Colorado Avalanche Gameday: A golden and wild day
Photo by Michael Martin/NHLI via Getty Images
We see game action twice today for the first time since lifting the Cup.
Day one of preseason for the Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche will see them play two games today. And unfortunately, while we don’t get to see Cale Makar skate circles around opposing players twice in a day, he will be a participant in at least one of the two games today.
One-half of the Avalanche squad will fly to the Twin Cities and face-off against division rival Minnesota Wild. As always, Jared Bednar was not keen to share who would play where but had mentioned that he would be on the bench for game one, suggesting he will be with the team in Minnesota.
As is the norm during the preseason, the game won’t be for points but for roster spots. It could be safe to assume that Bednar will be with group two of the training camp roster in Minnesota to get a good look at who he wants to play for the rest of the preseason. He’ll likely mix in a group of veterans as well but at this point, it’s anyone’s guess.
Training camp group two roster
Charles Hudon (54) - Mikhail Maltsev (57) - Oskar Olausson (27)Jean Luc-Foudy (93) - Jayson Megna (12) - Alex Beaucage (74)Sampo Ranta (75) - Shane Bowers (15) - Spencer Smallman (38)Dalton Smith (64) - Ben Tardif (53) - Callahan Burke (68)Ryan Wagner (45) - Justin Scott (46)
Brad Hunt (17) - Josh Jacobs (41)Andreas Englund (88) - Danila Zhuravlyov (82)Keaton Middleton (67) - Nate Clurman (84)Vande Somple (44) - Rob Hamiton (65)Wyatt Aamodt (72)
Justus Annunen (60)Jonas Johannson (31) Trent Miner (50)
Minnesota Wild Projected Lineup
Wild lineup vs. Avalanche tomorrow #mnwild:Kaprizov - Hartman - GaudreauBeckman - Eriksson Ek - FolignoShaw - Rossi - ChaffeePetrovsky - Haight - BankierMiddleton - DumbaO'Rourke - AddisonLambos - SpacekFleuryWallstedt— Hockey Wilderness (@hockeywildernes) September 24, 2022
For the nightcap and home game for the Avs, it’s the first time they’ll be back on home ice since Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final. While this preseason game will have a very different feel than that late June night, it will just be a wonderful sight to see the burgundy and blue jerseys back on Ball Arena’s ice.
If the rookies presumptively travel to Minnesota for game one in the afternoon, the evening’s game will host group one of the training camp roster. The group has housed the regulars of the Avs squad this week and would be on the ice Sunday night but will likely have a mix of rookies in as well. But again, as is the same with the Minnesota game, it’s anyone’s best guess.
However, the Avs regulars are already shorthanded as Gabriel Landeskog, Valeri Nichushkin, and Darren Helm have not participated in training camp this week due to injury. Josh Manson has not participated either but still may play after welcoming his second child to the world on Thursday. Even if he doesn’t participate, he can at least watch with the rest of us from home as this game will be broadcasted on Altitude’s channels as well as NHL Network.
Training camp group one roster
Artturi Lehkonen (62) - Nathan MacKinnon (29) - Mikko Rantanen (96)Alex Galchenyuk (47) - Alex Newhook (18) - Evan Rodrigues (9)Ben Meyers (59) - J.T. Compher (37) - Logan O’Connor (25)Andrew Cogliano (11) - Lukas Sedlak (22) - Martin Kaut (61)Anton Blidh (36)
Devon Toews (7) - Cale Makar (8)Bowen Byram (4) - Erik Johnson (6)Sam Girard (49) - Jacob MacDonald (26)Kurtis MacDermid (56) - Josh Manson (42)
Alexandar Georgiev (40)Pavel Francouz (39)Ivan Zhigalov (34)
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