Welcome to Evan’s mailbag, where each week, Avalanche reporter Evan Rawal answers all your Avalanche- and hockey-related questions. Mailbag questions can be sent to evan.rawal@gazette.com.

When might we hear something with a possible extension for Victor Olofsson? His style of play and attributes, especially on the power play, seem to mesh very well with the Avs.

I will admit that Olofsson has been a much better fit with the Avalanche than I expected. Given how much Tomas Tatar struggled in a bottom-six role, I was concerned the same would happen with the Swede. That has not been the case. Although he’s a bit streaky on the goal-scoring front (all of his goals have come in three games), he’s shown he can be trusted defensively and has been racking up the assists.

As for an extension, he’s not eligible to sign one until Jan. 1 because he signed a one-year contract. If he’s open to a reasonable contract, I’m sure the Avalanche will approach him about an extension, but someone like Jack Drury will take priority within the organization. As of right now, the Avalanche have a little under $13 million in cap space looking ahead to next season, but still need to sign at least four players: two forwards and two defensemen. There are also rumblings that the cap next season will be higher than expected, so they could have even more wiggle room. Any extension over $3 million would be pushing it with Olofsson.

Have you heard if the Avs and Malinski have talked extension? Do we know what he’s looking for?

Like Olofsson, Malinski is another guy who can’t sign an extension until Jan. 1 under the CBA. This one seems like it will be significantly more difficult to get done than Olofsson, though.

All of Malinski’s underlying numbers are incredible this season, and he’s producing offensively without any power-play time. On top of all that, he’s a right-handed shot and just 27. Free agent frenzy isn’t what it used to be. All of the top-flight players that were set to become unrestricted free agents next summer have already signed. That means teams will have plenty of money to throw around at guys like Malinski, and he’s doing a good job of raising his value.

It really depends on what Malinski wants. If he’s looking for a bigger role and some power-play time, he probably won’t get that in Colorado with guys like Cale Makar and Devon Toews around. But if he values fit and system, the Avalanche have a chance. It does feel like it might come down to deciding between Malinski and Sam Girard, who has one more year left on his contract. Paying both of them good money, while not impossible, seems unlikely.

When is Logan O’Connor going to be back?

I asked Avalanche coach Jared Bednar about this Monday because they had expected him back in the lineup by now. He was ahead of schedule recovering from offseason hip surgery as recently as last month. Unfortunately, a few other things have popped up.

“He’s had a couple things pop up, not hip related, in his return,” Bednar said. “As he got a bigger workload, different things are sort of bothering him a little bit. Was making really good progress and looked like he’d probably beat that return date, and things have slowed down for him a little bit as he’s working through other issues in his return to play.”

Those other issues are soft tissue things that Bednar said aren’t serious, but it seems like he’s a few more weeks away from getting back in the lineup.

Assuming a full healthy roster, who gets healthy scratched?

You can never assume a healthy roster with this team, but if they ever do get healthy, I’m looking at Zakhar Bardakov and Joel Kiviranta as healthy scratches. Gavin Brindley is the ultimate wild card, and he’s done everything in his power to earn a roster spot to this date, but as we saw last year with Ivan Ivan, you have to maintain that level of play to stick around. Ivan was on the NHL roster until January, and then as soon as his game dipped, he was sent to the AHL.

Bardakov in the press box would mean Parker Kelly back at center, which the team could live with in the short term until they make a trade for another center, which I believe is likely before the trade deadline.

How are Mikhail Gulyayev and Ilya Nabokov doing?

I touched on Ilya Nabokov’s struggles the other day, so I’ll focus on Gulyayev because it’s a bit more concerning. It’s less his play but the fact that he’s struggling to even get ice time for his team in Russia.

The last two years, as an 18- and 19-year-old, Gulyayev has averaged around 15 minutes a night in the KHL. That’s pretty rare in that league, as teenage defensemen don’t usually play that much. It’s completely flipped this season, for whatever reason. They’ve dabbled with him at forward and have since stopped, but he’s still barely playing. In 26 games, he’s averaging 10 minutes and 24 seconds a game and has played less than 10 minutes in 44% of the games he’s played.

So, what changed? Well, for one, the coaching staff changed at the end of last year, and that could be playing a role in it. It’s a veteran team, and they might be leaning on those veterans. It’s difficult not to put on your conspiracy theory hat here, though. Gulyayev has an expiring contract, and it seems likely he’s headed to North America next season. We’ll never know the truth, but KHL teams have punished young players in the past who are set to leave and that could be happening here.

Either way, it’s a concerning situation for the Avalanche. Gulyayev looked like someone who could step right into the NHL if he had another strong season in the KHL. That would be good for their cap situation. Is that still a possibility? Sure, but seeing one of your top prospects struggle to even get ice time has to raise concerns about his development.

What’s the team’s thoughts on baby Makar?

Taylor, the younger Makar, has been fine in his few games in the lineup. I haven’t noticed any glaring mistakes, although his ice time has been pretty limited. I don’t think there’s a super high ceiling there, but even if he develops into a fourth-line winger down the road, that’s a big win for a former seventh-round pick.

So in your opinion, what’s a super overrated Thanksgiving food? Yams? Cranberries? Sweet potatoes with marshmallows?

I won’t stand for cranberry sauce slander. I’m a huge cranberry sauce guy, real and fake, so it won’t be that. Yes, I realize I’m in the minority here.

I respect all Thanksgiving food, but I’ve never been a stuffing guy, so I’ll just go with that and deal with the backlash that comes with it.