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Colorado Avalanche Sign Head Coach Jared Bednar To One-Year Extension

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Rather than have him enter next season with the pressure of performing in his final season under contract, the Colorado Avalanche have extended Jared Bednar’s deal for another year. That means the head coach, who originally signed a three-year deal in 2016, is now under contract through the 2019-20 season.

Bednar and the Avalanche have been one of the best stories of the year, after posting a historically bad season in 2016-17. The then-rookie head coach led Colorado to a 22-56-4 season and was the target of ridicule for much of the offseason. While GM Joe Sakic dealt with the ongoing Matt Duchene trade request distraction, Bednar was brought back for another chance with the young group. After Duchene was dealt, something in the Avalanche clicked and they rolled all the way to a postseason berth.

Though they were eliminated in the first round by the Nashville Predators, many see this as a hugely successful season for the Avalanche. Nathan MacKinnon is a legitimate candidate for the Hart Trophy as league MVP after scoring 97 points in just 74 games, and 21-year old Mikko Rantanen exploded for 84 points of his own. The team’s incredibly fast-paced attack would relentlessly grind down opponent’s defenses, and despite a relatively shallow roster—especially on defense—the Avalanche would finish 10th in goals for.

Today at the season-ending press conference, Sakic admitted that he likely will try to get even younger next season, not bring in a group of veterans to help MacKinnon and company compete next season. In a league that is skewing younger and younger each season, that seems like a sound strategy from a GM who was criticized endlessly last offseason.

The Avalanche do have several young prospects close to providing some NHL impact, though Cale Makar—perhaps the best of the bunch—will return to college next season. Bednar will be tasked with implementing them into the roster, without disrupting the chemistry he built this season.

Can Hammond Steal A Series For The Avs?

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The USA Today’s Jace Evans is one of many to write about Colorado netminder Andrew Hammond’s 44-save performance last night that kept the Avalanche alive for another day. Hammond was called into duty after Colorado goalie Jonathan Bernier was lost to injury after Game Four. Hammond burst onto the scene two seasons ago when he backstopped the Ottawa Senators to an unexpected playoff performance after going 20-1-2 in 24 games and boasting a .941 save percentage during that stretch. The Sens were bounced in the first round and Hammond couldn’t replicate that performance following 2014-15, leading to a demotion and eventual trade to Colorado as part of the Matt Duchene deal. Evans quotes the “Hamburglar” as saying you never know when you’re going to get a second chance, and with that bonus opportunity, Hammond turned a lot of heads.

  • The Sporting News’ Brandon Schlager continues, calling it “perfect serendipity” for Hammond to rescue the Avalanche after falling down 3-1 to the defending Western Conference champion Nashville Predators. Schalger uses clips from the game intertwined with description to break down some of Hammond’s biggest saves in the game, and adds that the NHL playoffs are well known for “red-hot” goalies stealing games against teams that should otherwise win in convincing fashion. The Tennessean’s Mike Organ includes a few quotes from Nashville’s Mike Fisher, who thinks it’s as simple as putting the puck where Hammond isn’t in order to break through. While there doesn’t seem to be much worry on Nashville’s side, one has to wonder if the Hamburglar still has some games left to steal.

Ryan Hartman Suspended One Game For Illegal Check

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The decision is in, and the fourth suspension of the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs has been handed out. Nashville Predators forward Ryan Hartman has received a one-game suspension for his illegal check to the head of Colorado Avalanche forward Carl Soderberg. As the accompanying video from the Department of Player Safety explains:

It is important to note that Soderberg does not materially change the position of his head just prior to, or simultaneously with contact in a way that contributes to the head being the main point of contact. If Hartman wishes to deliver this hit, he must hit squarely through Soderberg’s core with a full body check.

Instead, Hartman takes a poor angle of approach that picks Soderberg’s head and makes it a main point of contact, and delivers the hit with substantial force.

Hartman has not previously been suspended in the NHL, only fined earlier this season for a slashing incident. He will now have to sit out Game 5 as the Predators look to eliminate the Avalanche from their first-round matchup.

Adding Hartman’s suspension to ones already given out to Drew Doughty, Nazem Kadri and Josh Morrissey this postseason, the league has already easily exceeded the two playoff games served last year by suspended players. Nick Ritchie was forced to sit out Game 1 of the Anaheim Ducks first-round series after being suspended in the second last game of the season, and Matt Calvert earned a one-game ban in the Columbus Blue Jackets’ series for cross-checking.

