Writing with a heavy heart today. I skipped the past couple of practices because we had the difficult task of saying goodbye to our precious cat Sebastien, who adopted us in 1998. What a wonderful family member.
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Calvin Pickard, who is competing with Reto Berra for the Avalanche's backup goalie position, will start Tuesday night in Calgary.
Berra stopped 24 of 25 shots last Thursday in a 1-0 loss to the Flames, so Pickard will need to play really well. Frankly, I'm not convinced it will be enough. He's been practicing but hasn't played in a game situation since Sept. 20 when he turned aside 16 of 17 shots in 1 1-2 periods in the Burgundy and White game.
Pickard proved to himself, as well as to Avalanche management, that's he's more than capable of handling NHL duties last season when he went 6-7-3 with a 2.35 goals-against average and .932 save percentage after being recalled five times from Lake Erie in the AHL. He went 23-17-9 in 50 games with the Monsters with a 2.61 average and .917 save percentage.
"I always felt I was capable of playing here," Pickard told me last week. "I wasn't ready when I was 18, 19 or even 20, but playing a lot of games in the minors in a lot of different situations definitely helped me to get to this point.
"There's no question there's a competition going on for the backup spot. We both want it. All I can focus on is myself and not worry about what else is going on and take care of me and put my best foot forward.
"I definitely want to stick up here. That's my main goal, but all I can do is focus on what I do on the ice and leave the rest to the guys upstairs."
But Berra has two years left on a one-way contract at $1.45 million this season and $1.5 million next year (salary cap hit is $1.45 million). Pickard has a two-way contract that would pay $850,500 in the NHL and $67,500 in the minors (now the AHL's San Antonio Rampage); Pickard can be assigned there without having to clear waivers.
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Jarome Iginla, Dennis Everberg, Jack Skille and Andrej Meszaros are said to be day to day with minor injuries. Meszaros, on a pro tryout contract, has a groin injury. Iginla, Everberg and Skille have hip injuries, though coach Patrick Roy said after Sunday's game against Los Angeles that Skille hurt his ankle against the Kings.
Jesse Winchester is experiencing concussion symptoms again after missing all last season with the problem and is sidelined indefinitely. He said he felt fine while practicing before playing in a Sept. 19 scrimmage and hasn't been on the ice since.
The Avalanche signed forward Curtis Glencross on Monday to a professional tryout contract and the Denver Post reported he'll play Tuesday. Toronto released Glencross, 32, from a similar contract. He had 13 goals and 22 assists in 71 games last season with Calgary and Washington. He has 134 goals and 141 assists in 507 NHL games over nine seasons.
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Jonas Hiller and Karri Ramo are expected to split time in goal for the Flames.
Former Avalanche defenseman Ryan Wilson, 28, is on a pro tryout with the Flames and is expected to be in the lineup.
“It’s the same thing every day,… Wilson told the Calgary Herald. "I do the same things. I just have to stay focused. I’m not really thinking too much about it. I know I just have to make their decision as tough as possible."
Wilson played in just 43 NHL games over the past three seasons. He had shoulder surgery last year and played in three games with the Avalanche, one with Lake Erie.