Evan’s NHL Daily: Star Signs, Kroenke Talks Practice Facility And Altitude

The biggest restricted free agent left in the NHL signed on Monday, and if you ask me, it indicates he might not be sticking around in Anaheim long-term.

With the Colorado Avalanche, a player got into detail about one of the injuries he suffered last year, and the team owner gave an update on a potential practice facility, as well as what they’re doing to get games back on TV.

All that and more in this Tuesday edition of Evan’s Daily.

Colorado Hockey Now

A look back at Sunday night’s game, with Riley Tufte and Joel Kiviranta making cases to play on opening night.

Josh Manson had a rough 2022-23 campaign, filled with injuries, and after practice Monday, he detailed what injury finally took him out of the playoffs.

New Practice Facility?

The owner of the Avalanche, Josh Kroenke, has finally verbalized the plans for the team to build a new practice facility close to Ball Arena. It’s the worst kept secret around, but the owner has never mentioned it publicly, as far as I know. It would replace Family Sports Center, which has to be the worst practice spot in the NHL.

Josh Kroenke says a new Avs and Nuggets practice facilities will be part of phase 1 of the redevelopment of the area around Ball Arena and Elitch Gardens.

“We are working as fast as we can.”

— Dave Althouse (@davealthouse) October 2, 2023

It’s at least an update, but I wouldn’t go expecting it to happen anytime soon. It will probably still take some time to get this project started. At least we know it’s in the works.

Altitude Dispute

If you haven’t noticed, some teams around the NHL are starting their own streaming services to let fans watch their games. With RSN dying, it’s a solution, and one that Avalanche and Nuggets fans don’t have an option of. Josh Kroenke says they’re looking for solutions, but that’s been the case for years now.

The Utah Jazz & Phoenix Suns are putting their games on over-the-air TV.

The Suns…giving away antennas.

This will be the 5th season the Avs & Nuggets are blacked out on Comcast & Dish – only available on DirecTV and Fubo.

Here's Josh Kroenke… #MileHighBasketball #GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/WJOI8Ib3S5

— Steve Staeger (@SteveStaeger) October 3, 2023

To be honest, this dispute has been going on so long that I’ve kind of forgotten about it. People have just found other ways to watch, whether switching cable services, going with Fubo, or “other avenues.” It stinks, and the fans are the ones that have had to pay the price. A solution is needed, especially when teams in the NHL and NBA are taking matters into their own hands locally.

Around The NHL

Trevor Zegras has signed, but it’s not the big ticket, long-term contract you’d expect a team’s leading scorer to get.

He’ll be sticking around in Anaheim for three years with a cap hit of $5.75 million. Given how long it took to actually get this deal done, it wouldn’t surprise me if he’s gone before the contract is up. In fact, I expect it.

National Hockey Now

Sidney Crosby was the toast of the town in Nova Scotia these last few days.

Dmitri Kulikov is back, and apparently never wanted to leave the Florida Panthers.

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