Joe Sakic is not in a rush to name a new head coach for the Avalanche.
Sakic may not have his new head coach in place in time for the June 30th Draft so it's obvious that Sakic is not going to be rushed into a decision. Some names being tossed around as possible candidates by Adrian Dater of the Denver Post are: Dave Tippett, Patrick Roy, Lindy Ruff and Dallas Eakins. Stay tuned.

Paul Stastny notched two goals and two assists in a dominating 8-3 win over Russia to send the United States into the semifinals of the World Hockey Championship.
Craig Smith picked up five helpers in the contest, while Ryan Carter had a goal and an assist. David Moss, Alex Galchenyuk, Nate Thompson, T.J. Oshie and Jacob Trouba also scored for Team USA in the rout.

Don't expect the Avalanche's coaching search to end anytime soon.
This according to the Denver Post's Adrian Dater, who says sources tell him nothing will be happening "in the near future." Dater infers this to mean the Avs want to see if Dave Tippett becomes available as his contract with the Coyotes expires June 30. Colorado could also look at Lindy Ruff, too. It's unclear whether Patrick Roy is still a candidate for the gig.

Goalie coach Kirk McLean is no longer with the Colorado Avalanche, according to Adrian Dater of the Denver Post.
McLean had been with the Avs since 2010 but apparently was never a full-time employee. The Avs are clearly undergoing a franchise makeover with Joe Sakic being promoted to executive vice president of hockey operations and Patrick Roy's name being circulated in head coach rumblings. It's unlikely there will be any assistants or consultants hired until Sakic and team president Josh Kroenke pick a new head coach.

Joe Sakic has been promoted to executive vice president of hockey operations of the Colorado Avalanche.
Josh Kroenke announced Friday he will take over as team president of the Avalanche, replacing Pierre Lacroix. Sakic has served as an executive adviser with the organization for the past two seasons. "Joe will be in charge of all hockey-related decisions moving forward," Kroenke said. "With his credentials, presence and knowledge of the game, Joe will be a key ingredient in making sure that together we reach our future goals." Greg Sherman will stay on as the team's general manager.

Joe Sakic is likely to start taking on more responsibility with the Colorado Avalanche.
Sakic was an executive adviser this season and his next title is unknown. The team might also recruit former Avalanche defenseman Adam Foote to serve as an assistant coach, although Foote won't comment on the matter.

Paul Stastny scored a pair of goals in Team USA's 5-3 loss to Russia at the IIHF World Championships on Tuesday.
Stastny was named captain of the team prior to the tournament and is one of several players on the roster trying to impress USA Hockey's brass ahead of the selection process for the Sochi Olympics. Unfortunately for Stastny, his two goals weren't enough on Tuesday as Ilya Kovalchuk and Yevgeni Medvedev helped Russia rally in the third period. The U.S. is back in action Wednesday against Finland.

The Sabres' coaching search has not included Patrick Roy, reports the Buffalo News' John Vogl.
Roy is a popular candidate among the media and fans to be an NHL coach very soon, but he is not on Sabres general manager Darcy Regier's radar right now. He is currently the coach, GM and co-owner of the QMJHL's Quebec Ramparts. "As of now nobody contacted him," Nicole Bouchard, the Remparts' director of team services and media relations said.

Paul Stastny has been named the captain of Team USA in the 2013 IIHF World Championships.
Joe Sacco, who was the Colorado Avalanche's head coach until he was recently fired, will also be Stastny's bench boss for the tournament. Stastny had three goals and nine points in eight games with Team USA in 2012.

Patrick Roy reportedly hasn't been approached yet about the possibility of serving as the Colorado Avalanche's head coach.
The Avalanche recently fired former bench boss Joe Sacco. Roy was offered the gig in 2009, but turned it down, partially because he wanted to continue coaching his son, Frederick while they were both part of the QMJHL Quebec Remparts. Frederick spent the 2012-13 campaign with the AHL Rochester Americans. Roy also seemed interested in the Montreal Canadiens' GM job last year, so he might be more receptive now if the Avalanche approach him again.

