Preseason Preview: Avs and Stars start the new season

The Colorado Avalanche will play a real hockey game tonight. Even though it's only the preseason, we at Mile High Hockey have been looking forward to this day since the end of last season in May. Will Cal Ritchie stake his claim and make the opening night roster? Will Sam Malinski finally make the jump? Is Pierre Eduoard Bellemare the long-term solution at 4C and PK? We'll start answering those questions tonight!

Colorado Avalanche

This has to be one of the most anticipated training camps and preseason programs, with multiple storylines. Of all the stories I've laid out, I haven't even mentioned Gabe Landeskog's involvement or non-involvement. Simply put, Colorado Avalanche fans are starting to get a clear idea of ​​what to expect.ish Picture of what this list might look like on opening night and beyond.

Colorado is still in “win now” mode, and the team's culture and mindset need a boost after two straight playoff exits. The Avalanche will begin the season short-handed, with Gabe Landeskog, Valeri Nichuskin and Arturri Lehkonen on the mend or otherwise unavailable. That should provide a good opportunity for Oskar Olausson, Callum Ritchie and Andrei Kovalenko, and their respective performances will influence the race toward that chance in tonight's game. It's too bad we only get to hear this one.

Expected lineups

I'm not going to pretend to know what the lineup might look like tonight. The first preseason game and lineups are impossible to pin down, so I have no predictions for Dallas either. I think all of the younger prospects will play, and most, if not all, of the big names will be absent.

Dallas Stars

The Stars eliminated the Avalanche but still fell short of the ultimate goal of winning the Stanley Cup, adding another chapter to two and a half decades of unsuccessful pursuit in “Big D.” Dallas still has Oettinger, a proven playoff player who secured some talent before last year's playoff run that has stuck around. They should be one of Colorado's toughest division opponents in 2024-25.

goalkeeper

Goalies usually split the game in some way during the preseason. I'm guessing for Colorado, it's a mix of Annunen and Mandolese. I was hoping you wouldn't quote me on that. Again, preseason hockey is fickle.