Avalanche Practice Notebook: Calvert unlikely, Zadorov in

Having a couple of extra days off between games has given the Avalanche some added time to rest, recover and get healthy ahead of Game 4 on Sunday afternoon. Having that extra time gave at least one player enough time to heal from his ailment. Defenseman Nikita Zadorov will re-enter the lineup in Game 4 after sitting out for the entirety of the third period of Game 3 after taking a big hit from Jamie Benn.

The time off was apparently not enough R-and-R time for Matt Calvert, who has yet to play in this series with the Stars, and is doubtful again for Sunday. When asked if Calvert or any of the other injured guys would return tomorrow, head coach Jared Bednar gave a very succinct and to-the-point “doesn’t look like it.”

Bednar also confirmed Calvert didn’t skate at practice on Saturday, nor did Joonas Donskoi, Erik Johnson or Philipp Grubauer.

In such a physical series, and the way Dallas plays its game, having a guy like Zadorov back is huge for the Avalanche. While he plays very limited minutes, and his defensive play is questionable at times, Zadorov can sure as heck hit. He does a great job getting under the skin of Stars captain and pest Jamie Benn, too, so that doesn’t hurt.

Zadorov is second among defenseman in postseason hits with 38.

Logan O’Connor, who made is NHL playoff debut in Game 3, was made available to the media for the first time. He said “it was pretty cool” to be out there for his first postseason game in the big leagues. He said he there were a lot of nerves, but playing with Belly and Nietsy on that fourth line certainly helped him get comfortable given their veteran status and confidence on the ice.

Coach Bednar praised O’Connor’s game during the media availability. He says his growth since first signing him, his skating ability, physical play and work ethic have all made an impact of the Avalanche in the handful of appearances he’s made.

On the note of O’Connor, he’s a guy I got to know very well and watch plenty of while covering the Colorado Eagles this past season. I’ve always been a big advocate of his and I’d say he’s the most talented, versatile player on the Eagles roster. Aside from maybe T.J. Tynan, O’Connor is the fastest player down in Loveland. He gets to the hard areas of the ice, plays fast and physical and is even better in the defensive side of things. He’s easily the Eagles’ best penalty killer and he’s probably the most physical one too. He only played a little less than eight minutes but was big when he was on the ice, recording four hits while playing some big minutes on the penalty kill. MacKinnon had plenty of good things to say about O’Connor’s game too, and that’s a pretty big endorsement, don’t you think?

O’Connor will — or at least should be — be a full-time Avalanche player next season.

Pavel Francouz was on the Zoom as well and said the way the Avalanche won their game on Wednesday was “huge” and he thinks the team will be able to carry the momentum they got from the end of the game into Game 4 on Sunday.

Puck drop for that is at 4 p.m. MT.

Other news and notes:

• As one might imagine, there were plenty of questions fielded about the NHL postponing the games on Thursday and Friday. Bednar said it’s given him and his players plenty to think about and they’re taking the time to educate themselves on the racial injustices in present day America.
• Nathan MacKinnon said the NHL “was a day late” in the postponing of their games, and that’s “unfortunate.”
• On that same note, MacKinnon said he’s been having conversations with Nazem Kadri and P-E Bellemare regarding “contacting activists back in Denver trying to figure out things to help in a positive way.”