{"id":417265,"date":"2026-01-20T05:11:16","date_gmt":"2026-01-20T05:11:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/417265\/"},"modified":"2026-01-20T05:11:16","modified_gmt":"2026-01-20T05:11:16","slug":"barre-boulet-seizes-late-call-up-opportunity-in-avalanche-win","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/417265\/","title":{"rendered":"Barr\u00e9-Boulet Seizes Late Call-Up Opportunity in Avalanche Win"},"content":{"rendered":"

DENVER \u2014\u00a0Alex Barr\u00e9-Boulet didn\u2019t just answer the call \u2014 he made it count.<\/p>\n

The 28-year-old forward, the Colorado Eagles\u2019 leading point producer and a key contributor for the Avalanche\u2019s AHL affiliate, was summoned on short notice to replace Valeri Nichushkin, who was ruled out of Monday afternoon\u2019s game against the Washington Capitals. Nichushkin was scratched after sustaining minor injuries in a multi-car accident while en route to the arena, forcing the Avalanche into a last-minute lineup adjustment.<\/p>\n

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Barr\u00e9-Boulet, who has recorded 12 goals and 25 assists for a team-leading 37 points in 36 games with the Eagles, received the call roughly two hours before puck drop. Unlike in boxing, where late replacements can decline a fight, hockey doesn\u2019t afford that luxury. When the call comes, you go.<\/p>\n

And Barr\u00e9-Boulet made the most of his opportunity.<\/p>\n

He recorded an assist in Colorado\u2019s 5\u20132 victory, earning his first NHL point in more than two years. Just under six minutes into the opening period, Barr\u00e9-Boulet left a pass for Parker Kelly at the top of the zone. Kelly carried the puck in, slammed on the brakes, and fed Cale Makar for a point shot that Kelly deflected past Capitals goaltender Charlie Lindgren to give Colorado a 1\u20130 lead.<\/p>\n

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The goal marked Kelly\u2019s ninth of the season \u2014 a career high for the 26-year-old \u2014 but it carried added significance for Barr\u00e9-Boulet. It was his first NHL point since December 21, 2023, when he scored for the Tampa Bay Lightning in a 5\u20134 win over the Vegas Golden Knights.<\/p>\n

\"Credit:<\/p>\n

Credit: Jonathan Dyer.\u00a0Barr\u00e9-Boulet’s last NHL goal to date.<\/p>\n

Perhaps even more notable, Barr\u00e9-Boulet hadn\u2019t dressed for an NHL game in well over a year.<\/p>\n

Making an impact on such short notice did not go unnoticed by head coach Jared Bednar.<\/p>\n

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\u201cI liked him<\/a>. That line did some good things for us. They drew a few icings, had a good forecheck, drew a penalty,\u201d he stated. \u201cThey were able to sustain some o-zone time in the second period. We were able to jump out our top guys and get a favorable matchup a couple times.<\/p>\n

\u201cShort notice for sure and he came in and did a nice job. (Washington) shortened their bench a little bit, so did we. So they didn\u2019t see a lot of ice time in the second half of the game.\u201d<\/p>\n

Prior to Monday night, Barr\u00e9-Boulet had not appeared in an NHL game in more than 15 months. His last outing came on October 10, 2024, when he suited up for the Montreal Canadiens against the Boston Bruins in the final game of a brief two-game stint. He recorded no points and picked up two penalty minutes during that stretch.<\/p>\n

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Since then, Barr\u00e9-Boulet has spent the bulk of his time with Montreal\u2019s AHL affiliate, the Laval Rocket, where he enjoyed a strong 2024\u201325 campaign. In 64 regular-season games, he posted 22 goals and 41 assists for 63 points, then added three goals and 11 points in 13 playoff appearances.<\/p>\n

Barr\u00e9-Boulet was reassigned to the Eagles following the game, but he returned to the AHL having reinforced what the Avalanche saw during the preseason. His two-way play is no fluke. He has shown he is more than just a scorer \u2014 he is committed to rounding out every aspect of his game, a standard he has set throughout his professional career.<\/p>\n

That approach will likely be rewarded with another call-up down the line when the Avalanche need him again.<\/p>\n

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\"Image\"<\/p>\n

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