The Colorado Avalanche face critical lineup decisions as Valeri Nichushkin is set to return, alongside potential returns for Jonathan Drouin and Miles Wood. This necessitates the removal of three forwards from the active roster, raising questions about the futures of rookies Ivan Ivan and Nikolai Kovalenko.

Both rookies have performed well, contributing to the team's success, and have shown promise in their roles. Coach Jared Bednar acknowledged their solid play but emphasized the need for consistency. The final decisions will hinge on the team's power play and penalty kill setups.