It was a bigger, stronger-looking Avalanche team that reported for physicals Friday morning at the Pepsi Center and begins training camp at 9 a.m. today at the Family Sports Center in Centennial.
In fact, it appeared that forward Peter Mueller’s neck size had increased a few inches.
“I tried to bulk up more. Last year, I was kind of weak,” said Mueller, who missed all of last season with a concussion but said he is feeling healthy again. “I didn’t really protect myself (before), so a big concept this summer was to add some muscle, get a little bigger.”
The personnel on defense is much bigger than last season — with five players listed at 6-foot-3 or taller and four at least 220 pounds — but other veteran players looked to have added bulk as well.
Avs coach Joe Sacco said it will make the Avs a “stingier team” in its own zone, whereas the defense the last couple of seasons went with more a philosophy of speed and not necessarily size.
“To keep the play more to the outside, and allow our goalies to see the puck better from a distance, I think that will be an important thing for us that hopefully the added size gives,” Sacco said.
Milan Hejduk said the added size on defense was a needed change.
“Those guys are going to make us stronger and tougher to play against in front of the net,” Hejduk said.
Stastny ready.
While he wouldn’t disclose specifics, Paul Stastny said he worked harder this summer than he ever had in “a couple areas of my game.
“There’s a couple things I needed to work on the last couple years and throughout my whole life that I really worked on this summer,” said Stastny, whose 57 points in 74 games marked his lowest point-per-game output of his five-season career.
If recent informal skating sessions are any clue, however, Stastny spent lots of time on stick-handling, because he appears quicker.
Age is just a number.
New Avs goalie Jean-Sebastien Giguere, 34, said he feels healthier than he has in years after offseason surgery for a sports hernia. He said he has taken inspiration from older NHL goalies who have had great recent success, such as Boston’s Tim Thomas, 37, and Tampa Bay’s Dwayne Roloson, 41.
“If they can do it, why can’t I do it?” Giguere said. “I know what it’s like to play in the Finals, and it’s so much fun, and it’s definitely a goal of mine to get back to that level.”
