Avalanche Begin Season Against Kings with Strong Roster

Los Angeles, California

The Colorado Avalanche are set to kick off their 2025-26 NHL season against the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday at Crypto.com Arena. The team is nearly at full strength, featuring key players who missed significant time last season.

Captain Gabriel Landeskog will play his first regular-season game since suffering an injury on March 10, 2022. Forward Artturi Lehkonen and Valeri Nichushkin also return to the roster after lengthy absences, boosting the Avalanche’s offensive capabilities. The trio represents a combined 138 points from their most recent full campaigns.

“We’re relatively healthy, and I think that’s huge to start the year off,” Landeskog remarked about the improved roster.

This season, the Avalanche will not only rely on their returning stars but also on the stability of their full roster, which largely remains intact from last season. Notably, Brock Nelson signed a three-year extension in June, ensuring continuity in the lineup. Joel Kiviranta also joined the team through a one-year contract, adding depth to the forward group.

Avalanche Head Coach Jared Bednar expressed confidence in the team’s depth, noting, “We feel like we’re a deep team right now and starting healthier than we have in the past few years.” Benching includes Scott Wedgewood and Martin Necas, who participated in training camp for the first time with the Avalanche.

The team aims for a better start than last season when they began with an 0-4-0 record, despite facing a more challenging situation due to injuries then. Defenseman Devon Toews emphasized the advantage of roster stability, stating that it helps the coaching staff focus on the systems without needing to integrate new players mid-season.

However, injury concerns remain as the Avalanche will miss goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood and forward Logan O’Connor for this matchup. Nevertheless, the remaining players are eager to capitalize on their health and depth. “I think we’re a very hungry group,” Landeskog added. “Probably as motivated and as excited as we’ve been in a long time.”

With a combination of returning talent and new acquisitions, the Avalanche are preparing for a hopeful season opener against the Kings.