The Avalanche are steadily setting up defenseman Brandon Gormley for his Colorado debut, after trimming the roster to 22 on Wednesay. Winger Borna Rendulic was sent to the AHL’s San Antonioa Rampage.
Coach Patrick Roy will stick with a 22-man roster for the time being.
“We just wanted (Rendulic) to play,” Roy said. “We’re healthy right now. I was not planning to use him. Worst-case scenario, I was going to use seven defensemen.”
But Brandon Gormley — a 23-year-old who arrived with the Avs in a trade with the Arizona Coyotes last month but has yet to play — may soon see the ice.
“I want to see Gormley eventually,” Roy said. “He’s been practicing well. Eventually we’ll need to have a look at him.”
Through five games this season, the Avs have rotated Nate Guenin, Brad Stuart and Nikita Zadorov on their third defensive line. But Roy said that he’s liked what he’s seen from Gormley enough to, perhaps, bump one of them down.
“He works hard. He has the right attitude,” Roy said of Gormley, who played in 27 games for Arizona last season. “His one-on-one battles are really good. If we put him in, he’ll respond well.”
