The new look Colorado Avalanche roster got to have some fun with lasers, marshmallows and arm braces at the team’s annual media day.
Before the Colorado Avalanche take to the ice for training camp, they first had a day of fitness testing and media production. Media Day is always fun, especially for new members of the team who get to show off their personalities as well as getting to see their new teammates in action.
Here is a look at the training camp roster. The notable absence is Mikko Rantanen, who is yet to re-sign with the team. Defensemen Ian Cole and Erik Johnson are both listed despite recovering from surgeries which took place over the summer. Colin Wilson is apparently getting double the work as he is listed twice.
SQUAD 👊#GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/MYCZne1tzj
— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) September 12, 2019
Captain Gabriel Landeskog gave his first interview of the season, with nothing but positive words to say about his new squad.
“We’re super excited about what we got here and the guys are looking good so far.”#GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/twH5Xk5QL6
— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) September 12, 2019
Nazem Kadri was the team’s most significant acquisition over the summer and he was the first player to be shown in what the media team dubbed the ‘laser room’.
https://twitter.com/Avalanche/status/1172181953895747584
We’ve started calling this the “laser room” because, well, it’s sick.
— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) September 12, 2019
(You’re going to love what this footage is for!) #GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/2tP1h2dNm1
Into It or Over It is making a comeback this season. As the same suggests this is a feature where players are given a topic and have to say whether they are Into It or Over It. Here’s an example from last season.
Fortnite: are you into it or over it?#GoAvsGo https://t.co/kkKF1B0MBU
— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) December 17, 2018
And here is Ian Cole recording his segment for this season’s features.
A classic in-game feature returns to Pepsi Vision...#GoAvsGo https://t.co/EOSNaJGpaf
— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) September 12, 2019
After shining at the NHL’s league Media Day, Cale Makar is back to do it all again for the Avalanche.
More Cale? More Cale!#GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/TqTUhneALS
— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) September 12, 2019
As the two players who grew up together in Winnipeg, Matt Calvert and Colin Wilson look good together in the burgundy and blue.
Making The Peg proud.#GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/6nEGqsrQOj
— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) September 12, 2019
With Harvard graduate Alexander Kerfoot traded to Toronto, J.T. Compher couldn’t copy answers from his roommate this year. Luckily for him Joonas Donskoi was at hand.
https://twitter.com/Avalanche/status/1172205425409658882
Andre Burakovsky also looks good in the burgundy and blue. I was a fan of Burakovsky when he was still with the Washington Capitals so I’m excited to see what he can do with the Avalanche.
HI, BURKY!#GoAvsGo https://t.co/3NXvYsal22
— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) September 12, 2019
Tyson Jost has a lot of personality and the team always gets great media content from him. You can see that shining through just in these photographs alone.
Just hangin’ out.#GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/TpxSk8etkH
— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) September 12, 2019
One of the tasks set to the players was to see how many marshmallows they could fit in their mouths. Of course Gabriel Landeskog rose to the challenge.
https://twitter.com/Avalanche/status/1172225412056772608
Of course no Media Day would be complete without Nikita Zadorov making comments from the sidelines.
Menace gonna menace.#GoAvsGo https://t.co/zEvTi65rYn
— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) September 12, 2019
Everyone is all smiles which I think shows how much fun they all have at Media Day.
The new guys are all already having a good time!#GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/5bUVOVMZKR
— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) September 12, 2019
This is a tough challenge, especially for members of the team like Burakovsky where English isn’t their first language. He did pretty well all things considered.
Try to not say “UM” while talking about a random topic for 20 seconds...#GoAvsGo https://t.co/1lgBTVIYHX
— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) September 12, 2019
Of course Tyson Jost nailed it.
Tyson Jost, King of #Content, NAILS IT.
— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) September 12, 2019
(We think??) #GoAvsGo https://t.co/HhnOJ5IJJX
This year the popular Mouthguard Challenge has been replaced with a Straight Arm Challenge. Colin Wilson is trying it out ahead of the feature being recorded.
https://twitter.com/Avalanche/status/1172254926027808768
And here they are attempting to put sunglasses on without being able to bend their arms. I think Wilson’s reaction to Nikita Zadorov’s attempt is representative of all of us.
Are you serious, @zadorov61!?#GoAvsGo https://t.co/qdhc4AFvvb
— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) September 12, 2019
The popcorn challenge was a little more complicated. I love the way Wilson keeps looking at Zadorov to see if he’s going to do something impressive again.
Your task: eat popcorn, but with straight arms.#GoAvsGo https://t.co/4fIQ74GjsW
— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) September 12, 2019
Gabriel Landeskog and Nathan Mackinnon seemed to struggle with this one as well, but the resulting photos are amazing.
We can’t get enough of this. #GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/JfxE09CBba
— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) September 12, 2019
Cale Makar and Ian Cole make taping their sticks with straight arms look easy.
Your task: tape a stick, but with straight arms.#GoAvsGo https://t.co/LhIu8ZcBey
— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) September 12, 2019
It’s nice to see Kadri jumping straight in and doing silly things to make everyone laugh.
Your task: floss your teeth, but with straight arms.#GoAvsGo https://t.co/8ac1LevH9L
— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) September 12, 2019
Burakovsky was paired with his former Washington Capitals teammate Philipp Grubauer for these games and looks to be having fun as well.
Your task: blow bubbles, but with straight arms.#GoAvsGo https://t.co/SP4xi3lVbs
— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) September 12, 2019
Over the summer the Avalanche ran a feature called Sweet Then Sour where Cale Makar would say something nice about a teammate and then Tyson Jost would say something mean (or at least try to – he’s a lot less chirpy when there’s a camera pointing at him). Of course Jost’s former roommate had to give his comments on this whole thing.
Who do you believe!?
— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) August 27, 2019
Sweet Then Sour: JT Compher#GoAvsGo https://t.co/rPOWn5egWz
https://twitter.com/Avalanche/status/1172277456990089217
And with that Media Day was over for another year.
Ah yes, how was your Media Day!?#GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/j2UCfmbFIP
— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) September 12, 2019
Colorado Avalanches training camp begins on Sept 13 at 8:15am MT.