The Colorado Avalanche won the NHL's draft lottery Monday night and the right to select U.S.-born defenseman Seth Jones.
You couldn't write a better story no matter how hard you tried. Jones learned to play hockey as a kid in Denver while his father, former NBA player Popeye Jones, played for the Denver Nuggets. Jones is considered the No. 1 overall prospect ahead of Canadian forward Nathan MacKinnon. There's still quite some time before the first round of the draft on June 30, but it would be a pretty big surprise if Jones isn't the top pick now.

Colorado Avalanche vice president of hockey operations Eric Lacroix left his post on Sunday.
Lacroix joins Joe Sacco has recently unemployed Avs front office members. Pierre Lacroix and Greg Sherman still remain connected to the organization ... at least now.

Colorado defenseman Erik Johnson ended the season without recording a goal.
The former first overall pick has been a constant disappointment at the offensive end of the rink and recorded a measly four assists in 31 contests this year. He's likely off most radars as a buy-low candidate next year, with good reason.

The struggles experienced by winger David Jones this season make the remainder of his contract seem like an albatross for the Avalanche going forward.
Jones signed a four-year, $16 million deal prior to the season and delivered all of three goals in 33 games while spending numerous games in the press box as a healthy scratch. While he was coming off two consecutive 20-goal campaigns entering the year he was a huge disappointment this season and becomes a buyout candidate over the summer.

Semyon Varlamov made 30 saves for the Avs in their 3-1 loss to the Wild on Saturday night.
It was a very trying season for the 25-year-old netminder who ends up with an 11-21-3 record and a 3.02 goals-against average and .903 save percentage. The Avs were the second-worst team in the NHL.

Ryan O'Reilly sniped a goal for the Avs, but they fell 3-1 to the Wild on Saturday night.
Though he only had six goals on the season, he also had 14 assists, finishing with he best point-per-game production of his young career. He could take a big step next season. Patrick Bordeleau and Gabriel Landeskog had the assists.

Erik Johnson (wrist) will play in Colorado's season finale.
Johnson missed six games due to his wrist injury. He has four assists and 18 penalty minutes in 30 contests this season.

Calvin Pickard has been called up by Colorado.
Pickard will serve as the team's backup goaltender on Saturday. He has a 2.47 GAA and .918 save percentage in 47 games this season.

Jean-Sebastien Giguere will not be available for Colorado's season finale due to a groin injury.
Jean-Sebastien Giguere had a 2.84 GAA and .908 save percentage in 18 games this season. He's already agreed to a one-year, $1.5 million deal for the 2013-14 campaign.

Semyon Varlamov will start in Saturday's game.
It will be the end to what has been a disappointing season for Varlamov. The last time he won a start was March 30.

The Minnesota Wild needs a win tonight to make the playoffs but members of the Colorado Avalanche don`t intend to roll over and make life easy for the Wild.
``We're a proud bunch of guys and we're not going to give (the Wild) an inch out there,`` Avs forward P.A. Parenteau said. That's what it's all about." Added Colorado teammate Matt Duchene: ``Obviously it's a big one for them. Hopefully the building will be full, and we can knock Minnesota out. That will be real nice. I'd be lying if I said it wouldn't. That's a division rival and team that's had our number for a while."

Defenseman Erik Johnson, who will miss his sixth consecutive NHL game tonight with a wrist injury, has been added to the American squad for the upcoming world championship tournament that will be played in Finland and Sweden.
Johnson joins a number of his Colorado teammates on the USA team, including forward Aaron Palushaj, center Paul Stastny, defenseman Matt Hunwick and coaches Joe Sacco (head) and Tim Army (assistant).

