The Colorado Eagles will be without a significant piece on their blue line this season.

A knee injury sustained in practice with the Eagles last Saturday will cost defenseman Sean Behrens his rookie season, the parent Colorado Avalanche announced.

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The 21-year-old Behrens came into training camp with an opportunity to build on a stellar 2023-24 performance that featured an NCAA championship with the University of Denver as well as his first two pro games with the Eagles. Behrens elected to turn pro last April following three seasons with the Pioneers. Along with a career-best 4-27-31 line with Denver last season, he also was named the NCHC Defensive Defenseman of the Year. He also won a national title with Denver as a freshman in 2022. The Avalanche selected him in the second round of the 2021 NHL Draft.

After signing with the Avalanche last April, he reported to the Eagles and appeared in one game on the final weekend of the regular season and picked up an assist. He also appeared in one Calder Cup Playoff game before Abbotsford eliminated the Eagles in the first round.

The Behrens injury is a difficult loss on the blue line for the Eagles, who open up their regular season at home on Friday against Tucson. Captain Brad Hunt, an AHL First All-Star Team member last season with 16-33-49 in 70 games, departed for Hershey as a free agent in the offseason. Sam Malinski made the Avalanche roster while Corey Schueneman (Springfield), Nate Clurman (Wilkes-Barre/Scranton), and Caleb Jones (Los Angeles) have also departed. Mikhail Gulyayev, a 19-year-old defenseman selected 31st overall by the Avalanche in 2023, remains in the KHL with Avangard Omsk.

However, the Eagles do have veteran Jacob MacDonald after he signed as a free agent July 1. MacDonald is in his second stint with the Avalanche organization and spent most of the past two seasons in the NHL between the Avs and San Jose Sharks. Rookie Garrett Pyke is with the Eagles on an AHL contract after wrapping up his NCAA career at North Dakota while experienced Devante Stephens is on the club’s roster after coming over from Syracuse.

Avalanche management also aggressively improved the Eagles’ forward ranks. Like MacDonald, T.J. Tynan is back with the organization for a second go. The two-time AHL most valuable player joins the Eagles following three seasons with the Ontario Reign. He is coming off a 66-point effort in which his 57 assists topped the AHL for the third consecutive season.

Matthew Phillips, who had 36 goals with the Calgary Wranglers in 2022-23 before spending much of last season in the NHL with Washington and Pittsburgh, is also with the Eagles as a new signing. Another former Eagle, forward Jayson Megna, has also returned; he had 19-37-56 with Providence last season. Megna and Tynan are both former Eagles captains. Ivan Ivan, who started last season with the Eagles as a rookie on an AHL contract, has made the Avalanche roster as has Nikolai Kovalenko.

When Does The AHL Season Start in 2024?

The season begins on Oct. 11, 2024 with the Milwaukee Admirals traveling to the Grand Rapids Griffins at 7 p.m. EDT and the Syracuse Crunch traveling to the Utica Comets at the same time. 

There are a total of 29 games over the opening weekend. 

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