Moments ago, the Avalanche placed defenseman Josh Manson on long-term injured reserve and recalled Alex Gagne from the Eagles.
Manson has played 13 of Colorado's 18 games this season, with 1 goal and 3 assists. He's listed with an ankle injury and, according to the latest injury report, is expected to be out until at least Dec. 27. That date is an estimate.
The call-up and the LTIR move were both made official Monday evening.
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Gagne is a 24-year-old, 6'4" defenseman out of Bedford, NH, picked by Tampa Bay in the sixth round (192nd overall) in 2021. He has never played an NHL game.
He'll wear number 45, per the NHL media site, after scoring 2 goals in 14 games with the Eagles this season.
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The money side matters here too. Aarif Deen shared that Colorado gains Manson's $3.95M cap hit as additional space, with $3.9M remaining in LTIR space after the Gagne call-up.
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The timing is awkward. Cale Makar's status is still unclear after he left practice in pain over the weekend, and Colorado plays at Toronto on Tuesday before going to Ottawa on Thursday.
Both opponents are worth a look. The Maple Leafs have lost 3 straight and were blanked 4-0 by New Jersey on Sunday, while the Senators are 11-6-1 and fourth in the Atlantic.
Colorado sits 10-6-2, third in the Central, and has just 3 road wins in 8 tries. This trip is the first real test of a thinner blue line away from home.
| GP | W | L | OL | PTS | |
| Season | 18 | 10 | 6 | 2 | 22 |
| Home | 10 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 16 |
| Road | 8 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 6 |
| Last 10 | 10 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 11 |
Can the Avalanche blue line hold up without Manson?
On paper, yes, as long as Makar is on the ice. Devon Toews has 16 points and a +13 rating, and Sam Malinski is at +9 with 7 points.
Brent Burns, 41, has 6 assists in 18 games. Brett Kulak and Noah Juulsen round out the group, and Juulsen has played 13 games.
Here's the opinion: a player with zero NHL games shouldn't be asked to carry real minutes on a contender's top four, and Colorado has no margin for that if Makar is out. Depth was supposed to be the answer on this back end, and Monday tests it.
Jared Bednar's group gets its first look without Manson on Tuesday in Toronto.
Quick hits
PHILADELPHIA FLYERS: Joseph Woll starts in Vancouver tonight, and Rick Tocchet is reshuffling his blue line and forward group around him. A busy night for the Flyers.
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SAN JOSE SHARKS: Adam Kblat reports that Aiden Celebrini, younger brother of Sharks star Macklin, left Boston University's loss and is uncertain for Tuesday. Hockey families will be holding their breath.
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