Matt Duchene chipped in three assists and added the winning goal in the shootout to lift Colorado to a 5-4 win over Phoenix in a battle of non-playoff bound teams.
Duchene's numbers trailed off a bit down the stretch, but when looking at his 2013 campaign as a whole, his 43 points in 46 games has solidified his position as one of the best fantasy centres in the league despite playing on an awful Avs team.

J.S. Giguere left Friday night's game against Phoenix with an apparent groin injury with just 4:16 remaining in the third period.
No word yet on how serious it is, but Semyon Varlamov rescued the Avs making six saves in OT last night as they won 5-4 in a shootout.

Semyon Varlamov stepped in for an injured J.S. Giguere late in the third period, made six saves in overtime and two in the shootout to earn a 5-4 win over the Coyotes Friday night.
In the Avs last road game of the season, Varlamov finally earned his first road win of the season. This was Varlomov's first win in four games.

Ryan Wilson (ankle) will not play in Colorado's remaining two games.
Wilson was limited to just 12 games this season. "He's a big part of the team on the back end and we've missed him," Sacco said. "He can play against top lines against the other team and he plays hard minutes - a good versatile player who kills penalties and a guy the other team has to know when he's on the ice. That was a big loss, sitting him out most of the year. You hate to use that an excuse, but he would have helped." From a fantasy perspective, Wilson's value is limited. He has 61 points and 145 penalty minutes in 199 career NHL games.

Matt Hunwick has agreed to join Team USA for the upcoming IIHF World Championships.
Hunwick has six assists and 14 penalty minutes in 42 games this season. This will be his first time participating in the adult tournament, but he did represent Team USA in the IIHF World Junior Championships before establishing himself in the NHL.

Paul Stastny will represent Team USA in the 2013 IIHF World Championships.
Stastny has nine goals and 23 points in 38 games this season. Colorado Avalanche coach Joe Sacco will also be his bench boss in the tournament.

Erik Johnson (wrist) took part in Thursday's practice.
Johnson will miss Friday's contest, but he might be able to participate in Colorado's season finale on Saturday. He has four assists in 30 games this season.

Jean-Sebastien Giguere will start Friday against Phoenix.
He has posted a 5-4-4 record with a .911 save percentage and a 2.75 goals-against average in 17 games this season. Semyon Varlamov will probably play in Saturday's finale, but coach Joe Sacco said he isn't sure who will go with.

David Jones will be a healthy scratch for a third straight game Friday.
He has been relegated to the press box because coach Joe Sacco has not been pleased with his play. Jones has produced just nine points and has a minus-11 rating in 33 games this year.

Milan Hejduk won't dress in Friday's game at Phoenix, but he will play in Saturday's regular-season finale back home versus Minnesota.
He has been a healthy scratch for the past two games, as Colorado evaluates some of their younger players. It is likely that Hejduk retires after this season, even though he hasn't made anything official yet, so Saturday's contest could act as a farewell appearance for the long-time Avalanche winger.

Tomas Vincour was called up from the minors on Tuesday April 23.

Semyon Varlamov was beaten three times on 34 shots in a 3-1 loss to St. Louis Tuesday.
Varlamov has lost his last four outings and two in a row since returning to the lineup from a hip injury. He's not a safe option for the remainder of the year even with the Avalanche trying to play the role of spoilers down the stretch.

Cody McLeod potted Colorado's only goal in a 3-1 loss to St. Louis Tuesday night.
His eighth tally of the season and his fifth in his last five games was assisted by Paul Stastny and Greg Zanon.

Do not expect to see Erik Johnson (wrist) in the lineup Tuesday.
Johnson has been out of the lineup since April 12 and has missed the last four games. It is looking more and more that he will be out for the season but with only four assists in 30 games in 2013, he really should not be in your lineup. Johnson's stock has fallen mightily in the last couple of years, especially considering he was drafted first overall in 2006.

Semyon Varlamov will start against St. Louis on Tuesday.
Semyon Varlamov has only started in three games this month, largely due to a hip injury. That being said, Varlamov has also allowed three or more goals in each of those games.

