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What Your Team Is Thankful For: Colorado Avalanche

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As the holiday season approaches, PHR will look at what teams are thankful for as the season nears the quarter point of completion. There also might be a few things your team would like down the road. We take a look at what’s gone well in the first month and what could improve as the season rolls on. Yesterday we examined at the Washington Capitals.

What are the Colorado Avalanche most thankful for?

A conclusion to the Matt Duchene saga.

The hockey world has been all over the Avalanche and GM Joe Sakic for how they handled a trade request from one of their star players. Duchene wanted to get out of Colorado during a brutal 2016-17 season, but Sakic wasn’t willing to make a move until his high price was met. Earlier this month the bill was paid by the Ottawa Senators and Nashville Predators, and the unhappy Duchene can finally move on.

Sakic needed to include a third team in the deal but eventually did get his reported ask of a young mobile defenseman, first-round pick and top prospect. In fact, he even added another prospect and two other draft picks to that total, coming away with quite the haul for a single player. Samuel Girard (the young defenseman) has flashed his top-pairing potential early, while Duchene has struggled to get on the scoresheet in Ottawa. Though it is far from decided, Sakic came out of a hard situation quite well after months of harsh criticism.

Who are the Avalanche most thankful for?

Nathan MacKinnonNathan MacKinnon.

Overshadowed by the terrible record of the team, MacKinnon once again had a solid season for the Avalanche a year ago. With 53 points he easily led the team, and set career highs in shots and faceoff percentage. While nothing from last year’s Avalanche can be considered a positive, he at least wasn’t the anchor pulling the team down.

This year is another story. MacKinnon, surrounded by a young more dangerous offensive squad is off to a tremendous start with 25 points in 20 games. That number puts him among the leaders in the league, and at the ripe old age of 22 there is still a legitimate chance his game could get even better over the next few years. Locked in at just $6.3MM per season through 2022-23, the Avalanche are in a prime position to build around their underpaid superstar with the next wave of talent.

What would the Avalanche be even more thankful for?

A return to form for Semyon Varlamov.

In 2013-14 a 25-year old Varlamov played in 63 games for the Avalanche, recording a league-leading 41 wins and posting a .927 save percentage. That was good enough to earn him a fourth-place finish in Hart Trophy voting, while coming in just behind Tuukka Rask for the Vezina. Varlamov was an elite goaltender in the league and was rewarded with a five-year extension mid-season.

Since then, his save percentage has dropped to an average .913 and sits at just .903 this season. While last year’s struggles can be explained away at least somewhat by injury, this year has shown him to be an average-at-best netminder in the league. A bounce-back to his previous highs would make the Avalanche an legitimate bubble candidate for the playoffs, if they aren’t already.

Varlamov has another year left on that extension after this season at $5.9MM, and will have to prove he can still be a starting goaltender in this league if he wants another contract with the Avalanche.

What should be on the Avalanche Holiday Wish List?

More young defensemen.

Even though the team has added Girard, brought over Andrei Mironov and drafted Cale Makar, there is still a shortage of NHL-caliber defenders in their system. Nikita Zadorov fulfilling some of his potential would help, but the team will likely still be after other intriguing young defensemen on the trade market.

With some interesting trade chips to use this season—there is no telling whether Gabriel Landeskog and Tyson Barrie are still on the market, but they weren’t part of Sakic’s “untouchable” group last year—the Avalanche could once again infuse some immediate talent into the back end.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Colorado To Recall Kamenev As Soon As Possible

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Yesterday we discussed the package the Colorado Avalanche received in return for Matt Duchene, but one of the overlooked pieces so far has been Vladislav Kamenev. The 21-year old center might not be as exciting as Samuel Girard, but is another legitimate NHL prospect with some intriguing upside. Today, while the Avalanche prepare for their series against the Ottawa Senators in Sweden, GM Joe Sakic told Igor Eronko of Sport-Express that the team will bring Kamenev up as soon as possible. He would have even liked to bring him to Stockholm, if visa issues had not prevented him.

Kamenev reported to the San Antonio Rampage after the trade, and registered an assist in his first game. That gives him nine points in 11 games this season, after scoring 59 last season. Selected with the 42nd-overall pick in 2014, the 6’2″ forward is a solid two-way player and gives the Avalanche even more depth down the middle. Obviously with the loss of Duchene the NHL center position is weakened, but with Nathan MacKinnon, Alex Kerfoot, Tyson Jost, J.T. Compher and now Kamenev all 23-and-under with plenty of experience in the middle the future looks bright.

