cq comment=”VIDEO PLACED BELOW”]
The Avalanche reassigned forward Gabriel Bourque to San Antonio of the American Hockey League before practice Monday morning but will not immediately fill the open roster spot, coach Jared Bednar said after an hour-long skate at Family Sports Center.
Bourque, who made the Avs’ opening-night roster from a professional tryout contract, played in the first five games of the season but was a healthy scratch the last two. He is pointless with just three shots and averaging 10:46 of ice time a game.
Bednar said Bourque, 26, simply needs to play and that Colorado will carry just 22 players, including 13 forwards.
Footnotes. Forward Jarome Iginla, 39, took a maintenance day Monday and was replaced in line drills with Cody McLeod, who skated with center Matt Duchene and left wing Gabe Landeskog. … Defenseman Fedor Tyutin returned from a groin injury and might play Tuesday against the visiting Nashville Predators. Tyutin has missed the last three games after playing in the first four. … Bednar said goalie Semyon Varlamov will start in goal against Nashville.
