Colorado Avalanche Starting Line-Up: Prospects Edition

The Colorado Eagles of the American Hockey League (AHL) had their prospect pool picked over a little this last season in order to make the ultimate sacrifice for the Colorado Avalanche. What was that sacrifice? The Avs gave up six draft picks and two major prospects to win the Stanley Cup. Although the Avs gave away prospects Drew Helleson and Justin Barron in order to win it all, there are still some good prospects left in the system. We will go through the five best prospects (one at each position) that have not yet seen any NHL games in their career.

Jean-Luc Foudy – Center

One of the few natural centermen in the system, Jean-Luc Foudy may have second line potential in the NHL if he is given the chance to develop. Foudy was considered to be one of the best skaters in the 2020 draft class, so it is a wonder how he slipped to the 75th overall pick for the Avalanche. With the OHL getting shut down due to the pandemic, Foudy was given the opportunity to play for the Eagles in the 2020-21 season and earned himself an entry-level contract (ELC) through the 2024-25 season. Foudy has been known to be a great playmaker with passing skills, his shot has just not caught up yet. His speed helps him defensively, as he can create turnovers and get into a transition game quickly.

Oskar Olausson – Forward

Winger Oskar Olausson may be one of the most anticipated forwards the Avalanche and Eagles have in the system at the moment. Playing his first full season with the Eagles this coming year, there will be a lot expected out of him. He has an almost perfect stride and acceleration that he uses to get around corners once he is past a defender. This is something very similar to what Nathan MacKinnon does. He can shoot from just about anywhere on the ice with any type of shot. He can backcheck well to keep the opposing forwards on their toes, as well. Olausson more than likely will start the season in the bottom six for the Eagles, but plan on him gradually working his way up to a top three spot, if not a bottom three NHL spot.

Callahan Burke – Forward

Former University of Notre Dame captain Callahan Burke, although 25 years old, has some promise to him. Burke spent four years in college winning Big-10 Championships in 2018 and 2019 as well as earning 88 points (36 goals and 52 assists) in 146 games. He is a strong and fast skater with an eye for the whole ice surface, looking to make a pass. Burke is always skating towards the net, looking for the puck and to finish plays. The Avs saw this in him as well, re-signing him to a one-year contract on July 19. If Burke gets a chance to break into the NHL, he could add speed to the last line of forwards that would be much appreciated by the coaching staff.

Sean Behrens – Defense

NCAA National Champion Sean Behrens is a small offensive defenseman that makes up for his small stature with his skating ability. Considered to be one of the top defensemen coming out of the U.S. National Development Program, Behrens played for the University of Denver last season, scoring 29 points (3 goals and 26 assists) in just 37 games. He is great at carrying the puck out of the zone (exactly what the Avalanche and Eagles like) and with such a low center of gravity, he is hard to knock down defensively. Behrens has committed at least one more year to DU, but could easily be a top-pairing defenseman for the Eagles or a bottom pair for the Avs right away.

Danil Zhuravlyov – Defense

Drafted in the fifth round of the 2018 NHL Entry Draft, Danil Zhuravlyov has spent his developmental years in Russia in the KHL and the VHL (equivalent to the AHL) mostly playing with Ak Bars Kazan. Zhuravlyov is an offensive minded defensemen that likes to carry the puck through the zone and get shots in close to the net for scoring opportunities. Defensively, however, his only weakness can be found in his edge work. This makes him easy to push in the corners. Fans can expect Zhuravlyov to start the season on the third pairing with the Eagles to get used to the North American sized ice surface.

Trent Miner – Goaltender

Drafted in the last round of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft, Trent Miner shared the starting role last season with Peyton Jones, playing for the Utah Grizzlies of the ECHL. Miner is a decent size at six foot one inches tall, but he is lanky at 185 pounds. He is very aggressive when he is attacking shooters, often coming out two or three feet above the crease. He will often do this in high-danger situations, causing himself to overcommit on some plays. When Miner is playing well, he does not allow rebounds.

Playing for the Grizzlies, Miner has a 2.72 goals against average and .910 save percentage in 28 games. When asked to step up for the Colorado Eagles, Miner has a 2.76 GAA and .901 SV% in 11 games. His current contract will end after the 2023-24 season when he will become a restricted free agent.

Conclusion

Although the Avalanche had just two draft picks in the draft this year (and seem to have a shallow prospect pool), there is a lot to be hopeful for, especially with fifteen draft picks in the next three years. Trading away Helleson and Barron was not the end of the world for the Eagles; there is still a lot of talent left in the system. The veteran players will add to the prospects and give every fan hope for the future, making the dreams of winning another Stanley Cup much more of a reality.

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Editor’s Note: Brennan Vogt is contributing as a guest columnist for Full Press Hockey this offseason. He is currently the social media manager for Eurolanche, a European-based Avalanche fan group. Brennan’s previous writing experience includes articles for Denver Nose Bleeds.