Already without their captain Gabriel Landeskog due to injury, the Colorado Avalanche will also be sans the services of starting goaltender Semyon Varlamov when they take on the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday.
Varlamov is nursing an upper-body injury, which is not believed to be serious. With Varlamov on the shelf, Calvin Pickard will get the nod against the Canucks. On Friday, the Avalanche recalled goaltender Spencer Martin from the San Antonio Rampage, who will serve as Pickard’s backup.
Pickard has outperformed Varlamov, as the Avalanche’s season hovers around the quarter mark. Having played in six games this season, the 24-year-old Pickard has five wins, with a goals-against average of 2.07 and a save percentage of .931. In 14 games, the 28-year-old Varlamov has five wins, with a goals-against average of 3.08 and a save percentage of .904.
The 21-year-old Martin has never suited up in an NHL game before. In 13 AHL games with the Rampage this season, he has a goals-against average of 2.21 and a save percentage of .924.
