Avalanche lines and D pairs for Jets; Some funky combos

Avalanche coach Jared Bednar truly is throwing things in a blender and seeing what comes out, when it comes to his forward lines for tonight against the Winnipeg Jets (6 p.m.).

So, this is what came out of the blender for tonight:

Calvert-MacKinnon-Donskoi

Nichushkin-Kadri-Compher

Nieto-Jost-Burakovsky

Megna-Kamenev-Tynan

D

Girard-Johnson

Graves-Makar

Cole-Barberio

Francouz in goal.

Those lines are courtesy of the Avs’ website.  (I will join the road trip starting tomorrow in Edmonton and continue on through Vancouver, Calgary and Minnesota. Thank you to several of you (hello Karmen Hanson, hello Brian Lovejoy, hello Western Jim, hello Jedidiah Cali, hello Myles Edwards, hello Michael Miller) who have contributed to the Avs Travel Tip Jar (Patent Pending) recently, to help out with some travel costs. This will be a long one (nine days) so the extra cash will be put to good use. I already have scored a couple of great Airbnb deals for the trip, and Canada seems to be having some great prices on rental cars right now, so a lot of that Tip Jar money already has those costs licked. Thank you again. I’m not a guy at all who likes to ask for anything. I’m never going to have a GoFundMe page for anything that might ever befall me. I don’t like handouts. But, of course, I learned a long time ago: “you don’t get if you don’t ask.” Your Travel Tip Jar money is going to exactly what I say it is – Avalanche road travel costs, with 5% also to the Thornton Food Bank. Nothing else. So, thanks again.

My thoughts on those lines: Wow, Nichushkin on the second line to start the game. He’d been playing up there some already, so not a big surprise I guess. But it was only about a week or two ago when I was questioning whether he’d even stay in the lineup anymore. He’s played great the last couple games. Now, keep working on those ReverseJinxes to get him that goal.

Tyson Jost back to third-line center: Honestly, that’s his best role. That’s where he should be from now until eternity, I think. That’s where he feels most comfortable I think. He’s a great third-line center. A top-six forward? Not just yet. This is a good move by Bednar.

That fourth line will be interesting to see. Gotta hand it to Vlad Kamenev right now, though: Three straight games with a point. He’s earned his spot in the lineup.

Some good injury news: Pierre-Edouard Bellemare was back on skates this morning, with the team, per the team. He skated in a non-contact orange jersey. That’s obviously great news. Seems like this concussion might not be a major thing. Let’s hope not anyway.

Belly’s out there, skating in red non-contact.#GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/rrEy3AVccL

— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) November 12, 2019

In closing, anyone who wants to come hang out with me at Bender’s at the Westminster Ice Centre tonight, to watch the game, please do. Show your Colorado Hockey Now subscription (or that you plan to be a subscriber) and your first beer or soft drink is on the house.

Before I head out of town tomorrow, let’s have some fun watching the game. I will also be giving out a couple autographed copies of books and a couple of Colorado Hockey Now T-shirts to people who can stump me on any Avs trivia questions.

See you there. Game starts at 6, don’t forget. Here’s the website for Bender’s. There’s poutine on the menu for god’s sake. This is a REAL hockey bar.