Defenseman Nikita Zadorov will be in the Avalanche lineup Monday against Toronto at Scotiabank Arena as the road trip continues.
The 6-foot-5, 230-pound Zadorov missed the past 10 games with a lower-body injury. He’ll replace Ryan Graves and be paired with Mark Barberio.
The GAME NOTES.
“My goal is to help my team win some hockey games, that's it," Zadorov told ColoradoAvalanche.com after the morning skate. “It's obviously exciting to get back on the ice and play hockey games. We're kind of in a slump right now, and we have to come together and get out of it.…
Yeah, kind of. The Avalanche lost the first three games of the five-game trip, have lost nine of their past 10 games (1-7-2) and are barely clinging to the first wild card playoff spot in the Western Conference.
Semyon Varlamov was first off the ice and is expected to start.
Defenseman Patrik Nemeth, who has been ill, took part in the morning skate but won't play.
"It just seems like it has been one hole or another that we're trying to fill," Gabriel Landeskog said. “Whether it has been the power play one night, penalty kill the other night, we haven't seemed to be able to put a game together and find ways to win.
“It's been frustrating, but we're still in a playoff spot. We got to make sure that we realize it's 'go time' right now and really start cranking it up here the last two games of the road trip."
Goalie Frederik Andersen will return to the Leafs net after missing eight games with a groin injury and the flu.
The projected lineup:
Gabriel Landeskog -- Nathan MacKinnon -- Mikko Rantanen Tyson Jost -- Alexander Kerfoot – J.T. Compher Matt Nieto -- Carl Soderberg – Matt Calvert Sven Andrighetto -- Sheldon Dries – Colin Wilson
Samuel Girard -- Erik Johnson Ian Cole -- Tyson Barrie Nikita Zadorov – Mark Barberio
Semyon Varlamov Philipp Grubauer