David Jones was a healthy scratch Sunday.
Just an FYI as Jones is having a poor season with three goals, nine points and a minus-11 rating in 33 games. He should not be in your lineup.

Jean-Sebastien Giguere stopped 29 of 32 shots in a 5-3 win over St. Louis on Sunday.
This was an important game for Giguere after he publicly ripped the effort of certain teammates last week. Despite the moral victory, Giguere remains a backup for both real and fantasy purposes.

Jamie McGinn scored two goals and added an assist for the Avalanche in a 5-3 win over St. Louis Sunday.
The games may be rather meaningless for Colorado at this juncture, but somebody forgot to tell McGinn as he delivered quite the performance. Matt Duchene, Chuck Kobasew and Cody McLeod all tallied for the Avs in the victory.

Avalanche center Ryan O'Reilly says he'll will be a better player next season.
O'Reilly's play has been reasonably good as he has notched 17 points in 25 games since signing an offer sheet with the Calgary Flames that was subsequently matched by the Avs, but he is currently in the midst of a 12-game goal scoring drought. "I thought it felt good for the most part at the start, and then it kind of took a dip and now I can't seem to find the net right now," O'Reilly said. "Obviously, we've needed some goals and then I get a goal lapse. I had a job to step into and didn't do it. It's disappointing. I'm supposed to do the job, and I didn't do the job." Our feelings on O'Reilly haven't changed significantly from what they were before the year. He's a useful player in medium to deep leagues, but far from a fantasy superstar.

Jean-Sebastien Giguere will play between the pipes on Saturday.
Giguere has allowed seven goals in his previous two starts. He has a 2.73 GAA and .911 save percentage in 16 games this season.

Avalanche prospect Joey Hishon is reportedly feeling better of late after suffering his second concussion in recent memory.
Hishon continues to undergo treatment for the head injury, but doctors are encouraged by the progress he has made."I think the stress and anxiety produced by the latest one was originally a concern, but his symptoms have improved," said Dr. Daniel Gallucci, one of the doctors treating Hishon at the Carrick Institute in Marietta, Georgia. The doctor indicated Hishon plans to work out vigorously during the summer in preparation for next season, which is certainly encouraging.

Semyon Varlomov continued in his struggles Friday night stopping just 20 of 24 shots in the Avs' 4-1 loss to Edmonton.
Varlomov lost for the third straight time and has not allowed less than three goals in any of those starts.

P.A. Parenteau scored Colorado's lone goal, his 17th of the season, in the Avs 4-1 loss to the Oilers on Friday night.
Parenteau's production has been plentiful and fairly consistent as he's settled on the first line of a weak Avalanche roster. He has 41 points in 44 games.

Milan Hejduk (shoulder) has been activated off of the injured reserve list.
Hejduk is expected to play in Friday's game against Edmonton. He has four goals and 11 points in 27 games this season.

Ryan Wilson (ankle) isn't expected to return on Friday.
Wilson hasn't played since March 24. He has three assists and eight penalty minutes in 12 games in 2013.

Erik Johnson (wrist) isn't expected to play Friday.
Johnson is day-to-day, but obviously with so time remaining in the regular season, it's possible that he's already played in his last game of this campaign. He has just four points in 30 games this season.

Cody McLeod has three goals in his last two games.
McLeod hasn't spent any time in the sin bin this month, which is typically the principal source of his value in fantasy leagues. Obviously his recent offensive outburst helps, but we don't expect it to continue.

Semyon Varlamov will be back in Colorado's crease Friday night against Edmonton.
He hasn't played in the team's past five games and was just activated from injured reserve earlier this week following a hip injury. Varlamov has a 10-18-3 record with a .902 save percentage, a 3.02 GAA and three shutouts this season.

Milan Hejduk will return to action Friday night after getting over his shoulder injury.
He hasn't played since March 30, but will get back into the fold during the team's final five games. They may also be the last contests of his NHL career.

