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Which Colorado Avalanche and Denver Pioneer players must become stars in 2025-26? | Friday Faceoff

By and October 3, 2025 | updated 2 months ago

Colorado Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar draws up a play in the third period of an NHL hockey game Monday, Jan. 6, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Friday Faceoff: The puck’s about to drop. Which Denver Pioneer and Colorado Avalanche players must step forward in 2025-26?

Evan Rawal, Avalanche reporter

Answer: Avalanche forward Brock Nelson

Colorado Avalanche center Brock Nelson (11) in action against the Anaheim Ducks during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Anaheim, Calif., Sunday, April 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)

It didn’t work with Alex Newhook. It didn’t work with J.T. Compher. It definitely didn’t work with Ryan Johansen, and Casey Mittelstadt’s game fell apart.

Is Brock Nelson the Avalanche’s answer at ‘2C’ now that he’s settled and comfortable in Denver? He has to be.

Colorado opens the season Tuesday against the Kings in Los Angeles (8:30 p.m., ESPN).

Nelson has looked good in camp and earned rave reviews from teammates as well as his head coach. Jared Bednar said he looks “phenomenal” when The Denver Gazette asked him about Nelson. Sure, it’s training camp, where hype and hope are at an all-time high, but he does look solid on the ice. The chemistry with Gabriel Landeskog has been there from the start, although Landeskog has always been a guy who could play on a line with anyone.

The Avalanche know what they’re getting with Nathan MacKinnon on the first line, but they need more than that if they’re going to win the Stanley Cup. Nelson didn’t play terrible in a playoff series against the Dallas Stars, but zero goals is zero goals. You aren’t going to win many playoff series if your second-line center doesn’t put the puck in the net.

If the Avalanche go all the way, and they have every intention of doing so, Nelson must be the guy they’re paying him a lot of money to be. The justification for the Mikko Rantanen trade was that the Avalanche needed that money to be a little deeper. That money went right to Nelson, so it’s up to him to hold up his end of the bargain.

Tyler King, colleges reporter:

Answer: Denver forward Sam Harris

Denver’s Sam Harris (12) handles the puck as Western Michigan’s Cole Crusberg-Roseen (3) defends during the second period in a semifinal game in the NCAA Frozen Four men’s college hockey tournament, Thursday, April 10, 2025, in St. Louis (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

Sure, you could pick any of the Pioneers defensemen given the loss of Zeev Buium to the NHL. But when the entire top line needs to be replaced, there’s really no other option than to go with a forward.

David Carle’s squad had the most productive line in the country last year with the Jack Devine-Carter King-Aidan Thompson trio leading the way (along with Buium) to another Frozen Four appearance. The 155 points produced by the top line must be made up somehow if the Pios want to repeat last season’s success. 

Fourth-ranked Denver opens the season Saturday with an exhibition against UNLV at Magness Arena (6 p.m., NCHC.tv).

With so many newcomers (all freshmen) on the roster, a proven player like junior winger Sam Harris is the answer. He led DU in goals last season with 23, partly because he was a part of the top power play unit with the four stars previously mentioned, but he was one of the players who took the biggest step forward last season. 

Now, DU needs him to become the team’s next star without an obvious one on the roster. He’ll likely be paired alongside fellow veterans Samu Salminen and Rieger Lorenz on the top line when the regular season opens against Air Force next week. Harris, especially early in the season, must deliver on the stat sheet every weekend.

Tyler King

Reporter

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