Denver, Co. – The Avalanche returned to Colorado on Monday after a 5-2 loss against the Nashville Predators on Saturday. Both Cale Makar and Nathan MacKinnon extended their season-opening point streaks to 12 games and will be consecutively looking for 13 tonight. They are both one game away from tying the Avalanche record for the longest season-opening point streak (13 games), set by MacKinnon in the 2019-20 season. With a point tonight, Makar can tie his career season-long point streak, set during the 2021-22 season.
The biggest storyline for tonight, though, follows Artturi Lehkonen’s season debut after rehabilitating an off-season shoulder surgery. He’s been in a full-contact practice jersey for quite some time and, according to a few different press availabilities from Head Coach Jared Bednar, had been very eager to return.
“It’s a long recovery. I’m just excited to get back out there,” Lehkonen said after practice on Monday. He also mentioned he had been dealing with this issue since the 2023-24 playoffs, and knew surgery was inevitable. “It’s not an ideal situation, I’d rather be playing, but yeah…I feel good.”
Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
Lehkonen practiced on a line with MacKinnon and Rantanen on Monday and is predicted to hold that same spot during tonight’s contest.
The Return of Nichushkin is Nigh…
Forward Valeri Nichushkin was cleared to practice with the team on Monday. While Bednar and the team staff said they found out a couple of days beforehand, players like Rantanen were pleasantly surprised to see him back on the ice with the team.
“I didn’t even know he was skating with the team today until I saw him on the ice,” he said smiling after practice. “I was excited to see him there…good for him probably to get team practices in to get his feel back after a long break.”
Nichushkin has been back in Colorado for a while skating on his own, but it also seems like he’s been doing a lot of conditioning in Russia during his time off. He looks fresh and ready to return to the fold, and despite the past, his teammates like former linemate Rantanen are more than ready for that day.
“We need him, obviously. I don’t want to go through the past at all and what has happened before, but we need him in the lineup. He’s a big part of our team, really good player, and he’s going to help us win games.”
Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
Colorado team press members have had November 13th circled on their calendars since May, when the announcement about his placement in Stage 3 of the NHL Player Assistance Program was made. Stage 3 of the program consists of six months without pay for the player, during which they are ineligible to play and participate in team settings. After six months, the player can then apply for reinstatement.
After practice on Monday, Bednar confirmed with the press that the team is looking at November 15th as a return date for Nichushkin. The Avalanche will play the Washington Capitals at home on that date.
Jonathan Drouin is Close to Returning
Jared Bednar addressed the media after morning skate on Tuesday. In addition to confirmation on Lehkonen’s season debut, he was asked about Jonathan Drouin. “He’s close. I don’t know what game it’s going to be, but he’s close. He’s feeling better every day,” Bednar said.
Related: Jonathan Drouin Expected To “Miss Some Time”
The 29-year-old forward was injured during Colorado’s season-opener against the Vegas Golden Knights and has been missing from the lineup since being placed on IR on October 20th.
He has been skating with the team for a couple of weeks in a red no-contact jersey. When asked about Drouin during post-game availability last week, Bednar mentioned that the forward was still feeling sore but he’d hopefully be good to go soon.
Tonight’s Matchup with a Postseason Rival
The Colorado Avalanche are looking to get back in the win column tonight after dropping their last three contests. Artturi Lehkonen is back in the lineup and Justus Annunen will man the crease.
Oliver Bjorkstrand is projected to be a healthy scratch for the Kraken. The Kraken will look to get the upper hand on Colorado after being shut out by the Boston Bruins on Sunday. Whereas Joey Daccord got the start on Sunday, Philipp Grubauer will get the nod in net tonight.
Colorado Avalanche Projected Lineup
Artturi Lehkonen – Nathan MacKinnon – Mikko Rantanen
Joel Kiviranta – Casey Mittelstadt – Logan O’Connor
Ivan Ivan – Parker Kelly – Nikolai Kovalenko
Nikita Prishchepov – Chris Wagner – T.J. Tynan
Samuel Girard – Cale Makar
Devon Toews – Josh Manson
Calvin de Haan – Sam Malinski
Justus Annunen
Alexandar Georgiev
Scratched: John Ludvig, Oliver Kylington, Kaapo Kahkonen, Ross Colton (LBI – broken foot), Miles Wood (UBI), Jonathan Drouin (UBI), Gabriel Landeskog (LBI – knee), Tucker Poolman (UBI – head), Valeri Nichushkin (Suspended – NHL Player Assistance Program, Stage 3)
Seattle Kraken Projected Lineup
Jared McCann – Matty Beniers – Jordan Eberle
Jaden Schwartz – Chandler Stephenson – Andre Burakovsky
Eeli Tolvanen – Shane Wright – Ryan Winterton
John Hayden – Yanni Gourde – Brandon Tanev
Brandon Montour – Adam Larsson
Jamie Oleksiak – Will Borgen
Ryker Evans – Cale Fleury
Philipp Grubauer
Joey Daccord
Scratched: Oliver Bjorkstrand, Joshua Mahura, Ty Kartye, Vince Dunn (UBI)
The Avalanche will head back on the road to play the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday before returning home to play the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday.
