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Jonathan Drouin Ruled Out For Opening Round Due To Injury; Avalanche Recall Three Players

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The Avalanche will be without a key part of their forward group for the opening round against Winnipeg.  The team announced today (Twitter link) that winger Jonathan Drouin will miss the first-round series due to a lower-body injury.

The 29-year-old suffered the injury in the second period of Colorado’s regular season finale against Edmonton and did not return.  It was a game where Edmonton elected to sit as many of its key players as possible while the Avs elected to dress pretty much their intended playoff lineup, a decision that clearly wound up not working out for them.

After a rough finish to his time with Montreal, Drouin elected to take a low-cost one-year deal with Colorado in the hopes of boosting his value for next summer.  After a slow start, he certainly did just that.  Drouin produced at nearly a point-per-game level over the final two months of the season, earning himself a full-time promotion to the top line in the process.  All told, his first year with the Avalanche ended with 19 goals and 37 assists in 79 games; his 56 points rank eighth among all pending unrestricted free agents.

Colorado only has two extra forwards on their active roster at the moment.  One is winger Joel Kiviranta, who had just nine points in 56 games this season.  The other is Chris Wagner, who Evan Rawal of Colorado Hockey Now reports (Twitter link) has been recalled from AHL Colorado.  Both are better suited as fourth-line depth players so some line reshuffling certainly will be happening before their series gets underway on Sunday.

Not long after the injury, the team confirmed Wagner’s recall while also announcing (Twitter link) that Brad Hunt and Arvid Holm have also been recalled.  Hunt, a defenseman, had a very productive year, notching 16 goals and 33 assists in 70 games.  Holm, meanwhile, will serve as Colorado’s third-string emergency netminder.  The 25-year-old, who will become a Group Six free agent this summer, posted a 2.97 GAA with a save percentage of just .887 in a dozen games with the Eagles this season.

Colorado Avalanche Reassign Chris Wagner

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Earlier this morning, the Colorado Avalanche announced the organization has reassigned forward Chris Wagner to their AHL affiliate, the Colorado Eagles. While an otherwise unremarkable transaction, the reassignment of Wagner points to the return of Mikko Rantanen to the lineup.

While Rantanen has been out for the team’s last two games due to a concussion, Wagner has been with the team for the better part of two weeks, playing in four of the team’s last five games. In those four contests, Wanger has averaged 6:45 of ice time over 46 shifts, scoring one goal in total.

Before signing a one-year, $775K contract extension with the Avalanche a few days ago, Wagner had primarily been playing in AHL Colorado but has been an oft-called-upon depth forward at the NHL level. Over 13 games with the Avalanche this season, Wagner has scored one goal and two points overall, while also scoring four goals and eight points over 17 games with the Eagles.

With respect to Wagner, Colorado will be more than happy to get Rantanen back into the lineup with three games remaining in the regular season. The Avalanche’s schedule will not get any easier down the stretch after losing an important contest against the Dallas Stars this past weekend. In hopes of earning a fourth-straight Division title, Colorado lines up against the Winnipeg Jets, Vegas Golden Knights, and Edmonton Oilers to close out their regular season.

Central Notes: Forsberg, Seguin, McGroarty, Wagner

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Predators winger Filip Forsberg is in the middle of a career year as he leads the team in scoring with 43 goals and 44 assists through 76 games so far. However, he’s playing through some kind of injury as he has been rarely practicing with the team. In an appearance on 102.5 The Game (audio link), head coach Andrew Brunette indicated that the issue isn’t going away anytime soon. While he termed it as something that’s manageable, the bench boss also added that it might take the entire offseason before Forsberg heals up. The winger hasn’t shown any ill effects from whatever is bothering him, helping to lead the Predators on an improbable 18-game point streak recently, taking them from out of the playoffs to safely in the postseason picture.

