The Colorado Eagles are on their third head coach in as many years, with Jussi Ahokas taking over the reins. Will he allow one of the most successful Pacific Division teams to pick up where they left off?
The Colorado Eagles are coming off their first Western Conference Final appearance in team history and were one win away from the Final. They dropped two games in a row to the Chicago Wolves in Loveland but the future was bright, and there was plenty of optimism after another successful season. It’s why first-year head coach Mark Letestu is now an assistant on the Vegas Golden Knights staff.
Enter Jussi Ahokas, the new head coach of the Eagles. The Finnish native is one of the big names in junior hockey, an innovative and up-and-coming coach who led the Kitchener Rangers to the Memorial Cup title.
Ahokas reminds some of Pete DeBoer, an innovative coach from Kitchener who will change the NHL when he eventually gets there. For now, he’s looking to build off a strong season and have the Eagles pick up where they left off.
Stats from 2025-26:
Record: 41-20-6-5 (2nd in the Pacific Division, 3th in the Western Conference & tied for 6th in the AHL)
Offense: 3.29 goals per game (tied for 8th in the AHL)
Defense: 2.75 goals per game (7th in the AHL)
The Burning Question: Can The Eagles Keep The Momentum Going?
It’s tough to follow up a successful season and a deep playoff run with another one, especially in the American Hockey League when teams turn over all the time. It’s a tougher task considering Letestu and the staff he assembled did a great job (it’s worth adding that Kim Weiss was a notable assistant who is now the head coach of the Las Vegas PWHL team).
The Eagles lost many of the core players who led them. Ivan Ivan was traded to the Boston Bruins while Alex Barre-Boulet, Jacob MacDonald, Jack Ahcan, and TJ Tynan all left in free agency (that’s 208 points from last season for those keeping track). Ivan was a prospect who needed a fresh start, while Barre-Boulet’s 70 points were second-most in the league last season and MacDonald’s 31 goals in 2024-25 led all defensemen. In short, it’s a tough group to replace.
Ahokas will also go through the growing pains that come with the adjustment from the OHL to the AHL. He’s coached prospects but the OHL doesn’t have the age gap that the AHL does, or the roster changes from week to week and game to game.
That said, the Eagles have established a winning culture in recent years. Last season, they finished second in the Pacific Division and reached the Western Conference Final. The season before that, they had the best record in the division. The standard for the Colorado Avalanche affiliate is to be in the Calder Cup conversation. Anything short of that is a disappointment, and Ahokas looks to have the Eagles playing to that standard.
Why The Eagles Are Optimistic
Even with all the turnover, the Eagles ended up putting together a strong offseason and turning things around late in the summer. It’s highlighted by the Ahokas hire but the veterans they brought in capped it off.
The Ivan trade landed them Fabian Lysell, who is a prospect who needed a fresh start. He’ll push for an NHL role but is a reliable top-six presence for the Eagles. His teammate in Providence is joining him, as the Eagles signed Georgii Merkulov, who is 25 yet has 240 AHL points under his belt.
The Eagles also brought in Adam Beckman and Domenick Fensore, two veterans who will add physicality and toughness to the lineup. It’s something they were looking for when the playoffs rolled around, and now they have it.
It also helps that Trent Miner is back in the starting net. He’s one of the best goaltenders in the Pacific Division and the AHL who is coming off a remarkable playoff run where he had a .925 save percentage (SV%), a 1.87 goals-against average, and four shutouts.
With a talented roster returning and the high standard in Loveland, the Eagles have all the pieces in place to put together another great season. And maybe they’ll bring the Calder Cup to Colorado for the first time in team history.
Prospects To Watch
The Eagles don’t have many prospects, which makes sense considering they are affiliated with the Avalanche, who are constant buyers at the trade deadline. That said, they have a handful of prospects to watch.
Gavin Brindley was acquired from the Columbus Blue Jackets last offseason and showed flashes as a 21-year-old winger. The problem is he’s under 170 pounds and must add more strength before becoming an NHLer.
Sean Behrens is a defenseman to watch in the system but he’s battled injuries in recent years, limiting his ability to both develop and make a high impact. With a few veterans no longer on the roster, this is the season Behrens can take a big step forward.
The Eagles signed TJ Hughes out of college late in the season, and he immediately became one of their best players. Hughes centered a top-six line and was a key part of the playoff run. He’s 24 but looks like someone who can be a middle-six center on the Avalanche if needed.
Then there’s Trent Miner, who at 25 is also on the older side for prospects but is a remarkable goaltender. This can be the season where he proves why he belongs in the NHL, as he’s developed into a goaltender who is ready for the next level.
