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Colorado Avalanche News
Lindgren (upper-body) is on the ice for warmups and is expected to play against the Coyotes on Monday.

Lindgren returns to the Rangers lineup after missing Saturday's contest against the Blue Jackets due to the upper-body injury. The 25-year-old blue-liner registered one goal and 17 assists to go along with an impressive +29 rating in 63 games with the Rangers last season. He is expected to skate alongside Adam Fox at 5v5 on the team's second pair.

Ryan Lindgren
Mackenzie Blackwood will start Tuesday vs. Carolina.

Blackwood will get his second consecutive start for the Sharks after coming up short in a heroic 51-save, 2-1 shootout loss to the Colorado Avalanche. Blackwood is coming off a frustrating, injury-riddled campaign with the New Jersey Devils in which he posted a 3.20 GAA and .893 SV% in 22 games (10-6-2). It is unlikely that Blackwood will replicate his first-game performance but if he can consistently put forth valiant efforts, he will likely be in line to become the go-to guy in between the pipes for the Sharks. That said, things won't get any easier for Blackwood and the Sharks Tuesday night as they are +269 home underdogs against a Carolina Hurricanes team that has scored 13 goals in their first three games of the season (2-1-0).

Mackenzie Blackwood
Ryan Lindgren (upper body) will be a game-time decision Monday vs. Arizona.

Lindgren missed the Rangers' previous contest vs. Columbus due to an upper-body injury but will be a game-time decision Monday as they take on Arizona. The 25-year-old defensemen played 19:50 TOI in the Rangers season opener but failed to pick up any counting stats besides one SOG. He had a goal, 17 assists, 45 PIMs and a +29 plus/minus in 63 games as a key part of the Rangers in 2022-23.

Ryan Lindgren
Mackenzie Blackwood will start Saturday vs. Colorado.

Blackwood will see his first action between the pipes as a member of the San Jose Sharks after signing with them in the offseason. Blackwood struggled in his last three seasons with the New Jersey Devils, recording a cumulative 3.19 GAA and .897 SV% across 82 games. He will be hard-pressed to improve those numbers on a Sharks team that seems destined to be at the bottom end of the NHL standings this season. To make matters worse, Blackwood will be facing the high-powered offence of the Colorado Avalanche, who are coming off a 5-2 victory over the Los Angeles Kings.

Mackenzie Blackwood
Devon Toews has signed a seven-year, $50.75 million contract extension ($7,250,000 AAV).

Now in his fourth season as a member of the Colorado Avalanche, in which he has recorded 139 points (29 G / 110A) in 200 games, Toews has been rewarded a seven-year, $50.75 million contract extension. Toews has solidified himself as one of the league's premiere all-around defensemen and has secured himself a lucrative contract that will go through to his age-37 season.

Devon Toews
Andrew Cogliano (neck) will be out for Colorado's season opener vs. Los Angeles.

Cogliano has been out since April 28th due to a neck injury he sustained during the 2022-23 playoffs and has been labelled out for Colorado's opening game vs. Los Angeles after originally being a game-time decision. The 36-year-old veteran is entering his 17th NHL season and had 10 goals, nine assists, 85 SOG, 44 PIMs and a +6 plus/minus in 79 games played in 2022-23.

Andrew Cogliano
Pittsburgh has claimed John Ludvig off waivers from Florida.

Ludvig was the 69th overall selection of the Florida Panthers in the NHL Entry Draft in 2019. He is unlikely to see much, if any, playing time in the NHL this season but adds some nice organizational depth for the Penguins' defensive core. Last season, Ludvig played 54 games for the Charlotte Checkers of the AHL where he recorded 17 points (3G / 14A).

John Ludvig
The Avalanche placed Pavel Francouz (groin) on IR.

Francouz has been placed on the injured reserve as he continues to recover from a groin injury. Francouz battled injuries last season as well, recording a 2.61 GAA and .915 SV% while playing in only 16 games (8-7-1). Justus Annunen will serve as the backup to Alexandar Georgiev to start the season as Francouz's timeline for return remains uncertain.

Pavel Francouz
Chris Wagner (ruptured Achilles) is expected to miss at least the first three months of the 2023-24 season.

Wagner signed a one-year, two-way contract with Colorado in the offseason and is expected to miss at least the first three months of the 2023-24 season due to a ruptured Achilles. The 32-year-old forward had 19 goals, 12 assists, 69 PIMs and a -5 plus/minus with the Providence Bruins (AHL) in 2022-23 and was hoping to make a push for a final roster position on the Avalanche prior to his injury.

Chris Wagner
Andrew Cogliano (neck) is day-to-day but is expected to be ready for the start of the regular season.

Cogliano has not played since Game 6 of Colorado's opening series vs. Seattle in the 2022-23 playoffs due to a neck injury and is day-to-day to start training camp but is expected to be ready for the start of the regular season. The 36-year-old veteran forward finished 2022-23 with 10 goals, nine assists, 85 SOG, 44 PIMs and a +6 plus/minus in his second season in Colorado. 2023-24 will mark his 17th NHL season.

Andrew Cogliano
Cale Makar (undisclosed) will miss the start of training camp but should be back on the ice next week.

Makar will miss the start of training camp with an undisclosed injury but is expected to be back on the ice next week and should be good to go for the start of the regular season. The 24-year-old one-time Norris Trophy Winner had 17 goals, 49 assists, 176 SOG, 30 PIMs and a +16 plus/minus through 60 games played in 2022-23 and will be hoping to complete a full 82-game season for the first time in his career this year.

Cale Makar
Pavel Francouz had an off-season adductor surgery and there is concern he could miss "some time".

Francouz was 8-7-1 with a .915 SV%, and 2.61 GAA in 2022-23 with Colorado but is likely to not be ready for the regular season as he had off-season adductor surgery with serious concern that he could miss "some time". The 33-year-old netminder has had his career decimated by consistent injuries since coming to the NHL in 2018-19 and has never appeared in more than 34 games (2019-20). The Avalanche have made it known that they are in the hunt for a replacement back-up goaltender while Francouz nurses his latest ailment.

Pavel Francouz
Colorado has signed Matthew Stienburg to a two-year, entry-level contract.

Stienburg was drafted by Colorado in the 3rd round of the 2019 draft (63rd overall) and has signed the center to a two-year, entry-level contract. The 22-year-old made his professional debut in 2022-23 with the Colorado Eagles (AHL) as he had an assist and five PIMs across a brief four-game appearance. Prior to the Eagles, he closed out his NCAA career with Cornell (NCAA) where he had two goals, five assists, 18 PIMs, and a -2 plus/minus through 18 games.

Matthew Stienburg