While six of the Colorado Avalanche’s brightest stars are in Toronto for the World Cup of Hockey, the rest of the organization will instead go camping.
On Tuesday, the Avalanche announced their training camp schedule and roster. On Thursday, veterans will report for physicals. On Friday and Saturday, the team will take to the ice at the South Suburban Family Sports Center in Centennial, Colo. These sessions will begin at approximately 8:45 a.m., and will be open to the public. Camp will conclude on Sunday with the annual Burgundy/White Game, which will be held at the University of Denver’s Magness Arena.
The roster consists of 59 players (36 forwards, 17 defensemen and six goaltenders). 23 of the participants took part in the Avalanche’s Rookie Camp, which just concluded. In addition to Gabriel Bourque and Rene Bourque (who were previously announced to be attending), forward Jiri Tlusty will head to camp on a professional tryout contract. A first-round selection (13th overall) by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft, the 28-year-old former 20-goal scorer had two goals and four points in 30 games for the New Jersey Devils last season.
In addition to Semyon Varlamov and Calvin Pickard, there will be two other goaltenders with NHL experience in camp: Nathan Lieuwen and Kent Simpson. Both are signed to AHL contracts with the San Antonio Rampage.
Matt Duchene, Erik Johnson, Gabriel Landeskog, Nathan MacKinnon, Carl Soderberg and Semyon Varlamov will join the Avalanche after they finish their commitments to their respective national teams for the World Cup. Mikko Rantanen will join the club as soon as he recovers from his injured ankle.
