We all knew it was going to be a wild ride for the defense from training camp through the preseason. Too many bodies, not enough spots. Admittedly, this has been a fun problem to have. Unlike last season when the depth on D was akin to a kiddie pool, having the opportunity to seriously contemplate who will be a regular on the roster is a nice change.
Injuries to Jan Hejda and Ryan Wilson have made things interesting for players who were once shoe-ins for Monsters jerseys come October. And late-signed two-way contracts for experienced NHLers (well, one NHLer) brings doubts about someone who was once considered an automatic for an Avs jersey
There are some guarantees for the Avs defense, of course. Johnson, Quincey, O'Byrne, and O'Brien are clearly locks for opening night at this point. There is still a good chance Wilson will be healthy enough to play as well. That puts the number of boys in the back at 5. Assuming Coach Sacco only goes with 6 defensemen that night, that leaves one little spot available.