Colorado Avalanche coach Jared Bednar is weighing a bold experiment: stacking the team’s top six forwards with its most potent talent. The idea was first tested in a game against the Vegas Golden Knights when Valeri Nichushkin was sidelined, forcing the club to lean on its deepest units.
If the plan moves forward, the first line would likely feature Artturi Lehkonen alongside Nathan MacKinnon and Martin Necas, while the second line could be anchored by Nazem Kadri with Brock Nelson and Gabriel Landeskog. The arrangement aims to maximize offensive firepower while maintaining defensive stability.
A strategic crossroads for the Avalanche
The flexibility of players such as Kadri, Nicolas Roy and Parker Kelly, who can shift between center and wing, adds a layer of tactical depth that could keep opponents guessing. Yet the coaching staff is probing whether Roy can sustain a full‑time third‑line center role and how Kadri’s production will translate when deployed on the wing.
The next iteration of the experiment will test whether younger prospects deserve a larger slice of the lineup, potentially reshaping the team’s depth chart and injecting fresh energy into the roster.