Sakic also addressed the idea that Kamenev could return to the KHL when his contract expires, telling Eronko he’s not worried about that.

I think he wants to play in the NHL and he’s an NHL player. I’m sure once he comes up he doesn’t want to go anywhere else. He’ll enjoy growing with that group. We wanted to get younger, get those young guys and grow together.

Kamenev’s entry-level contract will expire at the end of the 2018-19 season, and there will be plenty of eyes on him by then. If he does come up right away, he’ll be given every opportunity to succeed with the team right away. Colorado is off to a good start, but is focused on the long-term growth of the team.

On that note, Girard looks like he’ll get into the games in Sweden for Colorado which will force them to make a decision quickly after returning. Girard has played five games so far this season, and if he plays 10 he’ll burn a year of his entry-level contract. The Avalanche will have to decide whether sticking with their team for the whole year is worth it, or whether he should go back to the QMJHL. For Nashville, that decision was likely going to lean towards junior because of their already stellar group of defensemen. In Colorado, there’s no telling how much ice time Girard could earn himself.

The Post-Duchene Era: Colorado’s New Path To Success

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The Colorado Avalanche aren’t ready to compete for the Stanley Cup. No one is saying they will. Even if their current players are hoping to squeeze their way into the playoffs, they’re still more likely to finish somewhere in the bottom half (or even third) of the league. But there is still that hope.

In August, PHR ran an article entitled Colorado’s Tumultuous Twelve Months which chronicled the fall of the Avalanche after Patrick Roy left the team on the precipice of the season, and all the heartbreak that followed. The 2016-17 version of the Avalanche was one of the worst teams in NHL history, and their reward—dropping to fourth overall in the entry draft—was the final blow. But, as we wrote then, there was reason for (say it with me) hope.

Add in that Matt Duchene is still likely to bring a big return at some point, Jonathan Bernier could be a trade-deadline asset, and the team could be surprisingly successful in short order. While a playoff spot still seems like a distant goal, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. The defense still needs work—the team doesn’t even have Nikita Zadorov under contract yet—but with another lottery chance in what’s shaping up to be an incredibly deep draft in 2018, the Avalanche could have a quicker turnaround than many expect.

The Avalanche did cash in their Duchene-shaped poker chip, using him as a catalyst for the massive three-team trade this past weekend. In return, not only did they set themselves up well for the 2018 draft—the same one that is still looking incredibly deep—but did a lot of the heavy lifting on the defense rebuild. Samuel Girard, the centerpiece of the Duchene deal, is a blue-chip prospect that is perfectly built for the new NHL. When you describe his best qualities, Avalanche fans may think you’re talking about someone else.

Excellent mobility. Quick decision making. Superb puck skills. Are we talking about Girard or Cale Makar, the other top defensive prospect obtained in the last few months?

Makar is spending the year at UMass-Amherst, where he recently scored his first collegiate goal and seems to take on more minutes and more responsibility on a nightly basis. Head coach Greg Carval recently called him “remarkable” and spoke about all the intangibles Makar brings to the team, even as a freshman. When he’s ready to turn pro, there is no doubt he’ll be a difference-maker in the NHL.

That August article also mentioned two other names, Nikita Zadorov and Jonathan Bernier. The former did eventually sign, inking a two-year deal with the team that told him “prove it.” It’s not gone swimmingly early on, as Zadorov has been a healthy scratch and generally ineffective in his role. By no means does he look out of place in the NHL, but hasn’t shown that shutdown ability both Buffalo (who drafted him 16th-overall in 2013) and Colorado (who included him as the centerpiece of the Ryan O’Reilly deal) believed he could.

In Bernier’s case, his season has gone much the way his career has. At times he looks outstanding, able to shoulder the load as a starter in the NHL. But then there is the other Bernier, who can allow six goals on 28 shots and look small and defeated in the net. It’s just five games for him this season as the backup to Semyon Varlamov, but even if he has his occasional stinker he’ll still be worth something at the deadline as an expiring, relatively inexpensive contract.

