Gavin Brindley is set to make his return to the Colorado Avalanche lineup tonight as the team takes on the Florida Panthers at Ball Arena. The 21-year-old forward has been sidelined for the past ten games due to a lower-body injury but is now ready to rejoin the squad. Brindley’s return, along with Joel Kiviranta, who has also recently recovered from a lower-body issue, means that Zakhar Bardakov will be a healthy scratch for this evening’s match.
This season, Brindley has faced challenges with injuries, having missed time earlier due to a mild concussion sustained against the Vegas Golden Knights on October 31, following a collision with Ivan Barbashev. He quickly returned to the roster without lingering symptoms but faced another setback on November 20 when he was hit hard behind the net in a game against the New York Rangers.
With fellow teammate Valeri Nichushkin now back in action, Brindley is likely to return to the fourth line, where he initially began his season. Despite the interruptions in his play, Brindley has made notable contributions, scoring his first NHL goal on October 11 during an overtime loss to the Dallas Stars. He also claimed his first game-winning goal on November 9 against the Vancouver Canucks, giving him a total of seven points—four goals and three assists—in 18 games this season.
Before joining the Avalanche, Brindley had a stellar collegiate career at the University of Michigan, where he was awarded Big Ten Player of the Year honors in his sophomore year. His rookie season in the AHL with the Cleveland Monsters began promisingly with four points in the first three games, although his overall production slowed, ending the season with six goals and 17 points in 52 games.
Brindley’s return adds depth and excitement to the Avalanche lineup, and fans will be eager to see how he contributes to the team as they face the Panthers tonight.