Following the Colorado Avalanche morning skate on Thursday, head coach Patrick Roy announced that Tyson Barrie has a hip flexor injury and will be forced to miss Thursday night’s matchup with the Detroit Red Wings.
“Barrie won’t play tonight. He has a hip flexor,” head coach Patrick Roy said.
Barrie leads the Avalanche with 25 assists and has 30 points in 51 games on the season.
Roy said he expects the 23-year-old to play in the Avs’ next game against the Minnesota Wild.
With Barrie out of the lineup, Stefan Elliott is set make his 2014-15 season debut. The 24-year-old was recalled from the Lake Erie Monsters on Jan. 29 following Erik Johnson’s knee scope.
“We’re very happy that he came about week a ago and had a chance to practice with our guys,” coach Roy said. “I think he’s ready to play. We have a lot of confidence in him.”
Elliott was Lake Erie’s lone representative at the AHL All-Star Game on Jan. 25. The 6-foot-1, 190-pound defenseman has 12 goals and 14 assists for 26 points in 40 games with Lake Erie this season.
Over the course of the past three seasons, Elliott has accumulated six goals and 18 points in 58 games with the Avalanche. He was selected in the second of the 2009 draft and Colorado elected to re-sign him to a one-year deal after his contract expired at the conclusion of last season.
Elliott will be paired with Nate Guenin on Thursday night. Coach Roy said he will get some time on the Avs’ stagnant power play as well.
Nathan is a staff writer for Mile High Sports. He can be reached on Twitter at @TheRealNatron.