Erik Johnson (wrist) wasn't on the ice for Wednesday's optional practice.
Johnson hasn't played since April 11. Consider him day-to-day, although this late into the season it's not clear if he'll end up playing before the Avalanche's schedule is completed.

Ryan Wilson (ankle) didn't take part in Wednesday's optional practice.
At this point, Wilson might be done for the season. He has three assists in just 12 games in 2013.

Jean-Sebastien Giguere's decision to rip his teammates last week has raised many questions, among them is why he's speaking up about this instead of captain Gabriel Landeskog.
Giguere claimed last week that some of his teammates claim more about their end of season Vegas trip than they do about winning. His intention was probably to light a fire under his teammates in hope that they would respond. That's the sort of action a captain might take if it's to be done at all, but when it was brought up, Giguere was quick to defend Landeskog. "He's going to be a tremendous captain," Giguere said. "He's a natural-born leader. He's been very vocal in the dressing room for us. It's hard. You're a last-place team and you're 20 years old and you're the captain. It's not easy. Some other guys have to take charge sometimes. It's not just about him."

Jean-Sebastien Giguere defended captain Gabriel Landeskog Monday about comments that Giguere made about the Avs last week.
Giguere ripped his teammates last week, saying that they were not committed to the game since dropping out of the playoff race. People commented that team captain Gabriel Landeskog should have been the one making the comment but Giguere defended him. "He's going to be a tremendous captain," Giguere said. "He's a natural-born leader. He's been very vocal in the dressing room for us. It's hard. You're a last-place team and you're 20 years old and you're the captain. It's not easy. Some other guys have to take charge sometimes. It's not just about him."

Mark Olver was a healthy scratch Monday.
Just an FYI as he was replaced by Chuck Kobasew in the Avs lineup. Olver has four goals and six points in 31 games, the most he's played in his third year in the NHL.

Erik Johnson (wrist) sat out Monday's game against Columbus.
Johnson has not played since injuring his wrist Thursday. He has only four assists in 30 games this season so his fantasy value is approaching absolute zero in traditional pools. He was thought to be an offensive dynamo, especially after his sophomore season in which he had 10 goals and 39 points but he has regressed severely, especially this season, so we cannot recommend the former first overall pick of the 2006 draft at this time.

Goaltender Jean-Sebastien Giguere played well but took an overtime loss in Colorado Monday night.
Nick Foligno scored with only 29 seconds left in the overtime period to give the Columbus Blue Jackets a 4-3 triumph over Giguere and the Avs. Giguere turned aside 26 of the 30 shots he faced in regulation and overtime.

Left winger Cody McLeod scored two goals but he and the Avalanche dropped a 4-3 overtime decision to the soaring Columbus Blue Jackets in Colorado Monday night.
McLeod now has six goals this season. Jamie McGinn also scored for the Avs, his ninth of the season.

Joe Sacco will serve as Team USA's coach in the upcoming World Championships.
Sacco previously served as an assistant coach in the World Championships in 2009 and 2010. He's available for the post because his Avalanche have already been mathematically eliminated from the playoff race.

Milan Hejduk (shoulder) practiced with full contact on Sunday and could return to the Colorado lineup as soon as Monday.
Hejduk has missed the last eight games with the injury and has only four goals and 11 points this season. Hejduk may be playing in his last NHL season but has not determined his future as of yet. "I'm not really sure right now. We'll sit down and make some decisions after the season," said Hejduk who is 37 years of age.

The Colorado Avalanche have returned Sami Aittokallio to the Lake Erie Monsters of the AHL.
Aittokallio was recalled a week ago when Semyon Varlamov suffered a hip injury and got into one game but had to be pulled when he dehydrated halfway through the third period. The fourth round pick in the 2010 Draft, Aittokallio is only 20 and could have a bright future in the NHL.

