The Avalanche, like each of the 24 teams in the NHL’s Stanley Cup playoffs, can officially open training camp Monday. Colorado will do so in a fan-free bubble environment at the Pepsi Center and players will be tested daily for COVID-19. Here are five questions about the Avs as they prepare for their third consecutive playoff appearance:
What’s the camp roster size?
Each team can have 30 skaters and an unlimited amount of goalies. The Avs revealed their roster Sunday night, and it features 30 skaters and four goalies. The list includes defenseman Bo Byram, 19, the club’s 2019 first-round draft pick (fourth overall), and fellow young defensemen Conor Timmins.
What’s the health of the team and what are the key position battles?
The Avs, who were a beat-up bunch when the NHL suspended the season March 12, should be close to 100 percent — although forward Colin Wilson is still out and not on the camp roster. Wilson has played in just nine games this season. The main position battles will be at forward, with 2016 first-round draft pick Tyson Jost likely looking in from the outside as the 13th forward.
What might the lineup look like with forwards and defensemen if games started today?
Hart Trophy candidate Nathan MacKinnon might again start training camp with MGM Line wingers Gabe Landeskog and Mikko Rantanen. There’s a good chance second-line center Nazem Kadri will play with Andre Burakovsky and Joonas Donskoi. The third line might feature wingers Vladislav Namestnikov and Valeri Nichushkin with center J.T. Compher. And the likely fourth line will be Pierre-Edouard Bellemare with Matt Nieto and Matt Calvert. The pairings of the six defensemen are easy to predict if each is healthy: Ryan Graves-Cale Makar, Sam Girard-Erik Johnson, Nikita Zadorov-Ian Cole.
What goalie is No. 1 on the depth chart right now?
That chart probably doesn’t exist. Both Philipp Grubauer and Pavel Francouz are capable puck-stoppers and each will likely get a start when the three-game round-robin games begin Aug. 2. The starter to begin the traditional 16-team, best-of-seven first round on Aug. 10 will be determined at that point.
What happens if a player tests positive for COVID-19?
That player will be ordered to self-isolate while taking daily tests. If he has four consecutive negative tests, he may rejoin the team.
Avalanche training camp schedule
Monday
Group 1 on ice: 9:30 a.m.
Group 2 on ice: 11:15 a.m.
Tuesday
Group 1 on ice: 9:30 a.m.
Group 2 on ice: 11:15 a.m.
Wednesday
Group 1 on ice: 10:30 a.m.
Group 2 on ice: 12:30 p.m.
Thursday
Practice: 10:30 a.m.
Future training camp sessions will be announced at a later date.
Avs training camp roster
|
|
||||
FORWARDS |
||||
|
|
||||
| No. | Name | Pos | Ht. | Wt. |
| 41 | Pierre-Edouard Bellemare | C | 6-0 | 198 |
| 14 | Shane Bowers | C | 6-2 | 186 |
| 95 | Andre Burakovsky | LW | 6-3 | 201 |
| 11 | Matt Calvert | LW | 5-11 | 186 |
| 37 | J.T. Compher | LW | 6-0 | 190 |
| 72 | Joonas Donskoi | RW | 6-0 | 190 |
| 15 | Sheldon Dries | C | 5-9 | 180 |
| 17 | Tyson Jost | C | 5-11 | 187 |
| 91 | Nazem Kadri | C | 6-0 | 192 |
| 81 | Vladislav Kamenev | C | 6-2 | 194 |
| 92 | Gabriel Landeskog | LW | 6-1 | 215 |
| 29 | Nathan MacKinnon | C | 6-0 | 200 |
| 90 | Vladislav Namestnikov | C | 6-0 | 183 |
| 83 | Matt Nieto | LW | 5-11 | 185 |
| 25 | Logan O’Connor | RW | 6-0 | 175 |
| 96 | Mikko Rantanen | RW | 6-4 | 215 |
| 36 | T.J. Tynan | C | 5-8 | 165 |
| 13 | Valeri Nichushkin | RW | 6-4 | 210 |
|
|
||||
DEFENSEMEN |
||||
|
|
||||
| 44 | Mark Barberio | D | 6-1 | 200 |
| 45 | Bowen Byram | D | 6-1 | 190 |
| 28 | Ian Cole | D | 6-1 | 225 |
| 7 | Kevin Connauton | D | 6-2 | 205 |
| 49 | Samuel Girard | D | 5-10 | 170 |
| 27 | Ryan Graves | D | 6-5 | 220 |
| 6 | Erik Johnson | D | 6-4 | 225 |
| 54 | Anton Lindholm | D | 5-11 | 191 |
| 8 | Cale Makar | D | 5-11 | 187 |
| 34 | Jacob MacDonald | D | 6-0 | 204 |
| 20 | Conor Timmins | D | 6-2 | 185 |
| 16 | Nikita Zadorov | D | 6-6 | 235 |
|
|
||||
GOALTENDERS |
||||
|
|
||||
| 39 | Pavel Francouz | G | 6-0 | 179 |
| 31 | Philipp Grubauer | G | 6-1 | 188 |
| 35 | Michael Hutchinson | G | 6-3 | 198 |
| 30 | Adam Werner | G | 6-5 | 205 |
|
|
||||
