Sep 29: It’s now clear why Galchenyuk had such an early exit. Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar explained to Baugh that the veteran forward suffered an injury and will miss a “significant amount of time, ” but that he actually liked how he had been performing at camp. In fact, the team may get back in touch with Galchenyuk once he’s healthy again.
Sep 28: After joining them fewer than ten days ago, Alex Galchenyuk is no longer with the Colorado Avalanche. Peter Baugh of The Athletic reports that his professional tryout with the team is over and that Jacob MacDonald has taken his locker with the main group.
This does not necessarily mean bad news for Galchenyuk. He could have signed a contract with another team, in the NHL or abroad, and will continue his career there. If it does mean he was simply released, however, it isn’t a great sign for what will come next.
The third-overall pick in 2012, Galchenyuk was once a rising star in the league, scoring 30 goals during the 2015-16 season for the Montreal Canadiens. Things have gone steadily downhill since then, with the enigmatic forward bouncing around the league and failing to capitalize on great opportunities.
Stops with the Arizona Coyotes, Pittsburgh Penguins, Ottawa Senators, Minnesota Wild, and Toronto Maple Leafs have all been rather unsuccessful, and now a chance to join the defending Stanley Cup champions appears to have vanished. At 28, this likely isn’t the end of his hockey journey but it certainly seems like Galchenyuk will never again be an impact player in the NHL. If he hasn’t already signed a contract somewhere else, he may need to broaden his search to overseas or the minor leagues to continue playing hockey at a high level.
Time to get on with his life’s work.