Jack Johnson Announces Retirement
Signing a one-year, league-minimum contract with the Colorado Avalanche for the 2021-22 campaign, Johnson played in 13 games for the Avalanche during the 2022 postseason, helping the team win its first Stanley Cup championship in 21 years.
Salary cap limitations prevented the Avalanche from re-signing Johnson the following year, but they subsequently acquired him again at the trade deadline from the Chicago Blackhawks. He experienced a brief offensive resurgence with Colorado during the 2023-24 season, before ultimately finishing his career with Columbus last season. He briefly attempted to make the Minnesota Wild’s roster last September, though he didn’t make the roster.
Avalanche’s Gabriel Landeskog, Devon Toews To Miss Some Time
7:00 PM: Both Landeskog and defenseman Devon Toews will have to miss “some time,” head coach Jared Bednar told Corey Masisak of the Denver Post after Sunday’s game. Toews exited Colorado’s Saturday matchup with a lower-body injury after an awkward tumble into the boards. He missed Sunday’s game. It is unclear what either player is dealing with, though teammates Scott Wedgewood and Nathan MacKinnon hinted at Landeskog’s injury potentially being a bone fracture – perhaps his collarbones or ribs.
As Masisak pointed out, the Avalanche have now lost four players to injury over the last five days, including winger Joel Kiviranta, starting goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood, and rookie Gavin Brindley. The injuries will pose a tough test for an Avalanche team that has still only lost three games in regulation this season. Colorado was on a 10-game win streak until tonight’s loss. They have a 24-2-3 record since the start of November.
5:50 PM: Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog left tonight’s game against Florida after crashing hard into the net and needing help off the ice, as seen in a clip shared by Sportsnet. The veteran lost an edge and skidded hard into the left post, with an impact in the rib area. The play was eerily similar to Seth Jarvis‘ own injury in late December, which has sidelined the Hurricanes star since.
Landeskog has been a great story so far this season, working his way back after three full seasons missed due to ongoing knee issues. The 33-year-old is no longer a high scorer, but he’s played in every game this season, posting 22 points and remaining an integral presence on the league’s top team, doing so in a top-line role no less.
Official word on the veteran’s status has yet to come out, but based on what we’ve seen, Colorado’s captain could miss considerable time. It would prove to be the first significant adversity for the club, sitting comfortably at the top of the league by a wide margin, having not lost any top players for any considerable time so far in 2025-26.
Pro Hockey Rumors’ Gabriel Foley also contributed to this article.
Latest On Devon Toews
A long awaited return could be coming soon, as Seattle forward Jaden Schwartz was a full practice participant donning a no-contact jersey, as reported by Sound Of Hockey. The veteran hasn’t played since late November, in week five of his initial six-week expected absence.
Schwartz suffered a lower-body injury against Dallas on November 26. Despite struggling to create offense, currently last in the league in that category, Seattle holds a Wild Card spot, and has stayed afloat without their key forward. A pending UFA in the final year of his five year deal worth $5.5MM per season, on paper the 33-year-old could be a trade candidate. However, especially given their status in the playoff mix, it is thought that the Kraken would like to retain Schwartz into the twilight years of his career as a leader on a young forward core, with a Stanley Cup under his belt.
Unfortunately, Schwartz is no stranger to injuries throughout his career, as the 15 year veteran has not reached the 82 game mark, coming up one game short in 2024-25. Yet when healthy, he remains productive, with 15 points in 23 games this season. The small sample size is on pace for his best season with Seattle. A return by tomorrow’s game is unlikely, but Schwartz could return by later in the week.
Elsewhere across the league:
- Colorado defenseman Devon Toews is out tonight due to an upper-body injury, as reported by Corey Masisak of The Denver Post. While it is not officially connected, the ailment is likely related to Saturday, when Toews fell awkwardly into the boards. He was able to finish the game, but now, has missed his first of the campaign. The 31-year-old’s offensive output has taken a step back this season, with 13 points in 40 games, below his usual 50-point pace. Yet he and Cale Makar complement each other perfectly, forming one of the very best pairings in the league on both ends of the ice. Toews could return as soon as Tuesday, as the Avs travel to Tampa Bay.
- Two San Jose defensemen were absent from practice today, John Klingberg and Shakir Mukhamadullin, as shared by Sheng Peng of San Jose Hockey Now. Klingberg was out of yesterday’s game, and the top defender was sorely missed as the club lost 7-3 to Tampa Bay. The veteran is dealing with a lower-body injury, and based on today’s news, he could return sometime later in the week. Overcoming major injury concerns in the past, Klingberg has enjoyed a resurgence with San Jose, eating minutes on the top pairing and helping the team show real promise. On the other hand, Mukhamadullin left yesterday’s game after just five minutes of ice time due to injury. Veteran Nick Leddy could return to the lineup Tuesday if neither are able to return, having not played since December 23.
