Blackwood Taking Shots at Avalanche Practice. Will He Start Season on 23-man Roster?

With rosters due in just a few hours, Avalanche goalie Mackenzie Blackwood was taking shots during the full group practice session on Monday. He’s making progress, but he won’t be traveling with the team to Los Angeles for the opening night.

The Avs still need to decide on how to start the year with their goalie by 3 p.m. MT. If they keep him on the 23-man roster, they’ll have to carry three goalies to account for Trent Miner as the backup. If that’s the route they decide to go, then they’ll have to send Keaton Middleton down.

Middleton was placed on waivers on Sunday and could be sent down to the AHL after clearing today. He was not present for practice.

Ilya Solovyov will start the year as the No. 7 defenseman. And Gavin Brindley has made the team.

Forwards

Artturi Lehkonen — Nathan MacKinnon — Martin Necas
Gabriel Landeskog — Brock Nelson — Valeri Nichushkin
Ross Colton — Jack Drury — Victor Olofsson
Parker Kelly — Zakhar Bardakov — Joel Kiviranta/Gavin Brindley

Defensemen

Devon Toews — Cale Makar
Samuel Girard — Josh Manson
Sam Malinski — Brent Burns
Jack Ahcan

(Ilya Solovyov skated before practice)

Goalies

Scott Wedgewood
Trent Miner
Mackenzie Blackwood