Not much has changed since the Avalanche used a third-string goalie in the playoffs last year after Philipp Grubauer and Pavel Francouz were injured in the second-round series against the Dallas Stars.
At the time, Hunter Miska was Colorado’s fourth-string goalie, backing up third-stringer Michael Hutchinson with Grubauer and Francouz watching in street clothes.
Right now, the situation isn’t much better because Francouz is again injured and Miska is the backup again.
During the offseason, the Avs declined to resign Hutchinson, a pending unrestricted free agent, or any other goalie with an NHL start under his belt. And Miska became the starter on Thursday night in Los Angeles, where the Avs blew a 2-0 lead and lost 4-2 to the Kings.
Miska started his first career NHL game because Francouz is on the injured list and Grubauer needed a break during a four-game stretch over six days, including a consecutive-night stretch Thursday and Friday.
In this season’s condensed 56-game schedule and the uncertainty of COVID-19, NHL teams would be wise to have an experienced third-string goalie, and most have added one.
The Avalanche has not, even with the injury-plagued pasts of Grubauer and Francouz. The Avs have Miska, and behind him is 2016 fifth-round draft pick Adam Werner, who made two NHL appearances last season but has seemingly fallen out of favor this year.
Werner, 23, and Miska, 25, shared the net for the AHL’s Colorado Eagles last season. Werner made 31 appearances and Miska 25.
Werner, who currently is on the Avs’ taxi squad, was supposed to make strides this season. So far he has not.
“We like the situation we have with the Eagles with Adam Werner. We thought he did a good job for us last year,” Avs general manager Joe Sakic said before the season. “Obviously we’re very comfortable with Philipp Grubauer and Pavel Francouz. It’s unfortunate they both got hurt in the playoffs but we expect them to both be fully recovered and not have those issues next year.”
Francouz already has an issue, and he has yet to play in a game.
The Avalanche was not proactive with their goaltending in free agency. Now they might have to be reactive if Francouz’s injury is serious — because Miska has yet to show he’s NHL-caliber and Grubauer is oft-injured.
Colorado, despite its salary-cap constraints, could have signed a proven veteran goalie in free agency. Ryan Miller, 40, Craig Anderson, 39, and Cory Schneider, 34, were available, but they signed modest third-string deals with Anaheim, Washington, and the New York Islanders, respectively. Miller got $1 million and Anderson and Schneider both signed for $700,000.
Only one marquee veteran goalie is left in free agency, but last week Jimmy Howard, 36, declined a deal with Edmonton and said he is going to retire.
The Avalanche is stacked at forward and on the blue line. But the last line of defense is shaky at best.
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January 23, 2021 at 08:05AM
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Chambers: Avalanche goaltending is the soft spot of an otherwise stacked team - The Denver Post
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