Coach Patrick Roy plans to put Stefan Elliott in the lineup at some point, but it won't be Friday when the defenseman turns 24 and the Avalanche play Nashville at the Pepsi Center.
Elliott arrived in Denver on Wednesday night following his call-up from Lake Erie in the AHL and practiced with the Avalanche for the first time Thursday while getting readjusted to the mile-high altitude.
"A little heavy breathing at the start," said Elliott, who hadn't had a real practice in several days, having played Monday in the AHL All-Star Game. "A lot of skating, but once you get used to it, it's good."
For now, he's the seventh defenseman, the same role Zach Redmond has had for much of the season. Redmond played in the past two games after sitting out 11 as a healthy scratch and will be paired again Friday against the Predators with Jan Hejda, filling the role of injured Erik Johnson.
Redmond logged 22:31 in ice time Tuesday in Nashville, had five shots, one assist and was a plus-1. He has four goals, seven assists and a plus-5 rating in 27 games.
"He is bringing some offense," Roy said. "He has the ability to move the puck up, he skates well and offensively he's always a threat. Defensively I really think his game is much better than it was early in the season."
After sitting out 11 of the Avalanche's first 14 games, Redmond played in 22 games in a row -- 16 when Brad Stuart was out with a hamstring injury and six when defenseman Nick Holden was scratched or used as a fourth-line forward. Redmond returned to the lineup Jan. 21 against Boston as a seventh defenseman when the Avalanche wasn't certain about Johnson's knee.
"He knew the role when he started, he knew he was No. 7 and he took advantage of Nick Holden's slow start," Roy said. "Now Nick started playing better and now (Redmond) is having an opportunity to play with EJ out. I thought he had a great game against Nashville."
Redmond, who signed as a free agent last July, is happy with the chance to play again but is taking his situation day by day.
"I just plan on doing what they brought me in for, to try and follow up on last game and be consistent," he said. "I try and play a good two-way game so that I can be relied upon defensively. I don't try and force the offense, but I definitely look for chances to jump up and get shots on net and try and create that way.
"I think last game I was doing some good things. I felt they could trust me defensively and put me out there to create some offense towards the end. For me, that's what I'm looking to do, be trusted all over the ice, make sure they know I'm doing exactly what they want. I think I did that."
Elliott, a second-round pick (49th overall) in the 2009 NHL draft, has never lived up to expectations in his frequent call-ups from Lake Erie. His best showing with the Avalanche came in 2011-12 when he played in 39 games and had four goals and nine assists. He played in one game with Colorado last season, the regular-season finale against Anaheim, and scored a goal.
"He will play," Roy said of Elliott, who had 12 goals and 14 assists in 40 games with the Monsters. "He's having a real good year down there, down in Cleveland, and he certainly deserves to play. (Coach) Dean (Chynoweth) is very happy with him and we're very happy as an organization with him and we like his attitude. He will play."
Elliott just wants the opportunity to prove that he can play at this level on a consistent basis, not an easy goal to reach as an extra defenseman.
"I'm happy to be here, happy with the call-up, and I'm looking to prove myself as a player," he said. "I think I've improved this year and I'm having the best year of my career and want to keep it going. It was a great honor to be named to the All-Star Game and it was a great experience for me. I just tried to soak it all in and enjoy it.
"I'm just taking it day by day, being ready to show up every day and do whatever they ask of me."