The Colorado Avalanche have activated Semyon Varlamov.
Varlamov, who suffered a hip injury in the morning skate a week ago and could not go against the Flames, will back up Jean-Sebastien Giguere Monday and should see action later in the week. He has a 3.02 GAA and a .902 save percentage to go with a 10-18-3 record. He should not be in your starting lineup even when healthy as there have been plenty of better goaltending choices this season.

Joey Hishon suffered a head injury when knocked into the boards from behind Friday in an AHL game.
While the Avs are not calling it a concussion, Hishon, Colorado's first pick and 17th overall in the 2010 Draft, missed almost two years after suffering a bad concussion in the 2011 Memorial Cup when hit by Brayden Schenn. He finally returned to action last month and had a goal and six points in nine games before getting hit by Joey Tenute Friday. We hope he has a speedy recovery.

Brad Malone recorded his first assist of the 2013 campaign on Saturday.
Malone has two points in nine games. He only logged 7:07 minutes in Saturday's contest and shouldn't be counted on to have any fantasy value for the remainder of the season.

Gabriel Landeskog scored a goal Saturday.
That's Landeskog's second goal in three games. He seems to be snapping out of his cold streak and might be setting himself up for a strong finish to the 2013 campaign.

Ryan O'Reilly recorded an assist on Saturday.
O'Reilly got off to a great start in his return to the Avalanche, but he has just two points in his last 10 games. Still, with 15 points in 23 contests in 2013, he's done well enough to suggest he might put up numbers similar to his 2011-12 career-high of 55 in 2013-14.

Jan Hejda potted the game-winning goal for Colorado with about eight ticks left in regulation to give the Avalanche a 4-3 win over Vancouver on Saturday afternoon.
It was his first goal of the 2013 campaign. Gabriel Landeskog, Cody McLeod and P.A. Parenteau also scored for the Avs in the victory.

Jean-Sebastien Giguere defended 24 shots in a 4-3 win over Vancouver in matinee action Saturday.
It wasn't a stylish victory but it boosted his record to 4-4-3 on the year. Giguere has been solid for the Avalanche while Semyon Varlamov has been on the sidelines.

The Colorado Avalanche announced that backup Sami Aittokallio is over his dehydration issues.
He had to leave Thursday's game with a leg cramp, making way for Jean-Sebastien Giguere. Either way, his fantasy value is pretty minimal, though Semyon Varlamov's injury and the season's outlook might earn him another start or more.

Erik Johnson suffered a wrist injury on Thursday and exited the contest as a result.
Johnson will be re-evaluated on Friday. He has four assists in 30 games this season.

David Jones recorded an assist in Colorado's 3-2 shootout defeat Thursday.
He has three goals and eight points in 30 games this season. The point ended Jones' 12 game pointless slump.

Stefan Elliott registered his first assist of the 2013 campaign.
It was in Elliott's 11th game with the Avalanche this season. He might have some fantasy value in a few years, but he certainly isn't worth picking up in standard leagues at this time.

Patrick Bordeleau netted his first NHL goal on Thursday.
Bordeleau has three points in 39 games with the Colorado Avalanche. He's a physical forward who isn't expected to ever do much offensively at the NHL level.

Sami Aittokallio suffered a leg cramp during Thursday's game.
Aittokallio had to leave the contest midway through the third period as a result. Not exactly the best way to end your first NHL start. He kicked out 23 of 25 shots in Colorado's 3-2 shootout loss.

Jean-Sebastien Giguere came in after 49 minutes due to rookie goaltender Sami Aittokallio having cramps in both legs. Giguere made all 12 saves, but the Avalanche lost in the shootout 3-2.
Giguere has been a serviceable back-up considering the lack of defensive talent the Avalanche have. Giguere should only be a desperate option if you need a spot start.

