Seven more players re-assigned to their respective teams

http://www.coloradoavalanche.com/news/nr103821111838.html

The list includes Boychuk, Brigley, Krestanovich, Lawson, Moore, Saviels and Viitanen.

Its a shame Viitanen didn't even get a preseason game under his belt.

Poor Lawson, they couldn't even spell his name right :joker:

That really sucks that Viitanen did not get a shot. Might be hurt. Lawson I can understand with the long goaltender pipeline. But Viitanen is a different story. I think with the performances of Svatos and Johansson in the wings etc... we may have seen the last of Moore and Krestanovich as Avalanche players. We will have to see.

I have to agree on Viitanen; I can't see any good reason, other than injury, as to why he couldn't play in a game. His passing didn't look the sharpest in rookie camp, but Boychuk, Smith, and McAllister aren't exactly crisp passers themselves. Oh well, he was likely Hershey-bound anyway; better to start in Hershey than going back to Finland in his case. He'll get his chance in the next season or two; of that I'm quite sure. It's really sad that Saviels got a game in and Viitanen didn't.

I do actually disagree about Moore and Krestanovich, Dario. Only because Johansson and Svatos are better suited for top 6 duty and Moore and Krestanovich are better suited for bottom 6 duty. I don't think they have a lot of chances left, especially Moore, but I don't see an overload of talent ahead of them at the moment in their projected NHL roles as 3rd/4th liners.

Remaining players:

Goaltenders:

Aebischer
Sauve
Budaj

Defensemen:

Blake
Foote
Morris
Skrastins
Skoula
McAllister
Smith
Slovak
Liles

Forwards:

Sakic
Forsberg
Tanguay
Hejduk
Selanne
Kariya
Nikolishin
Hahl
McCormick
Svatos
Cummins
Aubin
Worrell
Larsen
Willsie
Hinote
Stephens
Klyazmin
Battaglia

Remaining players:

Goaltenders:

Aebischer
Sauve
Budaj

Defensemen:

Blake
Foote
Morris
Skrastins
Skoula
McAllister
Smith
Slovak
Liles

Forwards:

Sakic
Forsberg
Tanguay
Hejduk
Selanne
Kariya
Nikolishin
Hahl
McCormick
Svatos
Cummins
Aubin
Worrell
Larsen
Willsie
Hinote
Stephens
Klyazmin
Battaglia

Good list. I'm suprised that Klyazmin is still around though. He hasn't played and missed a few days of camp with injury. McCormick seemed to have just a so-so game against Florida. I think his performance against Dallas is carrying him over on this round of cuts.

I have to agree on Viitanen; I can't see any good reason, other than injury, as to why he couldn't play in a game. His passing didn't look the sharpest in rookie camp, but Boychuk, Smith, and McAllister aren't exactly crisp passers themselves. Oh well, he was likely Hershey-bound anyway; better to start in Hershey than going back to Finland in his case. He'll get his chance in the next season or two; of that I'm quite sure. It's really sad that Saviels got a game in and Viitanen didn't.

I do actually disagree about Moore and Krestanovich, Dario. Only because Johansson and Svatos are better suited for top 6 duty and Moore and Krestanovich are better suited for bottom 6 duty. I don't think they have a lot of chances left, especially Moore, but I don't see an overload of talent ahead of them at the moment in their projected NHL roles as 3rd/4th liners.

Right, but I've got the feeling for 3rd/4th line guys the Avalanche are leaning towards Stephens and the way things are going maybe even McCormick. Moore did sign a contract so I may have spoken too soon. But I think the Avs are fairly loaded at the 3rd/4th spot. Aubin, Hahl, Hinote, Wilsie, Larsen, Worrell, Nikolishin, Battaglia, Stephens, Moore, Krestanovich, McCormick etc... Svatos is deffinately clearing the way for the injury call up on the first two lines. That's excellent news as it means Hinote and Battaglia don't get a space on the skill lines.

good to see stephens and mccormick hanging in there

Right, but I've got the feeling for 3rd/4th line guys the Avalanche are leaning towards Stephens and the way things are going maybe even McCormick. Moore did sign a contract so I may have spoken too soon. But I think the Avs are fairly loaded at the 3rd/4th spot. Aubin, Hahl, Hinote, Wilsie, Larsen, Worrell, Nikolishin, Battaglia, Stephens, Moore, Krestanovich, McCormick etc... Svatos is deffinately clearing the way for the injury call up on the first two lines.

There's no way McCormick is ready IMO. He'll look loads better after a year of pro under his belt and he can work on his skating in Hershey (I'm assuming he'll go to Hershey and not back to junior). Stephens I can see because he brings an offensive element to the bottom lines. Doesn't really hit anybody per say, but uses his body well. My point is that guys like Aubin, Willsie, and Larsen are not guaranteed spots at all and it's anyone's guess how long the three of them will remain with the Avs. Also worth mentioning that Aubin played the bulk of 5 years in the minors before making an NHL club fulltime. Willsie had three years in Hershey, spent a year with the Avs, and then was back in Hershey last season. Larsen had four years in before sticking for a year and going back to Hershey last season. Krestanovich is entering his 3rd season in pro and is only 22. Moore is also entering his 3rd season of pro, but he's 25. The point being that a lot of 3rd/4th line guys take awhile to develop before they stick with the big club. Krestanovich is still very young to be writing him off at all at this point. Plus Larsen and Hinote are always going to encounter injury problems at their size and style of play and neither brings anything irreplaceable either.


That's excellent news as it means Hinote and Battaglia don't get a space on the skill lines.

What ever do you mean? :D

I really liked Stephens and McCormick's efforts last night. Both really played the body from what I saw and Stephens impressed me more so than McCormick. Stephens attempted to clear the puck from the zone after he lost his stick. Kind of a sideways dive/slide at the puck, but he missed and then took a penalty. I still liked the attempt, though...trying to give up his body to clear the puck in a preseason game. I think that Stephens and McCormick got the team going a little with their hitting because they were flat for awhile early on and nobody was hitting. I know it is preseason, so the vets are going to go all out all of the time, so it was nice to see the guys who are trying to make the team throw the body around.