Colorado Avalanche Top 25 Under 25: #5 Sean Behrens

We begin our top five with two-time NCAA Champion Sean Behrens!

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

2024 was another good year for Sean Behrens, who comes in at #5 on this season’s list, up one spot from #6 last year. Behrens secured his second NCAA title with the Denver Pioneers after winning it back in 2021, but this time around, he was a major reason why, as he was named to the All-Tournament team and given the Best Defensive Defender award. So, what’s next for the 21-year-old from Barrington, Illinois?

It feels like another season of development is ideal and likely for the defender who showed up and showed out in his one playoff appearance with the Colorado Eagles. His one assist might not feel like much, but in his first AHL game after winning a National Title? I say that’s not too bad at all. Hopefully, he builds on that, has a solid AHL campaign this season, and reveals himself as a viable option for the Colorado Avalanche in the near future.

The Avalanche did stock up on defenders at the bottom of the group this season, which I think makes it next to impossible for Behrens to make the jump any sooner than next year. Heck, we aren’t even sure if Malinski is going to make the squad this year. That said, anything is possible at training camp, and he brings a lot of characteristics that cater to the preferences of head coach Jared Bednar.

What Jared Bednar will inevitably find irresistible is this kid’s risk-averse tendencies and high motor skills. He’s graceful and consistent in terms of positioning and effective in puck retrieval. Then there’s his offensive upside. We’ve heard this logic applied to a different topic this offseason, but for Behrens, it’s not if he will be an NHLer but when.

2024 Top 25 Under 25

#6 Ilya Nabokov

#7 Erik Brännström

#8 Jean-Luc Foudy

#9 Oskar Olausson

#10 Ondrej Pavel

#11 Ivan Ivan

#12 William Zellers

#13 Tory Pitner

#14 Christian Humphreys

#15 Trent Miner

#16 Max Curran

#17 Saige Weinstein

#T-18 Jake Fisher

#T-18 Matthew Stienburg

#20 Chase Bradley

#T-21 Louka Cloutier

#T-21 Kevin Mandolese

#23 Zakhar Bardakov

#24 Taylor Makar

#25 Maros Jedlicka