Devon Toews returns Tuesday night, but other key Avs still out

The Avalanche have not won a game since Devon Toews last played on April 16, but the rock-solid defenseman returns to Colorado’s lineup Tuesday night against St. Louis.

Toews had missed the last four games due to an undisclosed issue. The Avs lost all of those games but have already clinched the West’s best record.

“I don’t like the last three games; I like spurts of them but not enough of them,” head coach Jared Bednar said on Tuesday. “That’s what our meeting was about this morning. Getting back to our game.”

Two of those four losses came to non-playoff teams ahead of a matchup with the playoff-bound Blues on Tuesday.

“I’m not concerned with our results; if we played the right away and we lose a game here and there, that’s fine. But it’s our play, I don’t want to see it slip away we just spent seven months getting it to where we want to get it,” Bednar said. “We’ve taken a dip, and we’re playing with some urgency tonight and the result will take care of itself.”

While Toews returns, some other big names remain out.

Winger Mikko Rantanen skated Tuesday morning and will rejoin the lineup Thursday against the Predators totaling four games missed. Captain Gabriel Landeskog also hit the ice this morning and is expected back for the first game of the playoffs, according to Bednar. The 29-year-old has not played since mid-March, when he suffered a knee injury. Landeskog is expected to participate in non-contact team activities this week as he bounces back from surgery.

Defenseman Ryan Murray also skated with the team as he works back from a wrist injury suffered in March.

Jack Johnson, Kurtis MacDermid and Ben Meyers will not play on Tuesday.

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