Other updates out of the Central:

  • The Stars were without veteran forward Tyler Seguin in today’s loss to the Blackhawks, but they’ll get him back in the lineup tomorrow against the Avalanche, Brien Rea of Bally Sports Southwest reports. He’s dealing with a lower-body injury, potentially related to the issue that kept him out for 11 games in February and March. The Stars have been cautious with the 32-year-old’s deployment since he returned a few weeks back, making him a scratch for maintenance/load management reasons against the Sharks early last week. The 2010 second-overall pick is having his best season since missing nearly all of the 2020-21 campaign with a hip injury, potting 23 goals and 50 points in 64 games.
  • One storyline surrounding the Jets is the future of top prospect Rutger McGroarty, who has at most one week left in his sophomore season at the University of Michigan. He told Scott Billeck of the Winnipeg Sun that his agents haven’t had serious discussions with Winnipeg GM Kevin Cheveldayoff about an entry-level deal but have kept in touch. The 20-year-old Nebraska tore apart Big 10 opponents this season, finishing second on the Wolverines in scoring with 16 goals and 52 points in 35 games. Coming off a point-per-game freshman season and captaining the USA at the 2024 World Juniors, it wouldn’t be surprising to see McGroarty turn pro and finish the season as a Black Ace on Winnipeg’s playoff roster.
  • After being sent to the minors yesterday, Avalanche center Chris Wagner was recalled back to the NHL roster. The move comes in the wake of an upper-body injury to star winger Mikko Rantanen, who left partway through last night’s 6-2 loss to the Oilers and didn’t return. Wagner gives the Avs 13 healthy forwards without Rantanen, providing additional injury insurance for tomorrow’s all-important clash for divisional playoff positioning against the Stars. He’s got a goal and an assist in 11 games with Colorado this season, his first in the Avs organization.

Avalanche Reassign Chris Wagner

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The Avalanche have sent veteran forward Chris Wagner to AHL Colorado, the team announced. The move comes in anticipation of Valeri Nichushkin and Yakov Trenin both returning from multi-game absences due to injuries tonight against the Oilers.

Wagner signed a two-way deal with the Avs over the offseason after completing a three-year, seven-figure deal with the Bruins, most of which was spent in the minors. After registering five points in 41 games in 2020-21, the first season of his contract, he played just one NHL game in each of the following two campaigns and instead settled into a middle-six role with AHL Providence. He sustained an Achilles injury in training camp with Colorado, delaying his debut with the organization until January, and he’s since registered a goal and an assist in 11 major league games while averaging a minimal 7:39 per game.

He’s also done decently well in the minors, posting eight points and a +3 rating in 17 games with the Eagles. His all-around versatility and plug-and-play ability convinced the Avs to ink him to a one-year, two-way extension Wednesday, which is now confirmed to carry a $775K cap hit and $400K minors salary. He’s been recalled twice since returning to play with the Eagles in January, both coming under emergency conditions. His initial emergency loan was converted to a standard recall and carried him through the March 8 trade deadline, making him ineligible to play in the AHL postseason. As such, expect Wagner to return to the Avalanche as an extra when the Stanley Cup Playoffs kick off later this month.

Avalanche Sign Chris Wagner To One-Year Extension

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The Avalanche have signed veteran forward Chris Wagner to a one-year contract extension, the team announced. Financial terms were not disclosed but CapFriendly reports that it’s a two-way deal worth $775K in the NHL and $400K in the minors. Considering his current deal carries a $425K guarantee, it’s actually a small step back in terms of guaranteed pay. He’ll remain in the running for a fourth-line role next fall.

Wagner, 32, has played in parts of 10 NHL seasons but hasn’t been a full-timer since 2020-21 with the Bruins (two goals, three assists, five points in 41 games). Boston, who had him locked in for two more seasons at a $1.35MM cap hit at the time, placed him on waivers to begin the following season and assigned him to AHL Providence, where he spent the overwhelming majority of the remainder of his contract. He played just once for the Bruins in each of the 2021-22 and 2022-23 campaigns and was not re-signed when his contract expired last summer.

The Avs signed Wagner to a two-way deal once free agency opened, but he ruptured his Achilles tendon shortly after training camp began and began the season on IR. He was activated, waived, and promptly assigned to AHL Colorado in mid-January, and he’s since split the season between levels. Through 10 NHL games, he’s contributed a goal and an assist while logging a minuscule 7:39 per game. His poor possession metrics (48.6 CF% at even strength, -6.6 CF% rel, 40.7 xGF%) haven’t given head coach Jared Bednar much motivation to play him more. He’s seen more action in the minors, where he has four goals and four assists for eight points in 17 games with the Eagles.

