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Thursday afternoon, the Colorado Avalanche announced that defenseman Nikita Zadorov will be out of the lineup for the next two games (Friday vs. Chicago, Saturday @ Arizona) due to a lower-body injury. Zadorov is officially listed as day-to-day.
#Avs coach Jared Bednar says D Nikita Zadorov out next two games with lower body injury pic.twitter.com/ShY7jzx8xc
— Mike Chambers (@MikeChambers) December 20, 2018
The Avs are being very open about Zadorov’s injury, head coach Jared Bednar said in his post-practice press conference that Zadorov tweaked a muscle in the second period against the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday night that pulled him out of the game, and subsequently from the next two.
Zadorov disappeared for a bit but is back on the bench now. I've suspected he's had something nagging him for a while now dating back to that fight he had.
— Nathan Rudolph (@AvalancheReview) December 20, 2018
With Zadorov injured, and Mark Barberio still on the shelf, the Avalanche only have five defenseman available to play. The NHL’s holiday roster freeze is currently in effect, but because of player safety reasons, it does not affect the calling up of players from the AHL, only the other way around. As a result, the Avalanche have reportedly called up defenseman Anton Lindholm from the AHL Colorado Eagles for this weekend.
Zadorov has three goals and two assists for five points in 34 games for the Avalanche this season. He has racked up 35 penalty minutes in that timeframe. The 24-year-old Lindholm has five assists in 20 games for the Eagles, he’s only taken one penalty all season.
We’ll have more news as it comes out ahead of Friday’s tilt with the Chicago Blackhawks.