The Avalanche finished the preseason 1-4-1, with a combined goals for-against of 6-16 (including shootout winners).
A year ago, the Avs were 1-5-2 in the preseason, 11-23 in goals for-against. The weak offense carried into the regular season and Colorado didn’t score a goal until its third game.
This year, there was so much emphasis on having a good preseason and starting the regular-season strong. But right now — after Saturday night’s 14-shot, 4-0 disaster in the desert against the Kings — this team looks weaker than a year ago. The Avs had Sunday off to think about it. They practice Monday at 11 a.m. The season begins Thursday against Minnesota at the Pepsi Center.
Forward Freddie Hamilton played 17 games for the Avs last season (one goal, one point) after being acquired from San Jose for defenseman Karl Stollery. On Sunday Hamilton — who was already sent down to the AHL’s San Antonio Rampage — was traded to Calgary for a conditional 2016 seventh-round draft pick. Hamilton, 23, joins his younger brother Dougie with the Flames organization. Colorado subtracts an organizational contract, which is important because it is approaching the maximum of 50.
The Avs are now at 47 contracts, according to , and that does not include the PTO deals for forwards Jack Skille and Curtis Glencross. Colorado also needs to sign 2014 first-round draft pick Conner Bleackley before next summer. So, bottom line is, moving Hamilton was probably more about reuniting brothers and having the ability to sign three more guys.
The Avs say they’ll get to their 23-man opening night roster Monday or Tuesday. They’re at 26 right now and F Jesse Winchester is bound for IR. Good chance they’ll keep Skille and rookie Mikko Rantanen. Not so sure about Glencross. Borna Rendulic and Dennis Everberg look like primary callups. The Avs are carrying eight defensemen and two goalies, so those positions probably won’t change.
