Avalanche defense prospect Sean Behrens sustained a knee injury on Saturday while practicing with the team’s AHL affiliate and will miss the entire 2024-25 season, the team announced today.
It’s a tough break for one of Colorado’s most intriguing prospects in an otherwise thin pool. The 21-year-old was a second-round pick of the Avs back in 2021 out of the U.S. National Development Team Program. He arrived in Denver the following season, but not with the Avalanche. Instead, he embarked on a three-year run with the University of Denver, one that proved to be the right choice for his development.
In addition to the numerous individual honors Behrens received, he was a core piece of the Denver blue line that helped the school to two national championships in three years. Behrens notched 81 points and a +45 rating in 112 appearances there and was named the NCHC’s Best Defensive Defenseman last season. After winning it all again with Denver, Behrens ended the season with an assist in one regular season and one playoff game for AHL Colorado.
The 5’10” left-shot defender was expected to log top-four minutes for the minor-league Eagles this season but will instead spend the campaign out of game action and in the practice rink recovering. While he didn’t make the opening night roster, he was a strong candidate to see an NHL recall at some point this season as well. He has two seasons left after this one on his entry-level deal at a $906K cap hit.