If we’ve learned anything over the last week, it’s not to underestimate Gavin Brindley. 

The 21-year-old delivered the knockout blow in overtime Sunday night, capping a breakout performance that signaled, unequivocally, his arrival at the NHL level. Brindley netted the game-winner on his very first shift of extra time, extinguishing the team’s notorious five-game overtime curse—a streak that had become a running jest despite the Avalanche’s standing as the league’s preeminent squad.  

NHL (@NHL) on XGAVIN BRINDLEY IS YOUR OT HERO!! 😱 The @Avalanche win it in @Energizer overtime!

Although Brindley’s rise has been swift, his first career game-winning goal carried an element of surprise, coming immediately after a brief absence due to a concussion sustained against the Vegas Golden Knights on October 31. Yet even amid that setback, The Hockey News inadvertently caught a glimpse of the sheer passion Brindley harbors for the game. 

Brindley Is a Kid That Loves This Game 

Moments before puck drop for the Avalanche-Lightning matchup on November 4, the elevator doors opened to reveal a man, shorter than this writer, clad in a beanie and black hoodie, clearly animated—whether from haste, excitement, or a combination of both. He beamed and announced, simply, “I passed! I’m playing this weekend.” 

It was reminiscent of a child barreling down the stairs on Christmas morning. The relief that his injury had not been more severe, coupled with the fact he would be shedding the red non-contact jersey and returning to the ice at full capacity, had him practically sprinting. Naturally, we asked Brindley for permission to share the news on X (formerly Twitter), which he graciously granted before sprinting off to his next destination. 

Brindley carried that same energy into the weekend’s action. In his first game back, he contributed a goal and an assist as Colorado cruised to a 9–1 win over the Edmonton Oilers. It was a dominant team effort, with 12 players recording at least one point and eight posting multi-point games, Brindley included. And this is a player coming off a concussion, yet his energy and drive have proven to be completely overwhelming for the opposition.  

We knew from training camp and the preseason that this Brindley kid was going to be something special, but there’s a difference between excelling on the ice when there’s no one around and shining when the lights are at their brightest, but Brindley has gone above and beyond.  

Acquired from Columbus last June, the rookie mustered only a single assist through his first 10 games. But as soon as he scored his first-career NHL goal on October 11 en route to 5-4 overtime against the Dallas Stars, it’s like a lightning bolt went off. Now Brindley has four points—two goals and two assists—in his last four contests. He plays with the heart and soul of a player who wants to be in this league for a long time. 

Brindley needed to make a strong first impression—and he did. With Logan O’Connor soon returning from his second hip surgery, a roster spot will be up for grabs. Brindley has already cleared two major hurdles: he excelled in training camp and preseason, and he has exceeded expectations in the early part of the regular season. Simply put, Gavin Brindley has firmly secured his place in the lineup. 

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