Which brings us to the final (and perhaps most important) piece of good news for the Avalanche. In Elliotte Friedman’s latest 31 Thoughts column for Sportsnet, one of the smaller notes was about Colorado’s salary structure going forward. With the departing of Duchene and his $6MM hit, the team now has approximately $26MM in cap space (via CapFriendly) for next season with 17 players already under contract. In a league that cap space is king, that is a perfect situation for a rebuilding club. Colorado will be able to pick and choose the contracts they want to sign over the next few years with only Nathan MacKinnon, Gabriel Landeskog and Erik Johnson locked in past the 2019-20 season.

So what does this all mean? Are the Avalanche the new model for a rebuilding club? No. Not everything has been perfect, not by any means. But for all the horror that was last season, when the team was continually going on losing streaks of four, five or even nine games, there is—to borrow from that August article—a light at the end of the tunnel. Suddenly, a defensive prospect system that was completely bare is stocked with two legitimate top names. A forward group that was dominated by disappointment and trade talk has now catapulted the team to the top half of the league in scoring and features several budding stars.

Add in the fact that they’ll likely pick four times (at least) in the first 60 selections come June, and there’s one thing on the minds of Colorado Avalanche fans.

Hope.

Reaction To Duchene, Turris, 3-Team Deal

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A lot of reaction has come across from sportswriters on Twitter after the three-way trade in which the Ottawa Senators got Matt Duchene, the Nashville Predators acquired a newly extended Kyle Turris and the Colorado Avalanche got Samuel Girard, Vladislav Kamenev, Shane Bowers, Andrew Hammond, Ottawa’s 2018 first-round pick (top-10 protected), Nashville’s 2018 second-round pick and Ottawa’s 2019 third-round pick. Take a look:

  • Elliotte Friedman, who was the first to break the story, tweeted that Nashville is obviously cashing it all in for the 2018 season, while Ottawa quite obviously badly wanted Duchene.
  • TSN’s Pierre LeBrun tweets that the Predators spoke with Turris’ camp this afternoon and had four conversations over three hours before finally agreeing on an extension.
  • Ottawa Suns’ Don Brennan tweets that the Senators definitely got the best player, but they paid a steep price of two first-round picks a third-round pick and Turris to get Duchene. There was a lot of question about whether Duchene was worth all that.
  • James Mirtle of The Athletic tweets general manager Joe Sakic’s comments on the trade, “We feel this trade brings us some top prospects as we continue to build for both the short and long-term future. We’ve said all along that we wanted to be patient and wait for the right deal, and this is the opportunity we feel is best for the organization.”
  • TSN’s Jason Brough writes that the real winner of the trade is Nick Bonino, who goes from being sheltered by Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin to now being sheltered by Ryan Johansen and Turris.
  • Sportsnet’s Jeff Marek tweets that the hidden part of the Duchene trade is that Colorado’s, now without Duchene, will be one step closer to getting defenseman Rasmus Dahlin, currently believed to be the top prospect in the 2018 NHL Draft.
  • The Tennessean’s Adam Vingan writes that the addition of Turris gives the franchise the best center depth in franchise history as Turris should fit perfectly on the team’s second line, which will force Bonino to move back to the team’s third line once he’s healthy and force Colton Sissons to center the fourth line. Calle Jarnkrok can now move to the wing.
  • NHL Network’s E.J. Hradek tweets now that the Predators have locked up Johansen, Turris and Bonino at center to go with their depth on defense, Nashville should dominate the West for many years to come.
  • Denver.com’s A.J. Haefele writes that while the Avalanche got a lot of good prospects, they really didn’t walk away with any blue-chip prospects. He does point out that Girard is close, but a grade on this trade still comes down to who the team drafts in the coming years with those picks.
  • BSN Denver’s Adrian Dater tweets that Colorado defenseman Erik Johnson had just one thing to say about the trade. “He didn’t want to be here.” Dater adds that he believes that J.T. Compher is likely to replace Duchene as team’s second-line center.
  • Postmedia’s Michael Traikos tweets that Nashville general manager David Poile doesn’t get enough credit for all his moves, including acquiring Filip Forsberg from Washington, Johansen from Columbus, P.K. Subban from Montreal and now Turris from Ottawa.
  • The Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch writes that while the Senators did give up a lot to get Duchene, Ottawa general manager Pierre Dorion wanted Duchene badly and refused to allow this trade to slip by the team.
  • NHL.com’s Dan Rosen tweets that Girard is expected to join the Avalanche on the team’s trip to Sweden, suggesting that Girard will stay with Avalanche this season and not return to his junior team.

