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Today the Colorado Avalanche announced that they have recalled goaltender Andrew Hammond from the AHL Belleville Senators, with Avs starter Semyon Varlamov on the shelf with a day-to-day muscle injury.
We have recalled Andrew Hammond from the Belleville Senators. #GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/vFtLSCreru
— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) January 3, 2018
Hammond was called up earlier in the season, but has yet to play a game in the NHL since being acquired by the Avalanche in the Matt Duchene trade.
Originally signed as a free agent by the Ottawa Senators after spending four years at Bowling Green State University, Hammond has played 55 NHL games with a .923sv% and 2.31GAA, as well as having four career shutouts.
Though an injury to your starting goalie is never good, this is as good a time as any for Varly to get some rest. The team has two more games before they get a whole week off.
Assuming he misses the games against Columbus and Minnesota, the bye week will give Varlamov ten days of rest - hopefully that will be enough.
Hammond will most likely back up Jonathan Bernier until Varlamov is back, and with the Avalanche having no back-to-back games until January 22nd in Toronto and 23rd in Montreal, he may not see a start this call up either unless Varlamov’s injury is worse than reported.