Colorado’s top two prospects fit naturally with Avs

Despite the team’s success over the last seven seasons, which includes a Stanley Cup victory, Colorado has drafted a slew of solid players, but who should we be looking out for in the coming years?

The Colorado Avalanche organization hasn’t drafted much in the last few seasons, but for a good reason: they’ve been a solid team and brought home the Stanley Cup in 2022. However, that doesn’t mean they haven’t made some interesting draft selections during this time. In this edition, we rank the top two prospects.

Calum Ritchie

The 2023 first-round pick (27th overall) has improved significantly in his development over the last year. Prior to the draft, Richie notched 59 points (24 goals, 35 assists) in 59 regular season games for the Oshawa Generals of the Ontario Hockey League. He also contributed in the postseason with six points (two goals, four assists) in five playoff games. That was enough for Ricthie, an Oakville, Ontario, native, to be drafted by the Avalanche – and become the most recently ranked top prospect in our T25U25 series.

That lit a fire under his backside, and as a result, Ritchie had a breakout year with the Generals. He led the team in scoring with 80 points (28 goals, 52 assists) in 50 regular season games and exploded in the playoffs with 30 points (eight goals, 22 assists) in 21 games en route to the OHL Championship Series.

Ritchie has the potential to become a staple in the Avalanche family. Since getting drafted, he has taken hockey more seriously. That’s not to say Ritchie wasn’t before, but now he has taken his game to another level. He’s in excellent physical condition; he’s skating and shooting better, combining that with his increased creativity, driving ability, and fluidity, outperforming players drafted before him. Furthermore, a sense of team is not a place but a state of mind for Ritchie. When asked recently about his explosive leap in offensive production, Ritchie didn’t gloat about himself. He humbly stated that a team-first mindset allowed him to be in a position to elevate those statistics. This is great news for Colorado. This is a kid who wants to see the entire team succeed.

Albeit some have the idea of Ritchie getting a nine-game trial at some point next season, it likely won’t play out that way. It’s going to be an either/or scenario. Jared Bednar has been a stickler on remaining on one assignment, which is understandable. If you move a player up too quickly and the mission fails or, at the very least, is unimpressive. What happens when that player returns to their previous team could make or break their career.

Everyone is built differently. Mikko Rantanen had a nine-game trial under the tutelage of former head coach Patrick Roy (who now coaches the New York Islanders) during the 2015-16 season, and it wasn’t good, but it wasn’t bad, either. Despite the ho-hum opening experience, it hasn’t impacted Rantanen’s game. He has been an incredible player throughout his NHL career. When former Avs defenseman Bowen Byram was a highly-touted prospect, he wasn’t given a nine-game trial. That said, it would seem likely that Ritchie will spend another year in juniors, which is okay. You don’t want to move up a kid too soon, but on the other skate, you don’t want to move him up too late, either. Ritchie has time, and we can expect him to have another lethal season with the Generals.

Mikhail Gulyayev

From an aesthetic vantage point, Mikhail Gulyayev has the potential to become an Avalanche fan favorite. He’s a solid defensive skater, but like your favorite fighter, you probably like a guy who likes to put on a show while making your squad better. This is your player. He’s a small but speedy offensive defenseman who attacks puck carriers on an arc and cuts off the middle of the ice with his stick. From there, he can take over a game and isn’t afraid to make difficult passes, putting his team in a better position to score goals and win games. The 2023 first-round pick (31st overall) inked a contract extension last October to remain in the KHL with the Avangard Omsk. Does he fit Colorado’s organizational identity? 100% he does – hence why he was right behind Ritchie at number two in our T25U25.

Some fans have even suggested that the Avs should trade Ritchie, but if you ask me, that doesn’t make much sense. You need a steady flow of talent into the lineup. Last year was an opportunity to go all in. This year, they’ll look to capitalize on what they have while continuing to develop the next batch of players. Ritchie will eventually become a crucial player in the Avs lineup.

Who is your favorite Avalanche prospect?