Detroit – Patrice Brisebois will not play again for the Avalanche this season – and maybe never again.
The veteran defenseman will have season-ending back surgery after team doctors determined he has a herniated disc. At age 35 and in the last year of a contract earning $3 million, Brisebois might face an uphill battle making it back with the Avs or any other NHL team next season.
In 33 games for the Avalanche this season, Brisebois totaled one goal and 10 assists and was a minus-5. He has played 904 games in his NHL career, winning a Stanley Cup with Montreal in the 1992-93 season. His last game for the Avs was Dec. 27 against Dallas.
By placing him on the long-term injured list, the Avalanche will be able to use Brisebois’ prorated salary cap number ($2.25 million) on another player if it wants. Quality, veteran defensemen are in short supply in the league, however, so importing a replacement without giving up something significant would be difficult.
The Avs should get defenseman John-Michael Liles back within a week to 10 days. The NHL’s trade deadline is Feb. 27. Avs general manager Francois Giguere, at the game Sunday, said there are several variables in salary cap replacement dollars and players, but that generally any replacement for Brisebois could not make more than $2.25 million.
Giguere has indicated he will not trade young prospects or high draft picks for veteran, “rental” players at the deadline.
Footnotes
The Avalanche’s Karlis Skrast- ins played in his 482nd consecutive game, four short of the NHL record for defensemen set by Tim Horton. If he stays healthy, Skrastins will tie the record next week against Florida at the Pepsi Center. … Sunday’s game was the last for the Avs on the road until Feb. 11 (Dallas). … The Avs’ Pierre Turgeon was a healthy scratch for the fourth straight game. Mark Rycroft also was scratched.
