Avalanche captain Joe Sakic, troubled with back pain, didn’t practice Monday and underwent a magnetic resonance imaging test.
The good news for the Avalanche, however, was that the test came back what the team termed “negative” — meaning it didn’t turn up anything.
Before hearing the results, Colorado coach Tony Granato said after practice he remained hopeful Sakic might be back in the lineup at some point on the upcoming trip — perhaps as soon as Wednesday night at Vancouver.
The team is continuing to consider Sakic’s availability a “day-to-day” issue, but at this point it seems likely he will make the upcoming trip.
The Avalanche, coming off a 1-0 victory Saturday night over Nashville that snapped a five-game losing streak, also is at Edmonton on Saturday and at Calgary on Nov. 18 before returning home.
“His back was still stiff,” Granato said of Sakic.
Sakic didn’t play against Minnesota on Thursday, then gave it a shot against Nashville but didn’t play after being on the ice for seven minutes in the first period.
Arnason not up to par.
Granato reiterated that center Tyler Arnason, a healthy scratch against Nashville on Saturday, sat because “we have to dress the 12 forwards that give us the best chance to win. I didn’t think ‘Arny’ was one of those 12 forwards.”
Asked if he still was an Arnason defender, as he has been in the past, Granato responded: “For him to be successful, he has to play a certain way. He has to find a way to be one of those best 12 forwards. Going into the last game, he wasn’t.”
Footnotes.
Center Ben Guite appeared to be injured when he left the ice during practice Monday. He sat briefly on the bench, then headed to the dressing room. Granato said Guite had fallen and “lost his wind,” but the coach didn’t seem concerned. . . .
Winger Cody McCormick, who was excused and left the team to attend his grandmother’s funeral, missing the Saturday game, is expected to be back at practice Tuesday.
Terry Frei, The Denver Post
