All that and more on this edition of Deen’s Daily — August 28.

Colorado Hockey Now

The Avalanche are going to be in the national spotlight this season. For good reason.

Along with the Boston Bruins and Detroit Red Wings, Colorado will have the second most nationally broadcasted games on the calendar this year, appearing on TNT, ABC, or ESPN a combined 17 times. Only Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals (18) will have more games featured. This is potentially Ovechkin’s last year in the NHL, so it makes sense.

Catch the Avs’ full national broadcast schedule below.

READ MORE: Avalanche Will Be Spotlighted on National Broadcasts 17 Times in 2025-26

If you haven’t seen it already, Barrie’s Instagram post that announced his retirement on Tuesday was hilarious.

Also, the Carolina Hurricanes are throwing professional tryouts around ahead of training camp. They’ve added two former Avalanche skaters from last season as invites. Will either of them land a contract? I have my doubts.

READ MORE: Carolina Hurricanes Sign Two Former Avs to PTOs

Around The NHL

McDavid Talks Contract: At the opening day of the Hockey Canada orientation camp, McDavid was asked about his pending contract extension with the Edmonton Oilers right away. Like, it was the first question. At a camp meant for the Olympics. And I don’t blame the reporter at all, this is the biggest story in the league and will be until he signs.

Sportsnet had a write up on the situation. Ultimately, McDavid’s comments on Wednesday made it clear that there is a possibility he won’t sign an extension before opening night. That’s not something anyone would’ve predicted three months ago.

Marner Answers Questions: Mitch Marner was also courted by media on Day 1. As you’d expect, he answered questions that were Leafs related.

The camp continues on Thursday, and I wonder if either of Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar, or Devon Toews will eventually be made available. I’m curious what they have to say about a wide range of topics after nearly four months since the Game 7 loss. As you can probably tell, I’m excited to get going with media day here in Denver in a few weeks.

San Hockey Now: The Sharks new arena deal includes all kinds of big updates to their home. You can learn more about what’s coming here.

Detroit Hockey Now: The Red Wings have high hopes for Axel Sandin Pellikka. And as you’d imagine, the young Swedish prospect is pretty excited to get going at training camp. I envision he’ll be a huge piece alongside Simon Edvinsson on the second pair for years to come. (That’s if the Wings don’t dangle him as trade bait to get Mason McTavish).

The post Deen’s Daily: McDavid Might Not Sign Before Opening Night; PTOs Abound; Avalanche in National Spotlight appeared first on Colorado Hockey Now.

* puts vacation on pause to tell you that *

The #Canes have signed defenseman Oliver Kylington and forward Givani Smith to professional tryouts (PTOs).https://t.co/LNgaUddwsR

— Walt Ruff (@WaltRuff) August 27, 2025

Defenseman Oliver Kylington and forward Givani Smith signed professional tryouts with the Hurricanes on Wednesday, allowing them an opportunity to attend camp and fight for a contract and a spot in the lineup.

Kylington, 28, was an early August free agent signing for Colorado last season. He was one of those players coming off of a rough couple of years but was loaded with talent and potential. Things didn’t end up working out with him and the Avalanche.

He dressed in just 13 games for the Avs and six more after getting dealt. On the ice, Kylington struggled with consistency at both ends of the ice and off the ice, injuries kept him on the shelf for large parts of the season. He finished with a goal and two assists.

Read More: Avalanche Will Be Spotlighted on National Broadcasts 17 Times in 2025-26

Kylington was a contract throw-in by Colorado in the blockbuster deal that sent Calum Ritchie and a first-round pick to the New York Islanders for second-line center Brock Nelson. He was traded again the next day to the Anaheim Ducks for future considerations.

Smith, 27, was also traded twice in 2024-25. The Avs acquired him from San Jose in December in a massive deal that brought Mackenzie Blackwood to Colorado and sent Alexandar Georgiev and Nikolai Kovalenko the other way. Smith played seven games for the Avalanche and six for the Eagles in the AHL, and wasn’t a factor for either squad.

On deadline day, Smith was dealt to the Philadelphia Flyers in a one-for-one trade for Erik Johnson.

The post Carolina Hurricanes Sign Two Former Avs to PTOs appeared first on Colorado Hockey Now.

Avs GM Chris MacFarland said, “It’s no secret that we had to try and get deeper, both upfront and on the backend. I don’t think we’re totally satisfied,” on Monday.

Nelson has 43 points in 61 games with the Islanders this season. He has 11 multi-point games and a career-high 52.8% in the face-off dot. He’s spent the entirety of his career with the franchise that drafted him in the first round in 2010.

Dufour, 23, has played in 45 games this season for the Bridgeport Islanders (AHL), registering 18 points. His goals and points total both rank seventh on the club.

