Caught In the Avalanche

7/25/08: The Avs signed Marek Svatos to a 2 year deal today avoiding a salary arbitration hearing which was scheduled.

7/16/08: It was announced today that the Avs have also signed forwards Cody McCormick and Brian Willsie to one year deals. Willsie started out his NHL career with the team and has also played for the Capitols and the LA Kings.

7/14/08: Today the Avs announced that they have signed forward Cody McLeod to a one year deal. They also reached deals with goaltenders Tyler Weiman and Jason Bacashihua, defensemen Darcy Campbell and Aaron MacKenzie, and forwards Philippe Dupuis and Nathan Smith. The team's prospect development camp is underway this week and is open to fans (it's held the same place the team holds practice during the regular season).

7/2/08: Today the Avalanche signed Wojtek Wolski to a two year deal. Still no word on Sakic. :(

7/1/08: The Avs have signed goaltender Andrew Raycroft and forward Darcy Tucker as free agents formerly of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Jose Theodore signed a contract with Washington and Andrew Brunette re-signed with his former team the Minnesota Wild.

6/29/08: According to TSN, the Avalanche have signed John-Michael Liles to a 4 year, $16 million deal. They have also signed defenseman Adam Foote reportedly to a 2 year deal.

6/27/08: Free agency is just days away and the Avs still don't know if captain Joe Sakic will return for one more season or hang up the skates. A lot of question marks remain as several players will become free agents on July 1st. Scott "The Sheriff" Parker will be around for another year as he signed a one year deal with the Avs on Tuesday. The Avs also announced that they acquired forward Matt Hendricks from the Bruins in exchanged for defenseman Johnny Boychuk and they agreed to terms with Marty Sertich aqcuired a couple weeks ago from the Stars.

5/22/08: In a surprising move, the Avs today introduced Tony Granato as their new head coach...again. It's far too early to determine whether this will be a good or bad move, but it certainly makes you scratch your head and go "Huh?" since Granato was coach when Q was brought in and they didn't even appear to consider anyone outside the organization.

5/9/08: The Avs announced today that they are 'parting ways with Joel Quenneville'. In other words, they're not renewing his contract which expires at the end of the month. The head coaching position is now vacant and it will only be a matter of waiting until they announce who will fill the position.

2/25/08: Peter Forsberg is coming home! He signed a deal with the Avs today that will keep him here through the end of the year.

2/6/08: The Avs are slowly regaining their health. Jose Theodore who missed the third period of the game against the Blackhawks last week missed three consecutive games with back spasms. Tonight he returned and played extremely well, basically stealing the win for the Avs. The other good news is that Paul Stastny is likely going to return on Saturday in Vancouver as he travelled with the teams in hopes of playing soon. Ryan Smyth has started to skate again as well.

1/25/08: The All Star break has come and it will be a weekend of rest for the Avs as they have no players representing the team in Atlanta. Joe Sakic and Paul Stastny's surgeries prevented them from going and Stastny was replaced by some Ducks player.

1/17/08: And the bad news keeps on coming for the Avalanche. Paul Stastny had some abdominal pain during practice today and upon further examination it was determined that he needed to have his appendix removed immediately. Stastny will be out 2-3 weeks, missing his first NHL All Star game.

1/8/08: It's not new news, but Joe Sakic is expected to be out until probably late March and Ryan Smyth is going to be out until early March. Today the Avs announced that they have reassigned forward TJ Hensick to the AHL, likely in preparation for the return of Tyler Arnason.

11/12/07: Last night forward Ian Laperriere injured his knee in a game against the Wild and will have to sit out for 2-4 weeks.

10/16/07: Ryan Smyth set a new franchise record tonight by having 12 shots on goal during the game (the previous record was 11 SOG in one game). He also had 2 goals and a shootout goal.

10/13/07: Tonight Avs' captain Joe Sakic got the 15th hat trick of his career. The Avs as a team have had two players with hat tricks already this season (both coming at home) so perhaps a lot of fans out there will be needing new hats.

10/12/07: Jose Theodore made his first start of the season in an Avs uniform (he lost in the Lake Erie Monsters' inaugural game earlier this week). He allowed 4 goals on 23 shots and the Avs lost 4-1.

10/9/07: It was announced today that Avalanche President and former general manager Pierre Lacroix will be inducted into the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame in 2008.

10/8/07: The Avs announced today that they sent goaltender Tyler Weiman to the Lake Erie Monsters of the American Hockey League. The NHL has named Paul Stastny as the first star of the week on NHL.com.