They only named three goalies to the orientation camp roster, despite naming as many as six in previous Olympic events that included NHL players.

At 4 Nations, Jordan Binnington — while having a bad first half of the season — stepped in for Canada, played every minute of the tournament, and walked away with a championship. He was excellent. He did his part and proved the doubters wrong.

But that doesn’t change the fact that the Canadians still made some pretty questionable decisions in the crease. Along with Binnington, Canada took Vegas’ Adin Hill and Montreal’s Sam Montembeault to 4 Nations.

They left behind Logan Thompson, who was having an excellent season with the Capitals, Darcy Kuemper, who ended up finishing second in Vezina Trophy voting and has a Stanley Cup, and the Avs’ new starter Mackenzie Blackwood.

It’s fair that Blackwood just didn’t really have enough time to set himself up for a roster spot. He had just been traded to the Avs two months prior. But Thompson and Kuemper both had solid cases.

Regardless, it’s been months since that tournament. Thompson went on to have a great ending to the season with the Caps, and won a playoff series. While Blackwood, despite falling in the first round, gave the Avs solid goaltending — something they haven’t had since Kuemper.

All three of those guys should be at the orientation camp. Even if Binnington is the undisputed starter. Even if another slow start to the season won’t matter when the Olympics begin, it’s silly for Hockey Canada to not bring others to camp to keep the competition open.

Ultimately, there’s no guarantee that attending the orientation camp automatically earns you a roster spot. In 2014, Team Canada’s gold medal-winning roster included Jamie Benn and Patrick Marleau, but neither was invited to the camp.

So it is possible to play your way in, or out, of consideration.

But why not bring them? Why make it clear that you want Hill and Montembeault as the two backups? What if injuries arise? There are no limits on how many players you can invite to this camp.

Blackwood was invited to the 2022 camp before the NHL eventually backed out of the tournament. He’s been on Hockey Canada’s radar before. So why put yourself in a situation where you’re calling him, Thompson, Kuemper, or someone else to step in for the Olympics after not inviting them to the camp?

It’s all very puzzling.

Canada won 4 Nations largely because Binnington made some great saves in key moments. I won’t take that away from him. But what if he completely blows it in the first game or two of the Olympics? Why wouldn’t you want the next best guy there?

Canada started with Martin Brodeur in goal in 2010 before shifting to Roberto Luongo after Brodeur’s bad start. If, after all, Binnington can’t lead the charge, are you comfortable with Hill or Montembeault stepping in, no questions asked, no competition, regardless of how their season’s have gone?

Blackwood should’ve been invited. I stand by that.

But now it’s up to him to have the type of start that changes management’s mind.

The post No Blackwood or Thompson? Canada Only Invites 3 Goalies to Orientation Camp appeared first on Colorado Hockey Now.

The post How Does Mackenzie Blackwood’s Contract Stack Up Against the Goalie Deals That Followed? (+) appeared first on Colorado Hockey Now.

All that and more on this edition of Deen’s Daily — March 15.

Colorado Hockey Now

The Avs collected three of four points on the road against the two wildcard teams in the Western Conference. On Friday, it was a two-goal effort from Parker Kelly that led the way against the Calgary Flames.

Also, the next Avalanche Mailbag is here! Click the hyperlink and use the comments section in that post to get your questions in before Sunday.

Around the NHL

Vegas Hockey Now: The Golden Knights locked up goalie Adin Hill for six more years. Here’s what it means for their salary cap moving forward.

Detroit Hockey Now: If you’re a long-time Avalanche fan, you’ll appreciate this: The Red Wings playoff hopes are dwindling with each passing loss. The Avs are 7-0-1 in their last eight. Detroit is 1-7-0. This time, falling to the Carolina Hurricanes after a sloppy second period.

Philadelphia Hockey Now: Looking to solidy their goaltending, should the Flyers explore an offseason reunion with Alex Lyon?

Jonatan Berggren isn’t playing much these days. He’s gotta fight to earn more ice time.

Ottawa Hockey Now: It’s been a strange start to the Fabian Zetterlund era in Ottawa. He’s playing on the fourth line.

NYI Hockey Now: Brock Nelson’s former club fought back against the Oilers before losing in OT.

The post Deen’s Daily: Avalanche Point Streak Continues; Red Wings Freefall; Hill Gets Big Vegas Deal appeared first on Colorado Hockey Now.

Those star players like the ice-time, but what do they do to recover after a massive workload?

“I try to ride the bike a little bit. Just do, basically, normal things,” Mikko Rantanen told me. “Obviously, yesterday just try to take it easy and recover. It’s a lot on the powerplay, too. I think eight minutes on the powerplay, which is not as (intense) with forecheck. It’s kind of, sometimes, standing around. I felt pretty good in overtime, energy wise. If they want to keep playing me 30, I’ll keep playing. I don’t mind it.”

The Avalanche are a team that takes a lot of optional practices and off-days, and they let their star players take advantage of those days. That’s not the case for every team in the NHL. Bednar relies on his big guns to carry the load, and I don’t see it changing any time soon.

Consistent O’Connor

When the Avalanche have dealt with injuries this year, one guy they’ve turned to for an increased workload is Logan O’Connor.

Why is that?

Because you know what you’re going to get from him every single night.

“When you’re looking to put players into a spot in the lineup, the best gift for a coach is to know exactly what you’re going to get,” Bednar said after morning skate. “It doesn’t matter where he plays, you know exactly how he’s going to play. He doesn’t change his game when I move him with skill players. That’s another guy that’s really consistent in what he does, start to finish, year-to-year, game-to-game, week-to-week, he’s going to bring it as hard as he can every night. He’ll maybe have some off nights, but they’re few and far between.”

A few seasons into his NHL career, O’Connor knows who he is, and isn’t going to change a game.

“I’m at the point in my career where I know what gives my game success, and that shouldn’t deviate where I’m at in the lineup,” O’Connor told me. “Just stick to my identity as a player, and not get confused, whether I’m up or down the lineup.”

Revenge Against Vegas

Yes, everyone remembers what happened the last time the Avalanche took on the Vegas Golden Knights. The defending Stanley Cup champs beat down the Avalanche in Vegas by a score of 7-0.

Fans remember, and the players do as well.

“That was a tough game with the Mom’s trip there, too,” O’Connor said. “I think try and get a little revenge tonight. We’ve always had good battles with this team. Last game was certainly the exception to that. Regardless, I think it’s always a good test for us going up against them. They play fast, they play hard, so it’s on us to get off to a good start and play our style of hockey. Boston game, for us, was sort of a good template and blueprint for what we can look forward to do against the good teams in this league, and carry that over into this game.”

Other News And Lineup Notes

• Josh Manson took part in morning skate, but will not play tonight. He’s still considered day-to-day with a lower body injury.
• Miles Wood will also not play, as he tested positive for influenza.
• Alexandar Georgiev will start in net for the Avalanche, while it appears likely Adin Hill will return for the Golden Knights.
• Gabriel Landeskog was on the bench for morning skate, and was very vocal. After Andrew Cogliano scored on a 2-on-1, he started hooting and hollering, and then grabbed a stick and banged it against the boards. He brings the energy when he’s around the team.

The post Avalanche Gameday: Rantanen Likes Heavy Workload; Consistent O’Connor appeared first on Colorado Hockey Now.