Colorado Avalanche News

Nichushkin skating on top line with Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn this morning.

Nichushkin was on everyone's sleeper list after a stellar preseason, but limited minutes and subpar line-mates have held him back to start the season. The move to the top line should definitely help the 18-year-old, especially the way Seguin and Benn have been playing (combined 19 points in eight games). Nichushkin is only owned in 5% of Yahoo! leagues, if he gets a chance to stay on this line, chances are he will produce.

Valeri Nichushkin
Brent Burns is out tonight after taking a hit to the mouth in Saturday's game. He could be back by Thursday vs. Boston.

Burns has been off to a hot-start scoring four goals and four assists in eight games. On Yahoo he is still D eligible giving him great value when he is playing on Joe Thornton's right wing. Freddie Hamilton will replace Burns on the top-line.

Brent Burns
Valeri Nichushkin back in the lineup Thursday vs. Sharks.

After giving Valeri Nichushkin the night off against Colorado Tuesday, Stars head coach Lindy Ruff has the 18-year-old rookie back on the ice Thursday against the Sharks at American Airlines Center. Ruff will move Nichushkin from the right wing to the left wing and play him with two veterans in Shawn Horcoff and Erik Cole. The line makes sense, in that Nichushkin will probably have to simplify his game on the left side and he’ll be supported by two veterans. In the first four games, he has wandered in his assignments and has just one shot on goal from the right side.

Valeri Nichushkin
Avalanche head coach Patrick Roy says that Gabriel Landeskog (leg) is out for tonight's game. He is listed as day-to-day and is expected to be on the upcoming road trip.

Landeskog played 16:07 and recorded three shots on goal in the season opener. There is no word on what happened to the Avs captain, but make sure he is not in your lineup tonight. Colorado's next game is not until Tuesday, so there is a good chance Landeskog could be back by then.

Gabriel Landeskog
The Colorado Avalanche Hockey Club announced today that the team has signed forward Nathan MacKinnon to a three-year, entry-level contract.

MacKinnon, only 17, will report to Avs training camp and is a favourite to make the roster under his former QMJHL coach, Patrick Roy. Keeper leagues should jump all over the talented forward but as we've seen in recent seasons, overdrafting rookies in yearly leagues is unlikely to pay off.

Nathan MacKinnon