Can the Eagles replicate their success from last season?

The Colorado Eagles success hinges on what the Avalanche decide on their fourth line.

The Colorado Avalanche’s fourth line is currently quite uninspiring. The Avalanche have $4.12 million left in cap space and do not have a legitimate fourth line at the moment. This could be a major problem for their AHL affiliate, the Colorado Eagles, if they cannot fill those gaps. As in terms of the salary cap, every player on the fourth line could be less than one million cap hit, but the talent at the NHL level will not be there. This also leads to another question: can the Eagles replicate their success from last season?

The Avalanche have yet to fill the role of the fourth line for the 2025–25 season. This could lead to opportunities for two-way contract forwards to make a statement in the NHL. T.J. Tynan could have a chance for an extended call up with the Avalanche to start the season. He will start his 14th season as a pro and has 642 points in the AHL in 693 games. He appeared in nine games for the Avalanche last season, tallying only one assist. Nikita Prishchepov played 10 games for the Avalanche last season with no points. His rookie season fared much better with the Eagles as he racked up 23 points in 51 games. Ivan Ivan saw the most time of the three here with the Avalanche, playing 40 games. They sent him down to rebuild his confidence and rediscover his form, yet he only managed 12 points in 36 games thereafter.

These three players would provide a mix of grit and speed to the fourth line along with a veteran presence from Tynan. Prishchepov is a heavy body that crashes the net and stays on the puck when he gets hit himself.

Could the Eagles replicate their success from last season? It depends on how long those three stay with the Avalanche. Tynan was fourth on the Eagles in overall points last season. His 41 assists became vital to the playmaking ability of the top line and the power play. Prishchepov provided that body on the ice that you always needed to look out for when you got the puck. He was going to hit you if you touched it. His Parker Kelly style of hockey became important later in the season for the boys in blue. Ivan was always a threat at the faceoff dot and could push the play forward, leading to play outside of his zone.

If you couple the absence of the three for the Eagles and new head coach Mark Letestu, it could be a rough start. There is always an adjustment period for any coach taking over a new team. He will bring more of an offensive mindset to the Eagles game as a former center where Aaron Schneekloth brought a defensive mindset as a former defenseman.

So the start of the season could be a little rough for the Eagles, especially with the Avalanche set to start on LTIR…again with Logan O’Connor’s expected absence. The series of call-ups could be harmful to start the season, but ultimately benefit Prishchepov and Ivan in the long run with more NHL experience. The Eagles will suffer with the call-ups and the Letestu will learn how the Avalanche operate quickly. So do not set the bar very high at the start of the season, Eagles’ fans. The ride could be bumpy.