It may not have been an official game for the Colorado Avalanche, but some players acted like it on Saturday afternoon. Rookie camp continued as they headed to California to take on the Anaheim Ducks. Coaches got to see players like Cooper Gay, Taylor Makar, Ilya Nabokov, and others play. It was not just a game; it was an assessment. Coaches were seeing how far along some players were in their development and what needed to be fixed. The Avs took victory with a 7–2 win. Goals came from across the board for the Avs, but who stood out?

Alex Gagne

The Colorado Eagles’ defenseman wore the captain’s “C” for the Avalanche squad. As a former captain for the University of New Hampshire, the move made a ton of sense. But Alex Gagne displayed why with the effort in the game on Saturday. He finished the day with one goal, two assists and a fight. The Gordie Howe Hat Trick, plus some. His first assist made him look a lot like a forward, not a defenseman. His leadership skills in leading the squad were visible as he was on the ice in every situation. Gagne’s impressive size made him a threat for the opposition coming into the zone as well. Gagne will definitely earn top-pair minutes in Loveland and a call-up to the NHL this year.

Cooper Gay

Cooper Gay may have surprised a bunch of fans. After playing only 15 games last season (11 AHL/4 ECHL), he is fighting to make the Eagles’ lineup again. Injuries kept him out mostly last season, but when he was in the lineup, he had moves that shocked fans given his size. On Saturday, he finished with a goal and an assist (above). Gay has a snapshot that is dangerous, but he is not afraid to go to the net either. Gay made a case for himself to be in the bottom-six in Loveland, all with his new head coach watching from the bench.

Beckett Hamilton

Beckett Hamilton showed no mercy to the Ducks right away. He opened up the game with a spinning pass to Makar to open the scoring and then tacked on his own goal. Hamilton is only 18-years-old, so he will report to the Red Deer Rebels this season. But he showed all the fans why the Avalanche fans why they chose him in this year’s draft. He is slick on the puck and he skates with confidence for a kid who is so young. He could be with the Eagles next season if continues along this path.

Up Next

The Avalanche rookies will stay in San Jose to take on the Vegas Golden Knights on Sunday at 2 p.m. MT. The game will be available to stream on the Avalanche’s website.