The Avalanche’s season finale is Saturday night against the Chicago Blackhawks at the Pepsi Center. Look for a story about defenseman Duncan Siemens making his NHL debut at www.denverpost.com/avalanche. Colorado has a franchise-record 486 man-games lost to injury (second behind Columbus this season) and the team made each of them available to the media after the morning skate.
Defensemen Erik Johnson hasn’t played since Jan. 21, after undergoing knee surgery Jan. 26. The Avalanche’s only 2015 All-Star will finish with 12 goals and 23 points (plus-2) in 47 games. He is close to full strength and will be 100 percent for next season:
Forward Nathan MacKinnon hasn’t played since March 4, when a broken bone was discovered in his foot. He will finish the season with 14 goals and 38 points (minus-7) in 64 games. The reigning Calder Trophy winner skated Friday and Saturday and is expected to be at full strength within the next month:
Nathan MacKinnon, Part 2:
Forward Jamie McGinn missed all but 19 games with a back injury that eventually required surgery. McGinn said he had a recent recovery setback but is also expected to be 100 percent for the 2015 training camp:
I also spoke to forwards Patrick Bordeleau (who played just one game because of back and knee injuries) and Jesse Winchester (zero games played after preseason concussion). Bordeleau fractured his right kneecap after recovering from preseason back surgery, and although the knee is 100 percent, his leg size and strength suffered from going nine weeks without working out. Winchester’s season was just a nightmare with post-concussion symptoms, and although he recently thought he was 100 percent, some of his symptoms re-occurred and he is still fighting it.
