Avalanche News

WESTERN CENTRAL

Samuel Girard • D • Avalanche

Samuel Girard Ready To Return Against Red Wings

Colorado Avalanche defenseman Samuel Girard (lower body) will rejoin the action on Tuesday against the Detroit Red Wings. He has been out of action for a couple of games due to a lower-body injury. Girard will be Erik Johnson's (lower body) replacement on the third defensive pairing. The 26-year-old may also eat up some power-play time. With a couple of weeks still left to play in the 2024-25 regular season, Girard has already surpassed his scoring total from last year, notching 22 points (three goals, 19 assists) in 66 games. He has taken 83 shots on goal and blocked 94 attempts from the opponents.

5 hours ago

Samuel Girard • D • Avalanche

Samuel Girard Misses Second Consecutive Game

Colorado Avalanche defenseman Samuel Girard (lower body) will be absent for a second consecutive game on Saturday against the Montreal Canadiens. A lower-body injury has taken Girard out of the lineup, though he is expected to make a quick return, as the team considers him day-to-day. Keaton Middleton has hopped into the lineup as Girard's replacement. He is not a recommended fantasy target due to his offensive shortcomings. In 30 appearances this season, Middleton has recorded just two assists, and he hasn't yet found the back of the net a single time in 33 career NHL games.

3 days ago

Mackenzie Blackwood • G • Avalanche

Mackenzie Blackwood Expected To Face Maple Leafs

Colorado Avalanche goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood is expected to be in the crease for Wednesday's big clash against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Scott Wedgewood has impressed with four consecutive wins, but the Avalanche go back to Blackwood on Wednesday, who had his own four-game winning run end with a 2-1 shootout defeat against the Minnesota Wild a week ago. This was only his third loss since the start of February. Blackwood has had a great time with the Avalanche, posting an 18-7-3 record with two shutouts. He holds a .919 save percentage and has allowed 2.17 goals. Beating the Maple Leafs at their places is never easy, but the bookmakers expect Blackwood to collect the victory on Wednesday, listing Colorado as a -133 favorite.

6 days ago

Josh Manson • D • Avalanche

Josh Manson Expected To Miss At Least Three Weeks

Colorado Avalanche defenseman Josh Manson (upper body) is expected to miss 3-4 weeks due to an upper-body injury. Manson sustained this injury during Friday's contest against the Calgary Flames. Manson already missed their previous game on Sunday and could be in danger of missing the remainder of the regular season. With Manson sidelined, Erik Johnson should continue to have a consistent role in the bottom defensive pairing. Manson tallied two helpers over his last five contests with 11 hits and five blocked shots. Through 48 games this season, the 33-year-old has found the back of the net once and added 14 helpers. While Manson does not carry much scoring upside, he carries value in category leagues as he has tallied 109 hits with 59 blocked shots.

6 days ago

Cale Makar • D • Avalanche

Cale Makar Tallies Three Points On Sunday

Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar tallied three points during their overtime victory over the Dallas Stars on Sunday evening. Makar would tally his first point with a primary assist on Martin Necas' power-play goal in the opening frame. In the second, Makar would dish out his second helper, this time the secondary assist on Valeri Nichushkin's strike. In overtime, Makar would power Colorado to the victory as he found the back of the net on a wrist shot. This outing snapped his brief three-game skid. Before this skid, Makar tallied 17 points (nine goals) over his last nine games. Through 68 total games this season, the 26-year-old has found the back of the net 25 times and added 53 helpers. Makar has tallied 31 of his points on the power play. He remains a must-start player in all leagues and a strong lineup anchor in DFS.

Mar 17

Josh Manson • D • Avalanche

Josh Manson Exits On Friday

Colorado Avalanche defenseman Josh Manson (upper body) exited Friday's contest against the Calgary Flames on Friday evening. Manson logged just under nine minutes of ice time before exiting the contest. He tallied three shots on goal and three hits but did not get on the scoresheet. Fantasy managers should monitor his status leading up to their next game on Sunday afternoon against the Dallas Stars. If Manson were to sit out of this game, fantasy managers should expect Sam Malinski to enter the starting lineup. Before Friday, Manson tallied two points (both helpers) over his last four contests. Through 48 contests, Manson has tallied 15 points and logged 109 hits and 59 blocked shots with a -6 rating.

Mar 15

Mackenzie Blackwood • G • Avalanche

Mackenzie Blackwood Battling Illness, Not Starting On Friday

Colorado Avalanche goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood (illness) is battling an illness and will not start on Friday evening when the Avalanche face the Calgary Flames. As a result, Scott Wedgewood will get the starting nod. Blackwood has performed very well over his previous five outings. During this stretch, he has held a 4-0-1 record with a 2.17 GAA with a .909 save percentage. Before this stretch, he held a similar 2.41 GAA with a .913 save percentage over his last eight contests. Fantasy managers should monitor his status but he should be in position to return to the lineup on Sunday when the Avalanche face the Dallas Stars. Wedgewood enters Friday's game with a two-game win streak. Over his last three, he has held a stellar 1.01 GAA with a .957 save percentage and should be viewed as a top play in DFS competitions.

