Avs season already off to inauspicious start
Oct 7, 2021, 2:50 PM | Updated: 2:55 pm
They’re not even through the preseason, and the Colorado Avalanche 2021-’22 campaign is off to an inauspicious start.
The Avs served up a double dose of bad news on Thursday, announcing not only had head coach Jared Bednar tested positive for COVID-19 but also goaltender Pavel Francouz will miss three to four weeks with a lower-body injury.
Bednar will not be behind the bench for Colorado’s next two preseason games against the Dallas Stars, as his role will be temporarily filled by assistants Ray Bennett and Nolan Pratt.
The Avs head coach missed the morning skate before Game 6 of last season’s playoff series with the Vegas Golden Knights because of “test irregularities,” but he was able to coach that night.
This would be the first positive test for Bednar, who Fan Avalanche Insider Adrian Dater said must be vaccinated due to NHL rules for coaches.
Several Avs players, including Erik Johnson, Gabe Landeskog and Bo Byram, have tested positive in the past.
The injury timeline for Francouz — who missed the entirety of last season after undergoing hip surgery — means he could be out until November and will likely miss several games.
The Avalanche drop the puck on their regular season slate on Oct. 13 at home against the Chicago Blackhawks.
