Colorado Avalanche
Rodrigues Skates Again; Avalanche Players Sent Down
Evan Rodrigues is making huge steps to getting healthy. As the team took the day off to rest, Rodrigues and Kurtis MacDermid were seen at Family Sports Center skating. Rodrigues was given a timetable of 2-4 weeks with a lower body injury but has worked his way back to a full contact sweater as of Friday. MacDermid has started skating in a non contact sweater as well. The Colorado Avalanche were able to get some help last night with the return of Artturi Lehkonen, but it was Mikko Rantanen that stole the show with his overtime winning hattrick goal.
Rodrigues has been working with coach Allard over the last week to ramp up the pace of his skating. At one point last week, he even joined the team for their morning skate at Ball Arena for a brief time. The thinking for me is that this is all forward progress and he is not moving in the wrong direction. If and when he does rejoin the lineup that could provide a spark to the second-line that the Avalanche really need at this point in the season.
ROSTER UPDATE:
We have reassigned Ben Meyers and Andreas Englund to the @ColoradoEagles. #GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/ZtLCgM37EC
— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) December 12, 2022
There have been some corresponding moves by the Avalanche and Eagles that make me suspect that either Darren Helm or Evan Rodrigues will be healthy soon. Ben Meyers and Andreas Englund were sent down to the Eagles following the win in St. Louis. This is where I think at least a forward is getting healthy, the Eagles sent Cameron Wright to the Utah Grizzlies. To me that shows that room is being made to have players stay in Loveland.
🚨Roster Alert🚨
We have reassigned forward Cameron Wright to the @UtahGrizzlies. #EaglesCountry pic.twitter.com/JGoudGR1kB
— Colorado Eagles (@ColoradoEagles) December 12, 2022
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It will be interesting to see the lineup when Rodrigues and Helm return. Will Rodrigues play 1C or 2C? As 1C, Rantanen could go back to where he seems more comfortable, the wing, and Nichushkin could play on the 2nd line and spread the wealth around.
Do you reunite Helm and Cogliano on the 4th line or do you leave Cogliano on the 2nd or 3rd line? Once Rodrigues and Helm return, the Avs can have a set lineup until MacKinnon and Landeskog return in mid to late January.
It looks like Rodrigues many still need a practice or two to get back to the lineup and Helm even more. Besides what they would bring to the lineup, the added depth that they would bring would help spread the TOI around, so that the top guys do not get burnt out. I thought the team looked a bit tired Sunday. A homestand and guys coming back should help.