Often-injured Avalanche Matt Calvert taking preventative measures; Philipp Grubauer named No. 1 goalie; taxi squad identified
As a professional athlete, Matt Calvert is a pro about feeling helpless. For the second consecutive year, the Avalanche forward finished last season on the injured list and watched his team lose Game 7 of a Western Conference semifinal series in street clothes.
“You watch your team, they’re battling so hard, you’re so close to the next (series), and you’re sitting there doing nothing,” Calvert said on a video conference call Sunday.
It’s tough to win the big game without your toughest player, and Calvert is undoubtedly that for the Avs. The depth forward can contribute on any line and is a primary penalty killer who isn’t afraid of fighting anyone. But he couldn’t stay healthy last season, missing the last 13 games of what became a shortened regular season and all seven games in the conference semifinal series against Dallas. He also missed seven games early in the season with a head injury from blocking a shot.
Since that Game 7 defeat on Sept. 4 in Edmonton, Calvert has worked on preventative measures.
“It’s something I’ve really focused on. I stayed in Denver all off-season and did everything possible to have my body ready for camp and improving any area I could,” he said. “Because that’s obviously a thing — if you can’t stay healthy you can’t help your team, and it’s not a great feeling. So definitely a focus of mine this year to put in extra work in doing the little things and still play the way I do.”
Calvert is again playing at even-strength on the fourth line with center Pierre-Edouard Bellemare. The other winger will be Tyson Jost or Logan O’Connor, who are replacing Matt Nieto, who signed with San Jose as a free agent.
EJ still absent. The Avalanche practiced and scrimmaged Sunday and veteran defenseman Erik Johnson was still barred from Family Sports Center for being “unfit” — likely because of COVID-19 protocol. The Avs will take Monday off and it’s becoming unlikely Johnson will be a candidate to play in Wednesday opener against St. Louis at Ball Arena.
Rookie Conor Timmins, 22, has replaced Johnson on the second pairing with Sam Girard and coach Jared Bednar raved about Timmins after Saturday’s scrimmage. But the Avs will miss Johnson as an alternate captain and primary penalty killer. Timmins probably won’t be put into a penalty-killing role.
Grubauer No. 1. Bednar named Philipp Grubauer his No. 1 goalie and opening-night starter despite Grubauer missing the first three days of training camp because of COVID protocol. Barring injuries, Bednar expects Grubauer to start at least 60% of the games on the 56-game schedule.
“I think it’s got to be a 60-40, 65-35 split for Gruby. I view Gruby as our starter,” Bednar said.
Taxi squad. The Avalanche’s probable taxi squad was identified Sunday after the team trimmed its roster to 29 players by reassigning 11 players to the Colorado Eagles of the American Hockey League. Forwards Shane Bowers, Martin Kaut and Kiefer Sherwood remain with the Avs as likely taxi-squad players, along with defensemen Dennis Gilbert and goalie Hunter Miska. The taxi squad can have a maximum of six players and it must include a goalie.
The players sent to the Eagles are forwards Sheldon Dries, Nick Henry, Jayson Megna, Mikka Salomaki, T.J. Tynan and Mike Vecchione; defensemen Kyle Burroughs, Jacob MacDonald, Dan Renouf, and Peter Tischke; and goalie Adam Werner. The Eagles are set to begin the season Feb. 5.
Footnotes. Defenseman Keaton Middleton remains on Colorado’s roster but he is injured. He likely will be reassigned or placed on injured reserve in the coming days. … The Avs donned burgundy breezers (pants) and gloves Sunday in what might go with the new Nordiques reverse-retro jerseys that previously were unveiled and are sold in stores. The Avs also have two sets of blue breezers and gloves that also replace the traditional black.