Mar 14

Nathan MacKinnon • C • Avalanche

Nathan MacKinnon Tallies Point No. 1,000 On Monday

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon tallied his 1,000 career point during their victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Monday evening. MacKinnon would hit this milestone in the third period when he tallied the secondary assist on Artturi Lehkonen's 27th goal of the season. Later in the period, MacKinnon added the primary assist on Martin Necas' strike. This outing extended his point streak to six contests. During this span, MacKinnon tallied at least two points in all but one contest. Through these six games, he has scored six goals while adding nine helpers. Through 65 total games this season, the 29-year-old sits at the top of the league with 102 points. He has found the back of the net 27 times and added 75 assists. He remains a must-start player in all formats and a top lineup anchor in all DFS matchups.

Mar 11

Scott Wedgewood • G • Avalanche

Scott Wedgewood Shuts The Door On Monday

Colorado Avalanche goaltender Scott Wedgewood stopped all 20 shots he faced en route to posting a shutout victory against the Chicago Blackhawks on Monday evening. The shot total was quite even throughout the contest but Wedgewood was able to step up when called on. This outing extended his current win streak to two games. Even though Wedgewood does not see consistent time in the net, he has been a steady No. 2 option when called on. Over his previous five starts, Wedgewood has held a 3-2 record with a 1.62 GAA and a .929 save percentage. Through 17 total contests, the 32-year-old has posted an 8-6-1 record with a .908 save percentage and a 2.49 GAA. Fantasy managers should expect Mackenzie Blackwood to get the starting nod against the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday evening.

Mar 11

Valeri Nichushkin • RW • Avalanche

Valeri Nichushkin Leads The Way On Saturday

Colorado Avalanche left wing Valeri Nichushkin scored a hat trick during their victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday evening. In the opening frame, Nichushkin found the back of the net twice, both during even strength play. Later in the final frame, Nichushkin would complete his hat trick as he scored an empty-netter. In the final minute, Nichushkin would add his fourth point of the evening, this time with the primary assist on Colorado's second empty-net goal. This was his first career regular season hat trick and only the second time he found the back of the net twice in a single game this season. Over his previous six contests, Nichushkin has tallied six points (four goals) with two of the points coming on the power-play. Fantasy managers should continue to view Nichushkin as a viable play in favorable matchups in DFS as he will continue to see time in the Colorado top-six.

Mar 9

Charlie Coyle • C • Avalanche

Charlie Coyle Shipped To Colorado

The Colorado Avalanche picked up forward Charlie Coyle in a trade with the Boston Bruins on Friday. The Bruins traded Coyle along with a 2026 fifth-round pick for forward Casey Mittelstadt, forward prospect Will Zellers, and a conditional 2025 second-round selection. Coyle, who had a career year in Boston last season with 60 points, has totaled 15 goals and 22 points in 64 games during the current campaign. He has been part of the top-six group with the Bruins but will likely have to settle for a third-line role in Denver, which will have a negative impact on Coyle's fantasy value.

Mar 7

Cale Makar • D • Avalanche

Cale Makar Has Career Game On Thursday

Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar tallied an impressive six points during their 7-3 victory over the San Jose Sharks on Thursday evening. Makar began the evening by tallying two points in the opening frame. He first tallied the primary helper on Joel Kirviranta's shorthanded goal and then would add a power-play goal. In the second, he would add two more primary assists, with one of them coming on the power-play. In the third period, Makar would find the back of the net for a second time and add an additional secondary assist during 5-on-5 play. This outing extended his point streak to five games. Over his last eight contests, Makar has scored five goals and added an impressive 11 helpers. He remains a must-start defenseman in all formats and top play in DFS.

Mar 7

Brock Nelson • C • Avalanche

Brock Nelson Traded To Colorado

The New York Islanders have traded center Brock Nelson to the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for Calum Ritchie, Oliver Kylington, a conditional 2028 third round pick, and a conditional first round selection. The Islanders also received 23-year-old William Dufour. Nelson has spent his entire NHL career playing with the New York Islanders. He was drafted by them with the 30th pick in the 2010 NHL Draft. Over the past three seasons, Nelson has found the back of the net at least 34 times and tallied at least 59 points. This season, through 61 games, Nelson has found the back of the net just 20 times and added 23 helpers. He has logged 162 shots on goal with 26 hits and 36 blocked shots. Fantasy managers should expect Nelson to have a role on Colorado's second offensive line alongside Jonathan Drouin and Valeri Nichushkin. In New York, Bo Horvat will operate as the top center while Jean-Gabriel Pageau will move to the second line.