The 6-foot-3, 212-pound forward has 91 points in the 169 career AHL games all with Bridgeport played from 2022-25. He played one game with the Islanders on Jan. 18, 2023.

The post TRADE ALERT: Avs Make Deal with Islanders for Brock Nelson appeared first on Colorado Hockey Now.

Colorado has lacked depth scoring with the top line carrying most of the load. Momentum was high before the long 4 Nations break and then they lost back-to-back road games coming out of it. Those losses put a damper on morale and crushed some of the team’s spirit.

But that changed with a 5-1 win over the New Jersey Devils on Wednesday night. It was Valeri Nichushkin’s first game back since he was injured on New Year’s Eve. Casey Mittelstadt scored his first goal in 12 games. Logan O’Connor scored his seventh of the season.

“If you’re feeling good about your game and you’re playing hard and playing well, part of it is you got to get rewarded every once in a while,” head coach Jared Bednar said.

Although Nichushkin did not get on the scoresheet, he made a significant impact on the team for his first game back in the lineup. That boost carried into the victory over the Minnesota Wild, with him scoring the first goal of the game.

Read More: Nichushkin’s Return Boosts Avs in Victory Over New Jersey Devils

Not one goal came from the top line. Jonathan Drouin added another from the second line. Third-line center Jack Drury scored and his linemate, Ross Colton got his first since Jan. 9. Colton finished the game with his second of the night into an empty net.

“Just keep it rolling. Just come to the rink every day with the right mindset. I don’t know what it is, but just the attitude around the room has felt different. Guys are more upbeat. Guys are enjoying themselves. It’s a fun time here,” Colton said after the 5-2 win over the Wild.

The 28-year-old forward said it was a relief to break his scoring drought and hopes the momentum continues for himself and the team.

The win was the second game of a six-game homestand which has proven to be an advantage for the Avs so far. Oliver Kylington contributed two points on Friday night and said home ice has been important.

“I’ve been injured but I feel like the guys have been away for a long time so it’s nice to have a home stretch and build some momentum and play for our fans. It’s awesome,” Kylington said.

Depth production has taken some pressure off the top line which has been a big factor in keeping the team competitive. The energy generated circulates throughout the team to keep it connected.

Read More: Avalanche Acquire Defenseman Ryan Lindgren, Depth Forward from Rangers

“We have an amazing group of guys in here. Great leaders, guys who won some championships. A tribute to them keeping the mindset right, managing those ups and downs,” Colton said. “Come to the rink with a smile on your face — we have a great job and we get to enjoy it.”

Bednar has been able to balance playing minutes a bit more with contributions from the entire lineup. That translates to less wear and tear on his heavy hitters, which is important at this point in the season.

Nathan MacKinnon will practice less and other players with high time on the ice will likely rest more often. With 21 games left in the regular season, the Avs need a fully healthy squad come playoff time.

The post ‘Just Keep It Rolling’: Avs Have High Winning Spirit appeared first on Colorado Hockey Now.

The post 10 Observations: The Valeri Nichushkin Whisperer Was at It Again (+) appeared first on Colorado Hockey Now.

The post Good & Bad: Avalanche Depth Takes Charge in Crucial Win Over Minnesota appeared first on Colorado Hockey Now.

READ MORE: Casey Mittelstadt Joins NHL Insider’s Trade Targets Board

Coming off a frustrating and disappointing performance in a 3-0 loss to Vancouver, the Avalanche are in need of a rebound in the worst type of way.

Perhaps a game against a team hot on your tail in the wildcard race should do the trick — granted it didn’t against the Canucks. Despite getting great goaltending from Mackenzie Blackwood, the Avs are struggling to score goals. They had four against the St. Louis Blues in the first period three games ago but have since scored just three goals in eight periods. Blackwood has only surrendered two goals in his last three starts — both against the Canucks — but has had little support.

He’ll likely get the nod in goal again with Trent Miner or Scott Wedgewood serving as backup. Wedgewood is on the trip but is day-to-day with an upper-body injury. The Betano bonus code will help our Canadian friends who want a little action on the game.

Josh Manson was injured against Vancouver and did not return for the third period. He’ll miss the next two games. Replacing him is Oliver Kylington, who hasn’t played since November recovering from an injury of his own. It’ll be his first game back in Calgary against the Flames — the team that drafted him 10 years ago. Kylington’s tenure ended suddenly with the Flames last summer and might result in boos raining down on the blueliner.

Kylington played 201 games for Calgary.

Offensively, Colorado is likely going with the same 12 forwards.

READ MORE: Miles Wood’s Reckless Penalties Send Avalanche Spiraling in Vancouver

The Flames have been one of the better stories this season. What began as a team projected to finish at the bottom of the standings has quickly turned into one of the buyers of the trade deadline.