Paul Stastny scored his ninth goal of the season in the Colorado Avalanche's 3-2 shootout loss.
It's crazy to think of the promise that Stastny once showed in his first four seasons, totaling 264 points in his first 274 points. Now Stastny is a player with a first line price tag but third on the depth chart at the center position. He's an alright depth option because he has terrific vision but lacks the talent around him to capitalize on his talents. Look elsewhere if possible.

Milan Hejduk (shoulder) will not play on Thursday.
It will be the seventh straight game that Hejduk has missed. It initially looked like he might return, but he should still be considered day-to-day.

Sami Aittokallio will make his NHL debut Thursday night against Los Angeles.
The 20-year-old will be the second youngest goalie in team's history to debut in an NHL game after Marc Denis was 19 years of age when he played in December of 1996 against the Kings. Aittokallio backed up Jean-Sebastien Giguere in Wednesday's win over Colorado.

Matt Duchene had a goal and an assist on Wednesday.
Duchene has 16 goals and 22 assists this season. He now has 10 more points than he recorded in 58 contests in 2011-12. He might not be able to maintain his nearly point-per-game pace in 2013-14, but he's a good candidate to surpass the 70-point marker next season.

Gabriel Landeskog scored a shorthanded goal on Wednesday.
Landeskog ended a seven-game pointless slump. With just eight goals and 13 points in 28 games, his sophomore campaign will likely be seen as a disappointment. However, considering his season got disrupted because of a concussion, it's hard to judge him too harshly. He'll be a good pickup late in drafts next season as he'll probably rebound in 2013-14.

For all their struggles, it seems like the Colorado Avalanche have hit a home run with the acquisition of P.A. Parenteau.
Parenteau had two assists while his partner in crime Matt Duchene scored a goal and a helper. There's a huge drop-off in Avalanche scoring from Parenteau (40 points), Duchene (39) and everyone else, with Paul Stastny in third at just 19.

The Colorado Avalanche beat the Anaheim Ducks 4-1, responding to Jean-Sebastien Giguere's pointed words about the team's struggles from Monday.
Giguere stopped 18 out of 19 shots as the team played much better around him. Some would say that the Avalanche would really just hurt themselves by marring a great chance at a top prospect by going on a win streak, but Giguere - and Avs fantasy owners - would hope for a strong finish.

Matt Duchene was very supportive Jean-Sebastien Giguere's public attack on his teammates.
Giguere said that "some guys are more worried about their Vegas trip at the end of the season than playing the games." Duchene hopes everyone heard that. "Obviously he let his emotions get the best of him, but sometimes that's a good thing. I was a fan of it," Duchene said. "If there's any guy in here who can say that, it's him. It's good that he's upset. There's other guys in here who are upset as well. This is not fun." All the same, Giguere did apologize to his teammates for his recent comments.

Jean-Sebastien Giguere is the scheduled starter for Colorado's next two games Wednesday and Thursday.
Giguere should start both games in California with Semyon Varlamov remaining in Denver with a hip injury. He'll play behind a team that he just ripped for caring more about postseason vacations than finishing the season strong. Giguere on Tuesday stood behind his comments but did apologize for airing his "dirty laundry" in public. For their part, Giguere's teammates didn't disagree with anything the veteran goalie said. "I liked it," Matt Duchene said Tuesday. "I hoped everyone saw it. Obviously he let his emotions get the best of him, but sometimes that's a good thing. I was a fan of it."

Milan Hejduk (shoulder) is expected to be ready to return to the lineup Thursday.
Hejduk has been sidelined since March 30 with the injury. He has only four goals and 11 points in 27 games this season and is no longer relevant in fantasy circles.

Coach Joe Sacco said Paul Stastny (foot) will return to the lineup Wednesday night.
Stastny practiced with the team Tuesday morning and appears ready to get back in the lineup and off injured reserve. Stastny has been sidelined since March 24 with a nagging foot injury and was originally only supposed to miss 10 days.

