Annual roster turnover is just part of the deal in the American Hockey League, but several of the young guys expected to lead the way for the Colorado Eagles have something in common: They've played here before.
While rebuilding the organization's depth, the Colorado Avalanche acquired a number of guys who were excited to return to the Centennial State.
“Five years ago I was here and I loved it. My wife loved it,” said defender Calle Rosen. “I didn't really have much to think about. It's a very good organization that wants to win in both the AHL and the NHL. I saw it as a good opportunity for me, that's why I'm here.
“I didn't really want to leave the first time, so I'm very happy to be back. We have a familiar face, which really helps.”
Rosen is joined by defenseman Jacob MacDonald and forwards TJ Tynan and Jayson Megna at the reunion party. That quartet is in camp with the Avalanche and still chasing NHL dreams, but it's possible they'll be the front-runners, the big-minute guys for the Eagles when the season starts.
All four are between 30 and 34 years old, with more than 450 NHL games combined between them. MacDonald and Megna both captained the Eagles. Tynan has a few NHL games for the team, but he's also a two-time AHL MVP and had more assists for Ontario than anyone on the Eagles with points.
NHL teams sign several players to two-way contracts each season, and they can go unnoticed by fans who don't follow an AHL club. There are several reasons why signing some of the best players who are eligible in this situation – maybe not full-time NHLers, but high-level AHL guys – would benefit the Avalanche, both in the short and long term.
It helps ensure that the Eagles will be a competitive team, which is obviously the goal of an organization considering the consistency of success in Loveland. They have made the Calder Cup Playoffs in all five years there has been an AHL season since moving from the ECHL and becoming an affiliate of the Avalanche.
“I've been here and I get universal respect from everyone in this organization,” Tynan said. “From top to bottom, I know what they're about. They want to win, no matter what the level. I'm very competitive, and that was a big thing for me. I know wherever you are, every day they try to get better, and every day they try to win. So that was big.”
NHL teams have different ideas about the best way to develop prospects in the AHL, but having a good team gives those young players opportunities to play in high situations. The Calder Cup Playoffs are closer to the speed and intensity of an NHL game than the average AHL tournaments.
Then there is the veteran coach of players like Sean Behrens and Oskar Olausson.
“You want to have kids knocking on the door, the hopes you have that you wrote, that are developing out there,” said Jared Bednar. “And he wants them to develop at a high level. Well, my opinion is, they won't develop at a high level playing alone. So to play with guys like TJ Tynan, who is a top American League talent, a professional talent who knows what it takes, not just to get here but how he can help those young guys continue to play their game I think is a huge advantage.”
Having players like this quartet could also give Bednar peace of mind when the NHL club has injury problems. If the Avs need to recall someone to fill the short-term, they now have plenty of options on both defense and NHL-tested forwards.
It doesn't look like any of the four veterans will win the job in camp, but the Avs may need more points early this season because of the big names that will be missing. They may go with one of these veterans for a game or two instead of a young player.
“You want some of those young guys knocking on the door so you have options to call them and look at them and see how they're progressing,” Bednar said. “But you also want other guys that we know are ready and can come in one or two games and jump into our lineup and maybe help us win.”
“So it's a good mix of guys down there.”
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Originally Published: September 25, 2024 at 5:52 pm
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