Agent: Conor Timmins “feeling good” on, off ice

Not too long ago, I brought news of Conor Timmins following the playoffs. And while the news seemed decent at the time, the real question was: how will the previously concussed Avs top prospect feel a few weeks after that? To that question, I bring good news:

“Conor is feeling good, both in his on- and off-ice training sessions,” Timmins’ agent, Anton Thun, told Colorado Hockey Now. “He hasn’t pushed to 100-percent exertion, but he feels good.”

Timmins was hurt in Game 6 of the Avs’ second-round series with Dallas, after taking a hit from Andrew Cogliano in which his head hit the glass. He missed Game 7.

Timmins missed all of the 2018-19 season because of concussion symptoms, but played last season with the Avs and Colorado Eagles. He remains a big part of the Avs’ future plans on defense, but health has obviously been a worry.

Timmins has been back home near the Toronto area, and is not believed to be under any concussion protocol – though, as Thun indicated, he has not engaged much in the way of all-out hockey activity. That can only realistically come in training camp/game situations anyway.

For now, though, there seems to be good optimism that Timmins’ career will continue apace. If all goes well, he would join the Avs’ top six for next season, which would possibly make a defenseman such as Nikita Zadorov expendable this off-season. Zadorov’s contract is up, and it seems highly questionable that the Avs will offer a long-term extension.

If Timmins’ health were a major worry moving forward, it could also make him expendable too. That’s the nature of the beast of pro sports. If health can’t be counted upon – or if there is also worry about it – it forces teams to make tough business decisions.