, Ambrosio was present at the most recent development camp in Denver and the soon-to-be 22-year-old still has one more season of hockey ahead to earn himself a pro contract. Fans seem to believe so, as he was ranked 25th in the fan vote.

Defenseman – Chris Romaine – Green Bay (USHL)

It’s been a long road for the headliner of the 2022 Avalanche draft class taken with the last pick in the sixth round as he hasn’t begun his NCAA career yet. Staying an extra year in the USHL with the Green Bay Gamblers might pay off for the young defenseman as he had a bit of a breakout campaign putting up 30 points in 55 games as the highest scoring blueliner on the team.

Chris Romaine is ready to finally begin his college career and changed commitments and now is expected to attend The Ohio State University. The 20-year-old still has a lot of runway ahead of him to get the attention of the organization. He possesses a heavy shot and fits in well as a right-handed defenseman adapted to the transition game. With more time to polish and round out his game, there’s still a chance Romaine ends up a gem in the Avalanche prospect system. Fans might think otherwise though, as he was 31st in the fan vote.

Goaltender – Ivan Yunin – Omskie Yastreby (MHL)

One of the newest prospects in Colorado’s massive nine-pick 2024 draft class just missed the cut but considering he’s an 18-year-old Russian with his rights held indefinitely, he will be eligible for our Top 25 Under 25 for the rest of this decade. Ivan Yunin gives the Avalanche an ultra-long-term project to watch and observe how he moves along in the Avangard (KHL) system.

Playing only six games in the highest Russian junior league last year means Yunin is just getting his feet wet as he moves up the ladder of competition. Scouts enjoy his quick and active play style which could enamor him to coaches as he gains experience. With any success (and hype) in Russia, Yunin will surely move up our rankings in the coming years. He is sure to climb higher up the fans’ rankings too, finishing 30th in the vote this year.