The Colorado Avalanche worked out some frustrations Saturday afternoon on the Detroit Red Wings, but they did so without three stars who have been named to their country\u2019s roster for the 2026 Winter Olympics.<\/p>\n
While the Avs may not get all three of them back this week before the Olympic break begins, coach Jared Bednar said they should all be good to represent their countries later this month in Milan.<\/p>\n
Devon Toews will play Monday night for the Avalanche in a rematch with the Red Wings at Ball Arena. Martin Necas could play Wednesday against San Jose, but captain Gabe Landeskog\u2019s next game is likely to be for Sweden in Italy.<\/p>\n
When asked if the Olympics are in jeopardy for either of his star forwards, Bednar said, \u201cNo, I don\u2019t think it is.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI would say it\u2019s unlikely Gabe plays Wednesday,\u201d Bednar said. \u201cHe\u2019s pushing the timeline pretty tight. After Wednesday, it\u2019s still like another week before those games and there\u2019s some practices in there. He obviously skated with the group again today, doing more and more in the gym and feeling really good.\u201d<\/p>\n
Landeskog was injured Jan. 4 in Sunrise, Florida, during a loss to the Florida Panthers. Necas had played in every game this season before being a late scratch Saturday in Detroit.<\/p>\n
\u201c(Necas) skated this morning and felt OK,\u201d Bednar said. \u201cHe\u2019ll miss (Monday night), but hoping to get him back for Wednesday. He\u2019s got an aggravation of a lower-body injury that\u2019s been bugging him for a little bit. When he gives us the OK, he\u2019ll be back in.\u201d<\/p>\n
Getting Toews back is going to be a huge boost for the Avs. He was injured the night before Landeskog, during the third period of a comeback win in Raleigh, N.C, against the Carolina Hurricanes.<\/p>\n
The Avs went 5-6-2 without him (and Landeskog, who was injured early against the Panthers), which is easily the worst stretch of an otherwise historic season to date.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think you have one of the best defensemen in the world, or you have a guy that you\u2019re calling up from the American League,\u201d Bednar said. \u201cA significant amount of depth goes out of your lineup, and a guy that\u2019s elite in a bunch of different situations with your club. So yeah, it\u2019s a big add to get him back.\u201d<\/p>\n
With Toews healthy, the Avs have arguably the best defense corps in the NHL. But the guy who spent most of the season as the No. 7 defenseman (Ilya Solovyov) is now in Pittsburgh.<\/p>\n
Jack Ahcan and Keaton Middleton have also had brief turns as the next man up, but it\u2019s a position where the Avs will likely add some depth between now and the March 6 trade deadline.<\/p>\n
\u201c(Toews) kind of flies under the radar,\u201d Avs goalie Mackenzie Blackwood said. \u201cI feel like he\u2019s not flashy, but he\u2019s a very important piece of our team. He breaks up a lot of stuff. He\u2019s the calm, cool, collected guy back there.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou don\u2019t really realize how good he is until you spend a lot of time with him.\u201d<\/p>\n
Toews crashed skates-first into the boards behind the net in Raleigh, but was favoring one of his arms\/shoulders when he skated slowly back to the bench. He\u2019s been out officially with an upper-body injury.<\/p>\n
When any of the players who were named to their respective Olympic teams have been injured in recent weeks, availability for Milan \u2014 the first time NHL players are going since 2014 \u2014 becomes an immediate storyline that goes beyond the local market.<\/p>\n
\u201cI never really thought about (the Olympics),\u201d Toews said. \u201cI was focused on getting better, figuring out what the plan was to get better as quick as possible and not only get back but be back and feel good. This league is so hard to play in when you\u2019re 100% and if you\u2019re not, it gets even harder really fast. So just trying to make sure we\u2019re smart and do a good job with that.\u201d<\/p>\n