Grubauer to debut in net at Minnesota

Newly acquired goalie Philipp Grubauer will make his Avalanche preseason debut Saturday at the Minnesota Wild. Grubauer, who was part of the Stanley Cupchampion Washington Capitals in June, will be backed up by freeagent signee Pavel Francouz.

Grubauer, 26, was acquired by the Avs in a trade June 22 and signed to a threeyear, $10 million extension the following day.

Avs coach Jared Bednar announced Saturday’s lineup after another twogroup practice sessions Friday at Family Sports Center. They are carrying 45 players and must get down to 23 in the days leading into the Oct. 4 season opener against the visiting Wild.

Most of the Avs’ core players who played in the preseason opener Tuesday will not make the trip to Minnesota, including forwards Nathan MacKinnon, Gabe Landeskog, Mikko Rantanen and defensemen Erik Johnson, Ian Cole and Tyson Barrie and goalie Semyon Varlamov. Bednar said virtually everyone who plays Saturday will collect paychecks this season from the Avs or their new American Hockey League affiliate, the Colorado Eagles in Loveland.

“I expect more of our team tomorrow. A couple extra practices (since Tuesday’s 51 loss to the visiting Vegas Golden Knights),” Bednar said. “If you look at the lineup we’re playing and the guys that we have left here, they’re all pros. They’ll either be here or up the road in Loveland. Most of these guys have been through a couple camps with us … I expect this group to tighten things up a bit.”

The Avalanche will resume practice Sunday and visit the Golden Knights on Monday in Las Vegas. The Avs will play two home games next week — Wednesday against Dallas and Friday against the Wild — before their preseason finale Sept. 30 at Dallas.

Footnotes.

Rantanen skipped onice drills Friday because of a minor injury he sustained Thursday. Forward Matt Calvert returned to practice after missing Thursday with a minor injury. … Defensemen Nikita Zadorov and Patrik Nemeth, both coming off shoulder surgeries, were in regular practice jerseys Friday. They previously had red noncontact sweaters. Both are expected to play in the final three preseason games. … Defensemen Conor Timmins and David Warsofsky remain out with injuries, but Timmins (concussion) continues to skate on his own.