Colorado Avalanche Injury Updates
Much like he did a few days ago ahead of their road trip through the southeast, Colorado Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar provided a few more injury updates this afternoon. Provided by Corey Misiak of The Denver Post, Bednar said that the team is expecting netminder Mackenzie Blackwood and forward Joel Kiviranta to return after the trip.
The news is also good regarding Blackwood. The Avalanche did not initially provide a timeline for his recovery, so a few days missed should not significantly impact their chances on the three-game road trip. Bednar mentioned to Misiak that Blackwood’s injury was discovered at the team’s practice on Thursday.
Avalanche Recall Taylor Makar, Trent Miner; Place Mackenzie Blackwood On IR
The Avalanche announced they’ve recalled winger Taylor Makar and goaltender Trent Miner from AHL Colorado. Netminder Mackenzie Blackwood was placed on injured reserve in a corresponding move with a lower-body issue, per Meghan Angley of Guerilla Sports. Colorado had an open roster spot already, so they don’t need to clear a second one.
It’s unclear what’s keeping Blackwood out of the lineup. He did not practice yesterday ahead of the Avs’ three-game road trip, per Jesse Montano of Guerilla Sports.
Blackwood had finished the game in their 6-1 drubbing of the Blues on New Year’s Eve, his second straight start. The 29-year-old started the year on IR and has fallen into more of a tandem split with Scott Wedgewood as a result, but has still been spectacular through his 16 appearances, racking up a 13-1-1 record with a .924 SV% and league-leading 2.07 GAA.
While disappointing, Colorado has shown the ability to withstand their starter’s absence well already. Wedgewood started 10 of 11 in October while Blackwood was working his way back and put up a 7-1-3 record and .900 SV%. On the year, he’s now recorded a league-high 17 wins with a .919 SV% and 2.13 GAA.
Now, Blackwood will be out for at least one week. He’ll be re-evaluated after the Avs wrap up their road trip, which concludes on Jan. 6 in Tampa, per Montano.
Miner, 24, made one start and one relief appearance in October while serving as Wedgewood’s backup to open the season. He stopped 40 of the 44 shots he faced for a .909 SV% and 2.12 GAA.
A seventh-round pick in 2019, Miner is now up to two career starts and another two relief appearances. One of the younger and less experienced third-stringers in the league, he’s momentarily lost his AHL starting job as well to undrafted free agent pickup Isak Posch. In 10 appearances compared to Posch’s 16, Miner has a 7-2-0 record with a .907 SV% and 2.40 GAA.
Makar returns to the NHL roster after Gavin Brindley sustained a lower-body injury against St. Louis. With Joel Kiviranta also listed as day-to-day with a lower-body issue, the Avs needed an extra forward in case both are unavailable tomorrow in Carolina.
The 24-year-old Makar has been recalled three times already this season and made his NHL debut, going pointless in three appearances with six hits while averaging 5:33 of ice time per game. The 6’4″ lefty is in his first pro season and has six goals and 10 points in 26 AHL games.
Gavin Brindley, Joel Kiviranta Out With Lower-Body Injuries
- The Colorado Avalanche may be without a few depth forwards for their upcoming road trip through the Southeastern United States. Earlier today, Corey Misiak of the Denver Post passed along an update from head coach Jared Bednar, who shared that Gavin Brindley and Joel Kiviranta are each dealing with lower-body injuries. Neither injury is considered long-term, though Bednar admitted that the team may need to recall an extra forward for the three-game trip.
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Avalanche Recall Ilya Solovyov
Ahead of their game tonight in Minnesota, the Colorado Avalanche announced that Ilya Solovyov’s AHL conditioning loan has been terminated, and he will return to the team as their seventh defenseman.
Solovyov, claimed off waivers from Calgary in October, was loaned on December 12, and returns well within the two-week threshold to avoid waivers and remain on the active roster. While he is often a healthy scratch for the Avalanche (including tonight), at just 25 years old there is still untapped potential as a solid bottom pairing blueliner with size (6’3”). Therefore, getting him some game action this month was of interest.
Solovyov did not record any points in three games with the Colorado Eagles, but he gave the group a nice boost, as they are on a hot streak and lead their division with a 19-6-1 record. Now back on the Avs, he is also scoreless at the highest level, in 9 games so far. Such is production which will never raise many eyebrows, but the lefty had 28 points in the AHL last season in the Calgary organization. Having been selected in the seventh round of the 2020 draft by the Flames, it has been a solid North American career, culminating in 24 NHL contests to date.
