, a year after serving as a healthy scratch in the 2017-18 season opener, was one of the Avalanche’s best players Thursday when the club began its 23rd season at the .
In a 4-1 triumph over the visiting , the Avs’ oldest player scored the team’s first goal of the season and added an assist in logging 16:33, fourth-most minutes among Colorado forwards. In addition to being a primary penalty killer, Soderberg, 32, is playing on the Avs’ second power-play unit.
“I just came out, scored a big goal in the first period and you get a little confidence,” Soderberg said Friday. “It’s great. It was a good start. Sixteen, 17 minutes, that’s perfect for me. I think I play way better when I play a lot.”
Soderberg, 32, will again center a line with wingers and in Saturday night’s game against the visiting , who are coming off a 5-2 victory at the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday. The Flyers led 5-0 in that game.
Despite his age, Soderberg is in just his sixth NHL season. His big-league career was delayed because of an eye injury he suffered back in his native Sweden after he was selected by the St. Louis Blues in the 2004 NHL draft. Under contract through next season, Soderberg realized his NHL dream despite being legally blind in one eye.
“My career has been pretty short,” he said. “So I think I have a couple years left in me.”
Avs captain , also a Swede, said Soderberg seems to get better with age. Perhaps that’s because he doesn’t have the body of most a 32-year-olds.
“He’s a really, really good player. He’s tough to play against and he brings it every night,” Landeskog said. “He’s involved in the play, he wants the puck on his stick and he makes plays. I knew he had a good shot but I didn’t know he had that good of a shot — what he scored on last night.”
Secondary scoring is the key element to the Avalanche’s offense this season and coach hopes second-year forwards , Alex Kerfoot and , among others, will continue to develop into second-line scorers. To that end, Soderberg and his line might continue to be the backup plan until the young guys gain more experience and confidence.
“Carl, we like what he does on the penalty kill, he’s a decent faceoff guy, lots of experience, a big-body center that we can use against other guys in the league who are the same way,” Bednar said. “And then he fits in on our power play as well. He’s been a good net-front guy there. He’s been making plays. So he kind of earns those minutes because he’s a good all-around, 200-foot player.”
Footnotes. Avs defensemen and didn’t practice Friday but are expected to play Saturday. … will make his second consecutive start in goal for the Avs, who will use newcomer in Tuesday’s game at Columbus. Grubauer hasn’t played an NHL game since being chased by the Blue Jackets in Game 2 of a first-round playoff series in Columbus. Grubauer began the 2018 postseason as the No. 1 goalie for the , who went on to win the Stanley Cup behind goalie Braden Holtby.