Mar 7

Mackenzie Blackwood • G • Avalanche

Mackenzie Blackwood Facing Former Team On Thursday

Colorado Avalanche goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood will take the starter's crease on Thursday evening against his former club, the San Jose Sharks. The Sharks traded Blackwood earlier this season and the 28-year-old has been one of the best netminders in the sport since moving to Colorado. He is currently riding a two-game winning streak into Thursday's tilt. Over his past eight games, the 28-year-old has held a stellar 6-2 record with a 1.77 GAA and a .929 save percentage. During this span, he posted two shutouts and only allowed more than two goals in two of these starts. Through 44 total games, Blackwood has held a 22-16-5 record with a .916 save percentage with a 2.49 GAA. Fantasy managers should view Blackwood as a must-start goaltender moving forward and a top option in DFS facing the San Jose Sharks.

Mar 6

Josh Manson • D • Avalanche

Josh Manson Returning On Thursday

Colorado Avalanche defenseman Josh Manson (lower body) is set to return to the starting lineup on Thursday evening against the San Jose Sharks. Manson has been sidelined for the past seven contests with this injury. As a result, Oliver Kylington will likely move out of the starting lineup. Fantasy managers should expect Manson to return to his typical spot on the second defensive pairing alongside Samuel Girard. Through 43 contests this season, the 33-year-old has found the back of the net once and added 12 helpers. However, he has been a viable fantasy asset in deeper formats that rewards hits and blocks as he logged 94 hits (2.2 per game) and 54 blocked shots (1.3 per game). Given his lack of offensive production, he should only be targeted in deeper category leagues.

Mar 6

Martin Necas • C • Avalanche

Martin Necas Playing Through Illness

Colorado Avalanche right wing Martin Necas (illness) played through nausea during Tuesday's victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Necas logged just two shifts over the final 14 minutes of the contest. He logged two shots on goal and did not get on the scoresheet. Fantasy managers should continue to keep an eye on his status leading up to their next contest on Thursday evening against the San Jose Sharks as he could be in danger of missing this game. Prior to Tuesday's contest, Necas tallied eight points (three goals, five helpers) over his last six contests. Through 62 total games this season split between time in Carolina and Colorado, Necas has found the back of the net 20 times and added 48 helpers. If the 26-year-old were to sit out on Thursday, Valeri Nichushkin would likely move up to the top line.

Mar 5

Mackenzie Blackwood • G • Avalanche

Mackenzie Blackwood Stands Tall In Victory

Colorado Avalanche goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood stopped 32 of the 33 shots he faced en route to defeating the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday evening. The Penguins dominated the shot total but Blackwood was able to lead the way. His lone mistake came in the second frame when Pittsburgh left wing Rickard Rakell found the back of the net for his 29th goal of the season. This outing extended his winning streak to two games. Over his previous eight contests, the 28-year-old has held a 6-2 record with a stellar .929 save percentage with a 1.77 GAA. During this stretch, he posted two shutouts and only allowed three or more goals twice. Blackwood remains a must-start option in all fantasy formats given his current play. He will be a popular play in DFS on Thursday evening when the Avalanche host the San Jose Sharks.

Mar 5

Gabriel Landeskog • LW • Avalanche

Gabriel Landeskog Not Expected To Return During The Regular Season

Colorado Avalanche left wing Gabriel Landeskog (knee) is not expected to rejoin the lineup before the end of the 2024-25 regular season. On Monday, Avalanche general manager Chris MacFarland said there is "a chance" Landeskog could return in the playoffs, but this isn't guaranteed either. Landeskog has not seen any action with the Avalanche since lifting the Stanley Cup in June 2022. Although there was optimism for his return during the 2024 offseason, it remains uncertain whether he will ever be able to resume his career. The Swedish forward turned 32 in November and will still have four more years remaining on his $56 million contract after this season.

Mar 3

Ryan Lindgren • D • Avalanche

Ryan Lindgren Traded To Colorado

The Colorado Avalanche have added defenseman Ryan Lindgren for their blue line in a trade with the New York Rangers. Veteran forward Jimmy Vesey also moved to Denver as part of the deal, while forward Juuso Parssinen, defenseman Calvin de Haan, and two draft picks were sent in the opposite direction. Lindgren has spent his entire NHL career with the Rangers, tallying 99 points (12 goals, 87 assists) over 387 games, along with 567 blocks and 573 hits. He is having a career year offensively, recording 19 points (two goals, 17 assists) in 54 games. With more offensive talent surrounding him, Lindgren may even slightly boost his productivity further with the Avalanche.

Mar 1

Mackenzie Blackwood • G • Avalanche

Mackenzie Blackwood Earns Victory On Friday

Colorado Avalanche goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood earned his second-straight victory on Friday evening over the Minnesota Wild. Blackwood stopped 18 of the 20 shots he saw in this contest. The Avalanche dominated the shot total but Blackwood performed well when called on. He allowed both of his goals in the opening frame, one of which was on the power-play to Vinnie Hinostroza. Over the final two frames, he stopped 10 shots he saw. Over his last two outings, the 28-year-old has held a .930 save percentage with a 1.50 GAA. Throughout February, Blackwood has held a strong 6-2 record with a .929 save percentage and a 1.77 GAA. During this stretch, he has posted two shutouts. He will look to stay hot on Tuesday against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Mar 1

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