MacKinnon will play against the Panthers on Friday.
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Colorado Avalanche News
Goalie Start
Francouz will likely start Saturday in Tampa Bay.
MacKinnon (lower-body) will be a game-time decision on Friday.
MacKinnon is dealing with a lower-body injury and is questionable for Friday's game in Florida. If MacKinnon is unable to play, head coach Jared Bednar said that Nazem Kadri will move up and centre the first line and J.T. Compher will centre the second line.
Goalie Start
Blackwood will start Thursday vs. the Rangers.
Blackwood allowed three goals on 22 shots in the Devils’ 4-3 shootout loss to the Oilers last Thursday. Cory Schneider started the last two games but Blackwood will start tonight vs. the Rangers. Somehow the Rangers have only played in three games but their offence has been hot to start the season. This could be a high-scoring affair, making Blackwood a low-end starter on a nine-game slate.
Goalie Start
Francouz will start against the Coyotes on Saturday.
It will be the first start of Francouz's career, although he did make a pair of relief appearances last season, stopping 33 of the 35 shots he faced in those two games. He registered a 27-20-1 record with the AHL's Colorado Eagles last season, posting a 2.68 GAA and a .918 SV%. He's worth considering for a spot start against Arizona if you're desperate for goalie stats.
Goalie Start
Blackwood will start against the Oilers on Thursday.
Line Change
Kulak will be a healthy scratch on Wednesday.
Kadri (foot) missed Monday’s practice but should play on Tuesday.
Kadri took a shot off of his foot on Saturday and is sore, but head coach Jared Bednar expects him to play vs. the Bruins on Tuesday. Kadri is still searching for his first point with the Avalanche, but has four shots and has averaged 15:55 TOI/gm through two games.
Goalie Start
Blackwood will start Saturday in Buffalo.
Blackwood allowed two goals on nine shots in the Devils shootout loss to the Jets last night. Blackwood entered the game with a 4-2 lead after Cory Schneider got hurt and he continued to blow the Devils four-goal lead. Blackwood was solid last season, posting a .918 SV% 21 starts, so there’s no reason to panic after half of a game. He was 4-7-0 with a 3.02 GAA and .914 SV% on the road last year, so you have a right to be nervous tonight.
The Avalanche signed Vladislav Kamenev to a one-year extension worth $750K.
Kamenev only appeared in 25 combined games last year after suffering a shoulder injury in mid-December. Kamenev had just two goals and three assists (five points) in 23 games with the Avalanche and will likely start 2020 on their fourth line.
The Canadiens have signed Artturi Lehkonen to a two-year contract worth $4.8 million ($2.4M AAV).
The Lightning have signed Scott Wedgewood to a one-year, two way contract.
The Avalanche have acquired Nazem Kadri, Calle Rosen and a 2020 third-round pick from the Maple Leafs for Tyson Barrie, Alex Kerfoot and a 2020 sixth-round pick.
The Golden Knights acquired Nicolas Roy and 2021 conditional fifth-round pick from the Hurricanes for Erik Haula.
Roy was selected in the fourth-round (No.96 overall) in the 2015 NHL draft. Since then, Roy has appeared in just seven career NHL games but is coming off of a 17-goal, 19-assist (36 points) season with Charlotte (AHL). Roy will likely start in Chicago (AHL) given the depth of the Golden Knights lineup.
The Canadiens signed Brett Kulak to a three-year extension worth $5.55 million ($1.85M AAV).
In his first season with Montreal, Kulak split his season between the AHL and NHL. The 25-year-old had 11 points (3G / 8A) in 19 games with Laval before adding 17 points (6G / 11A) in 57 games with Montreal. Kulak figures to be a part of the Habs blueline plans to start the 2019-20 season.
The Avalanche signed Pavel Francouz to a one-year contract.
Francouz just finished his first full professional season in North America, going 27-20-1 with a 2.68 GAA and .918 SV% in 49 games with the Colorado Eagles (AHL). The 28-year-old Czech netminder also appeared in two games with the Avalanche, stopping 33 of the 35 shots (.943 SV%) he faced in 61 minutes of play. Francouz is expected to start the 2019-20 season with the Eagles.
The Islanders signed Brock Nelson to a six-year contract extension worth $36.0 million ($6.0M AAV).
Nelson is coming off of a career-year, having scored 25 goals and 28 assists (53 points) in 82 games. Nelson has been extremely durable, missing just two games over the last five seasons and figures to continue as the Islanders’ No.2 centre heading into the 2019-20 campaign.
Suspension
The NHL suspended Nazem Kadri for the rest of the first round for cross-checking Jake DeBrusk in Game 2.
This is a bizarre punishment that we have never seen before but Kadri has effectively been suspended for three-to-five games. William Nylander moved to centre in Game 3 with Kadri suspended and they will likely stick with the same lineup in Game 4 after winning 3-2 last night.
Line Change
Makar will make his NHL debut in Game 3.
Makar signed his entry-level contract on Sunday and will immediately draw into the Avalanche lineup in Game 3. Makar won the Hobey Baker Award and will be paired with Patrik Nemeth and quarterback the second power-play unit.
The Avalanche have signed Cale Makar to a three-year entry-level contract.
Makar was selected No.4 overall in 2017 and signs his entry-level contract after winning the Hobey Baker Award in his sophomore season at UMass-Amherst, where he had 16 goals and 33 assists (49 points) in 41 games. The Avalanche just tied the series up in Calgary and there's a chance that Makar could draw right into the lineup in Games 3 or 4.