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Jonas Johansson Placed On Waivers

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Per TSN’s Chris Johnston, the Colorado Avalanche have placed netminder Jonas Johansson on waivers.

The move isn’t surprising in the least bit after the team recalled Pavel Francouz from his conditioning loan today. Francouz is gearing up to dress for an NHL game for the first time in over a year.

After a decent end to last season when Colorado acquired him from the Buffalo Sabres, Johansson’s struggled mightily this year. Behind an injured but still sound Avalanche team, he’s posted just a .880 save percentage in nine games played.

Considering his historical struggles at the NHL level, it’s unlikely Johansson gets claimed on waivers. However, he’s one of the better third-string goalies in the league and he does now have 30 NHL games under his belt.

Injury Notes: Shesterkin, Landeskog, Kadri

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There’s some good news for the New York Rangers coming soon. NHL.com’s Dan Rosen reports that although goalie Igor Shesterkin won’t dress tonight, he’s “making progress” after taking the ice at practice this morning. Shesterkin was classified as day-to-day after a scary-looking lower-body injury last week forced him out of the lineup and onto injured reserve. He had an impeccable .937 save percentage through 18 games this year, and should certainly still be considered a candidate for the Vezina Trophy at this point in time. Backup Alexandar Georgiev has risen to the occasion after a tough start, though, posting a save percentage above .920 in three straight Rangers wins with Shesterkin absent.

More injury notes, both from Denver:

  • Injuries continue to hold back the Avalanche in 2021-22, as head coach Jared Bednar said today that captain Gabriel Landeskog will miss roughly two weeks with a lower-body injury. All of their top trio of him, Nathan MacKinnon, and Mikko Rantanen has missed time this season. Landeskog was a main focal point of Colorado’s offense, netting 27 points through 22 games this year. Andre Burakovsky will slot in his place alongside MacKinnon and Rantanen for the time being.
  • After missing Friday’s game with a lower-body injury, Nazem Kadri will be out again tonight but will likely be back Tuesday, according to Colorado Hockey Now’s Adrian Dater. Kadri has been the glue of this team throughout their injury troubles this year, scoring 23 assists and 34 points through just 22 games. Mikhail Maltsev, who was recalled today, will get into the lineup with Kadri’s absence.

Colorado Avalanche Recall Pavel Francouz From Conditioning Loan

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Some good news is on the horizon for the goalie situation in Denver. Per Colorado Hockey Now’s Adrian Dater, the team has recalled goalie Pavel Francouz from his conditioning loan with the AHL’s Colorado Eagles, paving the way for his NHL return after missing over a full season due to injury.

Francouz last played an NHL game on August 30, 2020, during Colorado’s Second Round playoff loss to the Dallas Stars in 2020. He then spent the entire 2020-21 campaign on injured reserve.

He looked to return to his position as backup in Colorado this season, but was injured again during a preseason game. After an excellent four-game conditioning stint (.945 save percentage, 3-1-0 record) in the AHL, it looks as though Francouz is finally healthy enough to reliably return to NHL action.

Francouz has put up impressive numbers in limited appearances, but his career .923 save percentage and 21-9-4 record should give some hope to an Avalanche team that’s had goaltending inconsistencies early this season.

Anatolii Golyshev, Jayson Megna Clear Waivers

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Dec 9: Both players have cleared waivers. Golyshev will have his contract terminated, while Megna has been loaned (along with Jacob MacDonald) to the Colorado Eagles of the AHL.

Dec 8: The New York Islanders have placed Anatolii Golyshev on waivers today, and he’ll be joined by Jayson Megna of the Colorado Avalanche, according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. Given Golyshev was already in the minor leagues and is waiver-exempt still, his placement is on unconditional waivers for the purpose of a contract termination.

It was easy to spot a termination coming for Golyshev, given he hasn’t yet received a single game at the NHL level. The 26-year-old was a fourth-round pick by the Islanders back in 2016, signed his one-year entry-level deal at the end of last season to get it out of the way, and then inked a one-year, $750K one-way deal with the Islanders in October. After a long, successful career in the KHL, it never seemed likely that Golyshev would sit in the minors all season.

The undersized forward has eight full seasons under his belt with Yekaterinburg in the KHL, hitting career-highs of 25 goals and 44 points in 2015-16. In 15 games with the Bridgeport Islanders, he had five goals and seven points, but will likely be heading back overseas. Technically, Golyshev will be a free agent able to sign with another NHL team, but that is unlikely in this case.