Matt Duchene Traded To Ottawa, Turris to Nashville

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The long-awaited trade, and I mean long-awaited, has finally happened as the Colorado Avalanche have traded their 26-year-old franchise center Matt Duchene to the Ottawa Senators in a three-team trade with the Nashville Predators, according to Elliotte Friedman. Ottawa will send veteran center Kyle Turris to Nashville, while Colorado receives a package of players and picks.

According to Friedman, the Avalanche will receive defenseman Samuel Girard and winger Vladislav Kamenev from Nashville and center Shane Bowers and goaltender Andrew Hammond from Ottawa. The Avs will also receive Ottawa’s 2018 first-round pick (top-10 protected), Nashville’s 2018 second-round pick and Ottawa’s 2019 third-round pick in the deal. Friedman adds that if the Senators 2018 first-round pick falls in the top 10, then it rotates to a 2019 first-rounder instead.

As part of the deal, the Predators have extended Turris with a six-year, $36MM extension that ensures him a long-term place as the team’s second-line center.

Those three teams attempted to complete a similar deal yesterday, but the deal fell through and after it was leaked to the press, many thought the trade could not be revisited. However, with two disgruntled players in Duchene and Turris, the three teams were able to get the deal done. In fact, the team made the trade in the middle of their game with the New York Islanders as Duchene was informed and removed from the game during the first period of action. Ironically, he will join his new teammates in Sweden when they face off against the Avalanche for two games on Nov. 10 and 11.

Duchene, the team’s face of their franchise for the last several years, was the third overall pick in 2009 and has been a key scorer for the team over the past nine seasons. The 26-year-old center has scored 178 goals and 250 assists in 585 games for Colorado. However, as the team has struggled especially over the past three years, combining for 100-126-20 record, the disgruntled center had hoped to be traded, but the high demands of general manager Joe Sakic made it difficult for teams to acquire Duchene. Instead, an entire offseason of speculation only created more drama and when training camp opened and Duchene was still in Colorado, he demanded a trade. Part of the problem was Duchene’s poor performance last year when the team had 56 losses and the center’s numbers were down. He tallied just 18 goals and 41 points last year. Duchene rebounded slightly this year, having put up four goals and six assists in 12 games.

In Ottawa, Duchene replaces Turris, a long-time member of the franchise who has scored 117 goals for the Senators in seven season. Turris, who would have been a free agent next year, wanted a seven-year deal with the franchise and at age 28, the team was hesitant to give him that type of long-term deal, especially when they have already committed a lot of money to aging players such as Dion Phaneuf and Bobby Ryan. Duchene gives the franchise more time as he is locked into his five-year, 30MM deal until after the 2018-19 season. And, at age 26, is a little younger than Turris.

Turris gives the Predators the second-string center they needed. This allows free agent acquisition Nick Bonino to center the team’s third line and Colton Sissons and Calle Jarnkrok to battle it out on that final line. Now locked up for the next six years after this one, Turris should provide stability for the franchise up the middle. He had an impressive year last year, putting up 27 goals and 28 assists for 55 points. So far in 11 games this year, Turris has three goals and nine points.

As for the Avalanche, it looks as if Sakic got exactly what he was hoping for as the team got a large haul for Duchene. The key to the trade was Girard, an offensively-gifted defenseman, who still needs to work on his defense. Sometimes compared to Will Butcher, who the team lost to New Jersey this offseason, he should help stabilize their defense. The 19-year-old blueliner made the Nashville team out of training camp, but has still only played five games with Nashville, which will force Colorado to decide whether to keep him with their team and burn his first year of his entry-level deal or send him back to his junior team and not get him back until his season is over. The Predators second-round pick in 2016 has been impressive on a team loaded with quality defenseman, but has found himself watching games from the press box lately. An elite skater with excellent passing skills, Girard should be a key member of the team’s defense along with 2017 first-rounder Cale Makar.

Kamenev, the Predators’ 2014 second-round pick, has been playing with the Milwaukee Admirals this year and has put up solid numbers with three goals and five assists in nine games so far. Last year, the 21-year-old prospect put up 21 goals and 30 assists for Milwaukee. A solid skater with excellent hands and size (6-foot-2), he could easily fit on one of the team’s lower lines to start off.

