Mile High Sticking
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2017 NHL Expansion Draft: Colorado Avalanche Lose Calvin Pickard

ByNadia Archuleta|
Feb 9, 2017; Denver, CO, USA; Colorado Avalanche goalie Calvin Pickard (31) before the game against the Pittsburgh Penguins at the Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 9, 2017; Denver, CO, USA; Colorado Avalanche goalie Calvin Pickard (31) before the game against the Pittsburgh Penguins at the Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

The Colorado Avalanche have lost the services of goalie Calvin Pickard thanks to his selection by the Las Vegas Golden Knights in the 2017 NHL Expansion Draft.

The Colorado Avalanche, as are all the teams in the NHL, are down a player. The Las Vegas Golden Knights selected Calvin Pickard in the 2017 NHL Expansion Draft.

The Colorado Avalanche had chosen to go the 11-player route which allowed them to protect seven forwards, three defensemen and a goalie. Here are the players they protected:

The protection of Blake Comeau and Rocco Grimaldi came as a surprise to most of us. Those are meager treasures.

In any case, that left 23 players exposed. However, the main exposure list consisted of the following players:

And, as we know now, the Vegas Knights chose to select ___ from that list.

Calvin Pickard and the Colorado Avalanche

Position: Goalie
2016-17 Statistics: 15-31-2
Acquisition: Drafted by Colorado in 2010
Time with the Team: 3 NHL seasons
Contract: $1 million, 1 year remaining

More from Mile High Sticking

Calvin Pickard has been a steadfast goalie for the Colorado Avalanche. Ever since he was drafted, he’s worked through the organization. He’s not been as gifted as starter Semyon Varlamov, but he’s been more consistent.

Pickard has played all 86 games of his NHL career with the Colorado Avalanche. In that time, he’s recorded a 28-44-6 record with a 2.77 goals against average and a .914 save percentage. That second stat tells you what you need to know about Pickard and the Avs — he’s had to backstop some teams that haven’t given him a lot of support.

Pickard has been very well liked by Colorado Avalanche fans. He’s always been eager to talk to the media, even when the team isn’t doing well. He’s even been happy to do special spots for the Avs to promote the team, like this little special of him checking into his hotel in Anaheim:

Calvin Pickard has been one of my favorite players on the team. It pains me to see him go, especially since I don’t think it will get him any closer to being a starter. In fact, he may not even get back up rights on the new team.

I really wish the Colorado Avalanche had protected him over Varlamov. It’s doubtful the Vegas Knights would have chosen Varlamov, with his wonky groin and his $5.9 million cap hit. Now, the Avs goalie depth consists of said wonky-groined goalie and Spencer Martin. (Adam Werner is committed to playing in Switzerland for two more years.)

Expansion Draft

The Expansion Draft has essentially been taking place since June 17, when all 30 NHL teams had to submit their protection lists, with some preliminary actions starting back on June 12.

The NHL chose to have the list of players chosen by the Vegas Knights announced at the annual NHL Awards show. Announcers revealed the list in small chunks, in reverse order of last year’s regular-season standings. Which, of course, means the Colorado Avalanche’s 48-point, NHL-worst season had Calvin Pickard getting announced first.

Next: Avs Fans React to New Jerseys

Las Vegas had to submit its list of picks by 8:30 am MT today. That presumably gave teams time to inform players they were heading to Vegas, though some side deals meant certain players already knew.

In any case, I’d like to thank Calvin Pickard for his service to the Colorado Avalanche team. I, for one, am going to miss you, Picks.

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