Colorado Avalanche News

Helm participated in another full practice on Monday, centering a line with Drew Miller and Mikael Samuelsson. “I need to string together a few of those before I feel like I, ready to play,” Helm said. “I’ve only played four periods in the last 18 months. This will give me some time to get a little bit of a training camp, I guess, give me an opportunity to get ready, get in some skates, do some stuff after.”

It sounds like MacKinnon will be available to make his NHL debut in the Avalanche season opener on October 2nd.

It has been a frustrating year for Helm who was only able to play in one game last season because of a back injury. He is now dealing with a groin injury along with the lingering back issue. Helm would be a welcomed sight in the Red Wings lineup, but at this time there is no timetable for his return.

MacKinnon, only 17, will report to Avs training camp and is a favourite to make the roster under his former QMJHL coach, Patrick Roy. Keeper leagues should jump all over the talented forward but as we've seen in recent seasons, overdrafting rookies in yearly leagues is unlikely to pay off.

The Wings have only 9 games left and he's not close to returning. Big loss for the Wings.

This is good news for Burns' owners because he is more valuable as a forward. He should continue to post great numbers up-front alongside Joe Thornton.

Burns has been great at forward having posted five goals and five assists in nine games.

I would expect Burns to move back to forward after Demers returns to the lineup. Burns has five goals and five assists in nine games as a forward, including goals in three straight games.

Said coach Mike Babcock: “I just saw all of the MRIs and all of that, and they were explaining it all to me, and it sounds like things are going in a positive direction for him. But, we’ve been hearing that for a long time. So when he starts practicing every day and has no side-effects, we’ll know something good’s happened.”

Landeskog was a late scratch Saturday with a torso injury.

Helm was expected to play this past Wednesday, but had a setback during practice Monday and there is no timetable for his return.

It looks like Helm won't be returning for a lengthy period of time. Every time he gets close, he has suffered a setback this season. The 26-year-old's back just will not cooperate the way he would like.

Helm is expected to return to the Red WIngs lineup on Wednesday, but the fact that he left practice early today is alarming. He is not a good fantasy option, but he is a key piece the Red Wings would like to have back.

You likely aren't using Helm in your fantasy league but Jimmy Howard owners may be happy to hear that one of the Wings' best checking forwards is close to returning.

He began the game on a third line with Scott Gomez and James Sheppard. After scoring McLellan gave Burns regular shifts on a line with Joe Thornton and Logan Couture as well as power play time on the blue line.

Helm has been dealing with a back injury all season but it appears as if he is getting closer to a return. Helm is more useful to a real hockey team than a fantasy team.

Yes you read that right, the Sharks are experimenting playing Burns at forward. This will certainly help Burns' fantasy value as he will likely get more scoring chances playing forward and he will still be able to be used as a defenceman. However he as had a hard time staying healthy so he is always an injury risk.

Burns has an undisclosed injury and won't be in the Sharks lineup for the next couple of games. Irwin will likely step into the lineup for Burns.

The often injured Burns left Saturday's game after only playing 2:07 and did not return. The injury is a lower-body injury and it is not known how much time he will miss. We do know he will not be in the lineup in the Sharks next two games. Burns has zero points and is a -5 in 6 games this season.

Early indications show Landeskog will play the wing alogside Stastny and Jones.