Avalanche Rookie Making Case for Roster Spot

The Colorado Avalanche may have no choice but to give one of their top rookies a lineup spot to begin the season.

Jun 28, 2023; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Colorado Avalanche draft pick Calum Ritchie stands with Ava staff after being selected with the twenty seventh pick in round one of the 2023 NHL Draft at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images / Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images

The Colorado Avalanche are one of the Western Conference teams vying to unseat the Edmonton Oilers this season. With a perennial MVP candidate in Nathan MacKinnon and one of the league's premier defensemen in Cale Makar, it's easy to see the Avalanche as a contender.

There are some holes in the Avalanche lineup, however. Holes that must be filled if this organization truly wants to go on another Stanley Cup run. One of those voids is filling out their top-six. With captain Gabriel Landeskog still on the shelf and Valeri Nischuskin's status a gigantic question mark, the team is in serious need of another scorer.

Enter 19 year-old forward Calum Ritchie. The team's first-round pick in 2023 is making a legitimate case to be in the Avalanche's lineup this year.

The name of Ritchie's game is power. Standing at 6'2 and nearly 200 pounds, he's one of the physically strongest players for his age. He loves to drive to the net, lean on a defender, and battle for a puck down low.

It's the exact type of player the Avalanche desire for their top-six forward group. If Ritchie can continue being that physical and powerful winger, he can fill the void on the second line and give the team a secondary scoring option behind MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen.

The key for Ritchie, like any young player, is consistency. He's been excellent so far in the preseason, specifically when it comes to his offensive game. He scored his first preseason goal against the Dallas Stars after making a smart play and putting the puck on net through traffic. He also netted a nifty back-handed goal against the Utah Hockey Club in a recent contest.

His offense is there. The question for the Avalanche is if he's consistent enough on the defensive side of the puck. He played a huge role on his junior team last season, but he's yet to prove he can be that two-way force in the NHL. But if he keeps playing the way he is this preseason, the Avalanche will have no choice but to give the 19 year old a shot in their lineup.

Make sure you bookmark Breakaway OnSI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, recruiting coverage, and more! 

• NHL Award Predictions: Connor McDavid Tops Diverse List
• Penguins Forward Suffers Scary Facial Injury
• Former Canadiens All-Star Slams NHL: 'Where's the Respect'
• Penguins HC Compares Sidney Crosby to Beatles
• Maple Leafs Predicted to Extend Mitchell Marner