Practice Report: Avalanche Tweak Lines, Welcome Parssinen to the Fold

CENTENNIAL, Colo. — Two full practices over three days have become a rarity around here. But that’s what the Avalanche got to accomplish on Monday as they prepare for a huge battle against the Central Division-leading Winnipeg Jets on New Year’s Eve.

The Avs practiced Saturday before taking the day off Sunday. Instead, the coaches used the off day to get recent acquisition Juuso Parssinen in the room and caught up on systems. Parssinen chatted with media following practice and, as you might guess, is excited to join a team with Stanley Cup aspirations loaded with Finnish forwards he’s very familiar with.

The newest Avs forward, a very tall Juuso Parssinen, is excited to join "an unbelievable group." pic.twitter.com/dsc6nPANgP

— Aarif Deen (@runwriteAarif) December 30, 2024

Colorado is also getting another forward back. Jonathan Drouin, who has only appeared in five of the first 37 games, will re-enter the lineup against the Jets. Drouin was inserted into the top six, playing on the second line opposite Mikko Rantanen.

The center position has been shaken up though. Rather than having Casey Mittelstadt in his usual spot, Ross Colton was shifted to the second-line center instead, pushing down a struggling Mittelstadt to the new-look fourth line. He’ll center Parssinen and Jere Innala.

Ivan Ivan was not on the ice for practice and Bednar later confirmed that he’s being evaluated for an upper-body injury.

Forward Practice Lines

Lehkonen-MacKinnon-Nichushkin
Drouin-Colton-Rantanen
Kiviranta-Kelly-O’Connor
Innala-Mittelstadt-Parssinen

Jonathan Drouin speaks ahead of his return against Winnipeg pic.twitter.com/U3BrBogPqb

— Aarif Deen (@runwriteAarif) December 30, 2024

Other notes

– Bednar said the goal for Parssinen is to get him back to playing how he was two years ago. He noted that the 23-year-old struggled this year with the Predators but feels the season he had in 2022-23 was “phenomenal hockey” for the role he provided.

– I asked Parssinen to describe himself as a player and the key takeaway from his response was that he’s a reliable two-way forward who can pitch in offensively and play both center and wing. Parssinen didn’t play on the PK in three years in Nashville but he still strikes me as the type of player Bednar could mold into a solid PKer. He’s done it in the past several times, most recently with Miles Wood and Colton.

– Bednar said he met with the other Finns on the team to help acclimate Parssinen into the room. It’s pretty cool that five of 12 forwards against Winnipeg are slated to be from Finland.

The NHL record for most Finns in a forward group is five by Dallas in 2005-06.

The Avs should tie that tomorrow night with Rantanen, Lehkonen, Kiviranta, Innala and Pärssinen all slated to play. https://t.co/6QBLdOpyAs

— Peter Baugh (@Peter_Baugh) December 30, 2024

– Drouin was open and honest per usual. He said he didn’t feel like he rushed back in November and described reinjuring himself as “bad luck.” It was a similar ailment to the one he suffered on opening night.

– Let’s call Mackenzie Blackwood the Valeri Nichushkin whisperer. They are stall neighbors in the Avs’ practice facility locker room and were chatting up a storm after coming off the ice. I’ve never seen Nichushkin smile and laugh that much with a teammate. Blackwood is just a genuinely easygoing guy. These are the next-level positive vibes that have been emanating from the Avalanche’s room lately.