Colorado Avalanche recall Sami Aittokallio from AHL Lake Erie.
Aittokallio will likely backup J.S. Giguere while Semyon Varlamov (hip) is sidelined. Aittokallio was Colorado's fourth-round pick in 2010

Semyon Varlamov has a hip injury and won't travel with the Avalanche to California.
Varlamov was a late scratch for Monday's game against the Calgary Flames with the injury. The fact that he's not traveling with the team means he'll miss at least the next two games against Anaheim and Los Angeles, although it remains to be seen how much time he'll miss after the road trip. Sideline him for now and we'll update you as soon as we know more.

David Jones hopes to redeem his poor 2013 season with a good final 10 games.
Hones has only three goals and seven points in 28 games after returning to action on Monday from a knee injury. "When Jonesie's playing well, he's a physical player," coach Joe Sacco said. "He needs to play like that all the time, and I think he got away from that. He's a guy who needs to unnerve the opposition. He needs to get in on the forecheck and use his size and speed - and then he gets chances with his good shot after that. He's always been a streaky player, but this year he never really caught fire. But he's got a chance to finish well, at least." He replaced Aaron Palushaj in the Avs lineup as Palushaj was a healthy scratch.

Milan Hejduk skated on Monday but is still not ready to return to action after his shoulder injury.
Just an FYI as Hejduk is likely on the last legs of a good NHL career. He has only four goals and 11 points in 27 games this season.

Paul Stastny (foot) will practice on Tuesday.
Stastny will travel with the team on their two game road trip and could be back as early as Wednesday as he has been out since March 24. It was originally thought he would be out only 10 days but Wednesday will make it 17 days since his last appearance. He has eight goals and 19 points in 31 games this season.

Jean-Sebastien Giguere ripped his teammates after a 3-1 loss to Calgary Monday.
Giguere is not happy with his young teammates commitment to hockey with the Avs in last place in the NHL standings. "There's no more excuses. It's not about being young. It's not about anything. We have to put our head into the game," Giguere said. "Some guys are more worried about their Vegas trip at the end of the season than playing the games, playing every minute of the game. Quite frankly, I don't care about your Vegas trip right now. It's not constructive. We have to get out of this losing mentality. It starts with me and the next guy beside me, and everybody's got to do their part. It's embarrassing. I'm embarrassed to be here right now. It's not even funny." Wow. We shall now see how the Avalanche respond to this.

Brad Malone, a center recently called up by the Avalanche, scored Colorado's only goal in the team's 3-1 loss Monday night to the visiting Calgary Flames.
It was Malone's first goal of the season. Assists went to Tyson Barrie and Ryan O'Reilly.

Veteran netminder Jean-Sebastien Giguere stopped 31 of 34 shots in an impressive outing but the three he allowed were enough to give the visiting Calgary Flames a 3-1 win over the Avalanche in Colorado Monday night.
Giguere's last victory came on Feb. 14. He is 0-4-2 in nine appearances since then.

Semyon Varlamov will start against the Calgary Flames on Monday.
Varlamov will attempt to bounce back after allowing seven goals in his previous two starts. He has an ugly 3.02 GAA and .902 save percentage in 31 games this season.

Paul Stastny (foot) will not be available on Monday.
The good news is that Stastny participated in the Avalanche's morning skate and will be back on the ice Tuesday. He's still a possibility for Wednesday's contest.

David Jones (knee) will play in Monday's contest.
Jones has missed eight straight games because of the ailment. He has three goals and four assists in 27 contests in 2013.

Ryan Wilson (ankle) and Milan Hejduk (shoulder) are both doubtful Monday.
Both players are on injured reserve and may not play again this season. Wilson was the Avs best defenseman when he was in the lineup and hopefully that bodes well for next season. Stay tuned.

Paul Stastny (foot) could return to action as early as Monday.
Both he and David Jones have been skating with the team and may be able to play against Calgary at home Monday. He has missed the last seven games and has eight goals and 19 points in 31 games thus far, a disappointing total for the offensively talented Stastny. Consider him a game-time decision Monday.