Avalanche Pregame Notes
Avalanche Game 63 vs San Jose Sharks: Georgiev Returns to Ball Arena, Lines, Notes & How to Watch
The Colorado Avalanche (36-24-2) continue their six-game homestand against the San Jose Sharks (17-37-9). Puck drop is scheduled for 7:45 p.m. MT.
READ MORE: 10 Observations: Poor Execution and Illness Couldn’t Stop the Avalanche (+)
The Avalanche are riding a three-game winning streak entering this contest, winning each game in the first half of their season-long homestand.
Their last game against the Pittsburgh Penguins looked ugly compared to the first two, but they still managed two points and a regulation win. Casey Mittelstadt was set up by Valeri Nichushkin for the game-winning power-play goal late in regulation before a couple of empty netters gave the Avs a 4-1 victory.
They’ve let in just one goal in each of the last three games ahead of a matchup against one of the worst offensive teams in the league.
They’re also getting an upgrade on the blueline with the return of Josh Manson. The right-shot blueliner hasn’t played since before the 4 Nations Face-Off break.
Ryan Lindgren is coming off a night where he played 20:33 in his Avalanche debut. The other piece of that trade with New York, Jimmy Vesey, is set to make his debut.
Bednar wouldn’t say who would be coming out for Vesey or Manson.
Mackenzie Blackwood is also getting the nod in goal after backing up for Scott Wedgewood on Tuesday.
READ MORE: Mikko Rantanen Could End Up Back in Western Conference & Avalanche’s Interest in Brock Nelson Persists
San Jose is last place in the NHL but riding a two-game winning streak. Goaltender Alexandar Georgiev, who the Avs traded to the Sharks on Dec. 9 is set to make his return to Colorado. Georgiev led the league with 79 wins in his two full seasons with the Avalanche.
He has taken over the crease for the Sharks following an injury to Yarslav Askarov and the recent trade that sent Vitek Vanecek to the Florida Panthers.
Georgiev is 4-12-1 with his new club. He recently opened up to San Jose Hockey Now‘s Sheng Peng about his time in Colorado. The story, which touches on how management lost faith in him, is behind the SJHN+ paywall. If you’re subscribed to CHN+, your same login could be used to read this story.
If not, subscribe to CHN+ using promo code Deen10 for 25% off an annual subscription.
The Sharks are led offensively by William Eklund and Macklin Celebrini, who have 46 and 45 points, respectively. Celebrini is in the running for Rookie of the Year less than a year after being drafted No. 1 overall.
READ MORE: What a Difference Nichushkin Makes in Avs’ Success
Season Series
- Oct. 20 at San Jose Sharks (W, 4-1)
- Dec. 19 at San Jose Sharks (W, 4-2)
- March 6 vs San Jose Sharks
Avalanche Injuries
- Gabriel Landeskog (knee, no timetable)
Projected Avalanche Lines (subject to change)
Artturi Lehkonen โ Nathan MacKinnon โ Martin Necas
Valeri Nichushkin โ Casey Mittelstadt โ Jonathan Drouin
Joel Kiviranta โ Jack Drury โย Ross Colton
Jimmy Vesey โ Parker Kelly โ Logan OโConnor
Devon Toews โ Cale Makar
Samuel Girard โ Josh Manson
Ryan Lindgren โ Keaton Middleton
Mackenzie Blackwood
Scott Wedgewood
Projected Starters (subject to change)
- Confirmed: Mackenzie Blackwood (COL)
- Expected: Alexandar Georgiev (SJS)
Upcoming Milestones
- Logan OโConnor โ needs 3 points for 100
- Mackenzie Blackwood โ needs 3 wins for 100
- Cale Makar โ needs 4 assists for 300
- Martin Necas โ needs 6 assists for 200
- Jonathan Drouin โ needs 7 games for 600
- Nathan MacKinnon — needs 8 points for 1000
- Jimmy Vesey — needs 8 points for 200, 8 assists for 100
How to Watch
- TV: ESPN
- Radio: 92.5 FM
Avalanche Game 69 at Toronto Maple Leafs: Lines, Notes & How To Watch
Deen’s Daily: Latest Manson Update; Eastern Conference Wildcard Race Heats Up
Avs’ Manson Could Miss a Significant Amount of Time
Deen’s Daily: An Upbeat Landeskog Joins Practice; Avs Goalie Depth; Florida Misses Ekblad
Gabriel Landeskog Joins First Practice With Avalanche — Still Not Taking Contact
10 Observations: Mackenzie Blackwood Is a Shootout Dud (+)
Could the Avalanche Have the Best Second Line in the NHL?
