T.J. Hughes Just Changed the Fight for the Avalanche’s Final Roster Spot

For the better part of two periods Friday night, Gavin Brindley looked like he was making the Avalanche’s final roster decision a little easier.

Then T.J. Hughes changed the equation.

Coming into Friday night’s preseason game against the Winnipeg Jets, there was a growing consensus that the battle for the Avalanche’s final roster spot had come down to two players: Gavin Brindley and T.J. Hughes.

Through two games, Brindley appeared to have the edge. And for the first 30 minutes of Friday’s game, the 21-year-old looked like he was doing everything he could to cement his place on the roster.

Brindley was skating well, forechecking hard, fighting for pucks and battling along the boards. He had already scored in the preseason opener, but it was the energy he brought to every shift that really stood out.

Hughes had been impressive in his own right, but there was something about Brindley’s game that stood out. He looked relentless. He looked hungry. He looked like a player determined to make the decision an easy one.

It looked like Brindley was on cruise control.

But like any world title fight, it’s never over until it’s over.

Then T.J. Hughes showed up and showed out.

The 24-year-old erupted for a hat trick in Colorado’s 5-2 preseason victory over Winnipeg, scoring twice in the second period just 1:32 apart.

In a span of 92 seconds, Hughes turned a one-goal deficit into a one-goal Colorado lead, completely flipping the game on its head.

Then, with the game essentially out of reach in the third period, Hughes put the finishing touch on his night. He completed the hat trick with an empty-net goal with 22 seconds remaining, sealing the victory for the Avalanche.

The performance also offered a reminder of the résumé Hughes brought with him to Colorado.

Before turning pro, Hughes spent four seasons at the University of Michigan, where he steadily developed into one of the most productive players in college hockey. As a senior in 2025-26, he captained the Wolverines, led the team in scoring with 57 points in 40 games and earned Big Ten Player of the Year and First-Team All-American honors.

He was also one of the three finalists for the 2026 Hobey Baker Award, given annually to the top player in NCAA men’s hockey. Hughes finished his Michigan career with 179 points in 156 games and left as the Big Ten’s all-time leader in conference scoring with 108 points.

So while Friday night’s hat trick may have been Hughes’ latest opportunity to make an impression on the Avalanche, it was hardly the first time he had found himself under the spotlight.

For Hughes, however, the performance wasn’t about trying to outshine Brindley or force the Avalanche’s hand.

It was about controlling what he could control. The Hockey News asked Hughes if the battle for an NHL roster spot had added any extra motivation to his game.

“Yeah, honestly, I feel like everyone is (trying to fight for an NHL spot). Just trying to focus on myself and play the best hockey I can,” Hughes said. “And whatever happens, happens. It's a great game, and everyone was kind of going, but just worrying for myself, worrying what I could do to help contribute the team, and do the right things on and off the ice, prepare myself for each game, each practice, and just stay positive.”

That approach is probably easier said than done when there is so much at stake.

Hughes knows there is a limited number of spots available, and every preseason game is another opportunity to show the organization what he can bring.

Friday night, he certainly made his presence felt.

His head coach noticed it, too.

Hughes may have been focused solely on what he could control, but his performance was impossible for Jared Bednar to overlook.

After the game, Bednar pointed to the Avalanche’s offensive push as the game progressed and Hughes’ role in creating that surge.

“We started getting a little bit more aggressive offensively, making more plays,” he stated. “We got much more dangerous. And he was part of all of the first three goals, which was great to see. It's nice to see guys make an impact, not just on the defensive side of the game, but on the offensive side. That’s something that I think comes really naturally to him. He’s got an elite brain, and he made some nice plays tonight, got rewarded for it.”

Bednar wasn’t the only one impressed by what Hughes brought to the game.

Avalanche captain Gabe Landeskog had seen it from the moment Hughes arrived early for optional skates, and now the rest of the team was getting to see that skill on display.

Asked what it was like to see Hughes come in and dominate the way he did, Landeskog kept his answer simple.

“Great. It’s awesome,” he stated. “That's just well deserved. Obviously, it’s a guy that’s come in and understood what an opportunity is ahead of him, and he’s made the most of it. He had a great camp, and he had another great game tonight. It’s a small sample size, and we’ll see what the next few days and this week looks like, but at the end of the day, he’s looked great. Smart player, skill player. He's got a lot of good parts to his game. No quit in this team, really big momentum.”

That final point may be the biggest takeaway from Hughes’ night.

The roster decision has not been made. Brindley has continued to put together a strong preseason, and Hughes has done the same. But after Friday night, there is considerably more to think about.

The Avalanche are set to conclude preseason action Saturday when they face the Utah Mammoth at 3 p.m. Bednar confirmed after Friday’s game that Hughes, Brindley, Taylor Makar, Ilya Nabokov and a select number of players who did not play against Winnipeg will see some ice time.

That could mean appearances from Brent Burns, Josh Manson, Logan O’Connor and Nicolas Roy.

One last game. One last opportunity.

Cue Eminem.

And while Brindley may have had the edge entering Friday night, Hughes just made the Avalanche’s final roster decision considerably tougher.