As expected, the Avalanche will have an additional player on a three-game Canadian trip that begins Monday at Calgary. But that player is not defenseman Erik Johnson.
Johnson needs more time to recover from his Jan. 26 knee surgery and did not travel with the team after a brief practice Sunday in Centennial. But forward Jesse Winchester — who has not played this season after suffering a preseason concussion at Calgary — is on the trip and is a candidate to make his long-awaited Avalanche debut after signing with the club as an unrestricted free agent last summer.
Winchester’s post-concussion symptoms disappeared about 10 days ago, he said, ending a dark and depressing period for the Colgate University graduate. His illness became so uncomfortable he was told to stay away from the team and its facilities. He met with a specialist in Memphis, Tenn., and learned to juggle, among other eye-hand coordination skills, with a local therapist.
“I’m just happy to feel totally alive again,” Winchester said. “I stuck with the program, working with a vision-training lady and made some big strides. Just one day, I felt normal and felt like playing hockey. I’m just happy to be back with the guys, especially at such an exciting time of the year.”
Winchester had severe vision problems that made him ill when he would walk through a grocery store or skate in an arena with large seating and other landmarks. Avs coach Patrick Roy said Winchester might play Monday if he feels good during and after the morning skate.
Winchester thinks he’s ready.
“I skated all last week with the injured guys, and before that I was lifting and stuff. I’m feeling good,” he said. “I’m taking every good day day by day and just appreciate life. I don’t think I’m magically cured, because I’ve worked my butt off. But I haven’t had any setbacks.”
Johnson on Monday is eight weeks out of minor knee surgery. The Avs originally said he would miss three to eight weeks. Johnson practiced briefly with the team in red before leaving the ice. Roy said he will remain here and skate at the practice facility.
Roy is hoping Johnson will be ready for the March 28 and March 30 home games against Buffalo and Edmonton.
Mike Chambers: mchambers@denverpost.com or
COLORADO AT CALGARY
7 p.m. Monday, ALT; 950 AM
Spotlight on Sean Monahan: The Flames’ first-line center has a team-high 29 goals at age 20. Selected by Calgary with the sixth pick in the 2013 draft, Monahan has long surpassed the Avalanche’s Nathan MacKinnon as the highest goal scorer of their draft class. MacKinnon, currently injured, has 38 goals and 101 points in 146 career games. Monahan is at 57 goals and 88 points in 147 games. Monahan, who scored a goal in each of Calgary’s past two games, was the fifth forward picked in the 2013 draft; MacKinnon went first.
NOTEBOOK
Avalanche: Semyon Varlamov will start in goal and might play in all three games on the trip, including the back-to-back set Wednesday at Edmonton and Thursday at Vancouver. … Forward Joey Hishon is poised to play after skating without elbow pain Sunday. He might have returned to the lineup Friday at Anaheim but Colorado was on a three-game winning streak and changes are rare when a team is playing well. … The Avs are carrying 14 forwards and six defensemen. Two forwards will be scratched Monday.
Flames: Defenseman and team captain Mark Giordano will miss his 12th consecutive game with a torn biceps tendon. … Goalie Karri Ramo will start. … Former University of Denver standout Joe Colborne, who was selected 16th overall by Boston in the 2008 draft, has played 54 games for the Flames, his third NHL team. Another former Pioneers forward, Drew Shore, has not played in Calgary’s last three games, since the 3-2 loss at Colorado on March 14. Shore and Colborne were teammates at DU.
Mike Chambers, The Denver Post
