Three significant reinforcements could be on the way as early as Friday.
Coach Jared Bednar said Tuesday that goalie Philipp Grubauer and forwards Mikko Rantanen and Joonas Donskoi, who have been removed from the NHL COVID-19 protocol list, might play when the Avalanche face the San Jose Sharks at Ball Arena.
“I think all three of those guys are a possibility for Friday, which would be great,… Bednar said after an optional practice at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, where the Avalanche play the Vegas Golden Knights on Wednesday.
Grubauer and Donskoi were on the protocol list after testing positive and Rantanen for contact tracing.
The Avalanche’s season was paused April 16-20 and three games were postponed because of COVID.
They won their first two games without Grubauer with Devan Dubnyk in goal, which included a 4-2 win against the St. Louis Blues on April 22 that clinched a Stanley Cup playoff berth.
But they lost the last two games of a three-game set against the Blues, 5-3 on Saturday with Dubnyk in goal and 4-1 on Monday with Jonas Johansson in net.
The Avalanche (31-11-4) are second in the West Division, four points behind Vegas (34-11-2) and one point in front of the Minnesota Wild (31-13-3) with one game in hand on both. All three have clinched playoff berths.
Grubauer and Rantanen were on the ice for the first time Tuesday; Bednar said Donskoi will skate for the first time Thursday.
Grubauer has gone 25-8-1 in 34 games with a 2.00 goals-against average, .920 save percentage and five shutouts.
“Trying to build him back up to be able to be the starter for us, hopefully Friday,… Bednar said. “He’s on the ice today for the first time. He’s been in the building with us for three or four days working out and working on his conditioning, strengthening of his groins and abdomen and everything he needs to do.
“He was doing a little bit of that on his own. He’s feeling really good. I don’t want to rush him back. He’s not going to play for us tomorrow after one skate and a pregame skate, but if he feels good for Friday, then he’s a possibility.…
Rantanen has 52 points (26 goals, 26 assists) in 43 games.
“Mikko’s on the ice too and getting ready to play,… Bednar said. “He wasn’t feeling great even though he did not have COVID. He wasn’t feeling great, he was under the weather, so he was sort of laid up for a little bit and now he’s feeling good, so he’ll gear up for as soon as we can get him back. I’m hoping that’s Friday.…
Donskoi has 28 points (15 goals, 13 assists) in 42 games.
“Donskoi (has) a little bit later timeline, but he has been feeling good, doing some work on his own and going through the cardiac testing. He’ll get on the ice Thursday.…
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The Avalanche announced Tuesday they’ve signed defenseman Justin Barron to a three-year, entry-level contract.
Barron, 19, was the Avalanche’s first-round pick (No. 25) in the 2020 NHL draft.
The 6-foot-2, 195-pound Barron, who is from Halifax, Nova Scotia, was captain of the Halifax Mooseheads of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League this season and had 31 points (eight goals, 23 assists) in 33 games.
Barron had two assists in seven games for silver medal-winning Team Canada in the 2021 World Junior Championship tournament.
Barron had 19 points (four goals, 15 assists) in 34 games in 2019-20 when he missed some time after being diagnosed with a blood clot.
Barron totaled 112 points (23 goals, 89 assists) in 186 career regular-season games, all with Halifax. He had 16 points (two goals, 14 assists) in 32 career postseason games.