Checking in on old friends: Big Ol’ Carl will get used to the desert

During this past offseason, the Colorado Avalanche saw a lot of roster turnover. In an attempt to build a more balanced lineup, General Manager Joe Sakic brought in a number of new forwards. As a result, we saw a number of long-time Avs leaving Denver. Carl Soderberg was moved to Arizona in an attempt to create some flexibility in the top-nine, Tyson Barrie and Alexander Kerfoot were jettisoned in the biggest trade the NHL saw this summer and a few depth veterans were not re-signed in an attempt to open up roster spots for youngsters.

These players are gone but not forgotten, so let’s take a look at how our old friends have fared through the first week of the season.

Carl Soderberg - Arizona Coyotes

It’s easy to see why the Coyotes wanted to trade for Big Ol’ Carl this summer. With a coach like Rick Tocchet that likes to play a tight checking, defense-first system, Soderberg will be the perfect fit for their middle-six. Through two games, Soderberg has been held without a point while recording five shots on net and averaging a little more than 13 minutes of ice time. With a number of new faces of their own, the Coyotes have spent the first week of the season shuffling the lineup in an attempt to find forward lines that work.

Tyson Barrie - Toronto Maple Leafs

The biggest loss of the summer, Tyson Barrie is acclimatizing himself to Toronto very quickly. With four assists in his first four games, has looked very comfortable with his new teammates. He leads all NHL defenders with 12 shots on net and has spent the first half of the season breaking ankles with his best Samuel Girard impression:

Alexander Kerfoot - Toronto Maple Leafs

As the other piece in the Nazem Kadri trade, Kerfoot is also having a fairly decent impact on his new team. With a goal and two assists in his first four games, Kerfoot is settling in nicely as the 3C behind Auston Matthews and John Tavares. To tie a perfect bow on things, Kerfoot’s first goal in Toronto was assisted by former DU Pioneer Trevor Moore.

Gabriel Bourque - Winnipeg Jets

More than anything, Bourque is going to need to get used to living in a city without an airport. Bourque is a replacement level NHLer (at best), so it wasn’t surprising when the Avs didn’t offer him a contract this summer. The fact that the Jets are counting on him to play nearly 13 minutes a night is an indictment on just how shallow their team has become. He has zero shots and five shots on net through the first three games of the season.

Patrik Nemeth - Detroit Red Wings

Nemeth is another veteran that the Avalanche walked away from this past offseason. The 27-year old defenseman signed a two year, $6m contract in Detroit and has been playing a big role for a Red Wings team that has started the season off with two wins. While he hasn’t been on the score sheet, Nemeth is averaging more than 21 minutes a game while killing penalties for the undefeated Red Wings.

Semyon Varlamov - New York Islanders

After eight years in Denver, it was time for Varlamov to move on. Despite signing a four year, $20m contract with the Islanders, Vary actually started the season in a timeshare with Thomas Greiss. he played well - letting in only two goals on 28 shots - but didn’t get any help as Varlamov lost his debut in New York 2-1 to the Washington Capitals.

Sven Andrighetto - Avangard Omsk (KHL)

After a season that saw him in and out of the press box, Andrighetto decided to take his talents to the KHL. He signed a two year contract with Avangard Omsk and it looks to be a perfect fit. Through 14 games, Andrighetto already has 13 points and has been hovering around the top-10 in league scoring.