As is expected for most teams in a window such as Colorado’s, the team’s pool is very thin. Mikhail Gulyayev and Sean Behrens are intriguing defense prospects, but as both are still a ways away from NHL contribution, taking a flyer on Solovyov was worthwhile. With just a $775k cap hit at the NHL level, and pending UFA status this summer, he will look to make an impression and solidify his role as a depth defender on the league’s best team going into the future.
O'Connor Still Not Close To Returning, Kiviranta (Eye) Will Play Tonight
- The Avalanche have been without winger Logan O’Connor all season as he works his way back from offseason hip surgery. However, as Aarif Deen of Colorado Hockey Now relays, the 29-year-old is now dealing with another issue that head coach Jared Bednar says is still being evaluated. The team hopes to know more about his status within the next week or two. While he has been cleared from the hip injury, it appears that Colorado will be without one of their key bottom-six forwards for a while yet. O’Connor is currently on LTIR although the Avs have a low enough team payroll at the moment that they’re not actually using it at the moment.
- Meanwhile, the news is better for winger Joel Kiviranta. The 29-year-old exited Thursday’s game with an eye issue but Meghan Angley of Guerilla Sports mentions (Twitter link) that Kiviranta will suit up tonight against Nashville. Kiviranta had a breakout year for the Avalanche last season, scoring 16 goals in 79 games but offense has been harder to come by this year as he has been limited to just a goal and an assist in 14 outings so far.
Avalanche Loan Ilya Solovyov To AHL On Conditioning Assignment
The Avalanche announced this morning that they’ve loaned left-shot defender Ilya Solovyov to the AHL’s Colorado Eagles for a conditioning stint. He can remain in the minors for up to two weeks without having to be placed on waivers, sticking around on the Avs’ active roster while doing so.
Solovyov, 25, was something of an intriguing waiver claim from the Flames at the start of the season, but has struggled to gain a foothold in the lineup. He made just nine appearances and none in well over a month, last playing on Nov. 1. He’s served as a healthy scratch in 18 straight games. Averaging 11:33 of ice time per game, he’s gone without a point and has a -4 rating despite some strong 5-on-5 metrics (59.1 CF%, 59.9 xGF%).
Before his waiver claim, Solovyov had spent most of the last four seasons in the AHL with Stockton/Calgary in the Flames’ system. A seventh-round pick in 2020, the 6’3″ lefty is a promising depth two-way threat. He totaled 69 points and a +33 rating in 229 AHL games before joining the Avs, and he has 15 games of NHL experience with Calgary over the last two years.
That much time off isn’t good for anyone, particularly a name who potentially still has a little bit of development left in the tank. The long-overdue conditioning assignment could get Solovyov into as many as four games before the Eagles take their holiday break, beginning tonight against the Ontario Reign. In the meantime, the Avs won’t have an extra defenseman available on game days if needed, but can fix that with a corresponding recall. They have an open roster spot they can use, even with Solovyov effectively serving as dead weight for the next several days.
Colorado Avalanche Activate Gavin Brindley
The Colorado Avalanche announced today that forward Gavin Brindley has been activated off of injured reserve.
On Dec. 3, Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar told the media that Brindley was ahead of schedule in his injury recovery process, and was likely to return before the conclusion of the club’s road trip. Tonight is the last game of the team’s road trip before they head home to play the Florida Panthers on Thursday, so Brindley’s activation today lines up directly with Bednar’s expectation.
Brindley last played in Colorado’s Nov. 20 contest against the New York Rangers. He sustained a lower-body injury and was designated week-to-week. Brindley’s injury ended up costing him nine games in total.
A 2023 high second-round pick, Brindley has made the most of his start to the 2025-26 season. He struggled to adjust to professional hockey last year (his first campaign as a pro since leaving the University of Michigan), scoring just six goals and 17 points in 52 AHL games. The Columbus Blue Jackets ended up trading Brindley over the summer as part of a package of assets that landed them Miles Wood and Charlie Coyle.
Still exempt from waivers, most likely expected Brindley to require some more time in the AHL before becoming a full-time NHLer. Brindley’s lackluster production in his rookie AHL campaign was seen as a sign that he might need some more time to grow his game before making an impact in the world’s top league.
Brindley beat those expectations by making the Avalanche’s NHL team out of training camp, and he has made the most of limited ice time this season. Despite averaging just 9:17 time on ice per game, including very little special teams usage, Brindley has managed a healthy eight points in 18 games. That’s a 32-point 82-game scoring pace, a decent output for a rookie, and especially a rookie in such a limited role.
Brindley has always been credited with an exemplary compete level and work ethic, and he’s effectively leveraged those traits into concrete production so far in Colorado. While his injury may have slowed his momentum, his re-addition to the Avalanche’s healthy roster strengthens what is already one of, if not the best lineups in the NHL.