The Avalanche has played eight games this season. Defenseman Bob Boughner has played in only three, and he is not happy about it.
“I’m very puzzled by it,” Boughner said Monday. “We’re eight games into the season and I really haven’t had a chance. Things would be different if I was in there and I was playing bad, but that’s not the case here.”
Boughner, 34, has averaged only 7 minutes, 1 second per game. He has one assist, seven penalty minutes and an even plus-minus rating.
Boughner said the Avalanche coaching staff hasn’t explained why he isn’t playing.
“I just have to try to keep a good attitude and keep working hard and wait for my turn,” Boughner said. “When I get in there, I’ve got to prove to them that I should be there and shouldn’t be in the stands. I haven’t been in this situation since my rookie year (with Buffalo), so it’s tough to take.”
The St. Petersburg Times recently reported the Avs offered Boughner in a trade to the Tampa Bay Lightning. If Boughner is on the trading block – and the Avalanche had no comment – he may be tough to move because of his salary.
Boughner is making $950,000, and many NHL teams, including the Lightning, are near the maximum payroll of $39 million. The other magic number in the NHL’s new collective bargaining agreement is $30.5 million. If a team has a payroll above that amount, it is not eligible for assistance in the CBA’s revenue-sharing plan. Boughner’s salary could put several teams over the revenue-sharing payroll cutoff.
Boughner was one of the men responsible for the new CBA. He is a member of the NHL Players’ Association executive committee.
Avalanche coach Joel Quenne- ville did not comment specifically about Boughner after practice on Monday, saying only that his team’s defense must be better all around. The Avs have allowed five or more goals in three games and are allowing an average of 3.6 per game.
“Defensively, when we don’t have the puck, we’ve got to play together and be in the right spots,” Quenne- ville said.
Boughner has seen his spot in the regular rotation taken by veteran Brett Clark, who has spent most of his recent career in the minor leagues. Clark has played in seven games, with a goal and one assist and a plus-1.
Boughner is not the only defenseman who has been a healthy scratch of late. Kurt Sauer has been scratched for three of the eight games and is averaging only 9:19 in the five games he has played.
EDMONTON AT COLORADO
7 p.m., Altitude
SPOTLIGHT ON GEORGES LARAQUE
The Oilers’ tough guy is like many NHL enforcers in the newer, faster game: He is struggling to fit in. Laraque is averaging just 6 minutes, 25 seconds of ice time per game and has yet to get a point this season. He also is at minus-5, and there have been some trade rumors involving him of late.
NOTEBOOK
* HINOTE OUT AGAIN: Avs right wing Dan Hinote will miss another game tonight because of a bad back. Hinote did not practice Monday, although coach Joel Quenneville said the player’s condition is improving.
* OILERS MOVES: The Oilers on Monday sent goalie Ty Conklin to the Hamilton Bulldogs of the American Hockey League on a conditioning assignment and recalled goalie Mike Morrison from the Greenville Grrrowl of the East Coast Hockey League. Center Kyle Brodziak was assigned to the Iowa Stars of the AHL.
* FOOTNOTES: Oilers forward Raffi Torres (gastrointestinal disorder) will not play. He did not make the trip to Denver. … David Aebischer is expected to start in goal for Colorado. … Quenneville said he will keep together the line of Joe Sakic, Milan Hejduk and Alex Tanguay.
Adrian Dater can be reached at 303-820-5454 or adater@denverpost.com.