Major turnover is coming to Colorado’s bottom six, with Andrew Cogliano, Brandon Duhaime, Joel Kiviranta, Zach Parise, and Yakov Trenin all on expiring deals. Extending Wagner now is a good indication the Avs expect him to take on some of those minutes next season, even in a limited 13th/14th forward role. He’ll also compete for minutes with youngsters looking to break into full-time roles next season, like Jean-Luc Foudy and Nikolai Kovalenko. In 370 career games with the Avs, Bruins, Ducks, and Islanders, the 2010 fifth-round pick has 38 goals and 27 assists for 65 points with a -24 rating and 202 PIMs.

Avalanche Recall Chris Wagner On Emergency Loan

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The Colorado Avalanche have recalled forward Chris Wagner on an emergency loan (Twitter link). It’s Wagner’s third call-up to the Avalanche lineup since signing a one-year, two-way deal with the club this summer. He’s served as an NHL extra forward for much of the season, playing in nine NHL games and 17 AHL games – with nine points combined between the leagues.

This season has marked the most Wagner has played in the NHL since the 2020-21 campaign. He’s been a minor-league staple ever since, playing in 62 games in both the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons. And while he did manage a career-high 31 points in the minors last season, Wagner’s role has still come largely through bruising, with 124 penalty minutes across 141 AHL games over the last three seasons. That’s a role he’s carried to the NHL as well, recording his 200th NHL penalty minute with a Leap Day fight against Chicago’s Reese Johnson. Wagner managed the feat in just 369 career games, also adding 37 goals and 64 points in those appearances.

Colorado now brings Wagner back to the top level, adding depth in the wake of a lower-body injury to Valeri Nichushkin and an illness to Joel Kiviranta. Both players are listed as day-to-day and have missed multiple games. Nichushkin won’t immediately travel with Colorado on their upcoming three-game road trip, per NHL.com’s Ryan Boulding (Twitter link). Wagner’s recall could also spell bad news for defenseman Sean Walker, who is questionable for the team’s next game with an upper-body injury after leaving the team’s Saturday game early.

Avalanche Reassign Chris Wagner, Recall Fredrik Olofsson

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The Avalanche have assigned forward Chris Wagner to the AHL’s Colorado Eagles after he recovered from an undisclosed injury he sustained last week, per a team announcement. Winger Fredrik Olofsson was recalled to the Avalanche in a corresponding transaction, keeping Colorado’s active roster at 24 and their remaining LTIR salary pool at $2.1MM.

With today’s move, the Avs have used two of their four allotted post-deadline recalls. The first one was used on backup netminder Justus Annunen, who was briefly assigned to the Eagles on deadline day to make him eligible for the Calder Cup Playoffs.

Wagner, 32, has been limited to 20 combined NHL and AHL games this year after sustaining an Achilles injury during training camp. He returned to action with the Eagles in January, where he was solid with seven points in 11 games before earning a recall to the Avs in mid-February. Playing spot duty on the fourth line, the Massachusetts native posted an assist and a +2 rating in nine games while logging just 7:46 per game, a career low. Since he’s been rostered for 30 days and played less than 10 games since clearing waivers in January, he doesn’t need them again for today’s transaction.

The 27-year-old Olofsson gets another shot with the big club after they opted to waive him near the end of February. After acquiring his signing rights in a trade from the Stars last June, the Avs inked Olofsson to a one-year, two-way deal ($775K NHL/$300K AHL/$350K guarantee). He managed to stick on the roster out of camp and spent the first 60% of the season in a fourth-line role, recording career highs with three goals and nine points in 55 games while posting a -3 rating and averaging 9:53 per game. He played six games on his AHL assignment, recording three assists and a +5 rating. The native of Helsingborg, Sweden, will serve as Colorado’s 13th forward while Zach Parise is dealing with a knee injury and Logan O’Connor is done for the year after undergoing hip surgery.

Wagner, signed to a one-year, two-way deal, earns $375K in salary while on assignment to the AHL. He’ll be a UFA this summer, as will Olofsson.

Logan O’Connor To Undergo Hip Surgery, Out For Season

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Avalanche winger Logan O’Connor will undergo hip surgery this week and will not return this season, Ryan Boulding of NHL.com reports. O’Connor, who last played on March 4, has been dealing with the injury for most of the season, head coach Jared Bednar said.

Bednar issued multiple other injury updates Sunday, confirming that veteran winger Zach Parise is day-to-day with a lower-body injury and that Ross Colton, Jack Johnson and Artturi Lehkonen did not practice due to illness but will travel with the team on their upcoming four-game road trip. Depth center Chris Wagner, who sat out Friday’s game against the Wild with an upper-body injury, will be available on the trip if needed, Bednar said.

