T.J. Hughes Is on Colorado's Top Power Play and the Avalanche Scored Four Times on It in an 8-4 Win

T.J. Hughes made his NHL debut on the Colorado Avalanche's top power-play unit Wednesday, and that unit was the engine of an 8-4 rout of the Los Angeles Kings at Ball Arena. Colorado scored four power-play goals in the season opener, Nathan MacKinnon and Artturi Lehkonen each scored twice, and the Avalanche put up eight goals in a season opener for the first time in franchise history.

The game spoiled Peter Laviolette's debut as Kings coach and raised a fresh question about Darcy Kuemper's hold on the Los Angeles crease. For fantasy managers, the useful information is less about the score and more about who was on the ice when Colorado had the man advantage.

Who did the damage

MacKinnon scored twice, including a power-play goal 23 seconds into the second period that made it 3-1, and then dropped the gloves with Kings defenseman Brandt Clarke in the third period after a hit on Cale Makar. It was MacKinnon's first fight since 2024, and Gabriel Landeskog scored on a rebound less than a minute later after Makar drove the net. Martin Necas set up MacKinnon's second goal with a pass inside the left circle.

Brock Nelson led the team with a goal and two assists, Makar had two assists, and Parker Kelly and Nic Roy also scored. Makar became the first defenseman in NHL history to record multiple points in five straight season openers. Mackenzie Blackwood made 27 saves. Colorado scored twice in the first period, four times in the second and twice in the third.

Los Angeles got two shorthanded goals, from Joel Armia and Trevor Moore, with Mikey Anderson collecting his first assist of the season on Moore's goal. Kuemper made 21 saves.

Why Hughes matters

Hughes went undrafted, played at the University of Michigan and earned an opening-night roster spot after a strong preseason that included a hat trick and four points in a 5-2 win over Winnipeg. On Wednesday he skated on the third line with Fedor Svechkov and Jaden Schwartz, but the power-play assignment is what changes his fantasy outlook. He joined MacKinnon, Makar, Necas and Landeskog on the first unit, per the game coverage.

That is a rare spot for a rookie. A third-line role at even strength usually caps a forward's fantasy value, but a seat on a top unit that just produced four goals in one night can carry a player through a slow 5-on-5 stretch. DobberHockey flagged Hughes as one of the more interesting opening-week waiver adds before the opener, and nothing in his deployment on Wednesday argued against that.

There are caveats. Coaches shuffle power-play units constantly in October, and the bumper or net-front role on a unit with MacKinnon, Makar and Necas tends to produce secondary assists rather than a heavy shot volume. Colorado also surrendered two shorthanded goals, which is the kind of thing that prompts a coach to tinker with personnel.

The Kings goalie question

Kuemper entered camp needing to win the job back. His season fell apart last year after a strong start, injuries derailed him, and Anton Forsberg ended up starting every game of the Kings' first-round playoff series against Colorado. Kuemper then allowed five goals on 34 shots in a 6-3 preseason loss to Utah, and The Hockey News suggested his grip on the crease was already in jeopardy before Wednesday.

Laviolette still gave him the opener, and that matters. Laviolette has historically leaned heavily on one goalie: in his final season with the New York Rangers in 2024-25, Igor Shesterkin started 61 of 82 games. If Laviolette stays with that approach, the Kings' starter becomes a valuable fantasy asset. The problem is that nobody can say with confidence who that starter will be after a night in which Colorado scored eight times.

Laviolette's postgame message focused on what the Kings could control, including staying out of the penalty box, executing and staying behind the rush. Most of what beat Los Angeles came on special teams, which is partly on the goaltender but mostly on the skaters in front of him.

Fantasy fallout

Add T.J. Hughes in deeper leagues and in any format that rewards power-play points. In 10-team leagues, put him on a watch list and check whether he stays on the first unit for Colorado's next game. If he does, he becomes a legitimate add everywhere.

Lehkonen is a buy-low target if anyone undervalued him. He played on the top line and scored twice, and wingers with MacKinnon tend to be rostered in most competitive leagues anyway. If he is available, take him.

Nelson and Necas remain locked-in starters. Nelson's three points were a reminder that the second-line center on a team scoring this much is a reliable source of points.

Hold Kuemper, do not start him blindly. One bad team night does not end his tenure, but managers should not commit him to lineups until the Kings confirm their next starter. If Forsberg starts the next game, that is a meaningful signal. Forsberg is a speculative add in deep leagues for managers who want to get ahead of a potential change.

Brandt Clarke is worth noting in leagues that count penalty minutes, though the fight with MacKinnon is not the type of thing that repeats often.

Betting angle

An 8-4 opener will push Colorado's prices higher in the near term, and the Avalanche were already among the teams at the top of the Stanley Cup market entering the season. The more actionable piece is the Kings' goaltending. Until Los Angeles confirms its starter each game, totals involving the Kings carry extra uncertainty, and bettors should wait for confirmed goalie starts on Daily Faceoff before acting. Colorado's power play converting four times is also a reminder that penalty-heavy matchups can swing totals. Verdexed's game-by-game probabilities live at /nhl/predictions, and the daily board is updated at /blog/nhl-picks-2026-10-01.

What's next

Three things to watch in the coming days. First, whether Hughes keeps his spot on the top power-play unit or gets swapped out. Second, who starts in goal for the Kings next time, Kuemper or Forsberg, and what Laviolette says about it. Third, whether Colorado addresses the two shorthanded goals, since a coach who tightens the power-play structure might also change who is on the ice. For fantasy managers, Hughes is the name to act on first; the Kings crease is the name to monitor.