The Colorado Avalanche enter the 2026–27 season with a refreshed roster after a busy offseason that saw them trade away veteran forwards for younger, cost-controlled pieces while adding experienced depth on a budget. The moves were driven by salary cap management, allowing them to keep their elite core intact while injecting youth and energy into the supporting cast.
Key Additions
Jaden Schwartz (LW) – Signed a three-year, $9 million deal ($3 million AAV) on July 1st. The 34-year-old Stanley Cup winner brings veteran leadership, two-way play, and top-nine scoring punch, and is expected to slot on the third line.
Fedor Svechkov (C) – Acquired from Nashville in the Jack Drury trade on June 26th. The 23-year-old center adds youth, speed, and middle-six depth, pushing for a top-nine role.
Zachary L’Heureux (LW) – Also acquired from Nashville in the Drury trade. The 23-year-old left-wing brings physicality, grit, and bottom-six depth.
Fabian Lysell (RW) – Acquired from Boston on June 27th in exchange for Ivan Ivan. The 23-year-old former first-round pick adds speed, skill, and offensive upside on the wing, pushing for a middle-six role.
Brent Burns (RD) – Signed a one-year, $2 million deal on June 26th. The 41-year-old veteran provides power-play quarterbacking, offensive upside, and mentorship on the right side.
Brett Kulak (LD) – Signed a five-year, $13.75 million deal ($2.75 million AAV) on June 26th. The 32-year-old left-shot defenseman adds stability, physicality, and top-four minutes.
Noah Juulsen (RD) – Signed a one-year, two-way deal. The 29-year-old right-shot defenseman provides depth and versatility on the blue line.
NHL Rumors: The Plan from the Dallas Stars to Keep Jason Robertson Long-Term
Key Subtractions
Valeri Nichushkin (RW) – Traded to Columbus on June 26 for a 2026 second-round pick, a 2027 third, and a 2028 fifth. The 28-year-old had 19 goals and 44 points in 64 games last season, but his $6.125 million cap hit was burdensome. The move subtracts the final four seasons of his eight-year contract.
Ross Colton (C) – Traded to Nashville on June 16 for goaltender Magnus Chrona and 2026/2027 third-round picks. The 29-year-old scored 21 goals and 44 points in 78 games, a significant loss of middle-six scoring and penalty-kill depth.
Jack Drury (C) – Traded to Nashville on June 26 for Svechkov and L’Heureux. The 26-year-old had 12 goals and 28 points in 76 games, providing depth at center.
Joel Kiviranta (LW) – Returned to Dallas in free agency, thinning left-wing depth.
Ivan Ivan (C/LW) – Dealt to Boston for Lysell, removing a depth forward.
Core Retained
Colorado kept its elite core intact, with Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar, Gabriel Landeskog, Martin Necas, and Artturi Lehkonen. Nicolas Roy and Nazem Kadri provide veteran center depth.
Impact on 2026–27
The Avalanche’s offseason moves were a calculated retool, shedding salary and age for youth and flexibility. Schwartz adds veteran scoring, while Svechkov, L’Heureux, and Lysell inject energy and upside. Expect Colorado to remain a top contender in the Central Division, with a deeper, more balanced lineup pushing for another deep playoff run.
Salary Cap Situation
Projected cap hit – $103,595,841
Roster – 22/23
Projected cap space – $404,159
Deadline cap space – $1,866,830
2026-27 Colorado Avalanche Season Preview
Depth Chart
Colorado Avalanche Depth Chart from PuckPedia.com – Aug. 12th
Top Colorado Avalanche prospects
| Hayden Soboleski Dobber Prospects Aug. 8th, 2026 |
Steven Ellis Daily Faceoff July 15th, 2026 |
McKeen’s Hockey Apr. 25th, 2026 |
Scott Wheeler The Athletic Mar. 13th, 2026 |
|
| 1 | Gavin Brindley (C) | Ilya Nabokov (G) | Ilya Nabokov (G) | Gavin Brindley (C) |
| 2 | TJ Hughes (RW) | Egor Shilov (C) | Mikhail Gulyayev (LHD) | Ilya Nabokov (G) |
| 3 | Ilya Nabokov (G) | Beckett Hamilton (C) | Sean Behrens (LHD) | Mikhail Gulyayev (LHD) |
| 4 | Christian Humphreys (RW) | Tobias Tvrznik (G) | Francesco Dell’Elce (LHD) | Sean Behrens (LHD) |
| 5 | Egor Shilov (C) | Mikhail Gulyayev (LHD) | Trent Miner (G) | Francesco Dell’Elce (LHD) |
| 6 | Trent Miner (G) | Francesco Dell’Elce (LHD) | Nikita Prishchepov (C) | Trent Miner (G) |
| 7 | Fabian Lysell (RW) | Axel Elofsson (RHD) | Christian Humphreys (RW) | Nikita Prishchepov (C/LW) |
| 8 | Mikhail Gulyayev (LHD) | Fabian Lysell (RW) | Louka Cloutier (G) | Louka Cloutier (G) |
| 9 | Beckett Hamilton (C) | Sean Behrens (LHD) | Alex Gagne (LHD) | Jack Fisher (C) |
| 10 | Francesco Dell’Elce (LHD) | Nikita Prishchepov (LW) | Linus Funck (RHD) | Christian Humphreys (RW) |
Read more on the top Colorado Avalanche prospects heading into the 2026-27 season.
We had to restart our X account. Please follow @MyNHLRumorsX
Have you subscribed to our YouTube channel? Rumor roundups and hot topics from around the league. We’re also posting some stuff on Instagram.
If you love our reporting, choose NHLrumors.com as a preferred source on Google.
