Chris Stewart scored the Avalanche’s first goal of the season Thursday night in Colorado’s 4-3 overtime victory over the Chicago Blackhawks.
Within the big picture of an 82-game schedule, that’s certainly not a monumental feat, but the Avalanche is hoping it’s a sign the 22-year-old winger is going to be primed to improve on his breakthrough 28-goal performance in the 2009-10 season.
“I think the biggest thing right now with Stewie is, is he going to be able to maintain the pace that we’re looking for,” Avalanche coach Joe Sacco said. “He’s going to be able to play 35, 40-second shifts and then recover and get back out there and play at that same high pace we want from him from all the work he did in the offseason.
“He’s a big, strong guy. When he takes that puck to the net, he’s hard to contain. So we’re looking for good things from Chris this year.”
Stewart signed a two-year, $5.75 million contract in early September, representing a major raise over the $850,000 he made last season, when he rebounded from a brief exile to the American Hockey League in October and led the Avalanche in goals.
After spending more than two months as an unrestricted free agent, and with training camp approaching, Stewart shared a house in Toronto with Los Angeles Kings winger Wayne Simmonds and worked out hard with many other NHL players.
“It was just a matter of time,” Stewart said. “I just told my agent, ‘I don’t want to hear about the in-between things, just call me when it’s done.’ When he called, I was happy to sign for two years. If anything, I’m hungrier now. I know there are a lot more expectations and more people relying on me every night. With that big contract, I hope to deliver consistency.”
Stewart’s score on Blackhawks goalie Marty Turco at 16:30 of the first period, on a strong move on a 2-on-1, seemed to ignite what to then seemed a nervous and misfiring Avalanche team.
“(TJ) Galiardi had a 2-on-1 on the shift before and there was no shot, and Joe (Sacco) wasn’t too happy about it,” Stewart said. “So he said we had to start shooting the pucks. I just went to shoot and saw the goalie cheating, and I just put it home.”
Stewart said he and the other young players in the Avalanche core noticed the organization’s commitment to the rebuilding process in the offseason, when a handful of veterans departed and the Colorado front office made no major moves.
“We don’t want anyone to look bad,” Stewart said. “They said they were going to groom the young guys and make us come up together, and I think it was the right decision.”
Footnote. The Avs didn’t practice Friday. They’ll be back on the ice today and Sunday before heading out on a five- game road trip that begins Monday at Philadelphia against the Flyers. Also on the trip are meetings against Detroit, New Jersey, the New York Rangers and New York Islanders.
Terry Frei: 303-954-1895 or tfrei@denverpost.com
