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Colorado Avalanche: Sam Girard Update and Free Agency Rumors

By Nadia Archuleta

ST. LOUIS, MO - FEBRUARY 08: Colorado Avalanche goalie Jonathan Bernier (45) watches from the bench after being pulled after one period during a NHL game between the Colorado Avalanche and the St. Louis Blues on February 08, 2018, at Scottrade Center, St. Louis, MO. (Photo by Keith Gillett/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
ST. LOUIS, MO - FEBRUARY 08: Colorado Avalanche goalie Jonathan Bernier (45) watches from the bench after being pulled after one period during a NHL game between the Colorado Avalanche and the St. Louis Blues on February 08, 2018, at Scottrade Center, St. Louis, MO. (Photo by Keith Gillett/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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The Colorado Avalanche are getting ready for next season, while a certain defenseman is lucky his car accident wasn’t more serious.

The Colorado Avalanche released their preseason schedule today. They’ll be playing the same three teams as last season — the Vegas Golden Knights, Dallas Stars and Minnesota Wild.

Read more here:

Related Story: Avalanche Release Schedule

In other news, defenseman Sam Girard spoke to TVA Sports, which I translated here because the original is in French.  As reported Monday, Girard was involved in a car accident late Sunday night after he fell asleep behind the wheel. In his interview with TVA Sports, Girard elaborated on how the accident happened.

Girard had participated in the Relay for Life of Saint-Félicien, an overnight fundraiser for fighting cancer. According to his father, who spoke to Le Quotidien, Girard had also participated in two other “big causes for children” that season.

So, he was driving home, he took an extra-long blink, and his vehicle missed a curve. He ended up in a ravine. Luckily, though he was taken to the hospital by ambulance, he had just a little neck pain that proved to be nothing significant.

Girard said of the incident:

"“They took me to the hospital just as a precaution. It took five minutes, the doctor came to see me, examined my neck and there was no problem.”"

Sam also stated that he’d be giving the incident second thoughts. “One thinks oneself to be invincible when one is young,” he added.

That’s all for news, but we do have a bit of gossip courtesy of Avs insider Adrian Dater. Apparently the Colorado Avalanche are going to try a familiar bandaid for their goalie problem — Dater says his sources state the Avs are interested in re-signing Bernier.

Now, in a way, that makes total sense. As of right now, Colorado has exactly two goalies signed to contracts — Semyon Varlamov and Pavel Francouz, the unproven 28-year-old out of the Czech Republic. That’s barely enough for an NHL team, much less said team and its affiliate.

The Avalanche also have the rights to Adam Werner — who tried out with the San Antonio Rampage at the end of last season — and Petr Kvaca, who appears to be committed to the Czech League. They also have RFA Spencer Martin, he of three uninspiring NHL starts.

Bernier isn’t a long-term answer, but, as I indicated above, he’s a familiar bandaid.

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According to Dater, the big sticking points are the same as always — money and term. I can’t see the Colorado Avalanche throwing much of either at Bernier. Likewise, Bernier probably hopes for a starting position. However, he has concussion issues, and the enormity of that can’t be ignored.

If Colorado can’t come to terms with Bernier, they’re going to have to make a move in free agency. I’ll be concentrating on that more as I move forward in my free agency profiles.

The Avalanche also have a couple more free agents who might be getting contracts. Word for the last few weeks has been that Colorado and defenseman Patrik Nemeth are in talks. I’m not sure what the holdup is — Nemeth was a waiver pickup, so he can’t have so many options available. He’s a pending RFA.

According to Dater, Matthew Nieto, another pending RFA, seems pretty likely to get another contract. I concur — he’s young (25 years old) and relatively cheap ($1 million AAV last year). What’s more, he had good chemistry on the checking line last season with Carl Soderberg, he of the two years remaining contract.

The third member of that line was Blake Comeau. Dater doesn’t think he’ll return, and neither do I. Comeau provided some value to the team, and he was one of the members who brainstormed how to get the Avs out of the gutter last offseason. However, he’s 32, and Colorado has players such as AJ Greer gunning for that roster spot.

Other pending free agents are Nail Yakupov, Duncan Siemens, Spencer Martin and Andrew Hammond. As much as I’d like to see some of those players back, I just don’t think it’s going to happen.

Next: Bernier Essential to 2017-18 Success

The Colorado Avalanche have vowed not to be big players in free agency this year. However, they do have some gaps that need filling. Hopefully they can find a diamond in the rough for their roster.

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