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Colorado Avalanche 2017 Training Camp Schedule is Unideal

By Nadia Archuleta

CENTENNIAL, CO - SEPTEMBER 23: Rene Bourque (24) of the Colorado Avalanche is checked into the net by Duncan Siemens (15) as Nathan Lieuwn (35) takes cover during the first day of training camp at Family Sports Ice Arena in Centennial, Colorado on September 23, 2016. (Photo by Seth McConnell/The Denver Post via Getty Images)
CENTENNIAL, CO - SEPTEMBER 23: Rene Bourque (24) of the Colorado Avalanche is checked into the net by Duncan Siemens (15) as Nathan Lieuwn (35) takes cover during the first day of training camp at Family Sports Ice Arena in Centennial, Colorado on September 23, 2016. (Photo by Seth McConnell/The Denver Post via Getty Images) /
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The Colorado Avalanche will have little time for training camp before the start of the preseason. This is unideal for a rebuilding team.

The Colorado Avalanche have announced their training camp schedule, and it’s less than ideal.

The rookies get to participate in just one single day of rookie camp, on Friday, Sept. 8, at 10 a.m. Just one day to get to know each other and the Colorado Avalanche’s systems before they fly off to San Jose to participate in four days’ worth of prospect showcasing:

Saturday, Sept. 9
Rookie Tournament vs. San Jose Sharks – 5 p.m. MT
Sunday, Sept. 10
Avalanche rookie practice – 11 a.m. MT
Monday, Sept. 11
Rookie Tournament vs. Arizona Coyotes – 8 p.m. MT
Tuesday, Sept. 12
Rookie Tournament vs. Anaheim Ducks – 1 p.m. MT

After that, the entire organization appears to take a break as there’s nothing happening on Wednesday, September 13.

Last year the Colorado Avalanche rookies had two days of camp — one before the rookie showcase, and one after. Now, it’s highly likely that’s because one of the rookie showcases was held here in Colorado. I guess it’s also technically possible the practice on Sunday is like a second day of rookie camp.

That said, the veterans also have only two days of training camp, Friday, September 15 and Saturday, September 16. The entire training camp culminates in the annual Burgundy and White game on Sunday, September 17.

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Last year was further complicated by the World Cup of Hockey. So the team also had just two days’ worth of official training camp. In 2014 and 2015, by comparison, there were three days of rookie camp followed by two days of training camp.

I understand that this isn’t the good old days of hockey when players hardly did anything in the offseason and showed up to camp out of shape. Then it would take three weeks worth of training camp to get players into condition.

In today’s NHL, any player who shows up with unideal conditioning gets sent to the AHL — ask Chris Bigras all about that. He wasn’t out of shape, just not in the exact condition the Avs wanted to see.

These days, NHL players and even prospective NHLers train maniacally in the off-season. They seem to train harder than they do in the regular season — they’re obviously training themselves for the rigor of the season.

Nonetheless, it seems like the teams could use more time to cement their systems and for players to get accustomed to new faces. This is especially true for rebuilding teams such as the Colorado Avalanche.

Next: 3 Questions for the Avs 2017-18 Season

In any case, here is the schedule for the two days of proper training camp the Avs are having:

Friday, Sept. 15
Group 1: 8:45-10:15 a.m. MT
Group 2: 10:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m. MT

Saturday, Sept. 16
Group 1: 8:45-10:15 a.m. MT
Group 2: 10:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m. MT

All days are free and open to the public. Those two days plus the one rookie camp day take place at Family Sports Center in Centennial. The Burgundy and White game takes place at Magness Arena on the University of Denver campus at 10 10 a.m. MT.

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