Everyone is going to be watching Calum Ritchie at the Rookie Faceoff this weekend. Everyone. He’s the top prospect for the Avalanche, and probably the best prospect the team has had play in this tournament other than Bowen Byram. You don’t need me telling you to keep an eye out for Ritchie. You’ll already be doing that.
But he’s not the only one that will be playing this weekend for the Avalanche. He should be the best player for them, but there’s a handful of other players that I think everyone should keep their eye on when the Avalanche hit the ice on Friday, Saturday, and Monday.
Ivan Ivan
Ivan made a name of himself in this tournament last year, and it’s not exactly a difficult name to remember. He played in all three games, and picked up points in all of them. He carried that momentum over to training camp, where he made an impression on Jared Bednar and earned himself some ice-time with the Eagles. His strong play earned him an entry-level contract in March, and he should be entering this season a little more confident.
Ivan won’t be able to surprise anyone this year, as there will now be expectations placed on him entering his second professional season. It would be a surprise if he earned himself a job right out of camp, but there does seem to be a spot open on the fourth line. He’s an intelligent player and someone you should definitely look out for heading into camp.
Oskar Olausson
Is it put up or shut up time for Olausson?
The first round pick for the Avalanche back in 2021 is now entering his third professional season. His numbers improved from year one to year two, but his season ended a little prematurely due to shoulder surgery. He’s healthy now, and the team needs to see a bit more if he has any hopes of playing for this team at any point.
The talent is there, and he’s not exactly a small man, although he doesn’t really use his size to his advantage. He’ll get opportunities in camp to play with some good players, but he’s got to show that he’s that he’s one of the better players on the ice against a lot of players younger than him. Maybe it’s unfair to put those expectations on him, but as a former first round pick, expectations should be a little higher.
Saige Weinstein
Were you expecting to see Sean Behrens here? I assume everyone will already be watching him, so I wanted to go in a different direction.
Weinstein is unique, in that he wasn’t drafted by the Avalanche, but they loved his game so much that they gave him an NHL contract before he even turned 19. He’s not a point producer, as he has just 57 points in 184 WHL games, but he’s a good skater with some decent size. He’s not eligible to play in the AHL this year, so he’ll be headed back to the WHL, but as one of the few guys with an NHL contract in this tournament, he’ll be someone to keep a close eye on.
The Avalanche will kick off their tournament on Friday against the Anaheim Ducks. All games are expected to be streamed online. The rookies will practice on Thursday before heading out to California.