Like with Morrissey, Hartman could miss out on clinching the series for the Predators as they currently sit up three games to one over the Avalanche. If Colorado can win and stay alive, Hartman is eligible to return for Game 6, though his future actions will be looked at with even more scrutiny.

Andrew Hammond To Start Game 5 For Colorado Avalanche

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The Colorado Avalanche are down 3-1 in their series with the Nashville Predators, but fans can take solace in the fact that they haven’t looked completely overmatched. Even if they lose the series, it’s a huge step forward for a team that recorded a historically bad 2016-17 campaign. If they could win, it would be a tremendous upset.

That upset seems even further away now, as the team announced today that Andrew Hammond would start Game 5 after Jonathan Bernier suffered a lower-body injury. The Avalanche were already without Semyon Varlamov, meaning third-string Hammond will have to be the savior if a comeback is in store.

Hammond was acquired from the Ottawa Senators in the Matt Duchene deal, but was called a salary dump at the time. The 30-year old goaltender didn’t even change AHL affiliations right away, instead staying with the Belleville Senators for most of the season. That won’t matter now, as he will have the fate of the Colorado organization in his hands (or pads?) in his first playoff experience since 2015. That’s when made his presence known in the NHL with an outstanding run for the Senators down the stretch, earning him a third-place Vezina vote and even a few more for the Hart Trophy.

He played just two playoff games that season and lost both, meaning he’ll be looking for his first postseason win on Friday night.

Minor Transactions: 4/14/18

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With the postseason in full swing, playoff action continues with four games today and another four tomorrow. Many teams will be tinkering with their roster, especially as injuries are incurred: 

  • The Colorado Avalanche have assigned goaltender Spencer Martin to the San Antonio Rampage of the AHL today, according to CapFriendly. The 22-year-old can now play in the minor league team’s final game of the regular season. Martin had been up with the Avalanche as the team’s third goaltender, but they wanted to get him a little extra playing time.
  • CapFriendly reported that the San Jose Sharks have assigned third-string goaltender Antoine Bibeau to the San Jose Barracuda Saturday. Bibeau was sent down as the Barracuda are in a must-win situation to qualify for the last spot in the AHL playoffs. In 42 starts with the Barracuda, Bibeau has a 2.40 GAA and a .918 save percentage.
  • CapFriendly also relayed yesterday that Korbinian Holzer had cleared waivers. Yet, the expected move has not been made by the Anaheim Ducks, as they appear content to keep him on the roster for the time being.

Western Notes: Bennett, Murphy, Girard, Perron, Bieksa, Fowler

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The Calgary Flames have a lot of questions this offseason after a disappointing season that leaves them wondering what happened. However, the biggest question probably falls on what to do with Sam Bennett. The former fourth-overall pick in 2014 should be improving every season, but that hasn’t been the case for the 21-year-old who has seen his numbers drop every year.

After putting up 18 goals and 18 assists in a promising rookie season, he has put up only 26 points in each of the last two seasons and his goals have dropped from 13 in 2016-17 to 11 this year. The Calgary Sun’s Wes Gilbertson writes the team must decide whether he can take his game up several notches or whether to use him as trade bait. Of course, you don’t want to be the general manager that trades him away only to thrive with another team, but the team needs production out of the forward and is running out of time to figure out if he is the star they thought they drafted. He has one year left after this one at $1.95MM before hitting restricted free agency again.

  • The Chicago Blackhawks think they have found something in defenseman Connor Murphy. The 25-year-old, who was acquired in the Niklas Hjalmarsson trade last season from Arizona, struggled early on in the season with Chicago, according to Chicago Sun Times’ Mark Potash, but was one of the team’s better defensemen in the second half and the team believes he can develop into a top-four defenseman. “If you look at the way he played over the last 30 to 40 games, I think there’s reason for excitement,” said Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman.
  • The Colorado Avalanche is without defenseman Samuel Girard today as the young defenseman is out with an upper-body injury sustained in a hit from Nashville’s Filip Forsberg during Thursday’s game. The rookie defenseman is day-to-day.
  • Vegas Golden Knights winger David Perron, who has been out since Mar. 26 with an undisclosed injury, says he hopes to play before the series with the Los Angeles Kings is over, but did not give a timetable on a potential return, according to SinBinVegas.
  • The Anaheim Ducks expect defenseman Kevin Bieksa to play in Game 2 tonight against the San Jose Sharks, according to Orange Country Register’s Eric Stephens. Bieksa has been out since Mar. 12 after having hand surgery. Stephens also notes that defenseman Cam Fowler is no longer wearing a sling on his shoulder and will resume skating shortly. The blueliner has missed 13 straight games, but no timetable is set for his return.

