Avalanche G Semyon Varlamov placed on injured reserve
Semyon Varlamov has been placed on injured reserve after sustaining a groin injury. (USATSI)The Colorado Avalanche are looking to establish some consistency after a 1-2-1 start to the season. They'll have to do it without their Vezina-finalist goaltender, however. Semyon Varlamov was placed on injured reserve Thursday as he is nursing a groin injury.
The Avalanche had hoped Varlamov would be available for Thursday night's game against the Ottawa Senators, but apparently the injury is a little more serious than previously believed.
Calvin Pickard has been called up from the American Hockey League to replace Varlamov, leaving Reto Berra as the team's starter in the interim. Though Berra struggled mightily last year, he was between the pipes for Colorado's only win so far in 2014-15, a 2-1 overtime victory against the Bruins.
In 80 minutes of action this season, Berra has made 37 saves on 38 shots. The 27-year-old Swiss netminder has a career .896 save percentage in just 33 games. So the Avs will definitely have to hope Varlamov is back soon.
The team's MVP a season ago, Varlamov did skate with the team ahead of its game Thursday but had to leave practice early, according to the Denver Post. If this turns out to be a lingering issue, it could be a heck of a lot harder for the Avs to pull out of this rough start to the year.
Varlamov is 0-2-1 in three appearances this season with a .910 save percentage and 3.80 goals-against average. In 63 games last season, he set a franchise record with 41 wins while posting a .927 save percentage and 2.41 goals-against average.
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