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Burakovsky gets top line look; Kadri, Jost, Donskoi impress; injury update |
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Rick Sadowski
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The Avalanche’s top line had a new member Friday: Andre Burakovsky.
The 24-year-old forward replaced unsigned Mikko Rantanen at right wing with Gabriel Landeskog and Nathan MacKinnon in the morning session.
“Those guys were OK,” coach Jared Bednar said. “I thought they fought the puck a little bit today. The ice gets chopped up a little bit. (Burakovsky) is a big, strong guy that can skate and has a head to make plays.”
The 6-foot-3, 201-pound Burakovsky, who is from Klagenfurt, Austria, was acquired from Washington on June 28 for minor-league forward Scott Kosmachuk and second- and third-round picks in the 2020 NHL draft. The third-rounder was previously acquired from Arizona in the Carl Soderberg trade. Burakovsky became a restricted free agent July 1 and eventually signed a one-year, $3.25 million contract.
The Capitals’ first-round pick (No. 23) in 2013, Burakovsky had a career-high 38 points (17 goals, 21 assists) in 79 games in 2015-16, his first full NHL season. He dipped to 12 goals in each of the past three seasons, with 25 points in each of the past two. He had a goal and an assist in seven playoff games last year.
“I think I've showed before what kind of player I am and what I can do,” Burakovsky said. “Just the last couple of years my minutes were really low, and it’s tough to come out there and get something going and be productive and try to create something right away. I kind of need to be out there, have a rhythm to get going, and I think that’s the opportunity I’m going to get here. I’m excited to get a real opportunity and show the league what I can do.”
New second-line center Nazem Kadri, acquired from Toronto on July 1 in the Tyson Barrie trade, skated in the second session with left wing Tyson Jost and right wing Joonas Donskoi, who signed as a free agent July 1 after spending his first four NHL seasons with San Jose.
“Really good,” Bednar said of the unit. “(Donskoi) is on the pucks, he’s quick, he can check, he can skate, he’s big and strong, he can make plays. I liked his day a lot. Nazem was really good. They made some plays, their details were tight. They’re experienced guys, they know where to be. I thought that line did a really good job.”
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Forward Valeri Nichushkin was on his way from Russia, expected to take his medical and physical tests Saturday, and take part in drills Sunday.
“It took him a while to get his passport in Russia and then do the paperwork for the visa and whatnot, so he’s enroute,” Bednar said.
The 6-4, 210-pound Nichushkin, 24, was Dallas’ first-round pick (No. 10) in 2013 but has just 74 points (23 goals, 51 assists) in 223 NHL games. He had 10 assists in 57 games for the Stars last season, who bought out the final year of his contract June 30. The Avalanche signed him to a one-year deal Aug. 19.
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Bednar is hopeful that forward Colin Wilson (shoulder surgery) and defensemen Erik Johnson (shoulder surgery) and Kevin Connauton (fractured cheekbone) will be able to play some preseason games and be available for the Oct. 3 opener against Calgary.
Wilson and Johnson skated Friday before the first of two groups went on the ice. Connauton took part in drills while wearing a full face mask and a non-contact jersey.
Connauton said three plates were inserted in surgery last week after he was hit in the face with a puck during an informal skate.
“Had a little setback 10 days ago,” said Connauton, who has a bruise near his right eye. “I fractured my cheekbone when a puck got deflected in a summer skate. I had surgery, had some plates put in. I wasn’t able to eat full meals for a while and I kind of altered my training routine going into camp.
“It’s part of the game. I can move my jaw again now and I started eating again. It (stinks) and plays a role in how you’re feeling out there, but you got to be a pro and push through it.”
Connauton, 29, was acquired June 25 with a 2020 third-round pick (later traded to Washington in the Burakovsky deal) for center Carl Soderberg.
“He’s a guy that felt good enough to do all of our tests and skate today," Bednar said. "At some point in the foreseeable future, hopefully in less than a week, we’ll give him permission to do contact, but he’ll be on the ice every day.
“EJ has no problems with the shoulder at this point, but he does have some tendinitis that he’s dealing with, so it’s a little bit sore so there’s no rush to get him on the ice with our group. He will join practice in a (non-contact) jersey at some point.
"Wilson, same thing. His shoulder’s fine, progressing fine, but he’s got some lower-body tightness. There’s no rush to get them in if they’re sore and aggravate things worse. The goal is to get them into an exhibition game or two by the end of it and hopefully they’re ready to go for opening night.”
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