Undrafted forward Andrew Agozzino, who has been a fixture on the Nathan MacKinnon-centered line throughout Avalanche training camp, seemingly breezed his way past reassignments Tuesday while buying himself an all-expense-paid trip to Quebec.
Agozzino, 23, had two assists in Monday’s preseason loss to the visiting Anaheim Ducks and is expected to continue to play with MacKinnon and other top offensive stars when the Avs play the Canadiens on Thursday in Montreal and Friday in Quebec City.
His chances of making the Oct. 9 opening-night roster are probably slim. But he could make his NHL debut at some point in the season.
Agozzino is a third-year pro who led the Avs’ American Hockey League affiliate, the Lake Erie Monsters, in scoring the past two seasons. He was bypassed in the NHL draft and signed his first big-league contract a year ago as a free agent. He was on an AHL contract in 2012-13 and the Avs signed him a year ago.
“It’s great to get a good opportunity, and I’m going to keep running with it,” said Agozzino, who survived Monday’s roster moves while many of the organization’s draft picks were sent to the minors or their major-junior team. “My goal was to come in here and make a big enough impression that when it’s time for a call-up I can be in line — if I don’t make opening night.”
Agozzino, listed at 5-foot-10 and 187 pounds, won’t likely make the team out of camp, despite injuries to veteran forwards Jamie McGinn (back), John Mitchell (migraines) and Patrick Bordeleau (back). Bordeleau is out indefinitely and coach Patrick Roy said the team won’t rush McGinn and Mitchell into the lineup as third-line forwards.
Agozzino,played left wing with MacKinnon and right wing Jarome Iginla in the training camp scrimmages and with MacKinnon and Alex Tanguay in Monday’s preseason opener.
“It’s been a bit of a different route for me, but I think it’s really helped shape the kind of player and person I have become,” Agozzino said of his path to the NHL. “It’s unbelievable playing with Tangs, a guy I watched win a Cup for Colorado as a kid (2001), and Nate, one of the exceptional talents in the world of hockey right now.”
Meanwhile, 2014 first-round draft pick Conner Bleackley and Chris Bigras, the Avs’ first pick in 2013 (second round), were sent back to their junior teams, along with Mason Geertsen. Twelve players were assigned to Lake Erie and one cut.
Roy said Bleackley, a forward, did not come into his first NHL training camp in adequate shape, and defenseman Bigras did not play as well as last year.
Those sent to Lake Erie were: goalies Francois Tremblay and Sami Aittokallio; defensemen Karl Stollery and Cody Corbett; and forwards Troy Bourke, Trevor Cheek, Nate Condon, Mitchell Heard, Garrett Meurs, Michael Sgarbossa and Colin Smith. Forward Kenny Ryan was released.
Roy said he will take 28 of the 40 remaining players to Quebec for the consecutive-night series with the Canadiens. The 23-man big-league roster must be in place the week leading up to the opener against the Wild in Minnesota.
Mike Chambers: mchambers@denverpost.com or