Before exiting the lineup last week, O’Connor missed a four-game stretch in February and a two-game stretch in November with a lower-body injury. Bednar’s comments imply that O’Connor sustained the initial injury as late as Nov. 20, the game immediately prior to his first absence of the season.

Despite the injury, O’Connor has managed the best season of his career and was a necessary stabilizing force with many Avalanche depth forwards either missing significant time or underperforming. He managed 13 goals, 12 assists and 25 points in 57 games, a career-best 0.44 points per game pace, although he’d failed to get on the scoresheet in his last seven games.

Aside from his point totals, O’Connor also recorded career-highs in ATOI (14:57) while putting up good even-strength possession stats (54.5 CF%, 54.3 xGF%) in shutdown usage. He was also a significant part of the Avs’ top-10 penalty kill, averaging 2:17 per game.

Luckily for Colorado, GM Chris MacFarland went big-game hunting at the trade deadline. Their acquisitions of Casey Mittelstadt and Sean Walker will draw the most attention, but a targeted move to snag Yakov Trenin from the Predators should help balance out O’Connor’s absence. The 27-year-old Trenin hasn’t scored at O’Connor’s rate this year, posting 14 points in 61 games, but he does have double-digit goal totals and is comfortable in defensive usage and penalty-kill scenarios. He’ll slot seamlessly into the third-line right wing O’Connor was projected to occupy behind Valeri Nichushkin and Mikko Rantanen down the stretch and in the postseason.

O’Connor is in the second season of a three-year, $3.15MM extension signed with the Avs in 2021 that began in the 2022-23 season. He costs $1.05MM against the cap, which the Avalanche could use to increase their financial flexibility down the stretch by placing him on LTIR, but are unlikely to do so with a $2.1MM cushion still remaining from Pavel Francouz’s and Gabriel Landeskog’s combined $9MM cap hits.

Avalanche Recall Chris Wagner With Logan O’Connor Questionable

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The Colorado Avalanche have recalled forward Chris Wagner. This recall marks a notable step forward in Wagner’s recovery from an Achille’s Tear before this season. The injury has limited him to just 11 AHL games this season, where he’s scored seven points. Wagner will now join the NHL roster to relieve Logan O’Connor, who is questionable to play in the team’s Sunday game against the Arizona Coyotes, per team head coach Jared Bednar. O’Connor is facing a lower-body injury that is expected to hold him out for the short term, though Bednar added that he doesn’t want to rush O’Connor back and risk turning a one-week injury into a longer-term one.

Wagner, 32, has served as a quaint, bottom-six centerman for much of his career, never scoring more than 20 points in a season but still managing 360 career NHL games. Wagner’s career year came in the 2018-19 season when he scored 12 goals and 19 points in 76 games with the Boston Bruins. Wagner would go on to spend the next four seasons in Boston, before signing a one-year, $775K contract with Colorado this summer.

Wagner’s minor league performances this season bring his career totals up to 92 goals and 171 points across 374 AHL games. It’s been a fruitful career for the former fifth-round pick, selected 122nd overall in the 2010 NHL Draft by the Anaheim Ducks. Wagner has become one of seven players to play in at least 300 NHL games after being selected in 2010’s fifth, sixth, or seventh round, joining the likes of Brendan Gallagher, Frederik Andersen, and John Klingberg.

Avalanche Recall Chris Wagner

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With Logan O’Connor dealing with a lower-body injury, the Avalanche have made a roster move to bring up some extra depth up front, announcing (Twitter link) that they’ve recalled forward Chris Wagner from AHL Colorado.

It hasn’t been a great season for the 32-year-old.  Wagner signed with Colorado with the hopes that he could battle for a spot on the fourth line with 360 career NHL appearances under his belt.  However, he then ruptured his Achilles tendon in training camp, putting an end to those hopes before he even had a chance to suit up for them in the preseason.

Wagner was cleared to return a little over a month ago, clearing waivers which resulted in him being assigned to the Eagles.  To his credit, he has been fairly productive over the last few weeks, notching three goals and four assists in 11 games.

Colorado had an open roster spot so no corresponding move needed to be made to bring Wagner up.  They’re now at the maximum 23-player roster with this transaction.

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