According to Avs sources, winger Artturi Lehkonen will not be available for the Colorado Avalanche to begin the season. Lehkonen was initially slated to be the second-line left winger by Daily Faceoff, however the publication does not provide an estimated time of return to the ice. Thus, there is a great deal of uncertainty regarding Lehkonen’s injury, which affects the Avs’ top six. Miles Wood is now projected by Daily Faceoff as the team’s second-line left winger. Is Miles Wood the Colorado Avalanche’s best choice to take Lehkonen’s place in the starting lineup? Wood might work as a good temporary fix. If anything, he might gain a lot by being able to compete with Casey Mittelstadt and Nikolai Kovalenko in the top six.
But could Wood seize the opportunity and run with it? If so, the Avs could affordably and readily fill any other bottom-six position. However, Lekhonen’s extended absence must be the main cause for concern. Should that be the case and Wood is unable to fill in, will the Avs have to look elsewhere for a winger to replace Lehkonen? That is a challenging topic. Purchasing a genuine top-six winger won’t be inexpensive or simple. Right now, the Avs could be lucky if a reliable middle-six guy made it to the waiver wire. Sadly, that is only wishful thinking.
Right now, it appears that the Colorado Avalanche would be best served by filling the vacancy from within. This encourages players on the existing roster to put in a lot of effort throughout camp since they know that a top-six berth could be up for grabs.
Gabriel Landeskog could be the answer to the open left-wing spot
Miles Wood has been mentioned thus far as a possible replacement on the second line. But what about other internal choices? The answer is actually very clear: Gabriel Landeskog. Landeskog has declared that he intends to return to the rink this year. Landeskog might return sooner rather than later, according to Jared Bednar’s previous hinting. So why not use Landeskog to take over that vacant second-line position? For such position, Landeskog would be the ideal internal candidate. That is, of course, presuming that he can play at his regular level after having his knee surgically repaired.
If so, the Avs may be able to select the best candidate to occupy that open roster place. Hence, having a stand-in like Miles Wood could ease the burden of locating a good left winger in the top six. Now, I realise that relying on Landeskog right now is a bit of a long shot. There’s no set schedule for his comeback. Furthermore, there’s no proof Landeskog would be a useful player even if he were to play. But what other options do the Avalanche have, short of making a significant trade? Joel Kiviranta and Parker Kelly, for example, are mentioned on the team’s depth chart. Could they also have a look? Maybe. However, they would just be band-aid solutions, much like Wood.
If Landeskog cannot come back this year, and if Lehkonen figures to miss significant time, one of the first major moves the Avs could make this season would be to shop for a top-six left winger. Such a deal could come around Christmas when we get a clear picture of who’s in the playoff conversation and who might be looking to sell.
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