Megna meanwhile actually received a great opportunity with the Avalanche this season, continually filling in for whoever was injured at the time. With Nathan MacKinnon back and J.T. Compher closing in on a return, his spot is needed. In 20 games this season, the 31-year-old undrafted forward has registered three assists but hasn’t scored yet. In fact, he hasn’t tallied an NHL goal since the 2016-17 season with the Vancouver Canucks.

While there is a chance he is claimed because of his experience this season, there have been other forwards with higher upside clear recently. Megna will likely goto the minor leagues where he will remain a strong injury replacement for Colorado.

What Your Team Is Thankful For: Colorado Avalanche

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As the holiday season approaches, PHR will take a look at what teams are thankful for as the season heads towards the one-quarter mark. There also might be a few things your team would like down the road. We’ll examine what’s gone well in the early going and what could improve as the season rolls on for the Colorado Avalanche.

What are the Avalanche thankful for? 

That Matt Duchene trade.

The impact of a single trade is rarely as extreme as that 2017 deal. The Avalanche, coming off one of the most dreadful seasons in NHL history, ended up sending Duchene to the Ottawa Senators in a three-team deal that netted them Samuel Girard, Vladislav Kamenev, Shane Bowers, Andrew Hammond, and three draft picks. The best of those, Ottawa’s first-round pick in 2019, became Bowen Byram, meaning with Girard, Duchene had landed the team–at a minimum–two top-four defensemen.

But it doesn’t end there. In the 2018 draft, when the Avalanche had Nashville’s second-round pick, they decided to trade down when No. 58 was on the board. The team traded that pick to the Pittsburgh Penguins, who used it on Filip Hallander, for a third and a fifth. The third became Justus Annunen, who has quickly developed into the team’s “Goaltender of the Future.” Annunen is making his NHL debut tonight, coming on in relief of Jonas Johansson, and could find himself battling for regular appearances in the coming years.

Who are the Avalanche thankful for?

Cale Makar.

Quite simply, Makar is one of the best defensemen in the league at age-23. The fourth-overall pick from 2017 is scoring at a better than point-per-game rate once again and is in the race for the Norris Trophy in year three. He finished ninth in that race as a rookie, was the runner-up as a sophomore; it appears as though it’s just a matter of time before he takes home the award.

Notably, it’s Makar’s ability to play so much and so well that allows the rest of the defensive group to slot into more appropriate roles. Veteran Erik Johnson might be miscast as a top-four option if he were on another team given his history in the league and pricey contract, but some nights he’s able to play just 15 minutes because Makar is soaking up so much ice time. As the Avalanche move forward, that will make it possible for the team to fit everyone in under the cap–Makar’s $9MM hit through 2026-27 was a bargain from day one.

What would the Avalanche be even more thankful for?

A healthy Darcy Kuemper.

This piece is dropping at perhaps an inopportune time, as Avalanche fans may not be thankful for much after tonight’s game against the Ottawa Senators. After Kuemper was injured a few days ago, Johansson has shown that he simply can’t carry the load as an NHL starter. He won’t have to for long, as Pavel Francouz is on the verge of finally returning, but Kuemper’s injury has highlighted an issue for the Avalanche.

After being unable to retain Philipp Grubauer in the offseason, the team was forced to make a move for Kuemper–and his long injury history. The 31-year-old netminder has only started 30 games or more once in his entire career, and is on the shelf once again. He hasn’t even been very effective this season when he’s been in the net, but his availability is the most important thing to consider.

What should be on the Avalanche’s Holiday Wish List?

A goaltender.

That’s why another NHL-level netminder is an absolute must for the Avalanche before the trade deadline. Even if Francouz comes back healthy, the team can’t go into the playoffs with this kind of uncertainty again. In the 2020 bubble, with a team that looked poised to compete for a Stanley Cup, Michael Hutchinson was forced into the net after two injuries. The team has to have a better option this time around.

That’s certainly going to be a difficult task, given the team already has barely enough cap space to even activate Francouz when he’s ready to come off long-term injured reserve. After handing out big deals to Makar and captain Gabriel Landeskog, things are tight in Joe Sakic’s front office. The team has always been creative, but will have to find a way to add an NHL goaltender without selling off too much of the current group.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Likely Concussion For Darcy Kuemper, Bowen Byram Doesn't Have A Concussion

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It appears as if Colorado’s goaltending situation will be tenuous for a little while.  Following last night’s victory in Montreal, Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar told reporters including Mike Chambers of the Denver Post that starting netminder Darcy Kuemper could be out for two days or two months, meaning that there’s no timeline for his return.  Kuemper is believed to have suffered his upper-body injury at Wednesday’s morning skate after taking a high shot which, coupled with Bednar’s comment, suggests that the veteran may be dealing with a concussion.  With Pavel Francouz only beginning his LTI conditioning loan on Wednesday, it will be Jonas Johansson’s crease for the time being.

