The Avalanche big line, at least for now, is no more.
In an attempt to get the Avalanche back on the winning track – they’ve lost three games in a row and are 3-7-1 since that 9-0-2 run -- coach Jared Bednar shook up the lines at practice Friday and will use the new ones Saturday against Chicago at the Pepsi Center.
The line of Gabriel Landeskog, Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen has combined for 62 goals and 98 assists in 38 games, but hasn’t been as prolific lately and secondary scoring has been a problem for most of the season.
So …
Matt Nieto (four goals, nine assists) will replace Landeskog (24 goals, 19 assists), who is moving to the second line with Alexander Kerfoot and J.T. Compher.
“We’re flipping them around a little bit to see if we can spark a few guys,… Bednar said after an hour-long practice Friday. “We’ve done it a couple times in the middle of games and it’s paid off in our favor.
“We’ve talked to our top guys about it, they’re open to the change. We’re going to see what we can do, see if we can find another combination that works for our whole team.…
Was Landeskog surprised by the move?
“We’ve lost three in a row, so we’ve got to change something up,… he said. “Obviously, we had some chemistry with me, Mikko and Nate, but I’ve excited to play with Comph and Kerf, and I think Nietsy’s going to do great with Nate and Mikko.
“It’s very rare that a line stays together for 82 games, but I kind of figured you (media) guys would come in and get excited over this, but for us it’s just a part of the business. For me, it doesn’t really matter who I’m playing with. I’m just excited to get back out and get back on the winning side.…
Nieto, who had a career-high 15 goals last season, skated with MacKinnon and Rantanen in the third period in Arizona on Dec. 22.
“I like the way he skates, he plays the right way, his details are good, heads to the right areas of the ice,… Bednar said. “When he plays with top end players, he tends to make some plays. I think he has some finish there. I like his speed and pace that he plays at.…
No surprise that Nieto is excited about the opportunity.
“I got some shifts with them in Arizona,… he said. “I’m not the most skilled guy, but I think I have the ability to make plays and I can think the game at a high pace, so I’m just going to try and make the most of it.…
Sheldon Dries will replace Nieto on the third line with Carl Soderberg and Matt Calvert. Tyson Jost, who has gone 14 games without a goal, will center the fourth line with Sven Andrighetto and Gabriel Bourque.
Semyon Varlamov will start in goal as the Avalanche open an important four-game homestand.
“For us right now, especially with what we’re going through, we’ve got to take it one game at a time, one shift at a time,… Bednar said. “I know that’s a cliche, but that’s the truth. That’s where we’re at.
“We’ve got to dig in and concern ourselves with tomorrow night’s game. We can’t look any more past that.…
Defensemen Mark Barberio (upper body injury) and Nikita Zadorov (lower body injury) remain out, along with forwards Vladislav Kamenev and Colin Wilson, both with shoulder injuries.