If the armchair general managers can spot a glaring hole in the Avalanche lineup, you can bet the head coach sees it too. 

“The one hole that we have in our lineup right now is our 3C,” Avalanche coach Jared Bednar declared on media day. 

That hole was created when general manager Chris MacFarland sent Charlie Coyle (and Miles Wood) to Columbus this past summer to create some room under the salary cap. With Coyle around, the Avalanche had the ideal setup down the middle. A superstar on the first line, a former 30-goal scorer right behind him, a steady veteran in Coyle providing stability on the third line, and one of the better fourth-line centers in the league. 

Now that Coyle plays in Ohio, that setup is less than ideal, although the Avalanche believe they have someone capable of filling that hole, at least to start the season. 

“I think (Jack) Drury is perfectly capable of playing in that role,” Bednar said. 

The organization has made it no secret they love Drury. After the Coyle move was made, MacFarland called Drury an “elite fourth-line center.” In a perfect world, they’d love to reunite the Drury, Logan O’Connor, and Parker Kelly line that played so well together to end last season. Until O’Connor returns from injury, that can’t happen.  

On the opening day of training camp, Bednar had Drury centering Ross Colton and newcomer Victor Olofsson, and the group had an impressive day. It shouldn’t surprise anyone if that trio opens the season together. For at least one day, Drury looked like he belonged in that spot. 

Can he handle it over an 82-game season? 

“Definitely,” Drury said after the first official practice of the season. “I think I got another level I can take my game to, but I just got to focus on my responsibilities and being the best player, I can be.” 

Drury is just one of what felt like a million players MacFarland brought in midseason last year. The “throw-in” piece of the Mikko Rantanen blockbuster trade, Drury immediately earned the trust of Bednar, killing penalties and taking important face-offs right after being acquired. 

His production, however, didn’t change all that much from his time in Carolina. His nine points in 33 games in an Avalanche uniform average out over an 82-game season to around 23 points. For a third-line center, that production probably wouldn’t cut it. If he’s going to hold down that center spot, that might be where he has to make a jump. 

“I think he has underrated skill,” Bednar said. “The hope is that you get him up and he plays the same way. You keep making the same plays he’s making on the fourth line, they keep the same type of work ethic and competitiveness, and then maybe some of his wingers finish off a few more of those chances.” 

What I’m hearing 

• Bednar said that Brent Burns draws a crowd wherever he goes. After his first practice, the media hovered over his stall, and he held court for over seven minutes. There may be a lot of “Win it for Brent” talk as the season goes on, as the veteran is in search of his first Stanley Cup. “I wanted to go to a place where you have a chance to win, and this group has that. It’s a special group with special players,” Burns said. 

• You’ve got to earn your job, but it would be a surprise if Zakhar Bardakov doesn’t start the season on the fourth line for the Avalanche. He opened camp between Parker Kelly and Joel Kiviranta, a line that, on paper, makes sense. Russians who have proven themselves in the KHL don’t come over to play in the AHL. “He’s big, he’s strong, he can skate, he’s a responsible guy,” Bednar said of Bardakov. “Kind of fits the mold of what we’re looking for there.” Other names Bednar mentioned that will get a look at that fourth-line center spot are Ivan Ivan and Nikita Prishchepov, both of whom spent time in the NHL last year. Ivan struggled to produce in the AHL after spending the first half of last season with the Avalanche. “It wasn’t good enough when he went back down,” Bednar said of Ivan. 

What I’m seeing 

• While Burns is a big guy, he’s not overly physical. His length, however, was very noticeable on the first day of camp. Burns shuts down multiple rushes because of how much ice he takes up. That length, particularly with his reach, will come in handy on the penalty kill. 

• Brock Nelson and Gabriel Landeskog had immediate chemistry in the postseason, and that was on display day one of camp. Bednar did say he’s going to tinker with the lines in camp to see what works best, an advantage he didn’t really have at this time last year. The other duo that worked well together was Colton and Olofsson. Colton was frustrated with how his season ended, and it looked like he was letting some of that frustration out on day one. 

What I’m thinking 

• In one year, Utah built a state-of-the-art 146,000 square foot practice facility with multiple sheets of ice, a pool, and other new technology. Then you have the Avalanche, who have been practicing out of Family Sports for way too long. This team needs a new practice facility immediately. 

• Goalie Mackenzie Blackwood skated before session two with his gear on, which is part of the plan. They’ll reevaluate him in 7-10 days and see where he’s at. If things don’t progress as quickly as they’d like, I do wonder if the team looks into claiming a goaltender. The depth beyond Trent Miner is non-existent with Ilya Nabokov back in the KHL developing.