  • Still with the Avalanche, Chambers notes in a separate column that defenseman Bowen Byram’s injury isn’t a concussion but that it does pertain to the head injury he just came back from. That return only lasted two games and it wouldn’t be surprising of Colorado errs on the side of caution when it comes to determining when he returns.  When healthy, the 20-year-old has impressed with nine points in 13 games while averaging nearly 20 minutes a night on the back end.

Nathan MacKinnon Expected To Return; Ryan Murray Out Indefinitely

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  • Speaking of teams that may soon receive help, the Avalanche could have Nathan MacKinnon back on Wednesday according to Peter Baugh of The Athletic, who tweets that though nothing is official, it’s “looking like” the superstar center will return against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Unfortunately, that news also comes with a bad injury update, as Ryan Murray is out indefinitely with a lower-body injury that the team is still evaluating. Murray lasted just 11 seconds before leaving the team’s game against Nashville on Saturday.

Bowen Byram To Return From Upper-Body Injury Tonight

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  • The Avalanche will be welcoming back defenseman Bowen Byram tonight, notes Adrian Dater of Colorado Hockey Now. The sophomore was off to a strong start to his season with eight points in 11 games while logging nearly 20 minutes a game before suffering an upper-body injury a little over two weeks ago.  Despite being IR-eligible, Byram has remained on Colorado’s active roster so no move to free up a roster spot will be needed.

MacKinnon Could Return On Upcoming Road Trip, Francouz Faces Shots In Practice

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  • Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon could return at some point on their five-game road trip that begins at the start of next month, notes NHL.com’s Rick Sadowski. He has missed the last two weeks with a lower-body injury but still sits fifth in team scoring with ten points in nine games.  Meanwhile, Sadowski adds that goaltender Pavel Francouz faced shots for the first time at practice today as he tries to work his way back from a lower-body injury of his own that has kept him out for the whole season so far.  The team hasn’t shown much confidence in current backup Jonas Johansson so getting Francouz back soon would give them a boost between the pipes.

Jared Bednar Signs Two-Year Extension With Avalanche

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Jared Bednar will be sticking around behind the bench of the Avalanche for a little while longer as the team announced that they have signed their head coach to a two-year contract extension.  The deal will run through the 2023-24 season.  GM Joe Sakic released the following statement on the signing:

Jared has established himself as one of the top coaches in the NHL. He is a great leader who has the complete trust of our players and staff. Under his guidance our team has continued to make great strides and improve every year. We know he is the right person to help us take that next step and compete for a Stanley Cup.

Bednar is in his sixth season as Colorado’s bench boss after taking over in a somewhat unique fashion when he was hired late in the summer of 2015 following Patrick Roy’s abrupt resignation.  His first year was a particularly rough one but since then, the Avs have been a consistently strong team, posting a points percentage of at least .549 and have made four straight postseason appearances with the last three resulting in second-round exits, helping lead him to the second-most coaching victories in Avalanche history (third in franchise history dating back to their time in Quebec).

Under Bednar’s tutelage, Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen have become legitimate top-line stars and the two have anchored a top line alongside captain Gabriel Landeskog for long stretches during his tenure.  They’ve also become one of the stronger defense corps in the league, anchored by young star Cale Makar along with younger veterans Devon Toews and Samuel Girard.

However, it hasn’t been a great start to the season for the Avalanche this season.  They currently sit fifth in the Central Division with a 7-5-1 record although they’ve played the fewest games in the Western Conference so there is room for some improvement on their seeding as they make up their games in hand.

Some had wondered if the slow start coupled with their inability to get over the hump in the postseason would be enough for Sakic to consider a coaching change but clearly, that didn’t happen.  That said, a two-year extension isn’t a significant vote of confidence either.  But it’s enough to get rid of the storyline of being in a lame-duck situation and it should take the heat off for the time being as they look to move up the standings while Bednar takes aim at that Colorado wins record as he’s just two behind Bob Hartley for first.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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