Digging Through the Numbers From the Avalancheโs Perfect Homestand
10 Observations: Sign Me Up For Seven Games of Avalanche vs Stars in April (+)
Avalanche Mailbag: Do the Avalanche Regret Trading Rantanen? Will Nelson Re-Sign? Is Bednar Still Underrated?
I think the game is on ESPN tonight.
The Avalanche’s hockey management has broken Georgiev’s trust. The Avalanche will face a Shaky goaltender tonight. It’s a game that the team can’t lose.
Georgiev lost the trust of management because he was playing very poorly this season.
They need put malinski instead of Middleton. Thank God vesey is playing
I thought the same, or Kylington. Maybe give Manson less minutes to find his stride.
BUT… Malinski being out could be an indicator he’s involved in trade discussions. Baseless speculation on my part, I admit it, but Malinski has played fairly well lately. His absence (and Middleton’s presence) is notable.
If Middleton is a serious option for the post season, even as D #7 or 8, the Avs need to drop a late round pick and get a better option. Caps have Bear stuck in the AHL based on their roster. He would cost literally nothing and is a huge upgrade on Middleton. Doesn’t need to be him, but someone with more NHL experience and a higher ceiling.
100% with you on this. Middleton is, at best, a D8, in my eyes.
I think the Avs are stuck somewhere between what the roster had to be during the “pay the top 3 everything” phase and the current “actually depth does matter” phase.
I know we cannot gift away points, but tonight is the night you give Makar or Toews the rest and not the youngest guy on the roster who has been playing better and with more confidence.
Wood hopefully being left off because they think they have a trade with him involved.
Looks like maybe Mikko to the Rangers.
And to my good buddy Bad Idea: Vegas just added 6’1″ Reilly Smith back to the team. 0-3 buddy.
Reilly Smith will be the 4th shortest forward at 6’01 and the 2nd lightest forward at 185 lbs. From your point of view, Vegas getting bigger… Besides, you don’t know how to count.
Your the one saying Edmonton and Vegas were going to target smaller forwards and all they have done is get players much bigger than 5’8″ Samuel Girard.
I never mentioned that Edmonton or Vegas were looking for small players. I only mentioned that these teams could certainly have interest in Yanni Gourde and Brad Marchand who are small in size. What team(s) that aspire to win the Stanley Cup would not have an interest in these players? There is none. At the same time, you mentioned that Vegas would be a bigger team in the playoffs than in the regular season. You’re happy to mention Reilly Smith following his acquisition by Vegas. But the addition of Smith reduces the average height/weight of Vegas forwards. Your assumption that… Read more »
The amount of energy you have put into this to back-up Girard is amazing. You and some others on here should start a fan club! I would call it the “Yan Girard’s Sam Girard’s Fanclub” but since you seem to have recently created a login specifically to reply to my comments I doubt you would get the joke.
I don’t support Girard. I only support common sense.
So do I, which is to win another cup.
This again, Karl? He should be less than 5′ by the offseason at this rate…
He will seem like it in Round 1.
Wood not in the lineup? What is the most plausible option?
