DENVER, Colo. (KOAA) — It felt inevitable that the Colorado Avalanche would bring in another defenseman before the start of the season. That’s exactly what they did on Friday.
According to our news partner at The Gazette, the Avalanche claimed defenseman Ilya Solovyov off waivers from the Calgary Flames, meaning he’ll immediately join their roster for the time being.
The 25-year-old has just 15 games of NHL experience under his belt and has picked up four points. Last season, he put up 28 points in 59 games for the Calgary Wranglers of the AHL.
At 6’3″, 209 pounds, he’ll add some size to the blueline and perhaps more importantly, another left-handed shot. The team is currently playing Sam Malinski, a right-handed shot, on the left side because of the high volume of right-handed defensemen the team has.
It’s unlikely that Solovyov would immediately knock Malinski out of the lineup, but his addition does give the staff another left-handed option, something they were currently lacking.
Defenseman Sam Girard, one of the left-handed defensemen currently on the roster, has not suited up in the preseason due to a lower-body issue. There’s a chance he suits up in Saturday’s preseason finale.
However, the team is still hopeful he’ll be ready for the regular season opener on Tuesday. The addition of Solovyov gives them additional depth to choose from if Girard can’t go.
The Avalanche did not return home after their preseason game in Vegas on Wednesday. Instead, they went to Los Angeles for a team-building activity, which included attending the Los Angeles Rams game, another franchise owned by the Kroenke family.
Colorado won’t return home until after their final game in Dallas on Saturday night. They’re expected to practice in Denver on Monday before flying to Los Angeles for the season opener.
The Gazette's Evan Rawal contributed to this web story.
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