Forward Dennis Everberg, defenseman Stefan Elliott and goalie Reto Berra were the lone practice participants Wednesday, while everyone else had off-ice workouts at team headquarters. The Avs, 3-2 shootout winners at Dallas on Tuesday, begin Wednesday night in ninth place in the Western Conference, four points behind Calgary/Vancouver for the final wild-card playoff spot. San Jose plays at Calgary at 8 p.m. MT in the Avs’ only game of significant interest.
Colorado hosts Detroit at 7 p.m. Thursday. Don’t be surprised if the Avs fail to score on the power play but pull out a point or two by scoring with a 6-on-5 attack with goalie Semyon Varlamov on the bench for a sixth attacker. The Avs have failed to capitalize on their last 20 power plays but are 4-of-4 recently with a vacated net. Red Wings rookie goalie Petr Mrazek, 22, will make his ninth consecutive start against the Avs. Mrazek is 6-2 since Jimmy Howard went down with a torn groin Jan. 10.
Tyson Barrie talks about struggling power play and lights-out 6-on-5 advantage:
Couple small-scale player notes: Avs winger Jamie McGinn, who had back surgery after playing in just 19 games, was seen walking around in workout clothes Wednesday. He’s been ruled out for the season, but you never know. … Defenseman Maxim Noreau, the leading scorer for the Lake Erie Monsters of the American Hockey League, has undergone season-ending shoulder surgery. Noreau has 30 points (22 assists) in 39 games after signing a two-year free agent deal with Colorado last summer. He’ll be back. … Former Avs No. 1 draft pick Joey Hishon of has been producing lately, now with 11 goals and 25 points (minus-9) in 39 games for Lake Erie.
Avs coach Patrick Roy talks about Thursday’s game against the Detroit Red Wings and the tight Western Conference playoff race:
Interested in Toronto defenseman Cody Franson, and perhaps Dian Phaneuf? . The Arizona Coyotes (44 points) are also reportedly ready to become sellers, with D Oliver Ekman-Larsson on the block. OEL leads the Coyotes in goals (15) and ice time (25:09). Might the Avs go after Franson/Phaneuf and/or OEL? They’ll inquire, no doubt, but the price(s) will be more than what Colorado will be willing to pay. Getting OEL, for example, will probably require a top-six forward/top-4 D, a top prospect and a No. 1 draft pick. Only the deep elite teams in position to make a strong playoff run will be able to make that deal. … For Avs fans, you’d be better off hoping to make a change-of-scenery deal with the Maple Leafs in what appears to be a “blow-up” effort in Toronto.