Last week Calgary acquired both Morgan Frost and Joel Farabee from the Philadelphia Flyers, rewarding their team with two notable forwards who are assets that will remain with the team well past this season.

The team is also not interested in trading any of its veterans like Rasmus Andersson and Nazem Kadri. The Avs’ No. 2 center in 2022 is again enjoying another productive season. Kadri has become a leader for the Flames and one of the main reasons why they’ve held it together in the wildcard race for this long.

The bigger factor? Rookie goalie Dustin Wolf. Listed at just 6’0 and 166 lbs, Wolf has completely changed the tune of the Flames with his play this year. He’s 19-10-2 with a .914 save percentage and will likely end up as one of the three finalists for the Calder Trophy.

Wolf gets the nod in goal tonight, making his first career start against the Avalanche.

READ MORE:  Avalanche Should Focus Efforts on Upgrading Defense

The post Avalanche Game 56 at Calgary Flames: Lines, Notes & How to Watch appeared first on Colorado Hockey Now.

Not only have they won four of five games on a season-long road trip — the last three of which were dominant, but they’re also welcoming new starting goalie Mackenzie Blackwood. The Avs acquired him early Monday afternoon from the San Jose Sharks in a trade involving four players.

But amid the wins and positive vibes from the new goalies, Bednar provided an update on all of his injured skaters. Mostly, it’s just as expected, but the key part of the message was clear: Don’t expect any of them back anytime soon.

“The reinforcements are still a ways away and we’ve got a lot of games in very few nights here before Christmas,” Bednar told Altitude Sports Radio early Wednesday morning.

READ MORE: 10 Observations: Notable Numbers from Avalanche’s Dominating Win in Pittsburgh (+)

Jonathan Drouin is listed as week to week but is still not consistently on the ice.

“[He’s] just hitting the ice periodically, depends on how he feels,” Bednar said. “The fact that he’s not skating every day, that he’s not with our team skating. We’ll see but when he joins that. And then you’re still a few days away.”

Josh Manson is the closest to returning, according to the coach. But it’s still going to be a bit of time for him, too.

“Manson has been on the ice skating hard trying to get ready. We know that he’s got an upper-body injury so he’s able to be on the ice and do his thing,” he said.

On Miles Wood, who has missed two weeks since it was announced that he’s out month-to-month:

“His timeline is still ways away. He could be six weeks away or more,” Bednar said.

READ MORE: Avalanche Strategically Place Hopes in Blackwood’s On-Ice Potential and Character (+)

Oliver Kylington is not yet skating and per usual, no updates on captain Gabriel Landeskog.

“All of them will be grinding in the gym and rehab doing whatever they can to get ready,” Bednar said.

The plan is for the Avs to have a similar lineup to the one they’ve been using during the road trip. Following the trade with San Jose, recently acquired forward Givani Smith entered the lineup in place of Nikolai Kovalenko and Nikita Prishchepov, who alternated playing time over the last week.

With the Avs back in town for two games, Bednar expects to get further updates on the injured players on Thursday.

The post Jared Bednar Provides Avalanche Injury Updates: ‘Still a Ways Away’ appeared first on Colorado Hockey Now.

Among his career accolades, Thornton is the only player to win the Art Ross Trophy and Hart Trophy in the same season he played for two teams. Fifteen of his 24 seasons were spent with the Sharks following a late November trade in 2005 from the Boston Bruins — the season he accomplished the feat. Perhaps the only blemish on his career is the lack of a Stanley Cup championship. But the future Hall of Famer inspired an entire generation and paved the way for many. He’s truly one of one, and the stories shared during his retirement ceremony are worth watching.

There’s also this — another highlight from the night

Peyton Krebs, #19 on the Sabres, scored and pointed up to the new Joe Thornton #19 banner pic.twitter.com/v2DcKwBkRx

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) November 24, 2024

All the latest from San Jose Hockey Now — the best coverage on all things Joe Thornton.

Who is Joe Thornton? Sharks Legends Describe Jumbo (+)

Warsofsky on how Thornton Impacts Sharks Today

Joe Pavelski Returns to San Jose to Celebrate Joe Thornton

Zetterlund Pays Tribute to Joe Thornton with Beard Celly

Sharks Can’t Carry Good Vibes From Thornton Retirement, Lose to Buffalo

Colorado Hockey Now

The Avalanche erased two deficits on their way to a 7-4 victory over the reigning Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers. Three Colorado skaters broke through with their first goals of the season. Jonathan Drouin, who dressed on opening night before missing 16 games with an injury, scored twice. In recent games, he’s been lining up with Nathan MacKinnon and Artturi Lehkonen on Jared Bednar’s top line.

