Avs have another player in concussion protocol, Rodrigues doing “not great”

It sounds like a broken record, but the Colorado Avalanche seemingly can’t get healthy.

Almost every single player on the team has battled a significant injury this year, and the latest will be forward Evan Rodrigues. After taking a hit to the head against the Blackhawks on Monday night, Rodrigues missed the third period. On Tuesday, head coach Jared Bednar confirmed he’s in concussion protocol and hurting.

When asked how Evan Rodrigues is doing, Bednar responded “not great.”

He’s in concussion protocol.

— Evan Rawal (@evanrawal) March 21, 2023

“Not great” can have a variety of different meanings, but it’s clear the injury will affect Rodrigues for a little bit of time. The Avs have dealt with this twice in the last six weeks, with superstar defenseman Cale Makar suffering two concussions. He played in only two games in the month of February thanks to the blows to the head.

Rodrigues was an offseason addition from the Penguins who’s played a significant role for the Avs this year, particularly as they’ve faced so many different injuries. Appearing in 58 games, Rodrigues has 14 goals and 19 assists, good for 33 points. That’s eighth on the team.

Meanwhile, the Avalanche are on fire, winners of six games in a row as they try to once again win the Central Division. Their 88 points has them just one back of the Dallas Stars, with a game in hand. They’re tied with the Minnesota Wild.

While captain Gabriel Landeskog finally participated in a morning skate on Monday, Rodrigues joins the growing list of hurt players, including forward Artturi Lehkonen who broke his hand last week. Bednar should know more in the coming days, but for now, don’t expect to see Rodrigues Wednesday night against Pittsburgh or Friday versus the Coyotes.

***