Chris Stewart does not want to be another in the Avalanche’s recent spate of disappointing first-round draft picks.
Remember Mikhail Kuleshov? Jonas Johansson? Vaclav Nedorost? Kevin Grimes? Only to the most hardcore of Avalanche fans do the names register anymore, but all were first-round picks who didn’t pan out.
Stewart is the Avalanche’s 2006 first-round pick, and he only turned 21 on Oct. 30. Yet there has been a murmur of impatience from the fans about the Toronto native’s progress toward an NHL career.
Tonight at the Pepsi Center against first-place Vancouver, Avalanche fans will see Stewart’s second career game. He made his NHL debut in Dallas on Friday night, one in which Stewart admitted to palpable nerves beforehand.
“I was kind of going nuts in my mind,” Stewart said. “My first shift, I was out there against Mike Modano. I was a little star-struck. I think I fell down a few times on my first shift, I didn’t know what was going on.”
Stewart clearly hopes to improve on his first NHL game. He played only 7:29 in Colorado’s 2-1 shootout loss, getting no points or shots and finishing minus-1.
Stewart shrugs off the notion of there being a lot of pressure on him as a former first-rounder. But clearly he faces more heightened expectations than other organization prospects, and his performance at three Avalanche training camps and two-plus years at the minor-pro level have been met with increased scrutiny. At 6-foot-2, 228 pounds and with good speed, Stewart has physical tools other prospects would envy. Combining the physical parts of the game with the mental — building confidence that he belongs in the NHL — appears to be Stewart’s issue going forward.
Avs coach Tony Granato has been in the NHL as a player or coach for the last 20 years, and has seen a lot of top prospects come and go. What Granato has to say about Stewart, he would say about any kid trying to make it at hockey’s highest level.
“It’s about him taking advantage of the opportunity,” Granato said. “He’s a good kid and has got a good work ethic. He trained all summer here, and made a commitment to stay in Denver to improve his skills and his conditioning. He’s somebody that we in the past few years, as an organization, have been waiting to have him get his opportunity. So his opportunity is here now because of the injuries, and it’s a good chance for him to show us and everybody else how bad he wants it.”
Stewart, who played on a fourth line Friday with Cody McLeod and Cody McCormick, had five goals and 11 points in 19 games this season with Lake Erie of the American Hockey League. His older brother, Anthony, plays for the Florida Panthers. As one might suspect, he has leaned heavily on the advice of his big brother, especially now that he’s officially in the same league (and might play against him later this month, in Florida).
“It’s huge. He’s gone through the process of going up-and-down from the minors, and he said it’s all about consistency,” Stewart said. “Just that every shift you’ve got to make an impact and do something to separate yourself from the others.”
Adrian Dater: 303-954-1360 or adater@denverpost.com
Vancouver at Colorado
6 p.m. tonight, ALT, KCKK 1510 AM
Spotlight on Curtis Sanford: The veteran goalie, mostly a backup in his NHL career, was thrust into the spotlight when Canucks star goalie Roberto Luongo went down to injury last month. So far, he has done a respectable job, and has helped keep Vancouver atop the standings in the Northwest Division. Sanford sat out the last Canucks game Friday against Minnesota in favor of Cory Schneider, a 2004 first-round pick.
Avalanche: Defenseman Adam Foote, who skated Saturday but remains out indefinitely with neck and knee ailments, was presented with a massive bottle of Napa Valley wine by his teammates after practice to commemorate his 1,000th game earlier this season. The gigantic bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon — probably the equivalent of 30 regular bottles — carried the label of Joseph George Wines, out of San Jose, Calif. Logos of the Avalanche, Quebec Nordiques and Columbus Blue Jackets graced the bottle, along with an inscription from his teammates. . . . Left wing Darcy Tucker (left knee) is walking again without any seeming discomfort. But he remains probably a week or two away from returning to the lineup. . . . Peter Budaj will start in goal tonight.
Canucks: Vancouver is coming off a 2-1 win at Minnesota on Friday night. . . . Entering Saturday, Vancouver’s 81 goals were tied for third in the Western Conference. Adrian Dater, The Denver Post
