Open Thread: Colorado Avalanche vs. Vegas Golden Knights (8:00 p.m.)

It’s a Colorado Avalanche gameday!

Well, Avalanche fans, the day has finally come! We get to watch Colorado Avalanche hockey tonight as the 2024-25 regular season starts in Vegas against the Golden Knights. How will young guys like Cal Ritchie, Nikolai Kovalenko, Ivan Ivan, and Sam Malinksi fair instead of Colorado’s missing talent? Will Vegas hand out some humble pie? Or are the new look Avs better than expected?

Colorado Avalanche

There’s plenty to talk about in Colorado heading into a new season, but I find the young replacements to be the most intriguing storyline of the available narratives. It’s no secret that the Avalanche will be without Val Nichushkin, Gabe Landeskog, and Arturri Lehkonen to start the season. How will the young call-ups fair in their stead? We will find out early with this first matchup against a good team, the Golden Knights, who are just a season removed from their first cup championship.

The early part of this season might come with some challenges, but don’t sleep on the talent of Colorado’s core. Nathan MacKinnon is the league’s MVP, and Cale Makar is the league’s best defender. Oh yeah, and they still have Mikko Rantanen for at least another season. Yesterday, Mike Rupp said the Avalanche are “one injury from the wheels falling off,” but aren’t all teams? I still have confidence in this group. So does head coach Jared Bednar.

Projected Lineup

Jonathan Drouin — Nathan MacKinnon — Mikko Rantanen
Nikolai Kovalenko — Casey Mittelstadt — Callum Ritchie
Miles Wood — Ross Colton — Logan O’Connor
Ivan Ivan — Parker Kelly — Joel Kiviranta

Devon Toews — Cale Makar
Sam Girard — Josh Manson
Calvin De Haan — Sam Malinski

Note: Watch our X account for the official opening night roster!

Vegas Golden Knights

Vegas is in the exact position that the Avalanche were last season. They could not repeat as champions after losing some depth due to their success. However, like the Avalanche, they have managed to keep their core talent intact and should pose a threat in the West again this season.

As for tonight’s game, I am anticipating a level of physicality and extracurricular activities that will induce an emotional response. Although these teams aren’t in the same division, it’s safe to say they are familiar with each other and will always hold a certain level of contempt.

How will Colorado’s and Vegas’ marquee talent matchup against each other? To me, that’s the key to tonight’s season-opening contest. What is your key to victory tonight? Let me know in the comments.

Projected Lineup

Ivan Barbashev — Jack Eichel — Mark Stone
Pavel Dorofeyev — Tomas Hertl — Alexander Holtz
Victor Olofsson — Nicolas Roy — Brendan Brisson
Tanner Pearson — Brett Howden — Keegan Kolesar

Shae Theodore — Alex Pietrangelo
Noah Hanafin — Nicolas Hague
Brayden McNabb — Zach Whitecloud

Goaltenders

We will have Alexandar Georgiev in the net for the Avalanche, and this is a big season for the Russian keeper as it is a contract year. The Avalanche may be interested in promoting Justus Annunen to the full-time starter if Georgiev doesn’t force their hand this season. It’s pretty clear that Colorado doesn’t think they need a top-10 netminder to win a cup, so if he puts up crazy good numbers, he may price himself out of Denver. Hopefully, he will have a great season and force Colorado to make a tough decision.

Adin Hill will be the opening night starter for Vegas, and coincidentally, he’s also in a critical prove-it time in his career. It should make for a great matchup between the pipes tonight.

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