Ottawa also moved one of their top prospects. Already loaded with Colin White, Logan Brown and Filip Chlapik, the team felt comfortable trading Bowers, their 2017 first-rounder. Picked 28th overall, the 18-year-old center is currently playing for Boston University and has four goals and two assists in 10 games for the Hockey East team. Ottawa also got a break in sending Hammond to Colorado. The 29-year-old former backup goaltender lost his job to Mike Condon last season and was eventually put on waivers and sent to Belleville. Not long after, Hammond suffered a hip injury that required surgery. He will likely be sent to San Antonio, providing goaltending insurance for the Avalanche. It frees up logjam of goalies the team has in Belleville as the team already has 31-year-old Daniel Taylor as the two veterans are holding up the team’s young goalies.

Colorado also will get two extra picks in a strong 2018 draft and now will have two first-round picks, two second-round picks and a third-round pick. The extra third-rounder will have to wait until 2019.

Major Three-Way Trade Falls Through

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As TSN’s Darren Dreger artfully puts it,  “things get complicated when big trades don’t go down.” It’s a rare occurrence in hockey that substantial details regarding a would-be deal are leaked, but such was the case yesterday. Late last night, Dreger reported that a massive three-team deal between the Colorado Avalanche, Ottawa Senators, and Nashville Predators had fallen through. Now, as Dreger says, teams are in “damage control” today as they try to clean up the mess that a rumored trade of this magnitude.

The specifics of the deal are allegedly this: Matt Duchene, the topic of trade rumors for the last year, would have gone to Ottawa. Kyle Turris, who the Senators have struggled to re-sign to their perceived fair value before he hits free agency this summer, would have gone to Nashville (probably with some additional considerations). Presumably, the bulk of the return headed to Colorado would then have come from the Predators. Some are speculating that one of Nashville’s “big four”, Mattias Ekholm, may have been involved in the deal, but considering that Avalanche GM Joe Sakic was the one who reportedly nixed the deal, unhappy with his return, it seems unlikely that Ekholm was part of the final offer.

So what now? It’s long been known that a) Duchene does not want to be in Colorado and is likely to be moved eventually and b) that Senators GM Pierre Dorion has taken a liking to Duchene and has been working to acquire him since this summer. Even without Nashville as part of the deal, this is a trade that can get done with a meeting of the minds. Ottawa has intriguing prospects like Thomas Chabot, Logan Brown, Colin White, and Filip Chlapik that have to interest a rebuilding Colorado squad, while roster players like Cody Ceci and Jean-Gabriel Pageau will inevitably enter the conversation as well. In the meantime though, these trade rumors will make the prospect of re-signing Turris at all, never mind below market value, a tough task for Dorion. Duchene deal or not, Turris’ days seem numbered in Ottawa.

Latest On Matt Duchene Trade Front

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While Matt Duchene continues to practice with the Colorado Avalanche and take it “one day at a time” several other teams are pursuing the 26-year old forward. Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun reports that the Senators are one of those teams after Duchene, writing that GM Pierre Dorion “has been aggressive in his pursuit.” The Senators lost Colin White for several weeks last night, who could have been an option in their top-six to start the season; perhaps that will increase their offer ever more, though Garrioch is quick to point out that nothing is close at present.

It’s not clear if the Duchene saga is moving towards an end, but Mike Chambers of the Denver Post was on radio again today saying how players are getting frustrated with the situation. Duchene has been trying to avoid the media as much as possible since reporting to Avalanche camp, issuing only short statements and even changing in a different room. Chambers told Mike Halford and Jason Brough of TSN 1040 that players have expressed some disdain for that decision:

I think his teammates understand that he’s got issues with management and wants a trade. I think his teammates are okay with that, as it is. But I think his teammates cannot handle the fact that Duchene is undressing in another part of the building, so he won’t undress in the locker room where the media has access. I’ve spoken to a couple players—I’m not going to name names—but they think that’s a little off and that’s drawing too much attention to this saga.

While his teammates might not like exactly how he’s dealing with this, that certainly won’t force the hand of Avalanche GM Joe Sakic anymore than it already is. He’s clearly waiting for a deal that satisfies what he believes Duchene is worth, and won’t make a move before he absolutely has to. Garrioch notes that the Avalanche have shown interest in Cody Ceci before, but that the Senators are wary of moving what they believe is a building-block defenseman.

