The Avalanche’s preseason kicks off Sunday with a unique split squad doubleheader against the Utah Mammoth.
At 2:30 pm, Jared Bednar, Dave Hakstol and what’s likely going to be an NHL heavy lineup will play the mammoth at DU’s Magness Arena. Four hours later, the puck will drop at Ball Arena with Colorado Eagles AHL coach Mark Letestu and Avs assistant Nolan Pratt running the bench.
Given that the team has 60 skaters still at camp, and two games will require 40 of them to dress, it was easier to ask Bednar who won’t be playing rather than who will.
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All the injured guys, Taylor Makar, Mackenzie Blackwood, Samuel Girard, and Logan O’Connor are obviously not going to dress. As for the rest of the lineup?
Bednar announced that Nathan MacKinnon and Brent Burns are among the guys who have been participating in camp that will not play. Burns was absent from Saturday’s skate because of a minor tweak on Friday. It’s nothing serious.
Gabe Landeskog will play at the DU game, making his first preseason appearance in four years.
“No [Hank] Kempf, no Burns, no MacK no Kivy, no Colton, no Gay, no Blackwood, no Wedgewood,” Bednar said, referencing some of the players who will not play.
Following Saturday’s doubleheader, we’ll likely see the camp roster get trimmed down quite a bit in the following days. The Avs’ next preseason game after that isn’t until next Saturday. They only play two of six games away from Denver before traveling to L.A. for opening night against the Kings.