1) Wood was wounded or ill;
2) Wood was removed from the lineup as a precautionary measure as MacFarland was close to a deal;
3) There’s no chance Wood will be traded by tomorrow and we want to see what Vesey has in his belly.
Number 2 please and thank you
Wounded? Lol
For the tribute video. They can play highlights of all the muffins he let in. Probably enough from October & November alone to last half a period of game action.
NHL caliber goaltender who gave us 2 solid seasons. He was not the reason we lost to either Seattle or Dallas. He played well at a far better value than most starters in the league. His game fell apart and we traded him away. Please don’t go to the game Jeremy, Alex is going to get a tribute that is deserved. At this point, your just being mean.
1 solid season. He’s was mediocre at best last year. And next level awful the first few months of this season. You’d think you were Georgiev with how personal you took that comment.
Don’t you think it could help him regain his confidence by telling himself that he can’t do worse?
It’s not as if it could do anything but improve his play at this point.
Could we remove “Gabriel Landeskog (knee, no timetable)” from the “Avalanche Injuries” section? If you list all the players who have retired, the list is likely to go on. I propose that we add a section with all the players whose jerseys have been retired. There could be a banner with the name and number of each player. And if that might satisfy some, we could add Landeskog to that list. I’m very open.
Thank you for the processing of my request.
No Wood, no Malinski, my prediction is those two plus a 2nd for Ristolainen – tonight or early tomorrow.
Malinski is probably not best suited for our playoff lineup, but your trade proposal highly undervalued him. He could easily be a top 4 Dman in this league if paired with a good stay at home lefty. I honestly hope we keep him and give him an honest chance with Lindgren.
I agree with you, and proposed Sam and a 3rd straight up for Ristolainen, which Aarif said was not enough to get it done. So who knows? I love Malinski and would like him to stick around. But he also might be one of our best trade chips.
Agree he is a trade chip, but part of 4 pieces out for 1 coming back is not a good deal. Malinski for Tanev 1 for 1 could make sense. Yes it hurts our D depth, but Tanev is a great 4th liner that creates a lot mischief.
Lindgren could find the night long with Middleton. Going from Fox to Middleton must not be easy. I wish him a good game nevertheless.
No posts on here today about how Peter Baugh, who has not been an Avs beat writer for at what 2-3 seasons now, finally wrangled an interview from Landy? The interview had some nuggets including Landy stating he is hoping to still play in the playoffs and will have to accept knee pain to do so. I was very surprised to learn that Landy had been doing a film documentary of his recovery which will air soon. I mean, and this isn’t trying to be necessary critical of him, but if he is doing this whole documentary, why has everything… Read more »
If it’s a documentary, it would be a shame to know the punch before it is unveiled.
No offense to our local beat writers but Peter Baugh writes for The Athletic. He covers the Rangers but his job is to also cover national stories. If you want to get your story out to the wider world you speak to The Athletic.
When I heard there is a documentary series and cameras have been following Landy around during his entire rehab I immediately thought of the Coach Prime docuseries on Amazon so Prime can control the narrative about himself, while also monetizing it. I intend to watch the Landy documentary and I hope my cynicism is misplaced…
I think if anything your cynicism will be reenforced.
Because it’s becoming more & more apparent Gabe isn’t the selfless individual that Avs media has portrayed him to be for the last few years. If you saw that prime NHL doc he was featured in last year. It was framed & pieced together in a way to make it appear as if he was going to potentially play in the postseason last year. And as we all know that was never even close to a consideration. My main takeaway from the Baugh piece was that He plans to continue this “comeback” for as long as he sees fit. And… Read more »
I have that same sick feeling too. I am trying to remember his career was flipped upside down after such a sweet moment in his life winning the cup and this documentary and challenge is something he needs and frankly isn’t may place to tell him otherwise, but to be so hard to interview, allow updates, and then the entire time you are having cameras following you around. There is something off with this situation.
With that said, if he comes back for one more playoff run and gives it everything, then good for him. Respect.