A lot has changed for Calum Ritchie in the past year, but his importance to the Colorado Avalanche remains the same.

Ritchie is the organization’s top prospect. He’s the best chance for Colorado to develop another star player internally to help its current cadre of elite players extend the championship window beyond the next few seasons when guys like Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar are at the peak of their powers.

That’s not fair to Ritchie, to put that much pressure on a guy who was the No. 27 pick in the 2023 NHL draft. But for an organization like Colorado, opportunities to add a premium player are few and far between.

“They used a first-round pick on me, so they’re putting a lot of trust in me to succeed,” Ritchie said. “They’ve helped me a ton with my development this summer, like taking care of my training, making sure what skates I’m doing. The training I’m getting here is second to none.”

There’s plenty of reason for optimism with Ritchie. A year ago, he was on the mend from shoulder surgery and couldn’t participate in the 2023 Rookie Faceoff for the Avs.

Now, after a dominant season in the OHL, Ritchie is considered one of the best prospects in the sport — a big, skilled forward with the potential to be an impact player at the center position. He’s had a full summer of training. He’s put on 17 pounds just since the end of a long, productive OHL playoff run.

When the Avs spend this weekend in Los Angeles, Ritchie could match up with elite prospects like Anaheim’s Cutter Gauthier and San Jose’s Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith.

“He came to town early. He finally got that full summer of training,” Avalanche director of player development Brian Willsie said. “He missed so much last year with the shoulder injury, but he put on weight, put on strength, and looks confident out there. He’s going to be exciting to watch this weekend and kind of springboard him into main camp.”

Ritchie’s 2023-24 season didn’t begin until November because of the shoulder injury, but he and the Oshawa Generals found a new level of dominance once it did. The 6-foot-2 center had 28 goals and 80 points in 58 games.

The Generals were 8-9 before Ritchie returned, but won the East Division and reached the OHL finals before losing to the London Knights. Ritchie had eight goals and 30 points in 21 playoff contests.

“I think Cal acts like a pro every single day,” said Oshawa teammate Ben Danford, the No. 31 pick in the 2024 NHL draft by Toronto. “He’s a confident guy that knows his play style and he just uses his skill. Great hands, good skater, makes sick passes all over the ice. He has a lot of great attributes. I don’t see how he’s not going to play in the NHL someday soon.”

How soon is one of the intriguing questions for the Avalanche as the club’s training camp begins next week. The Avs are expected to start the season without captain Gabe Landeskog (knee) and Valeri Nichushkin (suspended until at least mid-November). They could also be without Artturi Lehkonen (shoulder).

That could leave an opening for Ritchie to earn a job in camp, but there’s a catch. Because of his birthday and a longstanding NHL-CHL agreement, Ritchie has to either play with the Avs or return to Oshawa. He’s not eligible to play in the AHL, even if that could seem like the next natural step for him.

Ritchie could play up to nine games for the Avs before the first season of his three-year, entry-level contract gets burned. He can also play up to 39 NHL games before he accrues an official season of service time toward becoming an unrestricted free agent.

“It is what it is,” Willsie said of the rule. “Bowen Byram, it was the same thing a few years ago. We sent him back to Vancouver when the AHL would have been great for him.

“It’s kind of why there’s player development guys to make sure if they go back to juniors, they’re working on pro habits and getting ready to turn pro the next year. The CHL is a great development league for players, so wherever he does end up it’s going to be a big year for him.”

Ritchie’s got a new and improved body. He’s been working on his skating with Dawn and MacKenzie Braid, gurus who have helped some of the biggest stars in the sport. He’s also got a new number — No. 71 because, as he put it, it looks kind of like his junior number (21) … which is currently hanging in the rafters at Ball Arena.

He’s also got a chance to make his NHL dream come true, possibly sooner than later.

“I’m going to believe that I have a chance to make the team,” Ritchie said. “I have confidence in myself. I’m going to come to camp and do my best to make it.”