In his fourth game since returning from a six-month suspension, Valeri Nichushkin finally found the scoresheet. He had two assists before adding an empty-net goal for his first of the season. And defenseman Oliver Kylington, often a healthy scratch, added a goal and an assist for his first two points in an Avalanche sweater in his seventh appearance this season.

Colorado put six goals past Sergei Bobrovsky without a point from Nathan MacKinnon, who leads the NHL in points. Albeit fellow star Mikko Rantanen had a goal and three assists. It’s a sign that the Avs, using their strong depth, are finally playing at the level expected from them after getting healthy.

MacKinnon ended up with the primary assist on Nichushkin’s empty netter.

Colleen Flynn covered the Good & Bad following the win, which further touches on the variety of goal scorers on Saturday.

Around The NHL

Chicago Hockey Now: The Blackhawks blew a multi-goal lead to the Philadelphia Flyers in Saturday’s matinee affair. Is Connor Bedard experiencing the dreaded sophomore slump?

Pittsburgh Hockey Now: The legend of Sidney Crosby grows, as he became just the second active player behind Alex Ovechkin to reach a huge goal-scoring milestone.

Philly Hockey Now: The first NHL battle between Matvei Michkov and Bedard was one for the ages. Bedard’s side blew the late lead, but Michkov, who hasn’t forgotten his last loss to Bedard nearly four years ago, got revenge on Saturday.

The post Deen’s Daily: Joe Thornton’s Epic Retirement Night; Drouin, Nichushkin, Kylington Break Through appeared first on Colorado Hockey Now.

Jonathan Drouin scored his first two goals of the season. His first was a bounce off his shoulder pad from Cale Makar’s shot into the net, and his second was a backhand from a Makar pass.

Sam Girard and Logan O’Connor scored their second goals of the season, and Oliver Kylington and Valeri Nichushkin each netted their first.

Girard’s goal — the fourth of the game — was a lucky deflection off Dmitry Kulikov’s skate in front of the net. The 27-year-old defenseman also made a perfect pass to Mikko Rantanen in front of the net for the fifth goal. It was Rantanen’s only goal but he had three assists for a four-point game.

“Really good game, three really good games in this road trip. Florida — defending champions, and really good team so when we play like this, results are going to come on their own,” Rantanen said after the win. “And defending was good. Offense, we had a night tonight for sure. We were able to score on some chances that we might have not been able to score in the previous games.”

Kylington lined up a cross-ice pass on O’Connor’s goal for his first assist of the season. His goal was a wrist shot just under the crossbar over Sergei Bobrovsky’s shoulder off a perfectly placed pass from Nichushkin.

The 27-year-old Sweden native played the last three games after being in and out of the lineup since the start of the season.

“I just try to be consistent with my play and give the coaches what I’m good at,” Kylington said.

Good: Full team effort 

Seven players earned multiple points in the win: Rantanen (4), Nichushkin (3), Drouin (2), Makar (2). Devon Toews (2), Girard (2) and Kylington (2). Artturi Lehkonen, Nathan MacKinnon, Ivan Ivan and O’Connor all had one point each.

See my breakdown above for more details on the full team effort.

Alexandar Georgiev made 27 saves on 31 shots and played another solid game despite giving up a goal less than a minute into the first period. The netminder got beat on three of the four goals, but Aleksander Barkov’s was a wonky one with a bat of the puck into the net that bounced off Georgiev when he made the initial stop.

Bad: Turnovers, Penalties

The Avs stayed mostly on top of the puck but had another high number of giveaways with 21. The Panthers were unable to convert on many of them due to the Avs’ recovery plays.

“We fixed some things that hurt us in Washington — number one, getting back above pucks early to shut down the rush attack. It’s important against Florida as well, that you get back above them because they can be a really dangerous team …,” head coach Jared Bednar said after the game. “I thought that we did a nice job of that, real good defending commitment tonight, and it led to good offense. It was smart puck play … If we didn’t, we laid it back in behind them and got our forecheck rolling a little bit. So I felt like we were a hard team to handle tonight in a lot of different areas.”

The Avalanche were assessed five penalties while the Panthers only got two.

The Cats were called for delay of game after challenging a goaltender interference call on a goal that was waived off. Miles Wood got into it with Matthew Tkachuk and both were sent to the box.

Florida capitalized on a power play at the end of the second from Joel Kiviranta’s interference minor.

More Avalanche News

• No Better Time for an Avalanche Road Trip
• Flynn’s Daily: Where Avs Sit Quarter Way Through Season
• Deen’s Daily: Georgiev Victorious in Return; Datsyuk Signs Symbolic Contract; Blackwood for Team Canada?

The post Good & Bad: Full Team Effort in Avalanche Win appeared first on Colorado Hockey Now.