DENVER — Jonathan Drouin didn’t just come here to play with Nathan MacKinnon. But he admits the two were in contact in June about the possibility of reuniting with the Avalanche.
“Nate and I texted before free agency a bit,” he told me on Monday following the Avalanche’s practice at Ball Arena. “It’s an easy decision when a team like that calls that won two years ago and has just so many special players and a hell of a group.”
During his stint in Montreal, Drouin played with Tomas Tatar and Artturi Lehkonen. The two, along with MacKinnon, are familiar faces in an otherwise new experience. One that allows him to lay low in Denver after the elevated pressure of playing for the Habs.
“When you’re six years in the same spot you’re used to the trainers and everything. So it’s been great having a couple of guys you know,” Drouin said. “It’s been fun to have those guys and ask them questions and kind of help me around the first couple of weeks. I feel comfortable now, I know everything is going well and I feel ready to go.”
Ivan Prosvetov claimed off waivers
Colorado announced that goalie Ivan Prosvetov was claimed off waivers from the Arizona Coyotes. He was one of several goalies who hit the waiver wire Sunday. The deadline for the opening night roster is due at 3 p.m. MT on Monday. With the claim fo Prosvetov, the Avs are likely going to send Justus Annunen down to the American Hockey League. The young goalie impressed during training camp, but the team lacked goaltending depth following a summer setback for backup Pavel Francouz.
If Annunen is sent down and no other moves are made, the Avs will enter opening night in L.A. on Wednesday with a 21-man roster, which includes six defensemen and only one extra skater in Kurtis MacDermid.
