Avalanche Prospect Report: Gulyayev, Weinstein, Miner & More

William Dufour finished the regular season pointless, but finished his shortened season with the Eagles with one goal and three assists for four points in 12 games. He has yet to make his debut with the team in the playoffs.

Cooper Gay, who was signed out of the University of St. Thomas, played two regular-season games and scored his first career professional goal against the Barracuda on April 4. He has not made his debut in the playoffs yet.

Taylor Makar debuted with the Eagles after signing his entry-level contract (ELC) when the University of Maine was eliminated in the NCAA Playoffs. He scored his first career goal against the Roadrunners on April 19. He also has not been in the lineup for the two playoff games.

Trent Miner saw six starts to finish off the regular season and finished with a record of 4-2-0-0. He finished the season with a career high in starts, 38, and a record of 22-10-6-3, a save percentage (SV%) of .918, and a goals-against average (GAA) of 2.12. He started in both playoff games against the Barracuda and has a .922 SV% and a 2.51 GAA.

National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)

Jake Fisher only played one game in April, against Western Michigan in the Semi-Finals of the 2025 Men’s Frozen Four, which he and the University of Denver lost 3-2. He finished his freshman season with eight goals and seven assists for 15 points. At 20 years old, he is eligible to sign his ELC and join the Eagles next season, which I hope to see, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see him back with Denver University for another chance at a championship.

Continuing with the University of Denver, Tory Pitner has been a key defensive contributor to his team’s overall performance. He finished his freshman season with only one assist, his only point, but as stated in all of these reports, his defensive play stands out above all. Turning 20 on March 6, 2026, he won’t be able to sign his ELC for another year, but another season for this defenseman to grow and develop his game more is excellent for the Avalanche.

Canadian Hockey League

Ontario Hockey League (OHL), Western Hockey League (WHL)

Max Curran finished his last month back in March with the Tri-City Americans. That brings his 2024-25 season total to 22 goals and 52 assists for 74 points; he led the Americans in assists and points and was third in goals. Unfortunately, the playoffs didn’t go so great, as they were eliminated in five games by the Victoria Royals. Curran finished with one goal and two assists for three points, tied for first in points and assists while second in goals. It was a career year for Curran, who looks to improve on this next season with the Americans.

Saige Weinstein finished his regular season with the Spokane Chiefs with three goals and 24 assists for 27 points. It was a career year for him as the newly appointed alternate captain. He has helped the Chiefs head to the WHL Final, where they face the Medicine Hat Tigers. In 15 games, he has two goals and five assists for seven points, looking to win the championship and book a ticket to the Memorial Cup. With Weinstein already signed to his ELC, he could be another player we see join the Eagles next season.

Christian Humphreys finished his short season with the Kitchener Rangers with 11 goals and 22 assists for 33 points in 28 games. He helped the Rangers in the playoffs beat the Flint Firebirds in five games and upset the Windsor Spitfires in seven games, but unfortunately, they got swept by the reigning champs, the London Knights. Humphreys finished with three goals and seven assists for ten points in 13 playoff games. He looked great with the Rangers, and it will be exciting to watch what a full season on the team looks like.

Russian Leagues

Kontinental Hockey League (KHL), VHL

Zakhar Bardakov finished his final season with 17 goals and 18 assists for 35 points in 53 games. HC Dynamo Moscow eliminated him and SKA Saint Petersburg in six games, where he had a goal and an assist in the series. With the season now over, Bardakov has signed his ELC with the Avalanche, and he will likely be playing with the Eagles next season. SKA offered him a contract, but he ultimately decided it was best for him to sign with his NHL club, like his former teammates Alexander Nikishin and Ivan Demidov did when their season was over.

Mikhail Gulyayev finished the 2024-25 season with seven goals and eight assists in 67 games. He helped Avangard Omsk beat Metallurg MG in six games but lost to Lokomotiv in the second round in seven games. Gulyayev finished with one goal and two assists for three points in 13 games and is now in the MHL with the Omskie Yasterby to help their playoff push. Yasterby is facing SKA-1946 in a Game 7 in the semi-finals. Gulyayev joined the team in Game 3, and with four games played, he has three assists.

Gulyayev and Avangard eliminated Ilya Nabokov and Metallurg MG in six games. He finished with a 2-3-0 record, a .920 SV%, and a 2.13 GAA. He finished the 2024-25 season with a record of 23-17-6, a .923 SV%, and a 2.22 GAA. With his contract expiring at the end of the month, it will be interesting if the Avalanche sign him this offseason or if he stays for one more season and re-signs with Avangard.

The 2024-25 season has come to an end. The Avalanche still possess some promising talent in their system that, if appropriately developed, could significantly impact the future. However, the team’s current focus is on a win-now approach. With their recent early elimination in the first round of the playoffs and the draft capital and picks they traded away at the deadline, they will need to maximize the potential of their remaining prospects and make the most of their leftover picks.