Colorado Avalanche News

Toews was a surprise scratch on Monday, with his absence not being announced prior to warmups. Oliver Kylington will draw into the lineup in his place.

Vincent Desharnais will be a healthy scratch on Friday, allowing Juulsen to draw into the lineup for his season debut. The 27-year-old Juulsen played 54 games for the Canucks last season, tallying seven points (1G / 6A), 85 blocks, and 164 hits.

With starting netminder Juuse Saros temporarily sidelined due to a lower-body injury, Wedgewood will make his Predators debut in a matchup against his former club, the Dallas Stars. Wedgewood was a steadying force as the backup goalie for the Stars for three seasons, posting a reliable 2.83 GAA and .907 SV% in 61 appearances (28-16-11). The vastly improved Predators enter action as +109 home underdogs against a Dallas Stars club they are expected to battle with for supremacy in the Central Division this season.

Head Coach Andrew Brunette stated the team has not decided on a starter due to injuries but with starting netminder Juuse Saros temporarily sidelined due to a lower-body injury, Wedgewood looks likely to make his Predators debut in a matchup against his former club, the Dallas Stars. Wedgewood was a steadying force as the backup goalie for the Stars for three seasons, posting a reliable 2.83 GAA and .907 SV% in 61 appearances (28-16-11). The vastly improved Predators enter action as +109 home underdogs against a Dallas Stars club they are expected to battle with for supremacy in the Central Division this season.

Yaroslav Askarov missed the entirety of training camp so he will begin the season with the San Jose Baracuda (AHL), leaving Blackwood and Vitek Vanecek to duel it out for the Sharks crease. Blackwood was serviceable last season, especially considering the Sharks ranked 31st offensively with 181 goals, posting a 3.45 GAA and .899 SV% in 44 games (10-25-4). After finishing dead last in the NHL last season, the Sharks should improve this season but still enter their opening night matchup as +140 home underdogs against the St. Louis Blues.

Lehkonen has a check-in at the end of the month on the same shoulder he had surgery on in May and is not expected to return to the Avalanche until after the check-up is complete. The 29-year-old should find himself back in his top-six role when able to return and will hope to produce as efficiently as he did in 2023-24, with 16 goals and 34 points in 45 injury-plagued games played.

L’Heureux made a strong push to make the Predators roster out of training camp but their depth pushed him back to the AHL to start the season. The 21-year-old winger had 48 points (19G / 29A) and 197 PIMS in 66 AHL games a season ago.

Lysell was "cut" from training camp on September 29th but GM Don Sweeney made it clear that day that Lysell could be called back up for Thursday or Saturday's preseason game. Lysell was first round pick in 2021 but has yet to appear in an NHL game. The 21-year-old had 50 points (15G / 35A) in 56 AHL games last year and should be in the mix for a middle-6 role in Boston this season.

Brindley was expected to compete for one of Columbus' final roster spots heading into the regular season but has faced a setback after breaking his finger and will be placed on injured reserve with a return time of four to six weeks. The 19-year-old right-winger was Columbus' 2023 2nd round pick (34th overall) who is coming off 25 goals, and 53 points in 40 games at the University of Michigan (NCAA) in 2023-24.

Lehkonen is expected to miss the start of the regular season due to offseason shoulder surgery. According to head coach Jared Bednar, they are trying to give him as long as they can without contact, but once he's cleared it won't be long before he returns to the lineup. With Lehkonen and Valeri Nichushkin both expected to miss the start of the season, newcomers Calum Ritchie and Nikolai Kovalenko could get a look in the Avalanche top-6 early on.

Lehkonen underwent shoulder surgery in the offseason and will not be a full participant in Avalanche training camp. At this point, there's no firm timeline for his return to the Avalanche lineup. Lehkonen should be a back of your roster IR stash in Fantasy Drafts this fall.

Necas was an RFA whose name was at the top of the trade rumours all offseason, but he signs a two-year deal to stay in Carolina through the 2026 season. The 25-year-old winger saw his production take a step back last season, as he went from 71 points (28G / 43A) in 2023 to 53 points (24G / 29A) in 2024. With Jake Guentzel and Teuvo Teravainen not returning to Carolina this summer, it opens up plenty of ice-time and opportunity for Necas to take advantage of in 2025.

Beckman's rights were acquired from the Wild in late June and he signs a one-year, two-way deal with the Devils. The 23-year-old spent most of 2024 in the AHL, where he had 33 points (19G / 14A) in 51 games with the Iowa Wild. During his 11-game stint with Minnesota, Beckman had two assists, 10 SOG, 13 hits and three blocked shots.

Aarnodt will return to Colorado for a third season after he signed a one-year, two-way contract extension on Tuesday. The 26-year-old undrafted defenseman joined Colorado from Minnesota State University (Mankato) in 2021-22 and had six goals and 14 points in 60 games played in 2023-24 with the Eagles (AHL).

Nashville added to its offensive depth on Tuesday by adding nine-year veteran Vinnie Hinostroza to the Predators on a two-year, two-way contract. The 30-year-old appeared in 14 games with Pittsburgh in 2023-24 and had a goal and three points. Nashville will be his sixth NHL team as he looks to add to his 54 goals and 151 points in 374 career NHL games played.