With the 2025-26 NHL season shortly underway, some minor leagues have already started for some Colorado Avalanche prospects. Their prospect pool might not be as “promising” with the recent regular season success of the Avalanche and drafting at the end of rounds, and them trading away their remaining prospects and draft picks to try and win another Stanley Cup, they still have some key names you should keep an eye on this season.
Max Curran (C/LW), Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL)
Drafted 161st overall in the fifth round of the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, Curran’s draft year was his rookie season with the Tri-City Americans in the WHL, where he finished with five goals and 27 assists for 32 points in 40 games, and did not make the playoffs. Last year, he experienced a significant surge in production, finishing with 22 goals and 52 assists for 74 points in 65 games, leading the team in assists and points and ranking third in goals. He helped the Americans secure a playoff spot but lost in the first round to the Victoria Royals in five games, during which he scored one goal and two assists for three points in the series.
This summer, he was traded to the Edmonton Oil Kings and is expected to join NHL prospects, including Blake Fiddler (Kraken), Adam Jecho (Blues), and Miroslav Holinka (Leafs). At 6-foot-3, 187 pounds, Curran’s playmaking ability is what really stands out in his game.
He is capable of playing both center and wing, but has spent most of his career at the center position. His intelligence on the ice is arguably his greatest asset. He possesses an elite hockey IQ, distributes the puck exceptionally well, and has an underrated shot when given enough time to take it. In his season debut, he already recorded one assist.
Linus Funck (D), London Knights (OHL)
Drafted in the fourth round of the 2025 NHL Entry Draft, Linus Funck was coming off his second season with Lulea HF J20 in the J20 Nationell Swedish league. He finished with five goals and 23 assists for 28 points, leading all defense on his team in assists and points and sixth on his team in points.
“Funck uses his reach to kill rushes on top of the blue line and creates breakups along the wall with his physical presence. He is also highly effective on retrievals, mostly through smart first-touch passes.” – EliteProspects
The London Knights in the OHL signed Funck to an OHL Scholarship and Development Agreement. He now gets the chance to play with some notable prospects like Sam O’Reilly (Lightning), Sam Dickinson (Sharks), Henry Brzustewicz (Kings), and potentially Easton Cowen (Leafs). He has already played in two games, registering one goal and one assist.
Christian Humphreys (RW/C), Kitchener Rangers (OHL)
After being drafted in the seventh round of the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, Humphreys joined the University of Michigan after playing with the USNTDP Juniors, but struggled, only producing one assist in ten games. He would turn his year around by signing with the OHL Kitchener Rangers on an OHL Scholarship and Development Agreement. Joining the team late into the season, Humphreys still managed to finish with 11 goals and 22 assists for 33 points in 28 games.
“Humphreys is always positioned in the right spot. He racks up the touches by staying inside space in the offensive zone and perfectly timed reloading routes in transition. He meticulously breaks down opposing defences by slowing down, deceiving, and waiting for his target to pop free before connecting with a precise long-range pass. A disruptive defensive game and steals on the forecheck round out his game.” – EliteProspects
Heading into his second season now with the team and returning prospects like Jack Pridham (Blackhawks), Cameron Reid (Predators), and Luca Romano (Islanders), Humphreys looks to have a productive full season. He has already started hot, producing three assists in his first two games.
Mikhail Gulyayev (D), Avangard Omsk (KHL)
The second of two first-round picks the Avalanche had in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, Gulyayev has been improving his game in the KHL over the past three seasons. Last season, he finished with seven goals and eight assists for 15 points in 67 games, setting new career highs in goals and points.
“Man, can Mikhail Gulyayev fly out there. You give him an inch, and he’s sprinted a mile past you with about as effortless and clean a stride as you’ve ever seen. It’s the defining characteristic of his game; the foundation on which every other part rests. Every bit as comfortable a defensive skater, Gulyayev gaps up early, often attacks puck carriers on an arc, and always takes away the middle of the ice with his stick.” – EliteProspects
The most significant factor for Gulyayev’s game is to see a notable increase in his point production. For an offensive defenseman, the intangibles are there: the skating, the puck movement, and an underrated shot. However, production would preferably be higher if you ask many. In nine games to start this season, he has one assist so far.
His contract is up this year, and it will be interesting to see how they handle signing him. He’s already 20 and turns 21 on April 26, so he is eligible to play in the AHL with the Colorado Eagles if they bring him over either at the end of his current season or at the start of next year. Alternatively, they could sign him and loan him back to the KHL for a year or two.
Sean Behrens (D), Colorado Eagles (AHL)
What was supposed to be a big season for Behrens last year, after he finished his final season at the University of Denver, was cut short when he suffered a brutal knee injury during Colorado’s Eagle camp, causing him to miss the entire season. The second round pick in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft continued to show a great show of skill and development during his time at Denver University, and now back and healthy for this year’s development camp and training camp, he looks to put his name back into the eyes of many and show what he can do.
“He surfs backwards with the perfect posture, a nice blend of risk-mitigating footwork and graceful crossunders on the backwards stride, and a good sense of when to close. He scans regularly off of the puck. He cuts opponents off at the hands, always from a low centre of gravity. He ties up loose sticks. He mitigates risk with his positioning. His motor never stops running.” – EliteProspects
Joining the Eagles this year should be an excellent position for Behrens, as there could be a lot of opportunity to facilitate the offense from the blueline. Other defensemen, such as Alex Gagne, Saige Weinstein, or Wyatt Aamodt, or really any other defense on the roster, don’t possess the same level of skills and strategies that Behrens does. Therefore, expect a lot of offense to come from both on the 5-on-5 and the power play.
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