Colorado Avalanche News

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.

Nichushkin dazzled in the preseason but has been dropped to the fourth line and has yet to record a point in four games.

Nelson was a healthy scratch last night as a result of Cal Clutterbuck returning to the lineup. He has one assist in three games.

Landeskog missed Friday's contest vs. Nashville but was able to participate in full contact practice over the weekend. He will slide back into the lineup next to Paul Stastny and Alex Tanguay.

Landeskog missed Friday's game with a leg injury. He will travel with the Avs on their three-game road trip and is expected to return Tuesday night in Toronto.

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.

The Avalanhce have not released any information on his injury, which may keep him out of tonight's contest. Monitor his status prior to puck drop.

There is no word on when Landeskog suffered the injury. He played 16:07, recording three shots and three hits in the 6-1 win over the Ducks last night. Monitor his status prior to tomorrow's contest with the Predators.

It sounds like MacKinnon will be available to make his NHL debut in the Avalanche season opener on October 2nd.

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.

This is good news for Burns' owners because he is more valuable as a forward. He should continue to post great numbers up-front alongside Joe Thornton.

Burns has been great at forward having posted five goals and five assists in nine games.

I would expect Burns to move back to forward after Demers returns to the lineup. Burns has five goals and five assists in nine games as a forward, including goals in three straight games.

Landeskog was a late scratch Saturday with a torso injury.

He began the game on a third line with Scott Gomez and James Sheppard. After scoring McLellan gave Burns regular shifts on a line with Joe Thornton and Logan Couture as well as power play time on the blue line.

Yes you read that right, the Sharks are experimenting playing Burns at forward. This will certainly help Burns' fantasy value as he will likely get more scoring chances playing forward and he will still be able to be used as a defenceman. However he as had a hard time staying healthy so he is always an injury risk.

Burns has an undisclosed injury and won't be in the Sharks lineup for the next couple of games. Irwin will likely step into the lineup for Burns.

The often injured Burns left Saturday's game after only playing 2:07 and did not return. The injury is a lower-body injury and it is not known how much time he will miss. We do know he will not be in the lineup in the Sharks next two games. Burns has zero points and is a -5 in 6 games this season.

Early indications show Landeskog will play the wing alogside Stastny and Jones.

Landeskog (concussion) hasn't played since January 26th. It appears he will return to the Avs lineup this weekend.