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Donskoi gets chance on top line |
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Rick Sadowski
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Andre Burakovsky was given first crack on the Avalanche’s top line as Mikko Rantanen remains unsigned, now Joonas Donskoi is getting a chance with Nathan MacKinnon and Gabriel Landeskog.
“It’s a great opportunity for me,” Donskoi said after practice Friday. “Obviously those are two of the best players in the world, so it’s fun. We haven’t played a game yet together, so hopefully that will happen Saturday.”
The Avalanche play their final preseason game Saturday in Dallas, but coach Jared Bednar didn’t reveal his lineup, saying only that defenseman Erik Johnson and forward Colin Wilson would make their preseason debuts; each had shoulder surgery in the offseason.
“We’ve got a little bit of a mix with our lineup going tomorrow,” Bednar said. “I’m not going to go into names just yet. We have some of our veteran guys, top guys, that are going to be playing, and then we’ve got some other guys sprinkled in that we want to see a little bit more of.”
Donskoi, 27, signed a four-year, $15.6 million contract as a free agent on July 1 after spending his first four NHL seasons with the San Jose Sharks. He had a career-high 37 points (14 goals, 23 assists) in 80 games last year, with a goal – the winning goal against the Avalanche in Game 7 of the second round of the playoffs – and two assists in 12 postseason games.
Donskoi has 122 points (45 goals, 77 assists) in 283 NHL games with 21 points (nine goals, 12 assists) in 50 playoff games.
“I spent four years with the Sharks, so it’s a whole new team for me, but it’s been a lot of fun,” said Donski, who is from Raahe, Finland. “Everybody’s been so nice to me, so it’s been kind of easy to come here and fit in with the guys.
“I am not happy how I played last year. My role kind of dropped when I was playing with the Sharks. I just want to step to another level. Last year I had a lot of up and downs – some games I was really good and then other games I was horrible. I want to be good every night, that’s my main goal.”
Bednar likes what he has seen of Donskoi so far.
“I like his grit and his determination,” he said. “He’s on pucks all the time, he’s pretty patient with the puck, has a real strong identity as a worker. He’s willing to check the puck back and I think he’s got some offensive upside that he’s shown at times in San Jose. With more opportunity here I think we’ll see more.
“He’s fitting in nicely on that second power play … real good poise, makes plays in both the exhibition games and in practice. Predictable guy but a hard-working guy and has really good habits and details to his game.”
*****
The Avalanche on Friday acquired minor-league goalie Antoine Bibeau from San Jose in exchange for minor-league defenseman Nicolas Meloche, who was a second-round pick (No. 40) in the 2015 NHL draft.
Bibeau, who is 6-feet-3 and 213 pounds, will report to the Colorado Eagles of the AHL, joining goalies Adam Werner and Hunter Miska.
Bibeau, 25, went 16-13-5 with a 2.89 goals-against average and .904 save percentage last season with the San Jose Barracuda of the AHL. Signed by the Sharks as a free agent on July 1, 2017, Bibeau went 23-14-4 with a 2.37 goals-against average and .919 save percentage in 2017-18 and made the Pacific Division All-Star Team.
Bibeau was a sixth-round pick (No. 172) of the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2013. He played two NHL games, going 1-1 with a 1.99 average and .927 save percentage. He has a career AHL record of 95-60-20 with a 2.71 average, .909 save percentage and 16 shutouts.
Meloche, 22, had 21 points (six goals, 15 assists) in 55 games last year for the Eagles.
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