Ville Isopaa
Registered User
After bouncing back from a horrible 2016-17 season, the Avalanche were the team to beat during the regular season in 2017-18. In the end, the dream of the cup was stopped in game 7 in the Western Conference finals by superstar goalie Troy Grosenick.
For the 2018-19 season the HFNHL Avalanche are looking to take the final step to reach the Cup Finals and some moves have been done during the season. Gone are Brandon Dubinsky, Chris Kunitz, Radim Vrbata, Jack Johnson and Anton Lindholm. New additions are Nick Leddy and rookies Clayton Keller, Darnell Nurse and Neal Pionk. Goaltending seems to be the one weakness and that might be something management might have to deal with during the season. Overall, the Avalanche are heading in to the season with a deep roster and the preliminary lineup looks something like this:
Rakell - Crosby - Keller
Hörnqvist - Bäckström - Dzingel
Johansson - Eller - Silfverberg
Brown - Rowney - Lehkonen
Burakovsky
Yandle - Krug
Dumba - Leddy
Nurse - Pionk
Edmundson
Holden
Markström
Lehner
Outside of these 23, the Avalanche have at least 14 players still in NHL camps.
Locks:
Forwards:
Garnett Hathaway - Made the Flames roster last season and was awarded a 1-way contract.
Ross Johnston - Finished the season as a 4th liner for the Islanders and was awarded with a 4 year 1-way contract. Plays his role.
Max McCormick - First signed by the Avalanche as a UDFA in 2014, Max returns to the Avalanche on a long term contract. Having played 57 NHL games over the past few seasons, Max is finally on a 1-way contract and is looking to start the season in the NHL with the Senators.
Defensemen:
Dean Kukan - After 19 NHL games over 3 seasons, Columbus awarded Kukan with a 2 year 1-way contract. Reports from camp says he has been one of the better defensemen for the Blue Jackets
Erik Gustafsson - Gustafsson has so far played two half seasons in the NHL. Now he has a 2 year 1-way contract and looks like the Blackhawks think he's finally ready for full time NHL duty.
Goaltender:
Linus Ullmark - He has been close for a few seasons and with Lehner moving on to the Islanders, Ullmark is ready to take on the role of backup to start the season. If all goes well he could challenge Carter Hutton for the role as the starter for the Sabres.
Prospects still in camp:
Forwards:
Carl Grundström - One of the best scorers in the SHL last season. He has all the skills needed to be a good NHLer, but question is if there is room for him on the Leafs forward lines this fall, or would he be better off with a season in the AHL.
Defensemen:
Andreas Borgman - Made the Leafs but was sent down around halfway through last season. Is hoping to repeat from last year, but to stay on the team throughout the season.
Mark Friedman - Still in camp for the Flyers playing in the last pre-season game against the Bruins tonight.
Max Lajoie - With the trade of Erik Karlsson, someone had to step and fill the void left on the Senators blue line. Max Lajoie did! Hold on, not so fast, but the former 5th round pick has had a strong camp and is close to making it.
FA's/UDFA's still in camp:
Forwards:
Travis Boyd - UDFA signing from 2015. Got his first games in the NHL last season and is looking to stick with the Champs from camp.
Dominik Kahun - One of 14 forwards left in the Blackhawks camp, Kahun has been skating with Toews and DeBrincat in camp and it looks like Kahun is close to making it.
Defensemen:
Bogdan Kiselevich - Russian veteran defenseman is one of 10 defensemen left in the Panthers camp.
Zach Trotman - Cleared waivers, but is still in camp for the Penguins.
For the 2018-19 season the HFNHL Avalanche are looking to take the final step to reach the Cup Finals and some moves have been done during the season. Gone are Brandon Dubinsky, Chris Kunitz, Radim Vrbata, Jack Johnson and Anton Lindholm. New additions are Nick Leddy and rookies Clayton Keller, Darnell Nurse and Neal Pionk. Goaltending seems to be the one weakness and that might be something management might have to deal with during the season. Overall, the Avalanche are heading in to the season with a deep roster and the preliminary lineup looks something like this:
Rakell - Crosby - Keller
Hörnqvist - Bäckström - Dzingel
Johansson - Eller - Silfverberg
Brown - Rowney - Lehkonen
Burakovsky
Yandle - Krug
Dumba - Leddy
Nurse - Pionk
Edmundson
Holden
Markström
Lehner
Outside of these 23, the Avalanche have at least 14 players still in NHL camps.
Locks:
Forwards:
Garnett Hathaway - Made the Flames roster last season and was awarded a 1-way contract.
Ross Johnston - Finished the season as a 4th liner for the Islanders and was awarded with a 4 year 1-way contract. Plays his role.
Max McCormick - First signed by the Avalanche as a UDFA in 2014, Max returns to the Avalanche on a long term contract. Having played 57 NHL games over the past few seasons, Max is finally on a 1-way contract and is looking to start the season in the NHL with the Senators.
Defensemen:
Dean Kukan - After 19 NHL games over 3 seasons, Columbus awarded Kukan with a 2 year 1-way contract. Reports from camp says he has been one of the better defensemen for the Blue Jackets
Erik Gustafsson - Gustafsson has so far played two half seasons in the NHL. Now he has a 2 year 1-way contract and looks like the Blackhawks think he's finally ready for full time NHL duty.
Goaltender:
Linus Ullmark - He has been close for a few seasons and with Lehner moving on to the Islanders, Ullmark is ready to take on the role of backup to start the season. If all goes well he could challenge Carter Hutton for the role as the starter for the Sabres.
Prospects still in camp:
Forwards:
Carl Grundström - One of the best scorers in the SHL last season. He has all the skills needed to be a good NHLer, but question is if there is room for him on the Leafs forward lines this fall, or would he be better off with a season in the AHL.
Defensemen:
Andreas Borgman - Made the Leafs but was sent down around halfway through last season. Is hoping to repeat from last year, but to stay on the team throughout the season.
Mark Friedman - Still in camp for the Flyers playing in the last pre-season game against the Bruins tonight.
Max Lajoie - With the trade of Erik Karlsson, someone had to step and fill the void left on the Senators blue line. Max Lajoie did! Hold on, not so fast, but the former 5th round pick has had a strong camp and is close to making it.
FA's/UDFA's still in camp:
Forwards:
Travis Boyd - UDFA signing from 2015. Got his first games in the NHL last season and is looking to stick with the Champs from camp.
Dominik Kahun - One of 14 forwards left in the Blackhawks camp, Kahun has been skating with Toews and DeBrincat in camp and it looks like Kahun is close to making it.
Defensemen:
Bogdan Kiselevich - Russian veteran defenseman is one of 10 defensemen left in the Panthers camp.
Zach Trotman - Cleared waivers, but is still in camp for the Penguins.
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