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Colorado Avalanche Report: Final Practice

By Nadia Archuleta |
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“I honestly love this group” ~Patrick Roy

The Colorado Avalanche have not announced if today’s practice at the Family Sports Center in Centennial will be the last of the season — technically, they have time for two more. It’s the last one I can attend, though, and I doubt following practices would be radically different.

You might expect an air of doom and gloom, or at least disappointment, at the first practice after being mathematically eliminated from playoff contention. That wasn’t the case. The players were relaxed. They worked hard, but the ambience lacked the… intensity of previous practices.

You know how players say at this time of year, if the playoffs are no longer possible, that they’ll play for each other and for the love of the game? That’s what I saw at the practice today. Which makes me think captain Gabriel Landeskog’s promise will also be true:

These upcoming games, the Avalanche will do their best for the fans. However, let’s look at some snapshots from practice.

Injured Defensemen Defending

It pains me to say, Colorado Avalanche defenseman Erik Johnson was still practicing in a red no-contact jersey today. Today marks exactly 11 weeks since he had the knee scoping procedure — he was supposed to be out a maximum of eight weeks. I don’t know what the delay was, but it doesn’t really matter now.

Or maybe that’s what the delay is. Anyway, fellow injured defenseman, Ryan Wilson, was also skating in a red no-contact jersey, though that was expected. They both participated in defensive drills, though.

Ryan Wilson:

Erik Johnson:

Head coach Patrick Roy confirmed during a post-practice press conference that Johnson will not play in tomorrow’s game against the Nashville Predators and that he’s “doubtful” in the final two games. Wilson is a definite no-go for all three.

Regular Drills

The Colorado Avalanche regularly practice usual hockey plays, of course. Just because there are only three games left in this season doesn’t mean they’re going to eschew the bread and butter drills. Indeed, coach Roy has said on more than one occasion that the focus is developing good habits that hopefully carry through to next season.

During today’s practice, the Avalanche worked on their one-timers:

They also scrimmaged. During one scrimmage, some scrum developed in the neutral zone.

Coach Roy said that next training camp, the Avs are not going to do those big, formal scrimmages like they did this preseason. Presumably, though, such informal scrimmages will always be a part of their practice.

After-Practice Drills

Many players commonly stay after the formal practice to work on drills specific to their style of play. The old adage is that, part of the job description for a backup goalie is to stay and “defend” shots by the forwards. Sure enough, there was Reto Berra, facing the likes of Matt Duchene, Ryan O’Reilly, Dennis Everberg, Joey Hishon and Freddie Hamilton.

During the after-practice drills, Duchene showed off some of his puck-handling skills:

Dennis Everberg showed off his skating — not. He wiped out! (He seemed to find it amusing.)

Somehow Erik Johnson got two pucks on his stick during a slap shot drill. He fired both of them:

Other noteables that I didn’t get video of — Semyon Varlamov rolling around on the ice before Joey Hishon chased after him and whacked him with his stick. I am not making this up.

What I did catch, though, was Ryan O’Reilly, Dennis Everberg and Joey Hishon being playful as they put away the pucks:

Inspirational Ending

At the end of every practice, the players and fellow coaches group around coach Roy. Sometimes it’s only for a few seconds. Today it was a full minute — I know because I recorded the whole thing. (The video below is only a snippet.)

I can only imagine what coach Roy was saying in today’s huddle. Players were listening. They might shuffle, look away or otherwise seem distracted, but every single one had his ear in Roy’s direction. I’m certain it was something inspirational like he said during the post-practice presser:

“I honestly love this group” — what inspiring words from Patrick Roy.

I love the end of their huddle, though, which is what they’ve always done — their simple declaration of “Team!”

Next: Roy and the Excitement of Avs Hockey

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