Byram isn’t worried about concussion history

Avalanche fans might look away in fear whenever Bo Byram drops the gloves, but he’s nowhere near as worried as everyone else.

The young defenseman has now engaged in two fights since returning from a lower-body injury in February. The latest was an uneventful bout with Michael Pezzetta during Colorado’s 8-4 win Monday over the Canadiens. Byram is not the Avs’ enforcer — in fact, he’s quickly developing into one of their most elite skill players, as evidenced by another moment in Montreal — making him an unusual fighting candidate.

Especially taking into account his history. He was hounded by concussions throughout the first two years of his NHL career, making the idea of a smack to the head more daunting. The guy who actually is Colorado’s enforcer ended up in concussion protocol last month, thanks to a knockout blow in a fight. Kurtis Macdermid still has a black eye. Byram, however, is adamant. “That’s behind me,” he said of his concussions. “I don’t even think about it anymore.”

The occasion in Montreal was a chippy third period that culminated with Byram and Pezzetta taking matching game misconduct penalties. Neither welterweight landed a clean punch in the fight, which turned out to be more of a wrestling bout to the great relief of the paranoid. Byram agreed that the Habs were probably looking for trouble with the game out of reach.

“It’s just kind of part of the game,” he said. “Not something I’m very good at. … I think our team does a good job of sticking up for one another, no matter who it is.”