Goalie
Semyon Varlamov, center
Nathan MacKinnon and defenseman
Erik Johnson will make their preseason debuts Friday when the Avalanche take on Los Angeles at the Pepsi Center.
Here's the
AVALANCHE, KINGS roster for the game.
The Avalanche won their first two games, 4-1 in Minnesota on Tuesday and 4-2 against Dallas on Wednesday, but first-year coach
Jared Bednar is more concerned about evaluating players to see what he has while implementing his new systems.
"Exhibition is really for evaluation," he said. "We have a lot of players here that I'm trying to get to know, for us to evaluate, what their strengths are, weaknesses, where they fit in with this group this year, not with what they did years past or last year or where they were before.
"We have new players, new coaches. It's something for me like ice time, positions ... if you're going to be the team you want to be, there has to be an internal push for ice time, and that's what we're evaluating. Eventually things will settle out for us.
"It doesn't mean guys don't get elevated and kind of juggled around a little bit on a daily basis, but you want to settle out so guys know where they're at and what kind of minutes they're playing every night."
Center
Matt Duchene is expected to begin practicing with the Avalanche in a couple of days after playing for World Cup of Hockey champion Team Canada. Colorado will have a day off Saturday and resume practicing Sunday.
*****
Rocco Grimaldi, who was acquired from Florida in the
Reto Berra trade, was one of four players assigned to San Antonio of the AHL on Friday.
Defensemen
Sergei Boikov and
Cody Corbett also were assigned to the Rampage, along with right wing
Cole Sanford. Center
Julien Nantel (foot injury) will report there for rehab.
Colorado Avalanche Blogger •Avalanche Insider • 
Join the Discussion:
»