COLUMBUS, Ohio — Adam Foote won’t play in Columbus this season.
The Avalanche’s meeting with the Blue Jackets on Tuesday night at Nationwide Arena was Foote’s 15th consecutive game out of the lineup because of a triceps injury suffered against Minnesota on Jan. 4.
The veteran defenseman’s exit from Columbus last February was controversial and has given rise to various anonymous-source grousings in the Columbus media about Foote’s actions to force a trade. Some eyebrows have been raised in Columbus because his absence from the Avalanche lineup has lasted much longer than originally expected and spanned both Colorado games at Nationwide Arena on this season’s schedule.
“No, he didn’t avoid Columbus,” Avalanche coach Tony Granato said with a slight, yet disdainful, laugh after the Tuesday morning skate. “Any player who’s playing against a former team or in a former city, when you were in an organization, you always look forward to going back and seeing some of your friends and people you spent a big part of your life with. I’m sure he’s disappointed.”
Stastny update.
When Avalanche center Paul Stastny suffered a broken forearm against Phoenix on Dec. 21, the estimate was that he would be out of the lineup 6-8 weeks. Next Sunday will be the eight-week mark, and barring a miracle, he will return behind schedule.
“He’s hopefully going to be practicing with us sometime next week,” Granato said.
Scratched.
Winger Cody McCormick was the Avalanche’s only healthy scratch against Columbus. He had played five consecutive games since recovering from a broken foot. Center Ben Guite, a healthy scratch the previous three games, returned to the lineup.
Terry Frei, The Denver Post
Colorado at Minnesota
6 p.m. tonight, ALT, KTNI 101.5 FM
Spotlight on Andrew Brunette: The
former Avalanche winger – essentially
told he wasn’t wanted back after
last season – is serving as the
Wild’s captain this month under
coach Jacques Lemaire’s rotating “C”
system. Brunette now has been Minnesota’s
captain five times, and this
is his first stint since 2004. Brunette is Minnesota’s
fourth-leading scorer, with 31 points, including 13 goals. His
league-high current consecutive-game streak will reach
506 games tonight. Terry Frei, The Denver Post