Poll: Where Will Matt Duchene Start His 2017-18 Season?

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Matt Duchene showed up for the start of training camp this morning with the Colorado Avalanche, clearly frustrated with how this offseason has played out. Duchene and agent J.P. Barry have made it clear they would like a resolution to the ongoing trade speculation, and instead of face countless more questions from the media, had a simple statement:

I’m here to honor my contract. I’m here out of respect for the fans, and I’m here for my teammates. I had a great summer training and I’m in great physical condition.

Duchene will take part in training camp now that he’s there, but questions continue to swirl around his future with the club. With only two years left on his current contract, the asking price of GM Joe Sakic has yet to be matched. Sakic has reportedly been looking for a first-round pick, a young NHL caliber defenseman and a top prospect, and while that may have changed slightly there still doesn’t seem to be any deal in sight. Many teams around the league could benefit from having Duchene on their roster, but giving up all that for two years of a player coming off a down season is almost impossible for anyone to do.

The question is asked nearly every week in our live chats (of which we’ll hold the latest in about an hour’s time), where will Duchene eventually end up? Does he end up going to one of the oft-rumored destinations like Columbus or Carolina? Will another team swoop in and snatch him up in a last second move? Or will he have to start the season with Colorado and hope his play draws more interested parties in? Vote below on where you think Duchene will play his first game this season, and make sure to leave your reasoning behind in the comments.

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Zadorov To Miss Start Of Camp; Duchene In Denver

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10:50am: Duchene indeed reported to camp, but would not take questions from the media. His statement, from Mike Chambers of the Denver Post:

I’m here to honor my contract. I’m here out of respect for the fans, and I’m here for my teammates. I had a great summer training and I’m in great physical condition.

8:13am: Even though Colorado Avalanche GM Joe Sakic said yesterday that he thought Nikita Zadorov could attend camp because the two sides were so close, Chris Johnston of Sportsnet reports that this will not be the case. The restricted free agent remains unsigned, and will not suit up with teammates today when camp opens.

Matt Duchene on the other hand is in town according to Adrian Dater of BSN Denver, and is expected to be with the team today. Duchene had been skating on his own in Toronto, skipping both the optional “captain’s skate” and team’s charity golf tournament.

The last report has Zadorov and the Avalanche just $500K apart, meaning Sakic is probably correct in his assumption that the deal is close. Still, that has seemed to be the gap between the two sides for some time. If a contract can’t be reached, Zadorov has said in the past that he will play in the KHL, something the Avalanche want to avoid if possible. While they’re not expected to compete this season, letting Zadorov walk and get a taste of life in the KHL is a risky proposition. Not only would his development with the team stall, but there is always a chance of him never returning to the NHL.

Sakic Speaks On Nikita Zadorov, Matt Duchene

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Before the Colorado Avalanche report to training camp tomorrow, GM Joe Sakic met with the media to discuss various things including Milan Hejduk’s sweater retirement ceremony planned for this season. Inevitably, the conversation turned to the pressing issues of Matt Duchene and Nikita Zadorov, both of whom could miss part of camp with various holdouts. According to Mike Chambers of the Denver Post though, Sakic expects both to be present early on.

Matt DucheneOn Duchene, nothing has changed yet and Sakic expects everyone under contract to report to camp. The 26-year old center has been the topic of continuous trade speculation since before last year’s deadline, and several reports have come out saying that there is a possibility of a holdout. Duchene didn’t report to an optional “captain’s skate” earlier this month, and was one of the only ones not present for the club’s annual charity golf tournament.

Zadorov on the other hand is still negotiating his contract for next season, with the latest reports still having the two sides around $500K apart. For his part, Sakic says that they’re close enough together to expect him to be in camp, though whether that means he’ll be there on day one is still to be seen. While there has been a lot of speculation that Zadorov could return to the KHL this season if a contract can’t be done, it has seemed for a while like the two sides would eventually get something done.

Even though the Avalanche aren’t projected to be Stanley Cup or even playoff contenders this season, having players away from training camp is never a good thing. Having Duchene not report would only weaken Sakic’s position in trade talks, while Zadorov needs as much development time with the team as possible. Both players are already skating on their own, but showing up with teammates tomorrow is an important next step.

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