The Colorado Avalanche season is gearing up and the athletes are coming with
something to prove. Players are starting informal practices and rookie camp
nears. Even the full training camp schedule was released last week. Wonders
never cease! So what can one expect?Informal Avs Practices

Some players are already practicing at Family Sports Center, where the
Avalanche hold their regular practices. It will also be the site of the one
Colorado rookie practice as well as the lion's share of regular training camp.

Some familiar names and some fresh faces already started skating in preparation
 for the new season. Defenseman Erik Johnson looks to be working on his knees
and legs after two injuries sidelined him for part of last year. Missing the
chance to play in the postseason after getting injured appeared to hurt more
than the injury itself. Johnson, a man on a mission last season, looks to be
kicking it up a notch. Again.Erik Johnson and Semyon Varlamov want to play in
the playoffs this season. (Timothy T. Ludwig-US PRESSWIRE)

Semyon Varlamov appears to be testing his recovery in net after an injury
forced him to miss the playoffs. The signing of Philipp Grubauer and the
acquisition of Pavel Francouz apparently stoked the competitive fire within
Varlamov as he normally doesn't come to Colorado this early. The goaltender
competition could be highly provocative and one of the more interesting stories
 in training camp.

New number one draft pick Martin Kaut (recovering from heart surgery) and
rookie defenseman Conor Timmins also practiced skating, passing and shooting
drills along with defenseman Josh Anderson and center Igor Shvyrev. Last week
saw as many as seven players on the ice in preparation for the season's start.
The informal practices also allow the players to get to know each other.

With my bro🏒💪🏼 @Francik_3 pic.twitter.com/B4AS8L8WRD

- Martin Kaut (@kauly61) August 30, 2018

This week, a few more players trickled in to the informal skates. Returning
wings Sven Andrighetto and Gabriel Bourque hit the ice along with two newly
acquired additions - forward Matt Calvert (formerly of the Columbus Blue
Jackets) and Czech goaltender Francouz (KHL). Apparently, now that the
Avalanche have a taste for the postseason, the new players want to be
well-prepared and the returning players are eager to pursue a deeper push into
the playoffs. It's good to see, and another promising piece from head coach
Jared Bednar's regime.Avalanche Rookie Camp

The rookie camp commences Sept. 7 at Family Sports Center. While the Avalanche
are a young team as a whole, this season's rookie crew are not all that young.
Only four of the 29 players are currently 18-years-old while five are 23 or
older. Unfortunately, Friday's practice will be the only opportunity to watch
the young guys live in Colorado. The group will be heading to Las Vegas the
following day for the Vegas Rookie Faceoff tournament.

The Avs are scheduled to square off against the Vegas Golden Knights, Anaheim
Ducks and the San Jose Sharks prospects Sept. 8-11. If anyone wants a glimpse
of the Colorado pipeline, these matchups are worth catching. Hopefully, there
will be streaming available, but details have not yet been announced. This will
 be the third year the Avalanche have participated in a rookie round-robin
tourney and the matchups help get a sense of how the players handle game
situations, not just drills. Priceless.

Two goaltending prospects will be playing for the Avalanche - Justus Annunen
and Petr Kvaca. Annunen is an 18-year-old third-round draft pick from Finland
while Kvaca is a 20-year-old Czech who was picked up in the fourth round of the
 2017 draft. Both players participated in the summer development camp. 29
skaters will have a chance to show the Avalanche their stuff. While some come
from their junior clubs, others already played in the AHL or even made a couple
 of appearances with the Avalanche.Justus Annunen will be one of the younger
players at rookie camp. (courtesy Karpat)

Most of the participants are competing for their future with the franchise,
which is part of what makes the rookie camp interesting. Some skaters are just
trying to earn a spot on the Utah Grizzlies or the Colorado Eagles while others
 are aiming for the big prize - winning a role with the Avalanche.

Russian center Vladislav Kamenev, acquired from the Nashville Predators in the
Matt Duchene deal, should have the best shot at making the Avalanche's starting
 roster. He was injured four minutes into his first game in an Avalanche
sweater and missed a bunch of the season. During his brief stint in the AHL
last year, he racked up 16 points in 17 games.Vladislav Kamenev should compete
for a starting spot on the Avalanche. (Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports)

Another return from substantial injury is defenseman Sergei Boikov, who was
wounded in last year's preseason and wasn't seen or heard from since. Boikov
showed up this week for the informal skates so he must be fully recovered. How
will missing an entire year affect his play? The rookie camp should be key to
answering that question.

If you are wondering about the whereabouts of Cale Makar, Shane Bowers, or
Sampo Ranta, they won't be attending rookie camp. College athletes are
generally already working with their college teams and there are some NCAA
restrictions that make participation in rookie camp problematic. Generally,
college players only participate in summer development camp.Training Camp

But wait, there's more. Yes, real hockey is right around the corner and one
should keep their eyes out for veteran players showing up at Family Sports
Center for informal practices. Veterans officially report for medical testing
on Thursday, Sept. 13 and will commence skating on Friday, Sept. 14.

Unofficially, look for the veterans to be showing up next week for the informal
 captain's skates. Last year, 22 veterans hit up Family Sports Center to get a
jump start on training camp. Noticeably, foreshadowing the drama to come,
Duchene skipped the voluntary practices and defenseman Nikita Zadorov still
hadn't signed a contract. Since everyone is signed this year, hopefully there
will be a smoother start to preseason training.

The Avalanche released a schedule showing the team practicing at Family Sports
Center from Sept. 14-17. The club will be splitting the players into two
groups. Each group will be practicing on the rink for an hour and a half. Camp
will run from 8:45 A.M. to 12:30 P.M. with a half-hour break at the midway
point.

There is a lot of young talent this year vying for a spot on the Avalanche
roster as well as guys hoping to move up the lineup. Players like Dominic
Toninato and Alexander Kerfoot should come in looking to push the
newly-acquired Calvert along with returning veterans Bourque and Colin Wilson
down the forward lineup. The competition for a defensive slot should be stiff
as well, with prospects like Conor Timmins and Nicolas Meloche hoping for a
spot over returning blueliners Mark Alt and David Warsofsky, among others.Conor
 Timmins aims to start his pro career competing for a solid role on the
blueline. (Photo by Kevin Hoffman/Getty Images)

The Avalanche will be playing their first preseason game on home ice the
following day, Sept. 18, at 7:00 P.M. at the Pepsi Center. They will be facing
off against the Vegas Golden Knights in their first of two preseason
head-to-head matchups.

Both the rookie camp and the regular training camp are open and free to the
public. It's a great opportunity to get a glimpse of the players, the systems,
and the camaraderie in a competitive yet casual setting.  For those who can't
wait any longer, training camp is nigh and hockey is on the horizon. The
players are already preparing for the season to start, eager to prove last year
 was the real deal. The Avalanche have a chance to lay the foundation for years
 of success and to propel the franchise from a position of respect to a team to
 be feared. One week to the launch of rookie camp - a chance to propel the
Avalanche forward to a bright future. Fasten your seatbelts.

The post Avalanche Rookies & Veterans Eager to Start appeared first on The
Hockey Writers.

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