Snapshots: Barrie, Varone, Kovalchuk

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The NHL playoffs had quite the night on Thursday evening, with illegal checks being thrown in nearly every game. Tom Wilson and Josh Anderson have already gotten through unscathed, and Ryan Johansen will join them as players that didn’t receive disciplinary hearings. Johansen collided with Tyson Barrie, but will not receive any supplementary discipline as the league ruled it a “full body hit” according to Greg Wyshynski of ESPN.

Barrie and Colorado GM Joe Sakic are both upset about the decision, with Barrie going so far as to suggest to Adrian Dater of BSN Denver more players will take “runs” at opponents knowing they can get away with it. While it looks like Nazem Kadri will be given the second suspension of the postseason (the first being Drew Doughty for his hit on Vegas forward William Carrier), things threaten to get even more out of control in the coming games.

  • Phil Varone has been named AHL MVP for the 2017-18 season, after scoring 70 points in 73 games for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms (with a few games remaining). Varone, a seven year professional, has always been an excellent offensive player in the minor leagues, but has just 50 NHL games under his belt. Drafted in the fifth round by the San Jose Sharks, his longest big league stint came with the Buffalo Sabres in 2014-15, when he recorded five points in 28 games.
  • Though it never did seem like a great fit, rumors persisted about the New York Rangers and Ilya Kovalchuk, with some even going so far to say a deal had already been agreed to. Kovalchuk himself denied that today when speaking to Russian media, saying he hasn’t had any connection with NHL teams so far. That would make sense, as he isn’t supposed to be talking to anyone until he becomes an unrestricted free agent on Sunday. Kovalchuk can’t sign with anyone until June 1st, and still lists team success as one of the driving forces. The Rangers, entering a period of rebuild and dedication to their young players, don’t seem like the perfect landing spot for a veteran looking to compete for the Stanley Cup in short order.

Poll: Who Will Be Western Conference Champions?

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The NHL Playoffs kick off tomorrow night with three first round matchups. The Minnesota Wild head to Winnipeg to take on the Jets, the Pittburgh Penguins welcome in their rival Philadelphia Flyers, and the Vegas Golden Knights host the first playoff game in franchise history when they take on the Los Angeles Kings. All three should be exceptional games, featuring superstars and underrated talents.

By Thursday evening, all eight series will have started and the first round will truly be underway.

So who do you think comes out of it all? This year more than ever the conferences seem wide open, with several teams built to be real contenders for the Stanley Cup. Even with weaker records, some of the lower seeds have the ability to catch fire for a few weeks, while injuries can always upset the favorites. Vote below on who you think will win the Western Conference, and explain why in the comment section. Will the Predators head back to the Finals for the second year in a row? Is it another long playoff run for Joe Thornton (when he returns) and the Sharks? Can the Anze Kopitar and the Kings score enough to shock the world again?

[Mobile users click here to vote!]

Minor Transactions: 4/8/18

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With the Eastern Conference still undecided until today’s final regular season game, the Western Conference has no questions as the Colorado Avalanche finished off the St. Louis Blues in a 5-2 victory Saturday as they clinched the final playoff spot. The Nashville Predators got the top spot and will face the Avalanche. In other first-round matchups, the Vegas Golden Knights will face the Los Angeles Kings, the Anaheim Ducks will face the San Jose Sharks and the Minnesota Wild will face the Winnipeg Jets. 

Florida Panthers’ Radim Vrbata To Retire After Season

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The Florida Panthers honored veteran Radim Vrbata during tonight’s game and announced that tonight’s game against the Buffalo Sabres will be his final appearance in an NHL uniform. He is not expected to play tomorrow and will retire at the end of the season, confirms Buffalo News’ Mike Harrington.

The 36-year-old winger has only appeared in 41 games this season and hasn’t played since March 8. He has just five goals and 19 points this season, a far cry from a season ago, when he scored 20 goals and tallied 55 points with the Arizona Coyotes.

In his 17-year career, Vrbata has played for multiple teams, including the Colorado Avalanche, Carolina Hurricanes, Chicago Blackhawks, Phoenix/Arizona Coyotes, Tampa Bay Lightning, Vancouver Canucks and the Panthers. He has played in 1,056 games, putting up 284 goals and 339 assists for 623 points and had two 30-goal seasons.

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