CENTENNIAL, Colo. — The last day of training camp has finally wrapped up, and both groups focused mainly on special teams. With their first preseason game tomorrow night against the Dallas Stars, I guess that a lot of Group Two will be on the roster for the game. Training camp was a raging success. The Colorado Avalanche saw no additional injuries and got hard looks at their top prospects. Here is a wrap up and who stood out and the last day of training camp.
Here are the groups for the final day of #Avs training camp #GoAvsGo @TheRinkColorado pic.twitter.com/7jguMPvkSt
— Brennan Vogt (@brennan_vogt) September 22, 2024
Cuts
The Avalanche ended day three yesterday with a few cuts to the roster by reassigning some players. The Avalanche reassigned Max Curran to his junior team, the Tri-City Americans of the WHL. We expected it since the fifth-round pick from this year hadn’t signed a contract yet. The others all had AHL contracts and were not much of a surprise: Neil Shea, Briley Wood, and Garret Pyke.
We have announced the following transactions:
Neil Shea, LW, Briley Wood, C, and Garrett Pyke, D have been reassigned to the Colorado Eagles American Hockey League camp.
In addition, Max Curran, C (Spokane – WHL) was reassigned to his junior club.
— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) September 21, 2024
Jere Innala
Jere Innala was signed by Avalanche earlier in the summer to an entry-level contract and will play his first season in North America. During skate sessions he has impressed me with not only speed, but his shot as well. Innala has a knack for finding the open ice at the top of the slot and setting up for a one-timer. Today, when he was pinching into the lower slot, he kept his head up the entire way. This helped him avoid the traffic in front of him and get the shot off. He had started on the bubble for me, but has firmly put himself in the fight for the fourth line in the last few days.
Oliver Kylington
Oliver Kylington was a late arrival at camp because his equipment arrived later than he did. But he hit the ice on day two and has not looked back since. He has been great on the zone exits and is an enormous body down low. Kylington has not hesitated to hit players when they were in his space, no matter who they were. I like him as a second or third pair for the Avalanche this season.
Injury updates
The team has ruled out Artturi Lehkonen, who had off-season shoulder surgery, from the season opener on October 9th. He has been practicing on his own for some time now, but has taken no contact. Forward Ondrej Pavel, who sustained an upper-body injury on October 16th in the Rookie Faceoff, has been skating on his own. He could not grip a stick with his left hand at all, so I would expect him to be out for a minimum of four weeks.
I have been watching Pavel closely and suspect he has an arm or hand injury. He hasn't gripped the stick with his left hand once since stepping on the ice. #Avs #GoAvsGo @TheRinkColorado pic.twitter.com/tt0vT7grJa
— Brennan Vogt (@brennan_vogt) September 22, 2024
Lehkonen is getting the power back in shot for sure. #Avs #GoAvsGo @TheRinkColorado pic.twitter.com/pUA2HqySi1
— Brennan Vogt (@brennan_vogt) September 22, 2024
Conclusion
The next two weeks will be fun to watch (if you can find a stream of the game). With a lot of players fighting for the bottom part of the lineup, the competition just among the Avalanche will be interesting. Not to mention, the storyline of when captain Gabriel Landeskog will make his triumphant return. The tight salary cap will make the moves from this point forward very interesting for the team as well. Just hold on everyone…. this season will be fun!